Category: Uncategorized

YouTube and its fleeting glory days

On By NicholasIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
Visual source: https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/6/5/18653900/youtube-lgbtq-hate-speech-policy-carlos-maza-steven-crowder

According to YouTube pioneers, the platform just isn’t what it used to be.

“YouTube relies on creators to differentiate itself from streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, it tells creators it wants to promote their original content, and it hosts conferences dedicated to bettering the creator community. Those same creators often feel abandoned and confused about why their videos are buried in search results, don’t appear on the trending page, or are being quietly demonetized.” – Alex Castro

And Danny and Michael Philippou, better known as the twins from the YouTube channel RackaRacka, are angry about it.

Image result for rackaracka
Danny and Michael Philippou of RackaRacka
Visual source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdS39ILrswk

Recently they released a video in which they reenacted Mortal Kombat fatalities (ICYDK, they are extremely brutal and gory killing moves in the aforementioned video game). Shortly after being posted, YouTube declared it violated their content guidelines, leaving the video hidden from users. Meanwhile, other accounts are creating their own copycat versions, where they can all be easily found with a simple search. None of these videos are hidden, despite contravening the same exact violence policy YouTube enforced onto RackaRacka. This naturally directs all the attention and views to these copiers, leaving no recognition for the original artists.

For the twins, this is merely one taxing component of YouTube’s flawed, life-draining business model.

YouTube marketingVisual source: https://www.adlibweb.com/the-beginners-guide-to-youtube-marketing-for-small-businesses/

YouTube heavily relies on advertisers to market their creators in order to make money, and these artists need to create content that is in competition with other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. The flaw in the system, the twins claim, is their continuous use of household names for marketing purposes instead of “creative amateurs” looking for their start.

All of this attention is turned towards the names we see over and over again, such as Logan Paul and Tana Monogeau. Left behind is those working hard to be different in an age where YouTube’s top performers funnel out the same recycled material on a daily basis.

Image result for logan paul and tana mongeauVisual source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMrmYjtIUtk

YouTube used to be a place where young artists could build a platform and make a living off of their content. I remember Smosh, Fred, Jenna Marbles, Shane Dawson, Ray Johnson; users with millions of subscribers that would publish daily/weekly original sketch comedies, commentary and roundups of viral videos.

Now, most of these names are just a memory. Why? YouTube’s interests changed.

In October 2012, their algorithm became more interested in longer length videos as opposed to the amount of views it receives, leaving viral videos like “Charlies Bit My Finger” a thing of the past. And some users capitalized on this method. Take Shane Dawson for example: once a 3-6-minute short comedy sketch creator with a myriad of wacky, eccentric characters, to a producer of multiple television worthy docuseries, some that lengthen over an hour per video.

As time went on, YouTube only furthered prioritized the value of their advertisers. By 2016, their ever-changing algorithm deprived original artists of funds and essentially demonetized their channels.

Image result for vineVisual source: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/vine-thread

Flash forward to 2017, Viners infested YouTube, in hopes of leaching on to a new host. Upon Vine’s demise in January 2017, the 6-second video creators migrated to the other biggest platform in the world to share videos.

Though, instead of original content, Viner-turned-YouTubers, such as the Paul brothers, no longer needed to post good content. Alternatively, they published the most dangerous, stupid shit they could do in order to get views. And it worked.

Come 2018, YouTube is riddled with immense amounts of controversies from their biggest creators, such as antisemitic comments from their then most subscribed content creator, PewDiePie.

Now in 2019, YouTubers, whether forthright or otherwise, recognize the platform’s cultural and algorithmic shift, and know YouTube is no longer their home.

As for what’s next, Michael Philippou of the RackaRacka Twins has a solution:

“We leave. We find somewhere else that wants our videos. That used to be YouTube, but it’s not anymore. And I don’t think it ever will be again.”

Source material: https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/5/18287318/youtube-logan-paul-pewdiepie-demonetization-adpocalypse-premium-influencers-creators

Pinterest’s New Feature Enables Accurate, Science-Based Information to Surface When Users Search for Vaccine-Related Terms

On By tuj52701templeeduIn Content Restriction, Fake News, Online Safety, Uncategorized1 Comment

To the prevent users from absorbing inaccurate information , Pinterest has added a new feature to their search engine so that when users searches for vaccine-related terms, such as “measles” or “vaccine safety”, information sourced from various scientific organizations will surface.

World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the WHO-established Vaccine Safety Net (VSN), are names of the organizations Pinterest intends to prioritize with this new feature.

The update is for English-speaking searchers on the web and Pinterest’s mobile apps for iOS and Android. Pinterest intends to expand this feature to other searches and in more languages. In the future, this feature will eventually be expanded to more languages and other searches. Pinterest also mentioned that their platform will work with this organization to construct appealing and creative images that are also based in science. By doing so, they hope that it will lead to more users to sharing the images, and thus, the accurate information will be spread out further.  

A little while back, Pinterest spoke out against the spread of misinformation related to vaccinations and made sure that any results for vaccine-related search terms would not return to their platform.

Examples of Non-Science Based Health Information that Used to Float Around on Pinterest

According to the Wall Street Journal:

Pinterest has stopped returning results for searches related to vaccinations, a drastic step the social-media company said is aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation but one that demonstrates the power of tech companies to censor discussion of hot-button issues.

Most shared images on Pinterest relating to vaccination cautioned against it, contradicting established medical guidelines and research showing that vaccines are safe, Pinterest said. The image-searching platform tried to remove the anti-vaccination content, a Pinterest spokeswoman said, but has been unable to remove it completely.

Here are some examples of posts that would have gone unfiltered in the past

I like that Pinterest has taken steps to prevent the spread of misinformation on their platform. It seems as though anti-vaxxers are lurking on Social Media at a higher rate than before. It may not seem this way, but anti-vaccine propaganda often goes undetected, because anti-vaxxers have employed a whole “holistic approach” and others sly tactics disguise their ulterior motives and beliefs.

Another thing that should be mentioned is that it is affluent and well-educated individuals whom tend to spread anti-vaccine propaganda. These surprisingly wealthy individuals often favor alternative medicine like chiropractors and naturopathy because they want to be “different”, their power and financial status is what drives they’re allowed to make decisions which deviate from what is standard, normal, and accepted in society.

But that’s beside my point, anti-vaxxers have always preyed on the insecurities of parents to spread their propaganda and Social Media has just made it easier for them to target people’s emotions and tap into parents’ fears. The wave of anti-vaccination which occurred on Pinterest thoroughly reflects this and so, it’s important that Social Media companies recognize the particular behavior of anti-vaxxers on their platform.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/next-front-in-tech-firms-war-on-misinformation-bad-medical-advice-11550658601?mod=djem10point

https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/28/20836634/pinterest-vaccine-safety-measles-search-results

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/parents-vaccinate-kids-tend-affluent-educated-experts/story?id=60674519

Streaming is the New Television?

On By Janell M.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

2019-emmy-by-the-numbers

Source:https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/23/20879545/emmy-awards-2019-winners-amazon-netflix-apple-disney-hbo-commercials-streaming-wars

https://www.economist.com/prospero/2019/09/23/the-emmys-reveal-a-fragmented-television-landscape

On Sunday night the 71st annual Primetime Emmy Award show took place at The Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. The show that was once based on awarding television shows for their greatness and creativity now finds itself awarding not only  broadcast television shows, but mostly streaming shows. HBO, Amazon and Netflix are the services that ended up taking most of the awards home. The shows that were heavily awarded were “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, and of course HBO’s “Game of Thrones”. After all was said and done, HBO took home nine Emmy’s, followed by Amazon winning five, and Netflix winning four.

Though streaming sites took over the show, they took over the advertising as well. Over the 3-hour long special there were multiple ads for Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Disney+ and the upcoming Apple TV Plus streaming services. The question here is, how long will it be before schedule TV programming is no longer a source for our entertainment.It seems as if many subscribers prefer the “binging” method of receiving there entertainment as opposed to waiting for the shows to premier each week. In this era of television we now have to focus on what’s next.

Netflix made over 9.6 billion in revue last year alone. Which says that this is a constantly growing industry. We won’t truly understand the impact of streaming services until we have an idea of how many of these service will last the test of time.

Audity Changing the Podcast Industry?

On By dylanmajerusIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Image result for podcasts

https://deadline.com/2019/09/steve-michaels-asylum-entertainment-launches-podcast-company-audity-1202742778/

As we become swept away by the overconsumption of streaming services, one medium that has received less attention over the years, but is also steadily increasing in popularity are podcasts. Recently, Steve Michaels of the Asylum Entertainment Group is launching an audio company that intends to seize the ever growing medium.

Prepared to launch is the company that will be known as Audity. The service will include but is not limited to only developing podcasts across genres including variety, music, sports, crime, lifestyle, and scripted. Audity also intends to target film and television adaptations, exploring experiential and cultural content to market to a variety of audiences.

Michaels added that the company is not going to follow the conventional podcast system listeners are accustomed today. Audity will empower creators and internally work with brands to create content that is broad and tonally diverse. 

The prospect of Audity’s services showcase the visual awareness the podcast industry is receiving. While I am not an avid podcast listener, Audity seems to inspire change, diversity, and culture implemented into its content. Thus, the many options Audity will release perhaps will welcome more intrigued podcast listeners.

In terms of changing the media landscape, Audity, to me, mirrors the Netflix vision. Containing a vast library of content themselves, Netflix redefined the SVOD industry with its massive library of original and repurposed content. Audity will similarly offer a broad spectrum, ultimately influencing our decisions in the way we consume podcasts. Netflix rarely releases its rating numbers and without the burden of logistics and business operations, there is more focus on the content. Audity will be a home for the storyteller, establishing an audio-forward model that ensues change and empowerment to the industry.

The War for Talent in the Age of Netflix

On By Patrick CabahugIn Netflix, UncategorizedLeave a comment

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-war-for-talent-in-the-age-of-netflix-11569038435

y Joe Flint
Sept. 21, 2019 12:00 am ET
When Walt Disney Co. recently struck a big production deal with Dan Fogelman, creator of the hit drama “This Is Us,” it tore up the usual playbook for signing up TV talent.

Normally, a TV producer’s biggest paydays come after a show has run for a long time, when it sells reruns. But Mr. Fogelman’s new deal, valued at between $100 million and $150 million, according to a person familiar with the pact, is frontloaded. He won’t get any profits from reruns down the road, for “This is Us” or other shows, but in lieu of that he gets an unusually big check right away.

Behind the new model: Netflix Inc., which popularized upfront payments for talent.

The entertainment industry is going through its most dramatic period of change in decades, as Hollywood’s traditional players, fortified by megamergers, launch new streaming services—selling programming directly to consumers online for the first time. They’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars to secure high-quality programming, and in the process are fundamentally reimagining how they do business with talent.

Many of Netflix’s tactics are becoming the industry norm. Industry titans like AT&T Inc. ’s WarnerMedia and Disney are locking up the biggest creators, from “Star Wars” veteran J.J. Abrams to “Riverdale” producer Greg Berlanti in lucrative multiyear deals. Studios are looking for more flexibility to put shows on whichever platforms they choose, including their nascent streaming outlets.


Warner Bros. signed star producer and director J.J. Abrams (pictured on the set of “Star Trek: Into Darkness with actor Chris Pine) to a deal valued at $275 million or more. The deal commits him to projects for HBO Max but also gives him freedom to make shows elsewhere. PHOTO: ZADE ROSENTHAL/PARAMOUNT PICTURES
On the creative side, even successful shows are likely to have shorter runs—as is increasingly the case on Netflix—because of rising production costs and the difficulty of keeping audiences’ attention given a plethora of viewing options. For consumers, that means more shows they love will run their course within three or four years instead of seven or eight. For the talent, it means moving on to new jobs more frequently.

Luring TV’s biggest stars to jump into streaming, if they already haven’t, is a high priority. Kaley Cuoco has had a charmed life in broadcast TV, most recently starring for 12 years on CBS’s hit comedy “The Big Bang Theory.” She plans to take up her next role in a drama for HBO Max, the upcoming WarnerMedia streaming service that will bring together HBO and the rest of the Warner empire.

“I’m one of the guinea pigs,” Ms. Cuoco said of her deal to star in and produce “The Flight Attendant,” a thriller series based on the novel of the same name. “It is a little scary.”

The new streaming launches are around the corner. Disney, which already controls Hulu, in November will debut a new low-cost service, Disney+, which will feature its major Marvel and Star Wars franchises and a bevy of kids content, some of which is coming from outside suppliers, including “Diary of a Female President,” from CBS Studios. Apple Inc. around the same time is launching with a handful of premium shows featuring big stars. WarnerMedia’s HBO Max and Comcast’s Peacock will debut next year, adding to the already fierce competition between Netflix, Amazon.com Inc., Hulu and CBS’s “All Access.” In just the past several weeks the companies have collectively committed several billion dollars to secure deals with top producers and rights to popular old shows.


On set at ‘Diary of a Female President,’ a series from CBS Studios that will run on Disney’s streaming service, Disney+.l PHOTO: ALEX WELSH FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Upfront Money
For decades, the formula for producers to make big money in TV was for a show to stay on the air long enough to have 100 episodes or more—enough to sell reruns to other TV networks. The bulk of the profits for production studios and show creators have come from those “syndication” deals, not the initial fees to produce and air the show. The creators of “Seinfeld,” “Friends” and “The Simpsons” made hundreds of millions of dollars this way, as stakeholders who were entitled to a cut of the profits.

“Television used to be about bulk and volume and you fought to keep your show alive to get to that magic number,” said producer Josh Schwartz, whose credits include the teen drama hits “Gossip Girl” and “The O.C.”


Netflix signed prolific producer Shonda Rhimes, shown above in Cannes, France, this past June, to a lucrative multiyear deal. PHOTO: CHRISTIAN ALMINANA/GETTY IMAGES
Netflix did away with that model when it started wooing superstar producers to make content exclusively for the service, including “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes and “Glee” producer Ryan Murphy. Netflix paid nine-figure upfront fees to Ms. Rhimes and Mr. Murphy. Netflix doesn’t sell reruns of its shows to other platforms, so there weren’t any syndication profits to be had for the producers, and the producers wanted a bigger check to work for Netflix.

Now, Warner Bros., Disney and other studios are embracing the Netflix approach with some of their top producers. When Warner Bros. signed Mr. Berlanti for $300 million last year, the deal was structured similarly to those Netflix pacts. He gets a large amount of upfront money that essentially buys him out as a “profit participant”—or financial stakeholder—in the shows he has made with the studio, a person familiar with the deal said. He will also receive bonuses based on how long a show runs.

Messrs. Berlanti and Fogelman declined to comment on their deals.

These ideas aren’t just being applied to the superstar producers. At Disney, the TV business unit has developed a new set of standard deal terms that gives producers big upfront fees but no back-end profits. The stakeholders can be rewarded during a show’s run based on ratings, longevity and even awards, an executive familiar with the system said.


Netflix signed producer Ryan Murphy, shown above at the Tony Awards in New York in June, to a multiyear exclusive deal. PHOTO: JENNY ANDERSON/GETTY IMAGES
“This is a massive switch in the business and we’re seeing that all over right now,” said Ari Greenburg, president of the talent agency WME. New buyers are driving up costs and traditional studios “are paying more for writers and producers than ever before,” he added.

In traditional TV deals, creators face the risk that their show might not live long enough to get into syndication—or, even worse, they could create 80 or 100 episodes of a show, but never get a big financial payoff because there wasn’t a market for its reruns. Mr. Schwartz, who is making shows for Disney’s Hulu and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, said that was the predicament after he produced the NBC comedy “Chuck” for five seasons.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
By guaranteeing creators a good amount of money early on, those risks go away, he said. On the other hand, there are possible downsides. If a show becomes a monster hit and does generate a windfall in profits from reruns, “you’re probably leaving a lot of money on the table,” he said.

In essence, it’s a hedge.

 

====================

 

In the age of Netflix, a lot of well-known actors have signed up with the video streaming service thereby competition large networks and regular entertainment shows.

Alexa’s Show and Tell feature- Accessibility through Technology

On By Maura GallagherIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The rise in the smart home device has showed rapid increase in sales over the last few years, but companies like Amazon are turning to customer feedback to improve their devices. It was recently revealed that Amazon’s Echo Show will help blind and low-vision users tackle daily challenges. The show and tell feature allows the user to simply hold up an item and ask “Alexa, what am I holding?”, and using the computer vision and machine learning, the device will respond with its best guess. The company worked with the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired to work on research and development. It hopes to help with everyday tasks such as cooking and putting away groceries.

Show and Tell isn’t the only new accessibility update Amazon has rolled out recently, Alexa’s voice speed can now be adjusted to go as slowly or quickly as desired. Other companies seem to be working to integrate more accessibility functions into their devices, for example Comcast built an eye controlled remote to help users with movement issues.

I think it is great that companies are looking for ways to make their devices useful for those handicapped or impaired or just making operating their devices much easier, but it is also in the very early stages. Amazon’s show and tell feature does not seem to be able to be 100% accurate, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. I think we will see more and more smart how devices and remotes move towards more accessible features because I think that is an area of the market that could benefit from these products greatly.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/09/23/amazon-alexa-accessibility-show-and-tell/

image- https://www.geekwire.com/2019/amazons-show-tell-feature-echo-show-enables-alexa-use-vision-help-blind-customers/

NBC Universal’s “Peacock” Streaming Service

On By KendelIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

 

 

As streaming becomes increasingly popular many broadcasting companies are also joining the bandwagon of “online” television. NBC Universal is working on its new streaming service called “Peacock” which is said to include The Office, Parks and Recreation, and other hit 90s shows. The launch of this new service could put Hulu in a difficult position for the future. NBC originally partnered with Hulu paying the licensing fees to air This is US but now that NBC is launching its own streaming service Hulu may lose some shows to other popular streaming services or old and new seasons may be split between Hulu and Peacock, forcing consumers to ultimately choose one provider over the other. 

In order for Hulu to overcome these newly developed streaming services, they may need to move forward with more Hulu originals. Their content will have to become unique, with features other services don’t offer. Additionally, Hulu’s payment plan could be outweighed by Peacock’s “free” ad-supported option, which is a large competing factor for Hulu’s business model. Disney owners plan to use Hulu as a first-run distribution platform to test out the FX series. Hulu still has time to work against its competitors but it will most definitely need a partnership, or exclusive content in order to survive in our competitive streaming society.

 

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/18/20870783/nbcuniversal-peacock-streaming-wars-hulu-netflix-office-parks-and-recreation-snl-exlcusives

How China Unleashed Twitter Trolls to Discredit Hong Kong’s Protesters

On By Lloyd SullivanIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This article from the New York times talks about the surge in Pro-Beijing Tweets being circulated on Twitter disparaging and belittling protests in Hongkong. The significance of this article is extremely prevalent in todays world, Thousands of bot accounts are being manipulated to post anti-protest tweets during certain key times in order to flood Twitter with mass amounts of Pro-Chinese messaging. This isn’t the first time we have seen a world government take action on social media in order to influence a certain audience, back in 2016 during the presidential election it is well known that Russian intervention on Social media influenced and coerced American opinions on the presidential candidates.

Whats particullarly interesting in this case is we see Pro-Beijing tweets being posted in more than one language possibly in an attempt to spread their agenda and to better conceal the source of the tweets. Investigations into the accounts posting these tweets, have revealed that these tweets come from bot accounts not under the control of the Chinese Government, but more likely an indepedent organizations acting in the interest of the Chinese Government. Although Twitter is banned in China, it is still accessable in Hongkong meaning that the platform was choosen for its ability to spread information quickly and for its accessablility to the people who care and have a vested interest in the Chinese intervention in Hongkong.

Twitter has taken action against these bot accounts by continously banning and removing their content, but due to the sheer number of tweets the Pro-Beijing content contines to circulate. This strategy of spreading disinformation seems to be working its intended purpose. In the past China has largely relied on propaganda and censorship in order to suppress anti-government values, but due to the fast exchange and great spread of information on social media, the Chinese government saw a chance to change the current social attitude regarding China’s intervention in Hongkong.

NBA and NFL Turn to Tech to Draw in Fans

On By rachelshelley22In Technology, Uncategorized1 Comment

Photo Credits to: Wired.com & Digitaltrends.com

Article from CNBC.com: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/14/nba-and-nfl-commissioners-talks-technology-and-sports-at-sun-valley.html

At a recent conference in Sun Valley, the heads of top sports league gathered and discussed the potential ways they could use innovative technologies to draw more fans and excite their current supporters.

The issue at hand is that streaming services are becoming so largely popular, and these sports networks such as NFL are not included with all these packages offered. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told CNBC that the forces they are competing with include every other activity a fan could be doing other than watching the game: being outside in nice weather, work, school, and so many other options. The solution is to make the fan experience more interactive and “more of a lean-in experience” as Silverman coined it. Some ways this is possible include a virtual reality experience which the NBA is experimenting with currently.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says tech will be crucial for getting the fans into the stadiums- maintaining ticket sales, fan experience, and even offering WiFi while in the stadium could bring this ordeal to a new level.

I found this article interesting because I’ve always been a sports fan, especially of the NFL. I grew up watching Sunday Night Football and I continue to do so as I cheer on the Ravens each week. However, I also found it interesting to see how the intersection between sports and tech. This article shows me that we are at a point in our society where the use of evolving technology can no longer be avoided. If you chose not to innovate your experience, you will be left behind.

Artificial Intelligence: training for live-streamed shootings

On By Jared GiovanIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

facebook-live-on-phone-in-hand-136406460044702601-160527101430

https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/internet/facebook-live-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work-11364064603120

Ever since Facebook introduced live streaming to its social media platform, the company has struggled with violent streams going viral. In light of serious talks on gun violence and mass shootings in the United States, the company hopes to combat the live streaming of shootings posted to their platform by utilizing artificial intelligence. The company has partnered with law enforcement in the US and UK, who will send Facebook first-person shooter videos from their training seminars. The footage will come from police wearing body cameras during these training seminars. Once Facebook receives the videos, they plan to develop an algorithm that can detect live-streams being broadcast by active shooters. Facebook’s Vice President of Product Management said, “We will need to provide our systems with large volumes of data of this specific kind of content, something which is difficult as these events are thankfully rare.” Facebook also released a statement that said, “With this initiative, we aim to improve our detection of real-world, first-person footage of violent events and avoid incorrectly detecting other types of footage such as fictional content from movies or video games.” Facebook will receive the footage sometime in late October and will start to build the algorithm from there.

In my opinion, I think it is great that the company is trying to do something to combat this issue. With several events being broadcast on Facebook Live including the Christchurch Mass Shooting, it is nice that Facebook is developing an algorithm to block this content. It will benefit Facebook users who don’t want to see this content blasted on their social feeds, and will also aid in decreasing the attention and recognition the shooters are looking to gain from the stream. If the algorithm is actually effective, it will be interesting to see what companies can do with it in the future and how artificial intelligence will progress.

https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-police-team-up-to-train-ai-to-spot-livestreamed-shootings/