“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY. It can be heard Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly choose to add or subtract words at a moment’s notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-16 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see? Drop me a line and we can talk.
The podcast of this week’s programs:
Program scripts from week of July 11, 2016
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
Audio Wars
Came across an interesting note the other day. When I think of streaming music over my computer, I tend to think of services like Spotify or Pandora. Until recently however the service that streamed the most music was YouTube. When you want to hear music on the internet you are creating what is called an “on demand music stream”, which means exactly what it sounds like it means. Up until this year, those streams have most often come on video platforms like YouTube. But in the first half of 2016, the audio platforms surged into the lead.
A few numbers to consider. In the first six months of this year there were two hundred, nine point four billion on demand streams just in the United States. That is a fifty one percent increase over the same time last year. So we are listening to a lot of music. While the video platforms saw their usage increase by twenty three percent, the audio platforms saw their growth jump by one hundred eight percent! That shifted the totals in favor of Spotify and their competitors. Just over fifty four percent of the total streams came through the audio channels rather than YouTube and the like.
That’s viewed as good news for the music industry. They have never felt like they got their proper financial return from YouTube music videos. They much prefer the deals they have with the audio platforms, which are much more similar to the deals they’ve had with radio stations for decades.
Which is one reason why there continues to be great interest in the battle on the audio streaming side. Spotify is the leader over there by a wide margin at the moment. With it’s users base somewhere in the thirty million area, it has a comfortable lead. That doesn’t make the folks at Apple happy, because they’ve always fancied themselves as the leader in digital music. That may be why Apple is looking at buying the service founded by Jay Z and friends, known as “Tidal”. The move would both give Apple a new, high end service, plus eliminate one of the competition.
The really interesting battle will be over the business model. The majority preference among users is for ad supported services. And by majority, I mean two thirds of the consumers in a recent survey. Give that music sales, CDs, digital albums and digital singles, continue to slide, the industry is not such a big fan of the whole “free” service concept. They want you to be a subscriber and they want you to subscribe right now.
That business model battle continues on other fronts as well. Like the recent charge made by Spotify that Apple was unfairly blocking the latest version of the Spotify app, to limit a competitor.
As I said, some interesting things going on.
Freedom of the Press
While
I am desperately working to break myself of the habit of trying to
correct the internet, I will admit that there are times when
something needs to be said.
I am desperately working to break myself of the habit of trying to
correct the internet, I will admit that there are times when
something needs to be said.
You
may have seen a lot of articles popping up in your various social
media feeds that claim that sharing your Netflix password is now a
federal crime. It’s a classic piece of clickbait that I assure you
is completely not true and not worth your time.
may have seen a lot of articles popping up in your various social
media feeds that claim that sharing your Netflix password is now a
federal crime. It’s a classic piece of clickbait that I assure you
is completely not true and not worth your time.
At
the same time, it doesn’t hurt to actually understand where all this
silliness is coming from.
the same time, it doesn’t hurt to actually understand where all this
silliness is coming from.
In
this case, it is a decade old federal case named “United States v
Nosal”. That second name belongs to a David Nosal who used to work
for a large recruiting firm. He quit that company to found his own
competitive company. So far, just business as usual. The problem
came from the fact that he continued to use the password of an
employee of his previous employer to look at their computer files.
When they found out they pressed charges under something called the
“Computer Fraud and Abuse Act” or CFAA.
this case, it is a decade old federal case named “United States v
Nosal”. That second name belongs to a David Nosal who used to work
for a large recruiting firm. He quit that company to found his own
competitive company. So far, just business as usual. The problem
came from the fact that he continued to use the password of an
employee of his previous employer to look at their computer files.
When they found out they pressed charges under something called the
“Computer Fraud and Abuse Act” or CFAA.
The
CFAA was passed in 1986 to amend then current computer fraud law. It
has been amended further six times, including in the “Patriot Act”
in 2001. The goal was to bring the law into sync with the rapidly
changing face of the computerized world. The various versions of the
law made a variety of interstate computer activities illegal,
including spreading malicious software, denial of services attacks
and marketing in stolen passwords.
CFAA was passed in 1986 to amend then current computer fraud law. It
has been amended further six times, including in the “Patriot Act”
in 2001. The goal was to bring the law into sync with the rapidly
changing face of the computerized world. The various versions of the
law made a variety of interstate computer activities illegal,
including spreading malicious software, denial of services attacks
and marketing in stolen passwords.
As
with many laws that grow without a central plan, some of the
boundaries have become rather vague over the years. That’s why the
courts continue to hone the law. At least we hope so.
with many laws that grow without a central plan, some of the
boundaries have become rather vague over the years. That’s why the
courts continue to hone the law. At least we hope so.
After
several stabs at resolving Nosal case, it landed in the lap of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, commonly called
simply the Ninth Court. In a 2-1 ruling they stated that the
defendant had indeed violated the CFAA by using passwords that he had
no right to use in order to illegally gain access to information on
the computers of his former employer. So far, so simple. The
problem became that their ruling left a lot of wiggle room. So much
that one member of the three judge panel pointed out that under it,
anyone sharing a password, even with a family member could be ruled
as having violated Federal law.
several stabs at resolving Nosal case, it landed in the lap of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, commonly called
simply the Ninth Court. In a 2-1 ruling they stated that the
defendant had indeed violated the CFAA by using passwords that he had
no right to use in order to illegally gain access to information on
the computers of his former employer. So far, so simple. The
problem became that their ruling left a lot of wiggle room. So much
that one member of the three judge panel pointed out that under it,
anyone sharing a password, even with a family member could be ruled
as having violated Federal law.
The
issue with the headlines is that your Netflix password almost
certainly does not fall under this ruling. That’s because the
Netflix User Agreement says that you can share it within a household.
So the headline is total clickbait. Feel free to ignore these
stories.
issue with the headlines is that your Netflix password almost
certainly does not fall under this ruling. That’s because the
Netflix User Agreement says that you can share it within a household.
So the headline is total clickbait. Feel free to ignore these
stories.
In
the meantime, there’s still a lot of internet in need of fixing.
the meantime, there’s still a lot of internet in need of fixing.
TV Advertising History
You
may have noticed a new phenomenon in your neighborhood. It involves
large groups of people ranging in age from their teens to early
thirties. There are two distinctive features to watch for with this
group. First, they are all deeply involved with their cell phones.
While this kind of behavior has been annoying people for years, it is
the second feature of their appearance that sets them apart from
previous groups like this.
may have noticed a new phenomenon in your neighborhood. It involves
large groups of people ranging in age from their teens to early
thirties. There are two distinctive features to watch for with this
group. First, they are all deeply involved with their cell phones.
While this kind of behavior has been annoying people for years, it is
the second feature of their appearance that sets them apart from
previous groups like this.
They
appear to be having a lot of fun.
appear to be having a lot of fun.
In
case you have been residing under a rock for the last week, what
we’re talking about is a new game called “Pokémon Go”, and it
has been a huge success in its early days. There have been so many
players in the opening days that the servers crashed repeatedly in
some areas.
case you have been residing under a rock for the last week, what
we’re talking about is a new game called “Pokémon Go”, and it
has been a huge success in its early days. There have been so many
players in the opening days that the servers crashed repeatedly in
some areas.
I
have also been amazed by the number of people who have no idea what
all the hoohaw is about. Having raised a child right at the peak of
the original craze I assumed everyone knew all about it. So a quick
primer in to all the Poké stuff.
have also been amazed by the number of people who have no idea what
all the hoohaw is about. Having raised a child right at the peak of
the original craze I assumed everyone knew all about it. So a quick
primer in to all the Poké stuff.
Pokémon
debuted twenty years ago as games on the Gameboy system. It involves
animated creatures called “pokémon” that have special powers and
can be trained to fight with each other. There were playing cards,
television shows, games, movies, comic books and toys. Only the
“Mario” video game franchise is more successful than “Pokémon”.
And kids have been obsessed with them since they launched. In my
own house, “Pokémon” ruled the roost for several years.
debuted twenty years ago as games on the Gameboy system. It involves
animated creatures called “pokémon” that have special powers and
can be trained to fight with each other. There were playing cards,
television shows, games, movies, comic books and toys. Only the
“Mario” video game franchise is more successful than “Pokémon”.
And kids have been obsessed with them since they launched. In my
own house, “Pokémon” ruled the roost for several years.
So
now, on the twentieth anniversary, a new version has come out that
has re-captured the pokémon fanbase once again. The concept is
really pretty simple. The game is called an “augmented reality”
game that brings the real world and the animated world together.
Using your phone, with the game app on it, you are directed to wander
around your real neighborhood looking for pokémon to capture. There
are pokéstops, where you can get supplies, or pokégyms
where you can compete with other players.
now, on the twentieth anniversary, a new version has come out that
has re-captured the pokémon fanbase once again. The concept is
really pretty simple. The game is called an “augmented reality”
game that brings the real world and the animated world together.
Using your phone, with the game app on it, you are directed to wander
around your real neighborhood looking for pokémon to capture. There
are pokéstops, where you can get supplies, or pokégyms
where you can compete with other players.
That
may be the real genius of this game. You can’t just play the game at
home. You have to get out into the real world to find these
creatures. Along the way, you will meet up with other players.
Early reports talk about new friendships and increased exercise for
all.
may be the real genius of this game. You can’t just play the game at
home. You have to get out into the real world to find these
creatures. Along the way, you will meet up with other players.
Early reports talk about new friendships and increased exercise for
all.
But
here’s a really cool concept. A business can make an in app purchase
of a “Lure module” that will make a specific location for thirty
minutes. Having a dead time at your business? Hop on, by a module
and then let the trainers that show up know that you are here for
them. Pokéspecials
maybe?
here’s a really cool concept. A business can make an in app purchase
of a “Lure module” that will make a specific location for thirty
minutes. Having a dead time at your business? Hop on, by a module
and then let the trainers that show up know that you are here for
them. Pokéspecials
maybe?
Maybe
I’ll go looking for my personal favorite pokémon.
Anyone seen a Farfetched?
I’ll go looking for my personal favorite pokémon.
Anyone seen a Farfetched?
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2016
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Stories Are My Life 
Leave a comment