See Spot. See Spot Run. See Spot Run Ads.

There has been quite a bit of discussion in the class about the future of television, particularly the fate of the traditional 30-second spot. Today's media note fits right in. It's about Spot Runner, an advertising agency that straddles the line between the digital and television worlds. Small local businesses can go online to find inexpensive local cable television ad spots and can buy professional-looking, easily-customizable ads to drop into those spots. The media note came from an article entitled "Spot Runner Taps Web to Create Ads, Book Airtime." It was in the Los Angeles Times business section on Jan. 24.

Jammin' and Gamin' and Trippin'

On Friday, we went on our last two field trips of the Winter Intersession. In the morning, we went to the Museum of Television & Radio, where these MC101s were accessing the museum's library of more than 100,000 television programs. In the afternoon, we went to the Getty Center.
Now on to Monday's medianote...
Increasingly, up-and-coming musical artists are looking to the video game industry for their big break. Music for games is becoming not only a revenue source for musicians but also a prime means of promoting one's music.

A Midterm Bon Bon Just for You

We had a full house in Mass Comm 101 today as students took their midterm exams. There were no reported casualties.

No medianote today. It was midterm day in Mass Comm 101. Students worked. I sat back and chuckled evilly to myself. Well, not really, but that's what students think teachers do during big tests.

Actually, I was preparing to enhance your websurfing pleasure by giving you a link to this story about Yahoo's "Finds of the Year" awards. Web sites were chosen in categories including innovative, weird and wonderful, educational and humorous.

Field trip doubleheader tomorrow. Big fun ahead.

It's Late, You're Alone at the Computer ... and Google Is Watching

Google, the federal government, and invasion of privacy were the topics of today's media note. We listened to a recent NPR report entitled "Google Has Mixed Motives in Fighting Data Request" and then threw the discussion open to the class. The Justice Department, as part of its war against child pornography, has subpoenaed the records of terms that people have been putting into search engines. MSN, Yahoo! and AOL all complied. Google refused. So is Google doing the right thing? Does it creep us out that the feds want to know what we're googling? Does it creep us out that Google has records of this stuff? And are we creeped out enough that there should be a law against this sort of thing? The NPR story can be heard by following this link.

Movie Theaters in the Post-"Bubble" Marketplace

The low-budget art house film "Bubble" will open this Friday to considerable controversy within the movie business. But it's not the content of the film that is at issue ... it's the distribution schedule.

Musings on a Media Noteless Day

Brokeback Mountain was inevitable because it is a reflection of today's social environment. Western movies (and other popular entertainment) are products of the time in which they are made, even if they are supposed to depict another time. For example, the substantial influence of the Religious Right could be reflected in a Western with a strong religious theme. So, Mel Gibson, start workin' at talkin' like a cowpoke.

D'oh! I Shoulda Been a Luddite

Today's media note was drawn from a recent Column One article in the Los Angeles Times that reports that professors who put lecture notes and other course materials online risk higher absenteeism in class. My Mass Comm 101 students discussed whether classes enhanced with online materials are a good thing or a bad thing, plus a couple of related issues.

Will This Movie Wind Up on the Latte, Latte Show?

Today's media note comes from an article in the Los Angeles Times on Friday, Jan. 13 entitled "Starbucks Adding Movies to Its Menu." I presented some details of the deal between the coffee giant and Lionsgate Films in which Starbucks will promote the upcoming film "Akeelah and the Bee," and will sell the soundtrack CD and the film's DVD. Starbucks is also in line for a cut of the film's profits. Apparently Starbucks will become increasingly involved in the promotion of films.

An Audio Bon Bon for a Media Noteless Day

Today's class will begin with a quiz, so there is no media note today. In its place, I offer a link. In class yesterday we listened to audio clips from Orson Welles' 1938 "War of the Worlds" broadcast. What I didn't mention was that there have been some pretty interesting remakes that have been done in the years since. A favorite of mine was this one done by WKBW-AM (Buffalo, New York) in 1971. Especially check out a frenetic Jackson Armstrong doing his Top 40 formatted show. Enjoy.

A Space for Screamo

Today I discuss a recent article from Wired that outlines the growing trend of alternative bands building a fan base through MySpace web sites. In discussing this trend with my students, I find out the degree to which listening to downloaded music has surpassed music obtained from other sources.

No Bad Luck on Friday the 13th

Here is a rosy-cheeked group of MC101s who just climbed the 200 or so steps up Downtown L.A.'s Bunker Hill. Behind our rather fetching delegation is the Watercourt, a performing arts space.

No media note today.

We spent the day on a Downtown field trip double header: A tour of the Los Angeles Times in the morning and the Los Angeles Central Library in the afternoon. Between those educational endeavors, we went on a walking tour of the city's historic core.

We had a terrific turnout for both field trips on a warm, sunny and dry day.

No bad luck on this Friday the 13th.

Coming Soon to Your Windshield or Toilet

Television was the topic of today's media note. We listened to a recent NPR report entitled "Video Programming Wherever, Whenever" and then discussed it in inimitable media note style. The NPR story can be heard by following this link to the home page for The Future of Television, a series of very well done reports on where the tube is heading. Today's audio post will divulge the media note discussion questions and a summary of what my students said.

I'm an Embarrassed Windbag, So Let's Cut to a Photo...

We had a turnout of 29 MC101s and friends at the museum formerly known as the Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
I got so wrapped up in today's media note about e-book players, that I exceeded the maximum length of my AudioBlogger post. But you didn't miss much; I was nearing the end (of the post, not of my life) anyway.

To take your mind off my verbal windyness, here's a group photo from yesterday afternoon's field trip to the Museum of the American West. It actually makes a good Mass Comm 101 field trip. I have an assignment that looks at the difference between reality and media portrayals (particularly in entertainment media).

Save a Tree, Download a Book

Today's medianote is about Sony's decision to introduce a new generation of e-book players and an iTunes-like online store for purchasing the texts. Both recent history and my students' reaction indicate that Sony will have its work cut out for it.

E-Book Players: Just Gotta Finish That Thought...

I decided to finish that post on e-book players with another brief audio comment.

Does it Hurt to Bifurcate?

The media note for Jan. 11 examined the future of newspapers. Once we got past the environmental advantages of having newpapers without paper, the class settled down to talk about whether newspapers on paper is a hopelessly outdated concept.

Is Film Dead?

We had a full house for the first day of Mass Communications 101, Winter Intersession 2006.
In the first media note of the winter intersession, Mass Comm 101 students are asked if traditional film (both for still and moving pictures) will be relegated to the dust bin of history as increasing numbers of consumers and media organizatons move to digital imaging.

Welcome to Club MediaNote

This post is mostly a test to make sure that Audio Blogger is working right. I comment briefly about what I plan to do when my class begins and I have some media notes to talk about.

Why Have a Club MediaNote?

Club MediaNote is an idea that has been rattling around my head for a while. Students have long told me that one of their favorite portions of my Mass Communications 101 course is the short presentation and discussion that generally happens at the beginning of class, the day's Media Note.

However, students also tell me sometimes that they have trouble finding the original source (usually a newspaper, magazine, or online article) a media note is based upon. Still other students would like to know what the Media Note was that they missed when they were late or absent.

Club MediaNote is an answer to all that, plus a way to get a small portion of my course out to people who are not in my classes, but who would like brief summaries and commentaries on current things that are shaping some aspect of mass media. So if you're not in my classes, but you have stumbled upon Club MediaNote, you are welcome to be here and take part in commenting on it or on individual posts.

In putting together this blog, I enabled comments (feedback is good) but I have also arranged the settings so that comments are moderated by me before they are posted for all the world to see. I'm letting you know this in the spirit of disclosure.

That said, this blog is an experiment. So expect it to evolve over time.

On with the show!