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Pelosi's Fairness Doctrine push could jeopardize Net Neutrality, FCC Commissioner

EDITORIAL

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and some of her colleagues from the Left have been talking up restoring The Fairness Doctrine recently.

For those who may not be familiar with the term, The Fairness Doctrine was nothing more than a governmental attempt to regulate the airwaves - radio and television - to make certain that the public hears or sees more than one side of an issue.

Essentially, the legislative teeth in The Fairness Doctrine said that if a radio or television station or program voiced an opinion, then that station or that program was legally obligated to air opposing points-of-view on that program or that station for a fair counter-balance of opinion.

As altruistic as that sounds, many on the right believe The Fairness Doctrine was merely a political tool sought by those from the left who wanted to silence or just reduce the impact from the growing popularity of right-leaning talkradio. The fact that left-leaning talkradio, AirAmerica, for example, failed to attract even a fraction of the kind of audience numbers that right-leaning talk did some say has been another reason for Pelosi's recent push for reinstatement of The Fairness Doctrine. After all, the right said, if the left couldn't compete, then they would try to control.

Advocates for The Fairness Doctrine say that even though major corporations and media conglomerates own most big city radio and television stations, those same companies don't own the frequencies their stations transmit on. The frequencies are owned by We the People, controlled and managed by the U.S. Government on our behalf.

Those who oppose The Fairness Doctrine cite concerns about governmental interference with our nation's Constitutional right to First Amendment Free Speech and don't believe programs like Keith Olbermann's on MSNBC television on the Left and Rush Limbaugh's radio program on the Right have a duty or an obligation or be legislatively forced to surrender their air time to an opposing point-of-view. And those stations who carry their programs across the nation should not be so penalized as well.

And from a business standpoint, air time, whether on radio, television or the Internet, has a finite inventory, only renewable every 24 hours but still maxing out at 24 x 7 week after week. And unlike any other industry, station owners cannot increase their manufacturing capacity beyond that 168 hours per week.

But more importantly, the networks and programs would not be compensated for surrendering that time.

However, what should be on the table of greatest concern is what Pelosi and friends might want to do to those who write for or post comments on the Internet - or to the hosts of those who do. FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell believes the possibility exists for The Fairness Doctrine to be extended beyond radio and television and into the Internet, a fear and concern not necessarily too far-fetched.

For all of its faults and despite those who abuse it, the Internet remains the last frontier of worlwide free thought, speech and opinion . . . a sacrosanct entity that needs to be protected from those with unchecked political motives.

NBC/NFL streaming "Sunday Night Football" over the web? It's about time!

With all of the extras that NBC and the NFL have planned for each game, who could resist?

Yes it's about time, and in more ways than one, but coming sometime this Fall, it looks like you'll be able to watch Sunday Night Football over the web.

NEW YORK -- NBC and the NFL will stream online the complete "Sunday Night Football" season, the first time a complete NFL game has ever been available on the Web in the United States.

"Sunday Night Football Extra," as it's being called, will offer the Al Michaels/John Madden audio stream as well as additional camera angles, the ability to watch multiple video streams and in-game highlights. It will begin with the Thursday night opening night, which will be televised on NBC.

For those of us who see the web not only as the new frontier for programming but as the eventual destination for all programming, and even if it looks like they won't be streaming the games LIVE just yet, we're still thrilled with this programming decision.

However, a key element to successful, online television-style programming is respect for the short form, and no sporting event like Sunday Night Football will fit that mold. But what will work will be the variety of self-controlled, on-demand instant replays and different angles that will be available along with any other fan-centric, fan-controlled video technologies.

Really looking forward to it even though it would be so much better streamed LIVE, but then again, it's such a significant first step, we can live with it for now.

we invite you to email us your comments

The street: a musician's last (only?) venue

REVIEW

Here in Boston, on our subway called The "T," there was an attempt last year by the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) to pipe music into the stations, which would have ostensibly driven, forced, left no room for the street musicians that occasionally grace our platforms. But as it turns out, there was such an outcry of support for these musicians, the MBTA scrapped the idea . . . and the musicians stayed.

Continuing on the theme of places for music to be heard and for venues to perform in, the greed and pernicious myopia of General Managers and Program Directors of local radio stations nationwide - especially their Jurassic hesitation to step into the new broadcast technologies of the 21st century - have successfully diminished the importance and impact of  the radio industry, which for years served to both entertain and educate us with an incredible array of musical styles and tastes that were once available across the dial.

And when you consider the ever-shrinking number of local LIVE music clubs/venues still open in cities across America - no longer being supported/patronized as they have been in decades past - it quickly becomes apparent how few places there really are for talented musicians to go to be seen or heard . . except to the street.

So we wanted to pre-showcase this extraordinary musician, not only because he so brilliantly plays the guitar, not only because of his courage and dedication to overcome a seemingly enormous personal challenge - he can only play the guitar with his feet - but because he also inspired us to shine a small spotlight on the cultural damage we're doing to our nation when music's only place to turn . . . is the street.

But then again, and considering the alternative, thank goodness we still have that.

Birthday Suit on Funny or Die: creative funny goes online

We had heard about the website, Funny or Die, being connected to former SNL comedian Will Ferrell and hadn't remembered to check it out prior, that is, until we came across this video from Funny or Die through a different video search.

Excellent, full-production value, they've clearly invested a great deal in the endeavor, as this blogger reviewed:

Will Ferrell and Adam McKay do some funny work and a little over a year ago they collaborated with Michael Kvamme, an aspiring young comedian, to create the website Funny or Die.

It’s a huge catalog of videos from people around the country, some trying to be funny and some actually succeeding. It is, essentially, a YouTube for comedy only. Individuals and groups perform sketches or write very short films and upload them here to get attention. The videos range from twenty seconds to fifteen minutes. So, since we all waste time on the Internet looking for funny or bizarre videos, Funny or Die is another site to add to the list.

A thought did come to mind that this particular video below could/would be an excellent tool to impress your Sales Staff to neither assume nor expect anything when dealing with clients . . . but odds are as well that in today's climate of Political Correctness, you'll probably also have to defend yourself as to why you're showing a sexy something in the workplace while also insisting that you're not encouraging workplace romance or infidelity.

Enjoy, nevertheless.

To Commemorate Father's Day: how to clean a Men's Urinal - in Japan

One of our favorite tech sites/blogs is Engadget and tonight, well, now it's early Sunday morning, just before hitting the sheets, I came across this video of a men's urinal being cleaned in a public Rest Room somewhere in Japan.

Nothing so special about that, you say.

Au contraire, meatloaf breath, there is something very special, since it's being cleaned automatically by a device the housekeeper rolled up and locked in place, affectionately(?) referred to as the elephant.

My only question was, who does the floor?

Happy Father's Day, Dad. Love you a lot.

Apple's Boston-Boylston store Grand Opening Video Update

UPDATE2: Here's the first video we've been able to post-production edit. Stand-by for possibly one maybe two more.

It took a while, but we've finally combined the three longest/largest video files we took for the afternoon in the video immediately below and these are the most energized. You'll see the employees doing their own rally on the spiral staircase and then running out of the store, in formation, onto the sidewalk, across Boylston and down Fairfield, high-fiving the customers waiting to get in, only to eventually re-enter the store through the back entrance. Then you'll see the first customers on line be let into the store in groups of about twenty, each cheering, arms raised and actually running into the store. You decide how cool or how hokey this customer and employee Pep Rally really was in the end, but one thing you cannot question is the spirit and absolute attention to detail Apple is known to have.

Anyway, major kudos to the good people at Apple P.R., all consummate professionals and despite the crowds and the pressure, couldn't have been nicer to us. And lastly, a special shout to Ms. "Burberry" with Chanel glasses and a Gucci handbag from Apple corporate. Thank you for your compliments about what we wrote in [: neon :], it was a pleasure meeting you as well. Your company puts on quite a show. Quite a show.

iJustine: iWatching a delightful ham sandwich

There's a 24-year-old woman named Justine (though she may now prefer to be called iJustine) who seems to be everywhere on the Internet and on just about every streaming video host out there, placing 99th on YouTube as the most watched video just today alone.

She first caught my attention late last year when we were looking to do some LIVE streaming events for [:neon:] (here, here) and I wanted to better understand the concept of free bandwidth in a post-YouTube world, having gone through the pains of a pre-YouTube projected expense.

She's a prolific producer of some very amusing shorts, life experiences, trips and interviews (pretty fearless and quite a good one), but this video immediately below kind of introduces her to those of you who may not be familiar with this serial ham. (In a good way).

Then the second video is her latest one set to some familiar music . . . but with her own lyrics. Quite clever when understood in the context of the circumstances, which was where a fellow video person banned her from his chat.

Anyway, she's just impressively and unbelievably comfortable with who she is, and very entertaining as well. See if you don't think so too.

Now for her latest video.

Indy Mogul, Paul Devlin and the world of Indie films

Although we haven't hung out in their world nor could we be considered any kinds of experts in those fields, we've nevertheless always supported Indies (bands, filmmakers) in spirit and word, simply because they're the pioneers, the ones responsible for innovation in the arts, much the same way that geeks as entrepreneurs shape technology.

There's a video hosting site called Vimeo and on it a particular channel called Indy Mogul, although we're still not certain we understand its primary function there. The videos were quite interesting, where some were actual full-production shorts while others were behind-the-scenes interviews.

But what we thought we'd post over the next few days are a couple of those interviews about the process of independent film making, a process from a traditional industry that was permanently altered for the good by computer-based technologies - and more recently by Internet and streaming technologies that once again altered the professional landscape for distribution and audience access as well.

First up is an interview with Paul Devlin about all aspects of the business and the art of film making, a man who's already won five Emmies for both NBC and CBS sports, according to a post in Wikipedia. With a calm, considered response to every question, his John Malkovich-like demeanor further validates one's impression of him as a must-see artist. (Note: Pay particular attention to their comments towards the end about ArtistShare and Devlin's (and film fans') participation in it with his new film, Blast, a new world of Indie financing).

Paul Devlin Interview from Indy Mogul on Vimeo.

First Look: RIM's Blackberry 9000

Hot off the video presses, so to speak, is this video rundown of the soon-to-be-officially-announced availability of RIM's new Blackberry 9000, now set for this Monday, May 12th.

Personally speaking, we've been waiting for any new Blackberry model that has a useable PDA and Flash capabilities so we can visit video-based sites, including our own here on Typepad.

Since, once again, this is all brand new buzz on our favorite tech/geek blogs, the reviews are coming in stages and we have yet to learn whether the 9000 is the must-have for us.

Nevertheless and in the meantime, here's first look at one of the finest products on the telecom market: