Moving Movies to Digital

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 students in Summer 2012.

As we have discussed in class, the major movie "studios" today are largely distribution companies, looking for multiple ways to make money off the content under their control. Also, we have discussed the "atoms to bits" theory, where all physical media--including film--is destined to be replaced by its digital equivalent.

Today's Medianote is an NPR story about converting classic films to digital format, and the artistic and capitalistic decisions that are made during that conversion process. Should a film be made exactly as it was released in 1940, or should it be enhanced by processes that have become available over the last 70 years. At the end of the day (to use a horrible professor phrase), are movies mostly commercial products subject to change to fit consumer tastes? Or are they art works to be preserved in the way they were made? Or are they a combination of both?

Questions...

•Are movies art? How are they and how are they not?

•Is altering a classic film like altering a painting at the Getty Center? What about a not so classic film? Who decides if a film is classic or not?

•Is making a film image lighter or more in focus always a good thing? When is it not?

•If you were in charge of the Warner Vault, what would you do with an original print of a classic film?

•How much does the original artistic vision of the director matter?

Beware of Online Surveys

It's fun to take an online survey telling you what city you belong in or what Disney Princess you are most like. But before you answer the questions, think about this: Why would someone write the survey? Why would someone write the program to analyze the surveys? And what happens to the answers to your survey once you've found out that you're a dead-ringer for Princess Jasmine and you would be happiest in Boston.

The controversy surrounding Cambridge Analytica, Facebook and the Trump Campaign has given us a peek at how personal information is obtained, analyzed and sold. NBC reports.

Questions...

•What is your attitude about taking online surveys? Do you worry about them? Why or why not?

•Has the Cambridge Analytica controversy changed your willingness to take online surveys? Why or why not?

•What information should companies be allowed to collect about you? What should they not be able to collect?

Tiny TV Stations, Huge Profits

Why should a TV station have a broadcast license? Most people have cable or satellite, and those who don't may stream video content over the web. But some tiny TV stations in big cities are finding that they can make big profits from their FCC-issued broadcast license. The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Is this the beginning of the end for television? Why or why not?

•The broadcast spectrum is regulated for the public good. Which use should get priority: TV broadcasters or telecommunications? Why?

•You are manager of a TV station whose new owners are selling your place on the broadcast spectrum. What do you do? What are your options?

Serving to Inform

Local newspapers are often the only news organizations to cover local politics, business and other community affairs in a reasonably comprehensive way. Trouble is, hometown newspapers across the country are in desperate financial trouble, and the Los Angeles Times is no exception. After numerous rounds of cuts to the newsroom budget, city leaders are wondering whether local ownership may be better for the city than ownership by the Chicago-based Tribune Corporation. NPR reports.

Questions...

•How does a local newspaper serve the people of its community? How do people benefit from it?

•Which is worse: A far-off corporate owner that doesn't care about the community, or a local billionaire with a political agenda?

•Where do you get your news? How could newspapers become more relevant to your lives?

•How can serious local news be made profitable?

The End of Broadcast TV?

This is a MediaNote Classic that was originally presented in Spring 2014. The Supreme Court case involving Aereo has been decided, but the issues surrounding the future of television continue to evolve.



Television--which people used to get through the air for free--has increasingly become dependent on "retransmission fees." These are costs paid by cable and satellite companies to networks and local TV stations which help to pay for programming. Retransmission fees are passed along to the viewer in their cable and satellite bills. The remaining small percentage of the population that continue to get TV through an antenna on their TV set continue to get their TV for free.

But a new startup, Aereo, may completely upend this system of TV economics. Aereo, which recently began its service in the New York area, charges subscribers $8 a month for HD broadcasts of local, over-the-air stations, which can be played on a smartphone, tablet or computer. The shows are then stored for the consumer on the internet (the cloud). The TV broadcasters insist that Aereo must pay a retransmission fee, as cable and satellite companies do. Aereo claims there service is simply another form of broadcast antenna and VCR, and therefore is not subject to retransmission fees.

The case is now being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. If Aereo wins, Fox and Univision have pledged to end over-the-air broadcasts. Major League Baseball and the NFL have pledged to do the same. Some believe these are empty threats. But it could also mean the beginning of the end for free over-the-air television. NPR reports.

Questions...

•Does it matter if broadcast TV goes away? Why or why not?

•Is Aereo more like a cable company, or more like a private individual using an antenna and a VCR?

•How do you imagine the television world changing over the next 10 years?

•Is television becoming more important or less important in your life?

Exporting Files, and Jobs

This is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 students in Spring 2013.

This MediaNote will be presented only to TTh classes in Spring 2015.

On the face of it, Hollywood special effects wizards should have plenty of work at great pay. Their job is a highly skilled combination of technology and art. And films, TV shows and ads are using more and more digital special effects.

But the highly portable nature of digital communications--whether it be a simple email or an enormous special effects file--means that they can be created half a world away. Because of this, Hollywood special effects companies have fallen on hard times. The Los Angeles Times reports on this disturbing trend.

Questions...

•Why are special effects jobs good jobs for workers and for California?

•Should taxpayer money be used to keep film jobs in the state? Does anything make these jobs more important to protect than others?

•According to the article, special effects houses in India are 60% cheaper. Is there a solution to this?

Taking Sides on Net Neutrality

The Federal Communications Commission recently voted for "net neutrality" rules that will regulate Internet Service Providers more like a telephone company and less like a cable company. Is this a good idea? C/Net reports.

Questions...

•Is access to the Internet a luxury or a necessity?

•Should big companies (like NetFlix) be allowed to pay to get their information to you faster?

•Should there be any regulation on Internet service providers? What regulation?

•Is net neutrality better or worse for supporting a "marketplace of ideas"?

•Is net neutrality better or worse for supporting a capitalistic marketplace?

Shamwow in the Times

Great news organizations have spent many decades building up reputations for reporting on important topics in accurate, even-handed and meaningful ways. Now, in a desperate attempt to lure online advertisers, some of those news organizations are running paid links that look a lot like news stories. They are actually ads. Does this cheapen the integrity of news organizations, or is this simply what advertising has become? NPR reports.

Questions...

•Describe "The Wall" from the newspaper industry chapter.

•Does the type of advertising discussed here weaken "The Wall"?

•Does this type of ad make the advertiser seem more trustworthy?

•Does this put any additional pressure on news sites to make sure their advertisers are trustworthy?

•Do you find this type of ad more objectionable or less objectionable than traditional advertising?

Games for Grownups

Big-action games aren't for everybody. And not every game developer dreams of an even gorier Zombie Apocalypse.

The motion picture industry has its independent moviemakers, and the recording business has its independent music. So why not independent games?

As with indie music and movies, independent game makers aren't shooting for a huge mass audience. Rather, they are trying to say something with their games that goes beyond the often-superficial messages of mainstream media. The Los Angeles Times reports on this trend toward independent games.

Questions...

•Is gaming a mass medium? Why or why not?

•Are young men naturally attracted to games, or is it really the violent content that they are attracted to?

•Which is a better storytelling medium--games or movies? Why?

•Which is a better teacher--games or movies? Why?

•Which is better at getting you to think about social and political issues? Why?

Blowing Bubbles by the Bay

Fortunes are made and lost in Southern California's entertainment businesses. But for truly huge fortunes being made (and lost) overnight, head north to the Silicon Valley. Around 15 years ago, internet startups that were losing huge amounts of money were paradoxically becoming absurdly valuable in the stock market. Then the tech bubble burst and the more dubious companies (like pets.com) went out of business, while the successful ones (like Amazon) took years to regain their values in the stock market.

Is another tech bubble being blown right now? The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Which do you think will have more users in three years, and why?
a. Snapchat
b. Instagram
c. Pinterest

•What other sites have you started using in the last year?

•What makes you stop using a website?

Is London the New Hollywood?

Begin with a long tradition of movie making. Add in a generous amount of both acting and technical talent. Throw in some nicely-targeted tax incentives. And the result is a booming British movie industry that has drawn a wide array of American film productions. The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Does this matter to you if you are not in "The Industry"? Why or why not?

•Are movie industry jobs particularly good jobs? Why?

•What are some of the other businesses that moviemakers need? What kinds of workers do these support companies employ?

•Why don't studios simply make movies in the cheapest place in the world?

Will the Twittersphere Be Stifled?

Twitter is not in the Tweeting business. It is in the advertising business.

Twitter account users generally appreciate the company's support of free speech rights. But advertisers generally don't want to be associated with companies that break laws.

So as Twitter continues to grow, it must adapt to the laws of various countries, especially those laws that regulate what can be said. Reuters reports.

Questions...

•What is good about anonymous speech?

•What is bad about anonymous speech?

•How might Twitter's free-speech philosophy come into conflict with its business goals?

•How is Twitter an example of disintermediation?

Is TV a Dying Medium?

Broadcast networks are losing market share. Cable providers are losing customers. And growing numbers of mostly young people are "cutting the cord" by not having a cable or satellite provider. Is the TV business in irreversible decline? The Los Angeles Times reports.

Questions...

•Is TV a slowly dying medium?

•Has anyone here cut the cord?

•What do you think TV will be like in 10 years?

Long Tail Studios?

CollegeHumor has 4.7 million subscribers, has won 11 Webby awards and is a leader in online comedy. It has amassed a largely teenage and young adult audience. This is an age demographic that is beginning to desert the multiplexes, but is frequently online.

This week, CollegeHumor will launch an assault on the traditional Hollywood Theater and multiplex system with the release of the movie Coffee Town. It will not be released to theaters or on DVD. It will be available only online. And it will bypass the massively expensive billboards, TV ads and other traditional promotion that is a hallmark of mainstream movies. Instead, it will be promoted through social networks and the CollegeHumor site.

It won't gross a tenth as much as The Lone Ranger, but it will cost less than a twentieth as much to make and promote. And it has around 4.7 million people who might give it a try.

Questions...

•What is good about seeing a big summer blockbuster like The Lone Ranger in a theater?

•What is good about seeing a movie as a paid download or video on demand?

•How is this an example of the Long Tail theory of media?

•Other than CollegeHumor, what are other groups and organizations that could make their own low-budget movies and show them, for a fee, to an online audience?

•Could a religion do this? How about a political organization? Could gun owners or environmentalists do this? How about a group devoted to the belief that UFOs are real?

I'll Bet This Class Has a Wait List...

In Fall 2007 over the objection of administrators who thought it wasn't scholarly enough, Stanford University offered a class on brainstorming, developing and marketing Facebook apps. It turned out to be remarkably successful. Numerous students developed popular, money-making apps, some having their creations purchased by larger tech companies.

The story of this Stanford class was recently told in a New York Times article sent to Your Humble Blogger by MC101 Student Dominique Garcia. Thanks Dominique!

Questions...

•Name some apps that you like. Describe what they do.

•Think about Functional Analysis. How is the development of these apps a reflection of the Macro point of view? And how does it also incorporate the micro point of view?

•If you create a facebook app, what would it be? Who will be your target audience?

•If your app is successful, would you sell it? Why or why not?

•Can the small, quick development model discussed in this article be adapted to Google Glass and other wearable technologies? How?

Will We Wear iPants?

Some years back, we began to carry considerable communication technology in pockets and purses. Now, some of the world's greatest tech companies believe, we are ready to wear our communications technology. Glasses, watches, even clothes will soon be brimming with communications potential.

Google's Glass and Apple's iWatch are just the beginning. Nike's FuelBand provides an LED readout for athletic endeavors. And other companies are developing clothes with communications functions, including the ability to project a virtual keypad on a shirt sleeve.

The Los Angeles Times reports on this trend.

Questions...

•What types of information would it be nice to have with you at all times?

•Name five things that will have a direct impact over whether wearable technology succeeds or fails.

•How might ads look in this medium? Name all the ways.

•How might you use your tech clothing to show support for the Dodgers, or your opposition to a political candidate?

Credit/No Credit?

Tax credits are a way to attract and keep a favored industry. In recent years, California has offered tax credits for movie productions shot in the state. This is an attempt to combat "runaway production" to other states, where the cost of making movies is cheaper.

But do the tax credits really work? Expert analyses differ. And is it wise or fair for California to give tax breaks to one industry, but not to others? A recent Los Angeles Times article discusses movie industry tax credits.

Questions...

•Why should California maintain tax breaks for movie productions? What are all the reasons?

•Why should California end tax breaks for movie productions? What are all the reasons?

•Why are movie jobs good jobs?

•Why are movie jobs bad jobs?

The End of Cash?

We no longer have paper resumes or paper report cards, so is it any surprise that we may be nearing the end of paper money? Maybe cash is just a hard-copy version of money that only older, technophobic people will cling to.

This NPR story holds out the promise that digital wallets are right around the corner and that cash may become so 20th Century.

Questions...

•The Digital Wallet is an example of what from Chapter 1?

•What is good about Digital Wallets? What is bad about it?

•Who will benefit from Digital Wallets, and how?

Financial Survival Week

The college is hosting a week of workshops designed to help students to better manage their finances. It sounds like a good idea...

Financial Survival Week
Events, topics and presenters


MONDAY APRIL 30th

12:20 -1:30 Auditorium
State of the student 2012
• The educational landscape
• The job marketplace

Dr. Lindsay, Glendale College President
Kimberly Ritter-Martinez, Associate Economist in the Kyser Center for Economic Research


1:40 – 2:50 Student Center
Employment: while in college and after
• Job opportunities
• Employer expectations
• Succeeding by adding value

Andra Verstaete, Program Manager of the Student Employment Services at the college
Deborah Kinley, Associate Dean and Career Resource Program director at the Garfield Campus


3:00 – 4:10 Student Center
Resume building
• The content: jobs, volunteer work, awards, community participation
• Starting somewhere
• Putting it together and getting it online

Denise Leong, Career Center Coordinator/Career Counselor at the college


TUESDAY MAY 1st

12:20 -1:30 Kreider Hall
Money smarts
• Financing college studies: loans, scholarships, jobs
• Establishing credit: banks, credit cards, savings and investments
• Dealing with debt, past, present and future

Mike Velasquez, CPA/PFS Co-Founder and Senior Partner, Sadd Velazquez Higashi Shammaa, LLP
Brenda Gonzalez, Vice President and Hands on Banking California Manager, Wells Fargo

1:40 – 2:50 Student Center
Credit, credit cards and banks
• How to build your credit
• Using credit cards wisely
• Getting useful bank accounts

Michelle Peterson, Vice President of Business Development, Glendale Area Schools Federal Credit Union

3:05 – 4:15 CS 177
How to deal with debt
• Choices
• Interest rates
• Repayment

Phillip Kazanjian, GCC Assistant Professor of Business Administration






WEDNESDAY MAY 2nd

12:20 -1:30 Student Center
Financial aid and scholarships
• What is available
• How to qualify

Pat Hurley, Associate Dean/Financial Aid Director at the college

1:40 – 2:50 Student Center
Aid and scholarships at the college
• How to apply for financial aid
• How to apply for scholarships

Pat Hurley, Associate Dean/Financial Aid Director at the college

3:00 – 4:10 Student Center
Aid and scholarships after transfer
• What is available at surrounding universities (UCLA, USC, CSUN, CSLA)
• What are their expectations

Pat Hurley, Associate Dean/Financial Aid Director at the college

THURSDAY MAY 3rd

12:20 -1:30 Auditorium
Spending wisely
• Protecting your money by avoiding scammers and thieves
• Keeping track of it
• Getting the most out of it by spending wisely

Phil Kazanjian, GCC Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Sue Shine, Lead Officer for the East Command Division of the Glendale Police Department
Bob Zaun, Detective in the Investigative Division of the Glendale Police Department


1:40 – 2:50 SB 243
Privacy, ID theft & scams
• Email piracy
• Identity theft
• Some examples of new/unusual ways in which identity theft is practiced in the electronic age
• Social networking scams
• Do social networks sell your personal information?
• Other dangers/pitfalls/warning signs to watch out for in the protection of your privacy.

Sue Shine, Lead Officer for the East Command Division of the Glendale Police Department
Bob Zaun, Detective in the Investigative Division of the Glendale Police Department


3:05 – 4:15 Student Center
Watching your waist and your wallet
• Food choices
• Lunch specials and other ways to save
• Staying fit

Mandy Gustafsen, Certified Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Specialist