Category: National coverage

Unprecedented Popular YouTube Video Topics

On By David SonIn Censorship, Content Restriction, coronavirus, Media Covergence, National coverage, YouTubeLeave a comment

YouTube has been a hub for prank and cat videos, but now since the pandemic even more odd videos have come up to surface. A couple months ago, the popularity of these videos would have made no sense, but because of the pandemic these videos are being watched worldwide.

Tutorials on making fabric face masks and “pandemic makeup” have been buzzing on YouTube recently. On a more serious note, videos that touch upon the dangers of online education have also became popular.

YouTube CEO, Susan Wojcicki mentions how the YouTube company would have never seen these videos coming. Tutorials such as hand-washing have become popular. Information on really basic information has become popular on YouTube.

YouTube users are also seeking other people’s lives under quarantine as a form of entertainment. People are interested in what exercising, doing dishes, fixing appliances, and giving haircuts are like in quarantine. These are all unprecedented popular videos people are viewing.

YouTube views has skyrocketed since the stay at home order. In the first week of April, there were 32 billion minutes being watched within a week. Compared to last years, 15 billion minutes, that is a lot.

With more viewers comes more concerns. YouTube has been working on giving out the right information about the Coronavirus. YouTube has been working with the World Health Organization to keep the information as accurate as possible. New claims can now be flagged on YouTube videos such as “medically unsubstantiated” claims. Videos that would get flagged as such are videos that claim there is a miracle cure to the Coronavirus. Videos that contradict WHO’s recommendations are also being flagged as misinformation.

YouTube now offers a section of their homepage dedicated towards Coronavirus news. In this section one can be updated on current status as well as extra tips into keeping safe away from the virus.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/23/media/youtube-videos-pandemic/index.html

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Late Night Shows Impacted by the Pandemic

On By David SonIn Cable, coronavirus, coverage, Media Covergence, National coverage, News Media, Social Issue(s), TelevisionLeave a comment

As late night shows are directly impacted, hosts and broadcasting stations have found ways to keep viewers entertained. The biggest late night television stars are keeping the show going by filming from inside their homes. With this in home production comes many pros and cons.

Aside from all the production, the hosts have seemed to lack the energy driven by a live audience. With late night show hosts missing that energy, comes a lot of authenticity as well. Show host’s like Stephen Colbert adds that his dog has created a more intimate and relaxed environment to his job. In the privacy of their own homes, hosts have been able to feel less tense also in part of the less promotional stunts they would usually have to perform.

Jimmy Fallon adds that you can’t really fake anything. It is really you on National T.V. and that is all. Other late night show hosts have changed their normal ways. John Oliver has embraced the minimalist approach to Late Night shows while Bill Maher has added audience laughter to his monologue to add a more familiar setting.

Music has become a big source of entertainment during these shows as well. “One World: Together at Home” concert was on April 18, which played on multiple networks to fund raise for those fighting Covid-19

Other broadcasting stations are practicing alternatives towards their content. Saturday Night Live added the “at home” experiment which began a solo act for comedians to perform. Another innovative idea came from ESPN, while they created a “HORSE” competition in which known sports figures can compete in a game of “HORSE” for entertainment.

Although these companies are trying new ways to entertain the public, it has not come with the most exciting response. This sort of content can bore a viewer very quickly. Needless to say, their efforts are appreciated during these times of uncertainty. Any sort of entertainment to keep our minds off the pandemic is appreciated.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/entertainment/social-distancing-tv/index.html

What is going to happen to Olympic Sports and other Sports Broadcasters?

On By David SonIn Cable, Comcast, Consumer behavior, coverage, Distribution, Media Covergence, National coverage, Sports, TelevisionLeave a comment

The Tokyo Summer Olympics will not be happening this year.  For obvious reasons, athletes and sporting federations have chosen to push back the Olympics to hopefully next year.  The Olympics have been postponed three times in history.  Once because of World War I and another because of World War II.  The Prime Minister of Japan has insisted the Olympics to not be cancelled but postponed to next year.  Although Japan has made great progress in dealing with this crisis, the rest of the World has not.  Not until 2 weeks ago, people were insisting that the Olympics go on, but it is becoming seen as impossible and seriously ill-advised to do so.

NBCUniversal has already signed contracts with local stations and distributors for them to use their production.  Now that the Olympics are pushed to next year and their contract extended, NBCUniversal could make them end up paying double. 

But given the long-term relationships with these companies, NBCUniversal will most likely come up with accommodations in order to not decimate these local stations.  On the other hand, NBCUniversal would probably end up facing serious lawsuits if they chose to make their partners pay double.  No decision has been made yet.

Media executives worry politicians may carry-out a plan to have all TV bills be paid back to their consumers.  A large domino effect that comes from no sports being paid.

There are campaigns for sports networks to refund some of the paid subscription back to the consumer for no sports.  This would result in hundreds of millions of dollars, but sports broadcasters are trying to come up with accommodations in order to not lose out on so much money.  Many broadcasting stations are figuring out ways to keep the consumer’s happy by rearranging release dates and payment plans.  The Michael Jordan documentary was supposed to be released in July but has been pushed up to keep consumers happy.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/01/coronavirus-sports-cancellations-set-up-media-fights-over-refunds.html

Coronavirus Anxiety Causes Grocery Frenzy And Empty Shelves

On By Kirsten BeachIn Brand, Consumer behavior, coronavirus, Marketing, Media Covergence, National coverage, News Media, UncategorizedLeave a comment

With the number of coronavirus cases growing by the day, anxieties have risen to new heights–causing people to take drastic measures.

As President Trump declared a national emergency last Friday, hordes of shoppers rushed to various grocery stores across the country–filling their carts completely and emptying shelves to prepare for the unknowns surrounding the coronavirus.

For many stores (such as Target and Walmart), hand soap, sanitizer, toilet paper, and other necessities like tampons and cold and flu medicine were completely sold out. People flooded stores trying to obtain some of these items only to find that they were completely cleared from shelves by other anxious shoppers around the country. Stores were not only being cleared of their resources, but they were also overwhelmed with long lines of stressed customers waiting to check out their large quantities of groceries.

“Soon after the 9 a.m. opening on Friday of the Trader Joe’s in Hoboken, N.J., a line of nervous customers stretched along the block in the rain, waiting to pick through the mostly bare shelves inside. There was no chicken available, nor garbanzo beans, coffee or chips. The store was restocking regularly, but many of its registers were unstaffed” (NY Times).

Unfortunately, this grocery store frenzy has gotten so bad to the point where stores are beginning to ration products and put limits on how much a customer may buy. Even online grocery shopping resources have been affected by the coronavirus panic–making it that much harder to obtain groceries in a timely manner if using those grocery shopping sites.

I wonder how much longer this panic will last, and if we will ever be able to buy more toilet paper.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/nyregion/coronavirus-panic-buying.html

 

Tucker Carlson Warns of Coronavirus as Fox Attacks Media Coverage

On By David SonIn Censorship, coverage, Fake News, Media Covergence, National coverage, News Media, Political, Social Issue(s)Leave a comment

Tucker Carlson of Fox News has expressed his concerns over the Coronavirus. Even though his colleagues at Fox have downplayed the media’s coverage of the virus, Carlson has other words to say. On monday night, Carlson seemed to disapprove of President Trump’s message regarding the virus. “People you trust, people you probably voted for, have spent weeks minimizing what is clearly a very serious problem,” Carlson said. “it’s just partisan politics,’ the say. ‘Calm down. In the end this was just like the flu and people die from that every year. Coronavirus will pass.”

Meanwhile on Fox, Carlson’s colleague, Trish Regan was dismissing coronavirus than nothing more than an attempt to impeach Trump. Also, Sean Hannity claims that the media is using the coronavirus as a weapon against Trump. This is not a surprise for Fox is a very right winged news broadcasting channel that will support anything the President has to say. Rush Limbaugh even claims the democrats are using this virus scare to stop Trump rallies.

CNN on monday has begin calling this virus a pandemic. It is a big decision to begin calling it a pandemic because of the severity that implies. CNN chief medical correspondent, Sanya Gupta says, “While we know it sounds alarming, it should not cause panic.” By calling it a pandemic, Gupta is not trying to scare more people, but simply provide the correct information.

Many other media outlet companies have already begun taking precautions on this pandemic. The Washington Post, Vice Media, A+E Networks, New York Times, and more have all begun taking precautionary steps during this time. All companies have begun encouraging the employees to work from home. It seems as if every new company is focused on the actual matter at hand, while Fox shows stubbornness to the facts.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/media/tucker-carlson-coronavirus-warning-reliable-sources/index.html

The U.S. Wants the World to be Wary of Huawei

On By Aidan PlunkettIn Algorithms, Censorship, China, Data, Fake News, National coverage, TechnologyLeave a comment

The race to 5g is already being won by Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company. The capabilities of 5g range from instant downloads of movies, to automating surgery and highway transportation, but the risk is that with more devices using the internet, the more room there is for security breaches. 

Image result for is huawei safe

In 2019 the National Security Council discussed building the new internet/5g framework from scratch with cyber-security as a primary objective, but the Trump administration repealed those requirements for 5g.

The accusations of Huawei being a means through which the Chinese government can keep tabs on the world, and the efforts of the Trump admin to slow the implementation of Huawei’s tech have basically failed as countries in Europe and Asia are showing interest in Huawei’s 5g.

The article ends with a quote by former Senior Director of the N.S.C. Richard Spalding; “What is existential to democracy is allowing totalitarian regimes—or any government—full knowledge of everything you do at all times because the tendency is always going to be to want to regulate how you think, how you act, what you do. The problem is that most people don’t think very hard about what that world would look like.”

I found that quote very interesting because sometimes I think that’s how I think about media in the US. With the patriot act and our phones seemingly always listening and maybe even seeing what we’re doing, does the idea of 5g still scare people? Maybe the US in some sense regulates how we think/act and what we do- do people feel differently if it’s the Chinese gov’t controlling our media messages?

https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/the-terrifying-potential-of-the-5g-network

They’ve Gotta Have Us

On By David SonIn Diversity, Marketing, Media Covergence, National coverage, Netflix, Streaming, Television, UncategorizedLeave a comment

A new documentary series on Netflix has just been released yesterday. It takes a deep dive into understanding how African-Americans were portrayed in media entertainment. Ever since the #Oscarssowhite movement that took place around five years ago, anti-discriminatory notions have taken over social media. With African-Americans feeling they have not been properly acknowledged for their part in the movie entertainment industry, They’ve Gotta Have Us looks into how the perception of having people of color in films has changed.

This documentary series discusses the effects having African-American cast members had earlier in the movie industry. The idea that having people of color in movies would result in less sales and less popularity across seas is changing. Notable African-American films are having major success such as Moonlight’s and Get Out. These films have changed the script for African American producers dreaming to make it big in the film industry. (“The color the really care the most about is green.”, Don Cheadle) The film industry will really change for what the people want.

Another highlighted point of this documentary is that having African Americans in front of the camera is not enough. More recognition has to be made for the African Americans who are also excellent producers and writers. Essentially, the directors and producers are the ones who call the shots. They make the big decisions and in order for African American people to be shown true appreciation, the people behind the cameras need their recognition.

With the growing number of streaming services, more creators of any color will have the opportunity to put their work out there.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/05/entertainment/theyve-gotta-have-us-black-movie-history/index.html