Search Engine Optimization is a problem that all websites have dealt with since businesses created websites or have made the move completely to becoming an online business. The challenges are all related to placement on the results page of search engines.
Black Hat SEO has been the most problematic part of search engines. Black Hat SEO refers to keyword stuffing in descriptions of pages or videos. It is most problematic when users post descriptions that have nothing to do with the video. For instance, posting a video about making soup could receive a higher place on the results page and even show up on results page it has no business being on if the person who posted the video included "Lebron James" or "Justin Bieber."
I believe the next big advancement in SEO will be the ability of the search engine to detect the difference between Black Hat SEO and the more business-appropriate, White Hat SEO. White Hat is essentially the opposite of Black Hat. No keyword stuffing, a more honest approach to posting.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Radiohead is One Step Ahead
The band, Radiohead, has managed to "make it" without the help of any big record labels. Now that they have made it into the ladder part of their historic career, they can afford to create their own website where fans can download their own music.
This type of progressive thinking amy be the next great movement in the music industry. Revenue can stream from sponsorships on artist websites. The same transformation that youtube has made. Instead of the music industry continuing to take hits from illegal downloading, they can turn downloading into a sponsorship-based revenue stream.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Google and the U.N
Independent reporter, Matthew Lee, has been a modern day muckraker since 1987. His website, Inner City Press, has focused on digging up corruption within the United Nations for some time. Internet corruption has been a micro-focus for Lee. His style is annoying, his website has an amateur appearance, but the work he does is magnificent. So magnificent, that Google banned his material from their search engine. You will not be able to be led directly to Lee's website if you were to search his name or site through Google.
While the act of kicking Lee out of the world of Google is not acceptable, what it took for him to get to that point is what journalists should continue to do. There are still many other areas of our government and talking heads on Wall Street who deserve to be investigated by journalists. Muckraking may be annoying to the subjects being reported on, but it makes the public aware, which we desperately need in our country.
While the act of kicking Lee out of the world of Google is not acceptable, what it took for him to get to that point is what journalists should continue to do. There are still many other areas of our government and talking heads on Wall Street who deserve to be investigated by journalists. Muckraking may be annoying to the subjects being reported on, but it makes the public aware, which we desperately need in our country.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Will Smith Was First Choice For Django
Will Smith was Quentin Tarrantino's first choice to play Django in the controversial film Django:Unchained. Smith said his reason for not taking the role was because, technically, Django wasn't the lead character even though that is the name in the movie title. When he spoke with Tarrantino he expressed that he would like to change the script a bit. Smith wanted Django to have a bigger role and (SPOILER ALERT) he wanted Django to be the one to kill the bad guy.
Many in Hollywood believe Smith turned down the role because it would go against the "bad guy" image he has managed to avoid his entire acting career. Even movies where he wasn't outwardly nice, there was always something redeeming in the end about his character. Being a runaway slave who goes on a killing spree after being taken in by a German bounty hunter doesn't really fit in with the rest of the roles Smith has taken on his career. This is a problem that could have been avoided if the media weren't so critical of every role actors take on. Is Matt Damon a bad guy away from the movie screen because he played a corrupt police officer in The Departed? Is Leonardo DiCaprio a bad guy because he played a slave owner in Django:Unchained? No. The media finds a way to portray bad guys in movies as bad people in their normal lives way too often. I believe it was a combination of Smith wanting to protect his image and his fear of being characterized as a bad guy by the media that led to him turning down the role of Django. Yet another example of biased, and often unfair, mainstream media outlets having way too much influence.
Many in Hollywood believe Smith turned down the role because it would go against the "bad guy" image he has managed to avoid his entire acting career. Even movies where he wasn't outwardly nice, there was always something redeeming in the end about his character. Being a runaway slave who goes on a killing spree after being taken in by a German bounty hunter doesn't really fit in with the rest of the roles Smith has taken on his career. This is a problem that could have been avoided if the media weren't so critical of every role actors take on. Is Matt Damon a bad guy away from the movie screen because he played a corrupt police officer in The Departed? Is Leonardo DiCaprio a bad guy because he played a slave owner in Django:Unchained? No. The media finds a way to portray bad guys in movies as bad people in their normal lives way too often. I believe it was a combination of Smith wanting to protect his image and his fear of being characterized as a bad guy by the media that led to him turning down the role of Django. Yet another example of biased, and often unfair, mainstream media outlets having way too much influence.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Ganging Up On The Little Guy
In the spring of 2007, Time Warner proposed a deal the to the US Postal Service that would increase the cost of mailing periodicals. The problem with that is that the big companies, such as Time Warner, won't see much of an increase in the percentage of revenue it takes to pay mailing costs; smaller publications are stuck with a huge spike in the cost of sending out their magazines/newspapers, etc.
The Postal Service even came up with a plan to spread the increase in costs more evenly so the smaller companies wouldn't take such a devastating hit to their profits. Time Warner would absorb more of the total hit than any of the smaller, independent publications just so they could survive. The plan was overlooked in loo of Time Warner's proposal for an equal spike across the board, which was anything but equal.
Independent media is looked down upon so severely by the mainstream media. The issue with that is that the mainstream media outlets are most often owned by the big players in the industry who hold most of the power, enough power to put an independent outlet out of business if they choose to.
The Postal Service even came up with a plan to spread the increase in costs more evenly so the smaller companies wouldn't take such a devastating hit to their profits. Time Warner would absorb more of the total hit than any of the smaller, independent publications just so they could survive. The plan was overlooked in loo of Time Warner's proposal for an equal spike across the board, which was anything but equal.
Independent media is looked down upon so severely by the mainstream media. The issue with that is that the mainstream media outlets are most often owned by the big players in the industry who hold most of the power, enough power to put an independent outlet out of business if they choose to.
Are Bloggers Considered Journalists?
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/bloggers_might_be_excluded_fro.html
The link above leads to an article which poses two pretty big questions in the field of media. Are Bloggers Journalists? And where is the line drawn for the ban on bloggers being involved in state government meetings?
Oregon decided to ban al bloggers from state government meetings. There reasoning was that they are not journalists, and if the line is not drawn at bloggers, then the meetings no longer become private and anybody who calls themselves a blogger would be allow in to and report on the meeting.
Bloggers are just as, if not more, professional than the rest of the mainstream journalists out there. Whether they admit it or not, a mainstream journalist's articles always come through as biased because of the publication they work for. Depending on the political opinion of the publication, they most often lean noticeably in one direction or another. The independent blogger will most often report with no bias or they will be up front about it. After brief research, there is no question that Democracy Now! leans left and that is often how they report. There is no attempt to cover up any bias as there is in mainstream media.
As for bloggers being banned from reporting on state government meetings, that is absurd. That is just another attempt for the government to exclude media that won't necessarily report in their favor. They are using the age-old excuse that bloggers are not journalists to protect their reputation as an upstanding government.
The link above leads to an article which poses two pretty big questions in the field of media. Are Bloggers Journalists? And where is the line drawn for the ban on bloggers being involved in state government meetings?
Oregon decided to ban al bloggers from state government meetings. There reasoning was that they are not journalists, and if the line is not drawn at bloggers, then the meetings no longer become private and anybody who calls themselves a blogger would be allow in to and report on the meeting.
Bloggers are just as, if not more, professional than the rest of the mainstream journalists out there. Whether they admit it or not, a mainstream journalist's articles always come through as biased because of the publication they work for. Depending on the political opinion of the publication, they most often lean noticeably in one direction or another. The independent blogger will most often report with no bias or they will be up front about it. After brief research, there is no question that Democracy Now! leans left and that is often how they report. There is no attempt to cover up any bias as there is in mainstream media.
As for bloggers being banned from reporting on state government meetings, that is absurd. That is just another attempt for the government to exclude media that won't necessarily report in their favor. They are using the age-old excuse that bloggers are not journalists to protect their reputation as an upstanding government.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
1,000 True Fans
http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php
I love the idea of 1,000 true fans. It makes starting a blog, business or any other type of venture seem much more doable. With the economy acting the way it is, it is hard for anyone to get a safe, well-paying desk job somewhere. This has become the new age of entrepreneurialism and the 1,000 true fans theory proves that. Surviving with a small group of readers is very doable. The theory behind 1,000 true fans is that those 1,000 people will buy everything you put out as well as drive hundreds of miles to see you perform or go to a book signing. They 1,000 of the most loyal fans one could ask for. The point beyond having 1,000 true fans is to have them branch out and do some free advertising for you by constantly using, therefore promoting, your product.
This concept is seen all the time in blogging. All it takes is one post to get somebody hooked, and then they'll send your blog to someone else, who sends it to someone else, etc. Like starting a fire, the hardest part is to get it going, after that it's just a matter of watching it grow. As a young journalist, this idea both excites and encourages me.
I love the idea of 1,000 true fans. It makes starting a blog, business or any other type of venture seem much more doable. With the economy acting the way it is, it is hard for anyone to get a safe, well-paying desk job somewhere. This has become the new age of entrepreneurialism and the 1,000 true fans theory proves that. Surviving with a small group of readers is very doable. The theory behind 1,000 true fans is that those 1,000 people will buy everything you put out as well as drive hundreds of miles to see you perform or go to a book signing. They 1,000 of the most loyal fans one could ask for. The point beyond having 1,000 true fans is to have them branch out and do some free advertising for you by constantly using, therefore promoting, your product.
This concept is seen all the time in blogging. All it takes is one post to get somebody hooked, and then they'll send your blog to someone else, who sends it to someone else, etc. Like starting a fire, the hardest part is to get it going, after that it's just a matter of watching it grow. As a young journalist, this idea both excites and encourages me.
His Fans Greenlight the Film
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/18/AR2006081800210_4.html
This article about Robert Greenwald and John Gilliam was fascinating because of the concept behind the whole thing. They were to make a political movie about Iraq and the ways in which the US government was doing wrong by the troops serving, the Iraqi people and employees of the US government themselves. The film was meant to inform, inspire and incite change.
The film was to be funded largely by donations from those who wanted to see the movie made. Greenwald and Gilliam reached their goal of $200,000 in 10 days, in fact, they exceeded it. The faith Gilliam and Greenwald had in their cause and their fan base was extraordinary, and so were the efforts of the donors who contributed to the film. Of course their efforts would not go unnoticed; each donor received a credit at the end of the movie, making the credits some of the longest cinematic history.
This type of filmmaking is sure to inspire people in the future to put themselves out there because sometimes, like in the case of this film, your product may be more intriguing than you believe. These two men managed to make a political movie released in the heat of midterm elections with the help of no major Hollywood corporation. They "stuck it to the man" with the help of the beliefs of their fan base.
This article about Robert Greenwald and John Gilliam was fascinating because of the concept behind the whole thing. They were to make a political movie about Iraq and the ways in which the US government was doing wrong by the troops serving, the Iraqi people and employees of the US government themselves. The film was meant to inform, inspire and incite change.
The film was to be funded largely by donations from those who wanted to see the movie made. Greenwald and Gilliam reached their goal of $200,000 in 10 days, in fact, they exceeded it. The faith Gilliam and Greenwald had in their cause and their fan base was extraordinary, and so were the efforts of the donors who contributed to the film. Of course their efforts would not go unnoticed; each donor received a credit at the end of the movie, making the credits some of the longest cinematic history.
This type of filmmaking is sure to inspire people in the future to put themselves out there because sometimes, like in the case of this film, your product may be more intriguing than you believe. These two men managed to make a political movie released in the heat of midterm elections with the help of no major Hollywood corporation. They "stuck it to the man" with the help of the beliefs of their fan base.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Inside Jokes Become Jobs
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-07-13/bloggers-bring-in-the-big-bucksbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
Blogs such as Go Fug Yourself and I Can Has a Cheezburger were respectively created by pairs of friends who turned their websites, which were only intended for a handful of people, into lucrative blogs that have become their jobs.
I Can Has a Cheezburger has involved its readers through asking them to contribute to the site. They are rewarded with a posting on the main page if their submission permits. Not only are you making your readers feel more important, but you are cutting the work you have to do as a blogger as well. There is less pressure for you to come up with new material multiple times a day to keep readers coming back. They will always be coming back if they want to keep contributing.
The best part about being so interactive with your readers is that you are inspiring other people to become bloggers and you may be inciting the next great blog of our time.
Simple ideas such as commenting on fashion and posting comical pictures have brought these from inside jokes into worldwide comedy.
http://gofugyourself.com/
http://icanhas.cheezburger.com/
Blogs such as Go Fug Yourself and I Can Has a Cheezburger were respectively created by pairs of friends who turned their websites, which were only intended for a handful of people, into lucrative blogs that have become their jobs.
I Can Has a Cheezburger has involved its readers through asking them to contribute to the site. They are rewarded with a posting on the main page if their submission permits. Not only are you making your readers feel more important, but you are cutting the work you have to do as a blogger as well. There is less pressure for you to come up with new material multiple times a day to keep readers coming back. They will always be coming back if they want to keep contributing.
The best part about being so interactive with your readers is that you are inspiring other people to become bloggers and you may be inciting the next great blog of our time.
Simple ideas such as commenting on fashion and posting comical pictures have brought these from inside jokes into worldwide comedy.
http://gofugyourself.com/
http://icanhas.cheezburger.com/
The Growth of Talking Points Memo
http://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/independentmedia/symposium/symposiumdetails/
The 2008 symposium involving Josh Marshall and Talking Points Memo was ahead of its time. Today in 2013, we are aware that reaching a wider, more diverse (in all respects) audience is key to keeping news honest. The dangers of having just a few news sources controls the world's news reporting puts the public in danger of losing their independence. Becoming a slave to mainstream media may leave you biased and misinformed.
Before the explosion of Twitter, thee was much less of an understanding for independent media. Not to say that everybody who has a Twitter is a credible journalist, but it opened the eyes of many who never thought to blog or disseminate news in their own way.
It makes sense that the number of minorities who prefer reading independent news outlets aimed at them is as high as it is. 29 million U.S citizens said they preferred "ethnic" media to mainstream media. The ability to read news that doesn't come from an outlet with an agenda is something that should be valued and is found in independent media.
Marshall, as well as the other speakers at the symposium five years ago were all independent media minds that were far ahead of their time and it is no wonder why Talking Points Memo has taken off the way it has.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
The 2008 symposium involving Josh Marshall and Talking Points Memo was ahead of its time. Today in 2013, we are aware that reaching a wider, more diverse (in all respects) audience is key to keeping news honest. The dangers of having just a few news sources controls the world's news reporting puts the public in danger of losing their independence. Becoming a slave to mainstream media may leave you biased and misinformed.
Before the explosion of Twitter, thee was much less of an understanding for independent media. Not to say that everybody who has a Twitter is a credible journalist, but it opened the eyes of many who never thought to blog or disseminate news in their own way.
It makes sense that the number of minorities who prefer reading independent news outlets aimed at them is as high as it is. 29 million U.S citizens said they preferred "ethnic" media to mainstream media. The ability to read news that doesn't come from an outlet with an agenda is something that should be valued and is found in independent media.
Marshall, as well as the other speakers at the symposium five years ago were all independent media minds that were far ahead of their time and it is no wonder why Talking Points Memo has taken off the way it has.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
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