Archives for October 2005
Flash! Eric Rice Announces New Media Co-op
Eric Rice announced a private new-media co-op recently. Click here to listen to this short (1.5 min) audio report in which Eric describes his new collaborative project.
The picture is of Weegee, a famous photojournalist of the 20th century and an inspiration for the voice used in these reports (along with William Macy as Tick Tock McGlaughlin in the movie Seabiscuit).
Published by Markus Sandy on October 18 .
3 Comments.
Lives In Focus: HIV In India
Part of our job at We Are The Media is to report on interesting vlogs around the world. Lives In Focus: A Lens on Life in the Margins is a fascinating grassroots vlog, podcast, and blog that investigates the impact of India’s new patent law on the treatment of the country’s HIV+ population through the eyes of the people.
For those of you that aren’t aware, India has historically manufactured and distributed generic forms of Western drugs at very low costs to those who couldn’t afford brand-named drugs. Indeed, many Indians have become dependent on the Indian versions of Western medicines used to treat HIV. However, in March, 2005 India passed a patent law in accordinance with the World Trade Organization that will drastically change those who can use and have access to needed medications. This particularly impacts the many people in and around India, but may also present global ramifications to those that have contracted HIV/AIDS.
This site was started by Sandeep Junnarkar, an award-winning journalist and journalism professor frequently featured in the New York Times, and Srinivas Kuruganti, a photographer who has chronicled the lives of sex workers, coal miners, and eunechs in India, frequently featured in the New York Times and the Village Voice. These folks are aware that mainstream media does not necessarily represent the people for the people, and they wanted to change this by documenting the lives of people actually living with and treating the disease.
Represented on this site are some incredible voices, including Murgesh, a 16 year-old orphan living with the disease, and Dr. Uttara Murthy, a Bangore-based Psychologist who talks about the common misperception that only sex workers and the uneducated contract HIV. There are also some very interesting safer-sex ads, including one featuring a trapeze act.
This is truly a fascinating site, but please don’t take my word for it; take a look at Lives in Focus to learn more about this complex issue and to see a truly unique site for grassroots media. A special thank you to Freevlog, where I first learned about this site.
Published by Jennifer Rundle on October 17 .
4 Comments.
Vlogger Of The Week #11: Jan Mclaughlin
Jan Mclaughlin is at the heart of video-blogging. Right now she is on a vlogging road trip known in the vlogging community as “Road Node 101.” It’s an ambitious journey visiting vloggers all over the place in a van. She’s giving talks in all of the places she stops promoting and teaching video-blogging.
She’s a good person too. She’s positive, supports others, and she loves people. We are lucky in the vlogosphere to count her as a vlogger! I chatted with her earlier this evening and right now she’s shacked up for a few days in Saratoga Springs at the Marriott editing videos. She edited 6 vlog posts today! If you haven’t donated to her gas fund go now to her vlog and shell out some paypal cash! While you’re there, watch everything and subcribe to her feed!
I know one of Josh Leo’s favorite vlog posts is the one about the grocer. What’s yours?
Published by Bre Pettis on October 17 .
3 Comments.
Apple buys video blog Rocketboom?
Does John Soat of InformationWeek realize that by writing, “Apple buys video blog Rocketboom“, in his article, it’ll show up in people’s Google Alerts for “Rocketboom” without the surrounding explanation?
Soat writes, IT Confidential: Enemy, Enemy, Friend; Enemy, Friend, Enemy…:
“Looking to capitalize on its New Media momentum, Apple buys video blog Rocketboom, with the idea of turning it into a 24-hour online video entertainment/liberal-news/retro-commercials/Japanese-animation network.”
That’s what I saw in my email this morning!
Having read Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I had to click the link to seek first to understand.
What he says just prior to this paragraph is:
“Here are a few more possible spins around the musical circle–pure guesswork on my part, of course.”
At least he’s thinking big for the future of Rocketboom.
I know it’s ironic that by writing about this story, it’ll probably show up in my Google Alert for Rocketboom. I like irony.
Disclaimer: I am the Boston correspondent for Rocketboom.
Published by Steve Garfield on October 17 .
No Comments.
Better Bad News: You Write The News
Speaking of being the media, BetterBadNews.TV is inviting viewers to type in text on their website which will then be used in their teleprompters. In their words, “it is a video blog using voice, character and audio visual support to extend and recontextualize the conversation.” In other words, you can audition a talking head to speak for you on suggested topics by submitting your text to a web connected teleprompter. Selected blog text is swiped into teleprompter software enabling a panel of on-camera talking heads or “blog speakers” to bring voice and character to moderated discussions and forums taking place online. Their goal is “To develop new strategies for surviving the ongoing culture war responsible for the steady and strategic de-funding of independent creative voices in the arts, including small presses, experimental theaters, and alternative media and to provide opportunities for non-commercial voices to be heard in networked media environments.
Their short-form sister site, BetterBadNews.com has shorter videos and an RSS 2.0 feed for you to subscribe to. BetterBadNews is a very interesting and compelling concept coming to us from Berkeley, California. Unfortunately, the comments and trackbacks seem to have been infiltrated and taken over by spammers selling “cheap levitra” but don’t let that keep you away. Go type something in the text box at BetterBadNews.TV and come back later to see how they’ve brought it to life while you kick back and enjoy some cheap vicodin and valtrex. Just don’t mix!
Published by Clark Saturn on October 17 .
No Comments.
Invasion of the Vlog-Snatchers!
The Video iPod hits, and the vlog-craze begins. Even though Apple refers to video blogs as “video podcasts” people are trying to cash in on the hype in a mad dash for domains containing the word “vlog”. Investing in domains is nothing new. People buy domain names and then sell them to the people who are willing to pay for that valuable name. Since vlogs are quickly becoming the “hot new thing” people are trying their best to buy up, what they think, to be the most valuable vlog-containing domains. Here are just a few:
iVlog.com - taken
VlogNews.com - taken
MyVlog.com - taken
JesusVlog.com - taken
VideoVlog.com - taken
CaliforniaVlog.com - taken
MomsVlog.com - taken
USAVlog.com - taken
The List goes on…
My advice? buy your vlog-domains now before some vlog-snatcher gets to it before you!
Published by Josh Leo on October 16 .
3 Comments.
Baby Bugging Stunts and Richard Bluestein in Drag
Xolo.tv is cool. They video-taped Vlog Europe and they review lots of vlog content. In their latest post, Gabemac talks about the video ipod, an interview he had in a dutch newspaper, their new studio, and reviews some dutch video-bloggers. Gabemac’s review of a speedo-clad dutch vlogger doing some amazing stunts with a baby stroller and a baby that would put a wheelbarrow pusher to shame is not to be missed. Xolo also likes to incorporate promos into their vlog posts and this time is no exception with what I think is Adam Curry dressed in drag promoting the podshow.
Update: It wasn’t Adam. It was Richard Bluestein a.k.a. Madge Weinstein of Yeast Radio doing the promo.
Language Warning: Xolo’s video includes some words not appropriate for all audiences.
Published by Bre Pettis on October 15 .
1 Comment.
Ian’s Sock Trick For Recording Audio
Ian of The 05 Project, has started making tips and tricks video posts. His first trick is a total DIY punk rock audio hack. Watch and learn how to rock with a sock.
Published by Bre Pettis on October 14 .
No Comments.
Road Node 101: Jan Opens Up
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Jan McLaughlin about the driving force (pun definitely intended) behind Road Node 101. Check it out!
Published by Tim on October 14 .
1 Comment.
Clint Sharp Joins the FireAnt Team
I just got the scoop from Clint Sharp on why he’s not been putting out many videos for the past month or two. Apparently he’s got FireAnts in his pants!
Click here to hear about Clint Sharp’s new FireAnt directory of videoblog feeds (MP3, 40 seconds, 632KB).
Published by Markus Sandy on October 14 .
2 Comments.
