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NY:MIEG seminar

I had the good fortune to listen to this morning's NYMIEG panel entitled Baseball 2007: Using Media & Technology to Enhance the Fan Experience. A well organized breakfast networking event with interesting panelists from Sports Illustrated Digital Media, Yes Network, ANC Sports, Major League Baseball, and Chyron Corporation.

First I was initially amazed at the huge size of the attendance, but as the demands for technology grows, how could this audience not be large. And content, especially live sports, is king. And with MLB, their belief is with the variety of technology available (broadcast, cable, on-demand, radio, satellite radio, slingbox, direct tv, internet, mobile), the consumer can pick what they want to see (games, highlights, stats), when they want to see it, and where.

I left the seminar excited by the future but also concerned how a company in this space makes money. In Sports Illustrated's case, does the website cannibalize revenue from the print magazine, or is it necessary to maintain their existence. They tried once in the cable network space with CNNSI and that failed miserably.

A well-run morning program, I'm looking forward to NYMIEG's next panel discussion.

When will Apple buy Tivo

I have a dream, that the remote for my cable box looks like an ipod. That it understands my viewing interests and makes it oh so easy to find what I want and record it for me. I guess, in other words, I'm looking for the marriage of Apple and Tivo. Apple creates great looking products that easily connect and load and presents in few key strokes. Tivo has made recording shows effortless and easy and understands consumer behavior. Together, they represent the perfect match of pc and tv, design and function. My cable remote sucks, my Tivo remote is better, but put the minds of Apple at work to design the easiest remote for this use and add the upload capabilities that Apple excels at and voila! I have a dream.

Apple TV Device

As a first generation device, the Apple TV box is certainly a great first step to connect web content to the tv. According to the WSJ, it was easy to install and use, working effortlessly to move photos, music, and video from the pc and the web to the tv. I can't wait to get one.

As a tivo fanatic, I only wish Apple would partner with Tivo to build the next gen box to capture more tv content and allow me to move it to any tv in my house. What fun to decide that the show I recorded in one room can be sent to my pc in another or vice versa.

Still, this is a giant leap in effortlessly combining two devices together, the tv and pc;

What is the ideal length of video content on the web

How much time do you have? Willing to watch an hour and a half documentary on global warming or do you just have a minute to catch the hottest uploaded video? Today, tv on the internet comes in many flavors and in many lengths. So I wonder how much time people are willing to invest on a show on the web. And I wonder if the ability to easily move that content from pc to another device affects how long you are willing to watch. Video content in all lengths and forms are everywhere and continue to be added at an amazing rate; still, how do you find what you want when you want. The thing about linear tv is they told you what you were going to watch and when; you changed the channel if you didn't want to watch. Now your program, your channel, your time is up to you, you only have to know WHERE to find it. Good luck.

Digital Distribution

Does it seem harder to find the shows and information you are loooking for on tv, web, on-demand. So many choices, but so hard to get by the junk that interferes with the real answers you seek. Duplication, irrelevant material, unrelated connections - it all gets in the way from getting your answers.

So much clutter, it's time for a Spring Cleaning!

Choices

With so many viewing choices, why does everything start to look the same. One realty show looks like another, one drama feels like the one before it, and one comedy draws heavily from the shows of the past. Have we run out of new ideas or do we simply believe that throw a new actor at an old project, like adding a new coat of paint, will make us believe that something is brand new. Until of course it breaks down quickly.

For me, the most original show out there today is Heroes. Looks like a comic book, acts like a drama, plays like sci fi. Really well done. Plus it offers its viewers innovative interactive opportunities. Well done, NBC.

Oscar Race

So why are ratings down year after year. Organizers of the telecast seem to think it is the length of the acceptance speeches. So why are those same speeches the most interesting part of The Golden Globes? Keep the opening monologue, but get rid of the banter, dance numbers, and other distractions. Turn the night into a huge dinner with open bar, and let us see the stars as they really are. I say let them talk. And let the crowd react. Frankly, isn't that what we hope for...to watch the train wreck.

So good luck all the nominees!

The Oscars on Sunday Night

Am I the only one surprised that ABC is not putting more effort in Sunday night's telecast of the Oscars. Everything is being geared to the linear telecast, but no consideration seems to be given to all the other opportunities. What opportunities - they could push a vote of winners on their website and through mobile phones, they could advertise behind the scene streaning on their website, they could ask for downloads of viewers interpretation of this year's best movie scenes, they could announce a live chat with the winners, and so much more. Heck they could try selling on abc.com dvd's of the winners, discounted if they order the night of the telecast. Instead, we will most likely see a linear telecast with the same insipid monologue, silly repartee between presenters, and bad acceptance speeches.

Lots of favorites to root for, but the one I most want to see is the Best Director to Martin Scorsese. Too long a wait after too many great films. The Departed is not his best work, but it is very good and offers great performances. He deserves the Best Director award simply because of his entire filmography of work.

Lastly, Best Picture. The problem with the category is no one can define what a best picture means "officially". To me, it should be a film that lasts through time. And my winner is Little Miss Sunshine.