RemainComm

Filling the "White Spaces"

 I found the phrase "white spaces" interesting when it was announced yesterday that the FCC has allowed conditional unlicensed use of "white spaces" television spectrum. In an attempt to avoid getting bogged down in tech speak. This is the radio spectrum that is now available as a result of TV's switch to digital.

Once the FCC found that the issue of interference with existing radio signals could be overcome through technology that shuts down any device using the "white space" once it senses another signal, granting access was a slam dunk.

Companies like Google and Microsoft herald the decision as a way to allow widespread mobile adoption. On the other hand, broadcast companies (seeing yet another reason to claim "everybody is out to get us") and the likes of Verizon (already hot to charge more for services) are less than thrilled.

As I have said previously, I personally am thrilled with anything that allows the growth and spread of mobile access if it leads us closer to parity with other countries (Luxembourg for God's sake) in services offered wirelessly. I am also concerned as a radio fan. This magic sensing thing-a-ma-bob that prevents interference with existing frequencies sure better work. The last thing any "channel" needs is a return to the "party line" annoyance of too many on a channel. Ick!

"White spaces"  also triggered in me another use of that term. A use that I see benefitting many media channels. As of late yesterday the flood of political advertising stopped...I'll pause as you jump up and down with joy and do a couple of Tiger Woods arm pumps...done? This sudden loss of "content" in itself reveals a whole lot of "white space".

My, hasn’t the FCC been busy…

Wow, the FCC turned up in the news allot over the past 10 days. This could lead to displacing the latest news from Brangelina...nah! The impact will be felt across all media. Well, maybe not print...but they have enough to worry about.

Satellite Radio. Big surprise, they approved the merger of XM and Sirius with very few stipulations attached. Much to the chagrin of the NAB, MPR, NPR, PRI, and many other letters of the alphabet except MEL. Mel Karmazin has successfully gotten his wish and, once he fights off the inevitable appeals, will oversee one unprofitable satellite radio service instead of two. So far the only way this business has made any money at all is from investors who keep hoping that the promises made to them that “it will be profitable” actually come true. To be fair, this was inevitable. To deploy that many birds, maintain studios and staff, keep up with operating expenses, pay content fees and royalties, as well as create new content while patiently waiting for enough subscribers to make it all profitable is no simple task for one company, let alone two.

Internet. In it’s July 20th Notice of Proposed Rulemaking the FCC is looking to mandate filters “That filters or blocks images and text that constitute obscenity or pornography…” on free broadband. It’s a bit of a slippery slope, especially when you come across the infamous “as measured by contemporary community standards” line. This has to do with the new spectrum that the FCC is auctioning off known as the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) Spectrum. Does this start us down the road of censorship of internet content? Take note: this talks about filtering services that make internet content available to the public for free, not the removal of content from the internet. Like I said a slippery slope. Info here and here.

TV. I remember distinctly the day Janet Jackson’s nipple became half-time entertainment because of that “wardrobe malfunction”. I’m still trying to figure out if the way I explained it to my kids was even close to effective. I also remember the half million dollar fine the FCC threw at CBS for airing it. Keep in mind a 30 second ad costs 2.7 million clams so really, the fine was chump change. No matter, it all got overturned on July 21. Look for more nipples coming soon to half-time shows near you. Now if we can get somebody to tell the N(nipple)FL to lighten up on the use of the words Super Bowl. C’mon guys, don’t make everyone in media say “the big game.” For the love of Pete…why would you want to limit someone from using your brand by name. Find something else for your lawyers to do. But I digress…

Radio. All of the above.

High School rocks...again!

It was the same thing every day, more than once each day. "Dad, are you sure you set the VCR right?" My family and I were on a short vacation along the North shore of Minnesota amidst the beauty of the Lake Superior ("...the big lake they call Gitchee Gumee "-Gordon Lightfoot) shoreline and my daughter's biggest concern was High School Musical 2. Why not? She's under 10 and the beauty and history of Split Rock Lighthouse is nothing compared to whether Troy and Gabriella will experience that first kiss (they do) or what the dance numbers will be like (they're great).

We arrived home late on Sunday night and there was absolutely no way we were going to hit the comfort of a familiar bed without watching "the TV event of the season" .  So for the next two hours, all of us, my wife, two kids, and me, ate pizza and watched the continuing story of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and the rest of the East High Wildcats. If you have kids, I'm sure you did the same thing a few nights earlier. You may have watched even if you don't have kids. The show, like the first one, is just plain fun and 2 hours well spent.

I smiled through the whole thing (OK, maybe with the exception of the scene where Troy dances solo in the desert. That was a bit awkward.). I was smiling not only because it was a great production but, because my family was together...smiling. We enjoyed a show without threat of having to hit the remote because it was inappropriate or surfing channels because it was dull. What a great chance to spend time with the kids. We laughed and made comments to each other throughout the whole show.  Since then, my daughter and, though he would never admit it, her older brother spend a good deal of time singing and dancing around the house.

The Disney Channel has proven you don't need to shoot something, blow something up, slime someone or make a star of a talking sponge to truly entertain and motivate a kid. 17 million people proved on a Friday night in August (and, I'm sure for many more nights to come) that "edgy"  isn't the only thing that cuts through. Yep, a good old fashioned beach movie will entertain millions and make millions at the same time. I'm good with that.

   

My Own Little Communications Perfect Storm…

I experienced something I found surprising, and though the impact was only one of inconvenience for me (many associated with the events impacting this communications breakdown lost lives or were severely injured) it pointed out that it’s incredibly easy to take our communication technology for granted, especially in the face of unfolding tragedy. 

During the course of the day, my home phone service went on the fritz. No sweat, I picked up the cell phone and called to schedule a service call. After scheduling a service call, I got a call on the cell from my friend Steve telling me to turn on the TV because the I35W bridge spanning the Mississippi in downtown Minneapolis had collapsed. (I should point out that I live in a suburb just south of the Twin Cities.) As I tuned into local TV and checked the radio, my son came through the door to say he had been calling my cell and was not getting an answer. Turns out the call from Steve would be my last for awhile. Because of the increased cell traffic due to the bridge collapse, the system was just plain overloaded. By the way, as a little icing on the bridge crisis and its related rescue, a large storm complete with lightning was closing in on Minneapolis.

Wow, totally cut off from talking….but, thanks to my handy internet, not from seeing, hearing, and writing. A few short months ago I would have been far too busy to watch what was going on because I would have been making sure my radio stations were providing the needed information to our listeners. Now, I’m just another person trying to find information about my town.

Some quick observations…many of the local news stations offered streaming video online and most were struggling to keep up with the demand and updating their sites and broadcasts at the same time. Overall the coverage was very good on air and on line. I was able to watch, listen and blog all at the same time. I’ve also noted that some really don’t make good “spokespeople”, looking more freaked than calm and in control, some news anchors really work hard at stretching for the sensational. (I don’t think we need to start worrying about every bridge in Minnesota because this one fell.  Also, my Google PDA page on my cell (seems the data is still flowing) showed the first post reported from an Australian newspaper(?). Kinda weird to see a story dated the next day that I’m watching unfold. How global can you get?

Here’s a question, I still look to the local broadcast media first for info. Do those folks younger than me do the same? (Those crazy kids and that internet deal.)