Brave Sir Rudy Ran Away!

Cue the wandering minstrels, media blogger/guru Jeff Jarvis has this to say about Republican Internets paranoia:

The latest indication of their (R) fear of the internet is their attempt to fink out on the YouTube/CNN Republican debate. The party line — as we see from Rush and others — is that YouTube is somehow biased. That’s absurd. That would be like the Democrats saying that mail is biased because the Republicans made the first, best use of it. If internet video is biased it is a damned bad sign for the right and mighty strange considering the leading work done in the medium by the conservatives in the UK, France, and Germany. Hugh Hewitt frets that listening to YouTube will open up Republicans to cheap shots. That’s merely convenient paranoia. They’re looking for excuses to stay away from this dance.

Full BuzzMachine blog post here. The Tale of Sir Robin here:

We Don't Need No F-ing FCC

From Reuters:

A U.S. appeals court on Monday (June 4, 2007) overruled federal regulators who decided that expletives uttered on broadcast television violated decency standards, a
major victory for TV networks. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York, in a divided decision, said that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission was "arbitrary and capricious" in setting a new standard for defining indecency.

Full story here, but the best analysis and conversation taking place right now, in terms of new media useage too, is over at new media guru Jeff Jarvis' blog, BuzzMachine. As one commenter points out, the 1st Ammendment reads, "The Congress shall make NO laws..."

"It also does my heart good to see babyfaced FCC Chairman Kevin Martin having a hissy fit of cursing over the ruling.

No, Mr. Martin. What you say is bullshit. (Click to BuzzMachine here for all the bullshit.) It’s fucked up. It’s fucking stupid. I wish you would stay the fuck away from our First Amendment.

There is absolutely nothing sexual or scatological in what I’ve just said — first, because I can’t imagine saying anything involving Kevin Martin that is in any way sexual (though I guess some might say he’s kinda cute), and second because what I have just made is a political statement.

Here is my defense of bullshit as political speech a year ago. It’s just plain wrong to say that these words are sexual. And it’s worse for a government official to put himself in the position of judging our meaning, motive, and context to see what he will allow as a government censor. They’re just words, Mr. Martin. And the world did not collapse when you used them."

So FU, FCC... seems no one wants your "arbitary and capricious" governernment oversight anymore. Another blow to the dinos. And takes a little wind out of the sails that WSB-TV so puffed out about having to bend over so to the FCC that there's no way they could seriously entertain genuine citizen journalism, or letting in Joe Public so to speak, when we last met up with them.

This Video Belongs To You And Me

To piggyback on Buzzbrockway’s post at Peach Pundit about YouTube warriors, consider the case of Congressional floor (speech) video…. who owns that material, and why has only C-SPAN had ownership and rights to that material… up until now?

Others are at least getting into the biz of selling back to us something that really should belong to us in the first place, least I feel that any and all video generated from the floor of OUR Congress should belong to us — and it should be free to access for any and all YouTube Nation tribal members to use as they see fit.

As the mighty media blogger, Jeff Jarvis says, and I fully agree:

Just as with the presidential debates, that democratic discussion should belong to the people and to truly give it to us, Congress should be doing everything CQ (Congressional Quarterly) is doing — for free.

Jarvis’ post in full is here. Times like this, we need to remind ourselves that we are now The Media.

And if we are, then why are more "traditional" journalists not acting as if they are now The New Media, rather than just waiting around for their bosses to tell 'em how to behave? (Jim Long is just about the lone exception to this sorry state of affairs, bless his new media heart!)

Matt Waite, a reporter for the St. Pete Times, tells it like it is. Preach on Brother Waite, preach on:

I can hear people I know gnashing their teeth already. Why should I do something that costs me time and maybe even money to benefit my employer when I don’t get paid for it? Here’s my response, and it’s two-fold: If you don’t, you run the risk of being first up for layoffs (so you’ll REALLY be uncompensated) and the more skills you have, the better off you are for whatever newspapers evolve into.

Or even if they go away completely. Let’s play fantasyland for a second: newspapers collapse, and all that content goes away. Someone is going to step into that void. Let’s pretend it’s Google and Yahoo and MSN. Do you think for a second they aren’t going to want new media skills? That they’ll be impressed with your paper clippings and your stubborn insistence that you can only write a story for a printed publication?

Come on. Wake up.

Obama or Edwards? Look To Their Vids

Obama is as flimsy as a sugary confection. Just pumped up with pretty, lite, nothing much, generic rhetoric. "The Seinfeld Campaign"-- as this dude says here. Like some kinda "lifestyle coach"... whatever the f that is.

Now Edwards on the other hand, that dude can lay it out a lot thicker, richer, and deeper. Sign that damn union card! With a rebel yell almost. Watch here. (BONUS PRODUCTION NOTE: vid-bloggers, hear how critical good audio is to this otherwise very simple clip. It's the audio, stupid. Me being the biggest stupid with audio sometimes.)

And keep a bookmark on PrezVid, my guru Jarvis' pet political project. Yes, all media bloggers need a political project we can lean on. Marlow might just be the one for me.

Now of course I gotta go see this. Hate when I remind myself of oldies I (secretly) loved. Shhhh... don't tell. (And yeah, we used to actually dress like that. Some of us.)

Quick-Mix suggestion: Run the "Rebel Yell" track under the Edwards' union hall speech for an extra power hit.

"The Last Thing I Want To Be Is The New Orthodoxy"

Gawd, Jeff Jarvis is just freakin' brill. There are so many terrific, common sense statements about the future of small TV here that I could just transcribe the entire speech and come up with hundreds of amazing statements. Just watch, listen and get inspired!

Digital Deb Talks To Frontline

Calling all Amanda Congdon fans... here's her latest interview. I'm assuming Ms. Congdon was part of the Frontline News War series, which I've yet to see, but already agree with Jeff Jarvis' assessment, so I having no burning desire to take an immediate looky look. Besides, I've got way too much YouTubin' to do. You can watch here though.

I gotta tell you though, you writer/journalist/blogger pals of mine... I do not like reading text interviews on blogs and sites. It's like having limp, unstyled hair. A text interview does not bring anything pretty or special to the table. I'd much rather watch a grainy, badly produced YouTube-ed interview over reading one. Especially when it comes to someone with such palatable and delightful "perk" as Miss Congdon here.

Why is the Charlie Rose show, for instance, so popular? It surely isn't Mr. Rose's style, or lack thereof; rather, you can catch all the facial expressions and body language nuances that belong to the fabulous guests.

And who wants to read Amanda's words when you can watch her dance, albeit sooooooo like a white girl?! (Sorry, can't lay my hands right away on the last year's SXSW dance video, but I'll keep looking. You'll love it.)

Speaking of video, I'm going to have my latest show/project up soon for you folks to look at. And get this... I not only EP'd the whole thingee, I also shot all the material myself! A career first for moi. Watch out all you NABES.

Bloggers Win!!! Again!!!

Reporting live from the bleeding heart of global corporate culture (Davos), Jeff Jarvis notes that Big People say bloggers have won. (Not to be confused with "one" reader of course.) Says a prominent Brit politico, "The age of the smoke-filled room is over." (The dude's obviously never been anywhere near the Gold Dome!)

Does this mean that bloggers can hop a ride on their Gulfstreams now? I've always wanted to learn to ski. Blog and ski at the same time. Lipflap too. Ahhh, so many talents we really do have here in the blogosphere.

I'm placing my order now.

Bimbos, Incompetence and Junk Science

Seeds and stems:

John Sugg does the current Georgia Legislature up right. And he's just barely scratching the gold plate off of that toilet bowl. More episodes surely to follow.

The McMansion Madame is undergoing a career surge. Let's hear it for the forty-something ladies. We rule. Now if we bloggers could just get on her attorney's to-call list...

Jeff Jarvis quizzes me on Davos. I give him the dignity of a straight-up reply. I like him. I really do.

SoCon07 is heating up. Leonard has the who's who here.

And yeah, the new Shins release is really really good. Always the best. True blue.

Take Your Davos And Shove It

How do you know when a good blog has jumped the shark? When the author starts preening and fluttering about going to Davos. Oh hurl, hurl, hurl. Davos = place where Eason Jordan flamed out.

Swarming Around The Media Bastille

First the House, then possibly the Senate. Then toss-out a few print editors and a Defense Secretary or two while you're measuring for the new curtains. Some are yelling for the bloggers/Internets to get their fair share of the credit. Still others are furious their message was, thankfully, ignored. Chaos, disorder and confusion. Our work is only beginning here.

The real winners right about now? The rest of the world. Maybe next the people of New Orleans. Lord knows they've suffered long enough for the sins of others.

You CAN Do Something

Especially you blogging parents and taxpayers. Jeff Jarvis is calling for a citizen journalism effort - RIGHT NOW. Says Jarvis today:

I would be eager to see hundreds of thousands of us contact our school districts today to find out the state of their security, in light of the latest rash of tragic murders in schools across the country.

Jarvis asks that when you get responses to the questions below (by emailing them to your school district), to then post the answers to your own blog and tag them schoolsecurity so that all blog posts show-up under the Technorati tag, schoolsecurity.

An explaination of what good this might do for our country's children is here. Questions are as follows. Copy and paste and email to your school or school district. Add your own q's too.

* Are all doors at all schools locked at all times? If not, what are the exceptions? How are the doors monitored?

* Are there security cameras in the schools? If so, how many? And if so, where and by whom are the monitored?

* How often are staff, faculty, and students trained in emergency procedures?

* Is there onsite security in the schools?

* If, God forbid, there were a threat within a school, what should we as parents expect to happen?

Well, get emailing! There's power in numbers.

tag: schoolsecurity

Around The Bend

ADD ON: Rusty and Amber, co-creators of the Georgia Podcast Network, just won a Creative Loafing "Best of Atlanta" award. A million congratulations to you guys!! Air kisses all around. And lots of bubbly too, when we can share. (Can you sneak me in to the "Best Of" party?) Just goes to show that innovation, creativity, hard-ass work, long hours and self-belief/preservation always win out.

This is the entry where I'd apologize for yesterday's outburst over Amanda Congdon's un-inspired sellout. But since I'm not the least bit sorry, I'll move on.

In a sec... it's just that I had such high hopes for Ms. Amanda. She had this Mary Tyler Moore, kinda zany, kinda wacky, kinda cute and sweet, and always very bright and smart quality. Still does. But even a pro like Jeff Jarvis couldn't help being taken aback when he saw that hybrid car she was "tripping" about in. The camera told all.

Meanwhile, back at Rancho ATL, the state fair's going on, so I gotta go just to get Sas one of these, with a unicorn of course. See below.

Lordy, I'd say I'm pre-menopausal as I've been emotionally so all over the place this morning. But since I've got the Hemi version of a reproductive system, that's not the case. Must be just pure, natural moodiness. I've gone from laughing my ass off at Tania's and Jen's multi-media antics to crying, again, over one of TR's poems. She's just that good. I'm such a girl. Thank God.

This entry put together by Lee Ann Womack's: There's More Where That Came From.
When You Get To Me

Monster That Head-Rolling Story

Who is Jean-Claude Dassier?

A.) Bass player in a Montreal punk band.
B.) Maureen Dowd's lover.
C.) An idiot.

The answer is "C." Dassier is, for the time being, head of a French news service called LCI. Recently, he took it upon himself to censor coverage of the riots in French suburbs. As self-appointed chief protector of French mass-sensibility, Dassier decided that he, as big swinging dick of a major news service, would save the citizens of France from themselves.

In a bumbling attempt to do this heroic deed, Dassier kept footage of burning cars off his airwaves (his government-alotted bit of 'em at least) in a move that no doubt has legions of Internet users laughing their asses off at this hysterically fatuous assumption that raw information was something Big Media could still master and command.

From the MediaGuardian:

But he (Dassier) admitted his decision was partly motivated by a desire to avoid encouraging the resurgence of extreme rightwing views in France.

French broadcasters have faced criticism for their lack of coverage of the country's worst civil unrest in decades. Public television station France 3 has stopped broadcasting the numbers of torched cars while other TV stations are considering following suit.

"Do we send teams of journalists because cars are burning, or are the cars burning because we sent teams of journalists?" asked Patrick Lecocq, editor-in-chief of France 2. Rival news organisations today questioned the French broadcasters' decision to temper coverage of the riots.

John Ryley, the executive editor of Sky News, said his channel would have handled a similar story in Britain very differently.

"We would have been all over it like a cheap suit. We would have monstered the story, and I didn't get the impression that happened in France," he said.

Keeping with his mission to seriously overserve the public good, Jeff Jarvis 'storms the media Bastille' over at BuzzMachine, where 'monstering the story' is all just a free market shakeout on any given day.

Does this Dassier dude have a future in the Rove White House or what!?