Wired magazine used to delay the online publication of its print magazine articles awhile, waiting a few weeks after its analog/print version was released to paying subscribers. No longer, apparently. My print copy of Wired arrived yesterday, but already the entire magazine seems to be available online. Interesting. A nod perhaps, to a theory I’ve been ruminating about lately: the power and influence of information grows proportionately to the openness and pervasiveness of access to it.
If true, this may lead me to offer a free web downloadable version of the first book I write. (Which may be my dissertation.) But I digress slightly….
The article “The Super Network” in the latest issue of Wired is worth reading. Where is the entertainment industry moving at almost the speed of light? No one knows for sure, of course, but with “7000 hours of programming, almost 3 million per year” accessible to the average household with 300 cable or satellite channels NOW, and Yahoo “partnering with SBC and Microsoft on an IPTV/fiber-to-the-curb initiative called Project Lightspeed,” it is clear to me we are moving at an unimaginably fast pace into an era of vast video content, accessible on demand, catering to your specific interests.
Unless you happen to live in a relatively disconnected, rural area, of course. (For more on this, give a listen to my latest podcast, “Trails, Trains, and T-1s.”)
Heard of Media RSS? I hadn’t either. But both Yahoo and Google have embraced it. Microsoft will probably try to rename it, rebrand it, and make it proprietary in Windows Vista. But no matter, any move by Redmond is likely to be inconsequential here. (my prediction)
Good news: Hopefully technologies like DVRs and RSS will continue to let us opt out of advertisements. I will not hold my breath, as there are many folks with lots of money that are working hard to make sure advertising dollars will continue to brainwash you, me, and those we love. (And everyone else I suppose.) But we can still hope. Maybe this trend will continue.
One thing is for sure. The pace of change is not slowing down. It is just getting faster. Hold on to your hats. Because this train apparently doesn’t have a speed limit.
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On this day..
- Create an iOS iMovie Video Collage with YouTube Contributions – 2014
- Change the Tagline of Your WordPress.com Website – 2014
- One Day on Earth: Help Storychase the World’s Story on 10.10.10 – 2010
- Free eBook: Henry Jenkins on Participatory Culture and Media Education – 2010
- Your unique, non-corporate voice MATTERS – 2010
- Remix Viral Media to Create Viral Media – 2010
- Using brain waves to control robotic arms, value of diverse podcast subscriptions – 2009
- Can’t delete Akismet spam comments in latest WordPress – 2008
- Filmmakers document incredible courage of Liberian women – 2008
- No Ning networks for students under age 13, Monitored ePals email Accounts – 2008