Television will never be the same once online viewing becomes a dominating force in today’s entertainment.  Some of the top media companies are using analog dollars to chase digital coins in the race for online viewers and how they they capitalize off the profits.  With online providers like Los Angeles based company Hulu, we have seen a rapid number of people who are willing to watch their favorite TV shows and movies online rather than through the cable box.

Recently CBS executive Quicny Smith spoke about his disagreement with free online television with companies such as Hulu.  His stance is that CBS should continue the current business model of bringing the viewers to the biggest advertising space which is television.  In this approach he says that “you can make a lot more money doing things that are additive and complementary to the rest of the CBS line” which is why CBS networks have yet to release their TV shows on the Internet.

At some point these decision makers in large media companies will have to tackle with their online strategy quicker than they expected.  Especially when The Kelton Research Study found that 84% of Americans say they are more dependent on their home computer than they were three years ago.  Which changes the playing field as more people are using their desktops and laptops frequently they are tempted to also use it as a viewing device for entertainment.  Today’s generation of users want a mixture of pay and free services giving them a choice on what they value for money.  My stance remains the same as it was with other evolutionary debates whether its vinyl records vs itunes downloads, newspapers vs mobile applications, telephones vs. mobile phones they are hear and not going anywhere.  If the consumer can adapt to new ways of absorbing media then why is it so difficult for the media providers to keep scratching their heads on decisions to adapt or rebel.  If they do not figure out a practical strategy then they can should not be surprised when a another start up company in Seattle or Silicon Valley does.

As a digital storyteller and cable subscriber I have not spent close to the average 3 hours of viewing on Hulu but I respect the new approach to providing free programs to online viewers.  The ability to watch a TV show whenever you desire with minimum advertisement will attract new viewers and maintain the loyal “free” subscribers.

News Corp. is reconsidering to charge for their online newspaper subscriptions hoping to recover some of the $203 million dollars they lost in the fourth quarter of 2009.   As investors in Hulu both Rupert Murdoch and NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker have begun to let greed get to their eyes too soon after seeing the potential in online programming.  They should be more patient and cautious about how they want to integrate traditional television business models with the new digital media democracy.  Since they are in the early stages of how to earn more revenue online I would advise them to not move too quickly charging people for content by adding a subscription fee.  Strangely enough my perspective does not come from the fear of paying for another service (mobile phone, satellite radio, DirecTV, and utilities) as much as the impact this would have on quality programming being pressured to produce for ad-supported models and commercialization.  The pressures of Wall Street prove that they were the same puppet masters who lowered the standards of television in return for more money and out right gluttony.  For companies like NBC, News Corp. and Walt Disney Co. who produce a lot of content yearly they should work on more creative programming rather than how to charge for a brand new service just because people are online watching more videos than before.

Emerging markets across the world are proving that normal business models are not the gospel truth when coming to mobile technology and digital media.  Reading Nick Hughes and Susie Lonie’s article about Kenya’s largest mobile provider Safaricom launching M-PESA explains the unique approach taken by the telecommunication company.  In places like Kenya the ability to use your mobile phone as a social, business and political tool can be very useful despite for decades being excluded in many of these sectors.

I believe that M- PESA is a interesting application allowing Kenyans to send and receive money through their mobile phones.  During times of political turmoil or places that lack sufficient infrastructure the ability to send cash to family members and entrepreneurs is a very creative idea that can save people time and money.  To some people in the west the thought of having money on your phone is not something that they would consider since the mobile device is just another item they are carrying around that can potentially become lost.  I think that having a “digital wallet” is not so much a futuristic cool idea as much as a convenience to people who need to transfer money quickly.  As more mobile phone users grow in countries like Kenya and Uganda we can expect to see more innovative ways to use the devices.  This latest development proves that if you want to develop a product or service for a certain region you have to think outside the box and adapt to the specific user’s needs and expectations.

In a country like Afghanistan where war is the center of attention and communications are often destroyed by rebels or foreign militaries you have to decide what is the most important need for the citizens.  Which is why Karim Khoja’s article Connecting A Nation explains that Afghanistan is very vulnerable when it comes to sufficient health care and a stable economy.  With projects like the Women’s Public Call Office (WPCO) we can see that micro-financing can be useful to support entrepreneurs to earn wages for their community using technology.

As technology becomes available to more people at a low cost I think it will be a great opportunity for various outlets to communicate with the people on the ground in developing nations with mobile applications, mini documentaries, and podcasting.  The ability to use digital tools for awareness campaigns, political education or conflict resolution is growing faster everyday and I believe that more partnerships with NGOs, governments and the private sector can become more transparent serving the people they want to reach.

Here are 4 ways that NGOs can utilize digital media with their programs:

1. Use various social media platforms to inform people on their current projects.  Set up accounts with social networking websites that are useful to their audience and supporters then begin engaging.

2. Create short videos that highlight the projects goals and accomplishments.  Providing digital storytelling in the form of interviews, web commercials or viral videos can help spotlight the NGOs profile.

3. Use SMS alerts to inform citizens on health tips, voting information, or market quotes.  Since SMS is widely used in emerging markets the power in texting can reach broad audiences faster than most traditional forms of communication.

4. Train and equip workers to produce content on the ground.  By training employees to use certain programs and recording devices they can film, edit and distribute content without delaying immediate feedback.

Hopefully we can see more developments in each of these suggestions making it easier for the people working in developing countries.

Newspapers taught me how to read and cartoons taught me about consistent storytelling.  With just a small strip of drawings and text, cartoons can speak a thousand words without the complex explanations.  Graphic novels are proving that through great storytelling audiences are willing to absorb stories outside the normal world.

I think that more content will continue to be produced in digital format with animated characters, mythology comparisons and heroic insertions.  As online streaming becomes popular amongst young users between the ages 12-17 years old we will see a new platform of graphic novels and comic stories.  With amateur videos, photoshop, Adobe flash and various graphic software content producers can create compelling stories at low cost and a wider distribution capability than before.  We are seeing more short videos that are not your normal 30 second commercials or your 30 minute infomercials that have dominated television and cable networks since the marriage between prime time and advertising.  In 2006 Virgin Comics, author Deepak Chopra and Gotham Entertainment joined a partnership to release Indian mythology stories in a series of graphic novels targeted to a international audience.  The company wanted to capitalize off the growing south asian readers market who were interested in comics based on ancient Indian myths that are in tough comparison to modern comic heroes like X- Men, Punisher and Batman.  Another interesting addition to Richard Branson’s comic book company is the Virgin Animations division which plans to produce and release webisodes from the comic stories they publish.

With hundreds of writers compiling stories for a international market that has been largely ignored by the western publishing houses, Virgin Comics can now go the extra step by providing short videos to support their comic books and merchandise. With so many social media websites available we will continue to see more centrally catered digital stories that will make a stronger appeal and connection to a narrow audience rather than focusing on a broader narrative.  With digital media the stories do not have to stay on paper they can transcend to a new medium that allows a different visual presentation of the same story.  For many years international comic readers could only read about characters that they could not relate to culturally or socially which is explains the need for more diverse stories that can reach all genres and cultures.

In the age of YouTube favorites and viral videos users can produce their own stories using photographs, drawings and flash animations avoiding large media demands.  I think that we can expect to see more folktale animation videos like Kirikou and the Sorceress developed providing content that is often shelved or overlooked by distributors.  Young teenagers will continue to watch online videos at a growing rate and revolutionizing the way content is viewed on various mobile devices like ipods, laptops and dvd players.  Without the censorship of television advertisements we can see a new market emerge that includes adults who enjoy violent graphic novel movies allowing them to watch something creative and mature at the same time.

Storytelling requires the same principles in either format it is presented and produced simply because the main objective is to have the reader or viewer believe the material is thoughtful and a great imagination.  I think that the users experience will change due to new technology and capabilities of creativity.  A traditional comic book may not be the same as a video podcast but they both are focusing on telling a story that can provoke emotions, judgement and relevance.

Today people receive more news in a weekly newspaper  than the average human in the 18th century received in a lifetime.  Yet with the convergence of social media platforms traditional media business models are looking more like the 18th century than the 21st century.  Are social media websites like Twitter, Mashable and Alltop becoming the new CNN, NBC, and BBC?  How does citizen journalism play a role now that more people have the ability to report from the ground first hand?

In the near future I see myself personally using digital storytelling in various social media marketing campaigns for clients that hire me to produce viral videos.  As more brands, non profits and organizations target larger audiences they are looking for quality videos with a unique story that can help promote their causes, products and company history.  Another usage of social media that I plan to implement in my business is to produce mini documentaries on topics that are often overlooked like environmental issues, indigenous cultures, and untold biographies.  With so many interesting stories in the world now is the time we can make them them at a faster rate and share them with niche or broad audiences.

When CNN began to integrate Twitter feeds on its daily news shows we realized that media is moving faster and people are demanding their information to updated faster.  I think that the usage of microblogging in traditional media outlets is just another form of communication that allows viewers and users to join inclusive debates or possibly fact check some news.  This interactive involvement is good for the receivers as well as the content providers who can create sub categories based from the responses they get from the viewers.  Many people are so anxious to get information whether it is accurate or developing they still want to make conversation with their peers at the water cooler, barber shops or bars just to stay ahead of others.

I think that Jimmy Fallon’s social media strategy put more emphasis on the word “social” than on media in the early stages since he actually leverage his popularity to appear on websites that attracted tech savvy viewers months ahead.  He personally took the time to make sure that he was were his future audience would be after his late night show was aired.  Just as President Barack Obama made sure to utilize various websites to communicate to his target audiences to create a social appeal first that then translates to a multimedia movement that the provider can then use as an advantage.  Will this same strategy work for everyone or every company I don’t think so but I do think that making sure your presence on these social media websites are authentic is more important than how many “followers” or “friends” you have.

Which brings me back to the why digital storytelling is so key when producing content.  You have to take into consideration that now people can view something more than once and they can share it with others who were not checking for it in their own digital landscape.  The capabilities are endless nowadays and if you are creative you can make something that impacts others or make others laugh at something normally serious.

In 2000 I started a e-commerce website selling books from a stocked inventory of books passed on to me by a semi-retiring publisher. The publisher was moving his business online and no longer selling them from his community stable brick and mortar.  His plans were to move online and sell his entire inventory.  I joined the race of online entrepreneurs looking for a niche market to enter and claim a stake.

I have since stop selling books online and began to revaluate our business model just in time for the rush of new e- reader devices like the Kindle, Sony Reader and now Barnes & Noble, the largest U.S. bookstore chain has entered the market with the Nook.  The Nook was leaked today and finally reveled to the consumer market with features that not even the Seattle online book giant Amazon could brag about.

The “Android based” nook is calling itself the “most advanced e- book reader on the planet” weighing 11.2 ounces and a color touch screen.  The device releases just a few months after the second edition of the Kindle went for sale.   The features that are the most interesting to me is that it has a built in WiFi with 2GB of storage, a microSD expansion slot, MP3 player, built in speaker, USB port, with the ability to highlight words and make notes.  Since so many devices are competing for the 8 percent U.S. adult market who purchased a e-book in 2008 it helps that the Nook allows users to lend books to other e-readers, cellphones or computers through a feature called “LendMe.”

A strategic move for Barnes & Noble who have been struggling with competing against Amazon’s 80 percent control of the online book business.  The Nook will allow Barnes & Noble readers to perhaps experience a digital bookstore with your coffee shop versus ordering one from online.  If the Nook can leap the hump of consumers withholding discretionary items like music and books then we can possibly look for a similar reaction to reading that music lovers got from the ipod.  Devices like the Nook or Kindle are nothing compared to the ownership of a physical book but they are  easier to store and carry.  For travelers small, slim devices that can hold multiple PDF documents and books is a way to travel light.

Plus who wants to see you carry two Harry Potter books, 1 New York Times newspaper and a copy of The Economist in your hands waiting at the bus stop. That the equivalent of carrying a milk crate of vinyl records and a portable turntable to listen to music.  Trust me as a Disc Jockey for the over 16 years carrying those crates is not light.

The days of only newspapers telling the story are over and you can thank video podcasting for that.  When I first started using my Apple laptop I discovered that itunes had a podcast store that would allow you to subscribe to different podcast shows for free.  I immediately found a spanish tutoring show and then I discovered a subscription for NY Times videos.

After downloading a few episodes I watched them on my itouch player in total amazement at how quick I was able to receive a short 3 minute video reporting on Wyclef Jean and Bill Clinton’s recent visit to Haiti together as part of UN mission.  This caught my attention because I have hours of video footage from my trip to Haiti in 2003 and I never thought about using the footage in a reporting format just like the New York Times.  A frequent reader of their newspaper editions I noticed that the New York Times has adapted to the digital age and even provides audio podcast for different sections of the newspaper for example the Book Review, Tech Talk, World View, and the Weekend Business each host their own show.  As for the short videos on their website they have over 23 categories to choose ranging from breaking news, travel, sports to automobiles each with a library of short videos to assist their printed articles.  Each video starts with a quick advertisement  before playing the actual video which proves that they are monetizing the production and distribution of the videos.   Are they profitable to the newspaper is something I would be interested to know.

As more newspapers are beginning to close their headquarters and move online they should take notes on the way the New York Times has utilized the Internet to reach a broader audience at the same time maximize their print and video capabilities.  Many readers have read a article and went to the website to watch the companion video in order to get a fulfilled experience.  The videos are HD quality filmed and edited into short 1-2 minute journalism storytelling.

Another publication that I wanted to mention that is leveraging its online space with videos from its photo cover shoots and interviews is Complex magazine.  The magazine was created by urban clothing designer Marc Ecko and has become a multimedia company that specializes in targeting other companies marketing needs.  What I noticed that Complex does in its printed editions is match advertisements with the issues main articles and interviews presenting a clever approach to cross marketing.  The same method is used in its online short videos were sponsors are paying for ads and banner space with influential artist, actors, designers and trendsetters appearing in each issue.  Complex capitalizes off each photo shoot and provides a behind the scenes short video giving the viewer just enough to read the article and giving the reader just enough to want to watch more videos.  They even have linked banners to the videos paid by advertisers while the video is playing at the same time.

Lessons learned from both Complex and the New York Times is to take full advantage of your access and think of each project as a story, podcast, short video and possible way to sale ad space.  When ever I am filming, disc jockeying or photographing I think about the multimedia platforms that can be covered during the session and afterwards to entice readers to become viewers and viewers to be readers.

As more print media companies begin to change their business model we will see more short videos posted from interviews and more journalism style reporting to highlight the subject on various outlets at once.

Africa is the birthplace of civilization and for thousands of years introduced the world to technology, mathematics, science and medicine.  Even in today’s current conditions Africa is the place with all the answers.  Reading two articles by Mo Ibrahim and Richard Heek gave me a new insight into how much mobile communication is valued in poor countries along with the consumption concerns that come with it.  In Mobile for Impoverishment Richard Heeks referenced a few different researches only to conclude that we need more research into how mobile phones can help improve the lives of the bottom billion.

Reading the statistic that one research quoted was “48 percent of the respondents say they sometimes substitute important needs like food, clothing and education for mobile phone usage”  is not what advocates of new technology are proud of.  Yet other studies prove that incomes have increased for some users who use the phone as a tool of production rather than another useless consumption.  Unlike many western users the mobile phone is the fastest, cheapest and most convenient form of communicating with relatives, markets and business to businesses.  Without a mobile phone many entrepreneurs have to travel long distances to receive valuable information on the products they are selling or buying.  Just like the developed world technology makes things more convenient in Africa.

In the Prerequisite to Prosperity written by successful entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim I agree that Africa’s future is only as good as its future governments and its leadership.  The mismanagement and corruption in many African nations stems from greedy politicians and dishonest investors in the continents infrastructure and resources.  Once African governments properly administrate the country’s resources then the faster environmental issues and sustainability can be tackled.  The annual Ibrahim Index is a great resource to measure improvements and it will only get better each year as more data is collected over time.  By awarding an African head of state $5 million dollars to step down on their due date and become active statesman out of office is a call of action for leaders to not be afraid to leave their seat of power.  The Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership was not designed to be a personal medal of honor as much as a recognition for transparent governance and as well as reward leaders who deliver for the growth of their people in need.

With over 200 million mobile phone users in Africa and a growing desire to become a part of the international business market, African governments must provide a  speedy and practical strategy to support its civil societies.   With complex issues like conflict and    health care many of the people in Africa are beginning to report their situations from the ground raising the issues to a international platform using digital media tools like short videos, podcasting and microblogging.

According to Ibrahim as more technology enters the continent of Africa the easier it is to expose bad government practices and further educate the people on ways to voice their opinions just like the 2009 Iranian elections.  If western governments thought that Robert Mugabe was acquiring nuclear weapons then maybe more news coverage would have been focused on the reactions in Zimbabwe’s failed election.   What Mo Ibrahim is ultimately saying is that only Africa will have to step up and take lead in developing its  people and investing in the future.  Africa has the potential to grow abundant agriculture crops to feed its people and practice fair trading with foreign nations that can in return be good stewards to the land most affected by poverty.  Africans bear the responsibility to demand a change in their leadership and I believe that the usage of low cost digital equipment can help report on the conditions millions of people are living in daily without clean water, safe shelter and access to medicine.  These digital storytelling can be shared without the shaded lenses of corporate sponsors, or government controlled media outlets.  African’s today are engaging with each other using social media tools and starting to learn that their voice can be heard and that it counts.  African brands are active online in proof that South Africa is the 10th largest user on Twitter as more companies are using it to find questions they never asked for product development and feedback.

The concerns are whether or not African citizens and future users of digital media tools will become more useful for the overall populations or only increase individualism in a continent.  This is the next phase of understanding the impact that digital media has on the developing world.

Magazines are relaxing sometimes which is why I read each issue carefully.  At the current moment I have over six magazine subscriptions coming to my house each month and each issue has its own value outside the price tag. At an early age  I enjoyed reading Sports Illustrated  for the latest interview of my favorite athletes or browsing at the photographs of a recent championship game which in return sparked an interest in me that never left.  Reading.

So in this post I decided to wrote about counter arguments of a newly released book from Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson in connection with why I enjoy reading even if I have to pay a small fee each year for a delivered service.

In Chris Anderson’s new book titled Free: The Future of a Radical Price, he has opened a ongoing debate on whether or not businesses should change their models of excepting payment as the reward for their products or content.  According to Seth Godin blog he writes that “free is a relatively cheap way to get attention (both at the start and then through viral techniques)” reaffirming that marketers are wrestling for attention from consumers.  With so much content online these days users can get anything they desire at the click of a mouse.

In today’s digital economy more businesses are entering various markets at low entry cost while kidnapping the attention that normally would have been dominated by big media and corporate companies.  Nowadays small businesses or low cost video producers can present their product to thousands of people and viewers without spending enormous amounts in advertising like the old days of capitalism.  I agree with Seth that  despite the decline in print media specifically newspapers, “we’re always going to need writers, but the business model of their platform is going to change.”  Making your business stand out amongst other competitors and controlling how users access your free content is a form of return on investment.  In order to get something of value the perception has to be convinced that it is worth paying for rather than selling something because another business is placing the same market value.

Even as a avid Malcolm Gladwell reader I disagree with his criticism that if you make something Free (Anderson spells it capitalized) or easy to download that people will not pay for something exclusive or related to their personal interest.  The fear of making content or products Free will dilute the value of quality goods is ridiculous and not realistic. It just depends on who is placing the value and who believes in its worth.  When I purchased XM radio for my car 4 years ago at $10 per month I was laughed at by my friends because they did not understand why I would pay for music when the radio station was free. In my opinion the radio station was playing the same songs, same commercials and less variety for someone who spent a lot time in traffic. I wanted something customized and satellite radio was the answer.  I could listen to BBC news, ESPN, a 24 hour jazz station and even a Comedy Central station with hundreds of hours of stand up comedy.  I valued XM radio at a reasonable cost I could afford rather than buying more CDs to occupy the time or conceding to terrible free broadcasting.

For the past 17 years as a DJ I have never hesitated to shop for vinyl records since it is always a learning experience each time I go to a record store.  Sometimes I find a record priced at a high value and then others times I see the same record at another shop priced almost for Free because the value means differently to the seller.  This is where my views on the Free movement is questionable.  Who are producing the content and what are they asking the viewer or consumer to do next?  When traditional media was the dominating force behind the way we received news and information we had no choice but to accept their recommendations and facts.  Now in a digital age we can filter out what we want to receive and how we want to consume it.  You have a choice to read a blog, listen to a podcast or watch a video at a no cost or you can pay a premium for more content and access that non subscribers have.  The choice is yours!

In order to stay competitive in today’s world you have to give something to get something.  Some people look at it as an investment others may look at it as breaking even.  As a producer of digital storytelling videos I ultimately would like for people to see my work and share it with others.  If I can charge a fee for another content provider (sponsors, cross marketing, another company) to advertise their product therfore maximizing the moment of giving something for free but using a reversal model to pay for it.  Eventually a content producer can create their own “network” with a loyal base who are willing to pay for more content and availability making it easier for the producer to continue their winning streak.

The power of the web has shown us that nothing is permanent or predictable.  Changes occur everyday and more people are changing their perspective of what they are willing to pay for.

After signing up for this class I was anxious to learn ways to produce, edit and distribute digital content on various Internet platforms.  My background is in Disc Jockeying, journalism and multimedia productions which have provided me with many opportunities to travel across the world and document many cultures.

Upon pondering my topic for this course I thought about the many faces I would see in developed nations like Zimbabwe, Senegal, Jamaica and Venezuela and imagined what would happen if these same people were trained and equipped with Flip video cameras to highlight their lives so that people who are not able to pinpoint their opinions can identify a common ground.  So my topic is ” How can digital videos assist non profits at the same avoid interrupting the normal life people live in developing nations”?

I would like to learn  filmmaking tactics and apply them to digital storytelling content that can be used to address the social. political and economic issues that many countries are facing. My topic would like to focus on a local start up company called Better Because that is planning to make life a lit bit better people by providing positive media content in the form of a book, Smile campaign and weekly words of inspiration.  I would like to know how to produce short videos and distribute them on various media outlets for Better Because.

After watching Clay Shirky’s presentation on TED  I learned how “innovation can happen anywhere” from the handheld mobile devices to new digital broadcast applications.  We are living in a revolutionary time just as people in the early 20th century were experiencing new forms of communications like telephones and television.

This shift in the way humans are communicating has open the door for ordinary citizens to participate in a media content and production.  One of the main themes of Shirky’s address is that people are dictating the options users and viewers can choose from. One of the great examples he mentioned was a recent earthquake in China and how people on the ground were reporting, filming, and photographing scenes from the devastation without the censorship of the Chinese government.

Recently a Chicago teenager was killed from a gruesome mob attack and the beating was filmed by another teenager who was witnessing the attack.  This short video that was recorded on a camera phone was broadcasted throughout the news in a matter of minutes highlighting the bigger issues of Chicago’s street gangs.  The short video represented real time recording that today’s technology can provide in the hands of amateurs at the same time it helped authorities identify the criminals who committed the violent act.  As more consumers begin to possess these tools I believe we will see more incidents like Chicago, Iran, China, and even in Seattle of unedited videos that would go directly to online audiences without the filter of traditional media outlets.

To watch the Chicago incident click here

For images of China’s earthquake click here