“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY, 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 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 2013-18 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see and hear? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Programs from the week of January 27, 2019
This Week’s Podcast
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.
Message Merger
Late
last week word came out from Zuckerberg Castle that three of his vast
dominions would be merged. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and
Instagram are headed toward becoming a single integrated messaging
service. There is a growing level of unhappiness among the populace.
last week word came out from Zuckerberg Castle that three of his vast
dominions would be merged. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and
Instagram are headed toward becoming a single integrated messaging
service. There is a growing level of unhappiness among the populace.
So
here’s the deal, the three services will undergo an “under the
hood” merge with the stated intention of creating a unified
platform. One set of rules and operating assumptions for everyone.
That may be the worst news in all of this.
here’s the deal, the three services will undergo an “under the
hood” merge with the stated intention of creating a unified
platform. One set of rules and operating assumptions for everyone.
That may be the worst news in all of this.
The
why of it seems pretty clear to me. Facebook has become the domain
of an older user group. Working with teens tells me anecdotally what
the statistics seem to show, younger users want as little to do with
Facebook as possible. Meanwhile, Instagram and WhatsApp users skew
much younger, with huge percentages of their user bases under the age
of 34. The obvious answer is an attempt to get those demographics
re-focused on Facebook.
why of it seems pretty clear to me. Facebook has become the domain
of an older user group. Working with teens tells me anecdotally what
the statistics seem to show, younger users want as little to do with
Facebook as possible. Meanwhile, Instagram and WhatsApp users skew
much younger, with huge percentages of their user bases under the age
of 34. The obvious answer is an attempt to get those demographics
re-focused on Facebook.
That
may not be the only reason. Facebook has pulled back on the volume
of ads on the big service and may be looking for new revenue
services. This is a particular issue for WhatsApp users where a no
advertising policy is a core concept. It’s been part of a larger
conflict between the two entities since Facebook bought WhatsApp for
$22 billion dollars in 2014. As recently as last summer there were
reports on how badly the two corporate cultures were clashing.
Instagram, which the Kingdom of Z snagged in 2012, has had more time
to grow accustom to doing things Facebook’s way.
may not be the only reason. Facebook has pulled back on the volume
of ads on the big service and may be looking for new revenue
services. This is a particular issue for WhatsApp users where a no
advertising policy is a core concept. It’s been part of a larger
conflict between the two entities since Facebook bought WhatsApp for
$22 billion dollars in 2014. As recently as last summer there were
reports on how badly the two corporate cultures were clashing.
Instagram, which the Kingdom of Z snagged in 2012, has had more time
to grow accustom to doing things Facebook’s way.
The
real issue for most users is security. WhatsApp has included end to
end cryptography as part of its service from the beginning. User
security is another core concept for them. Meanwhile, Instagram
offers no real security features on its service, and Messenger
requires a user opt in. Add in Facebook’s past emphasis on
monetizing user information and its overall abysmal security record,
and the concern is real.
real issue for most users is security. WhatsApp has included end to
end cryptography as part of its service from the beginning. User
security is another core concept for them. Meanwhile, Instagram
offers no real security features on its service, and Messenger
requires a user opt in. Add in Facebook’s past emphasis on
monetizing user information and its overall abysmal security record,
and the concern is real.
There’s
a lot at play here. What’s App has more monthly active users than
either Messenger or Instagram. And Instagram is closing in on the
Facebook app. Facebook has talked about better security for years
without doing much about it. Trying to match up security parameters
between the three services is thought to be harder than it sounds.
I’m still waiting to hear an upside for anyone other than Facebook.
And that bothers me.
a lot at play here. What’s App has more monthly active users than
either Messenger or Instagram. And Instagram is closing in on the
Facebook app. Facebook has talked about better security for years
without doing much about it. Trying to match up security parameters
between the three services is thought to be harder than it sounds.
I’m still waiting to hear an upside for anyone other than Facebook.
And that bothers me.
Future of Books
I
love books. Loved them since I was a small boy, and they offered a
much more interesting life than the one I had in suburban Pittsburgh.
I still love them. I read between 30 and 50 books a year, and now
I’m writing them too. Conventional wisdom has maintained that
books are for years now, but the statistics don’t seem to bear it
out. There’s a new generation of readers that was launched in
large part by the Harry Potter books. Having said all this, books as
a medium are not thriving the way they might. With so many more
options for entertainment, even the oldest mass medium is searching
for ways to compete.
love books. Loved them since I was a small boy, and they offered a
much more interesting life than the one I had in suburban Pittsburgh.
I still love them. I read between 30 and 50 books a year, and now
I’m writing them too. Conventional wisdom has maintained that
books are for years now, but the statistics don’t seem to bear it
out. There’s a new generation of readers that was launched in
large part by the Harry Potter books. Having said all this, books as
a medium are not thriving the way they might. With so many more
options for entertainment, even the oldest mass medium is searching
for ways to compete.
That
was the central concept of a conference in London England late last
year. The FutureBook conference is just what the name says, a
meeting of a wide range of folks gathered to discuss the future of
the book. They looked at a lot of ideas, particularly those aimed at
younger readers. So discussions of books that use artificial
intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and three
dimensional spatial audio were to be found there. Imagine the
possibilities of books that offer that kind of interaction.
was the central concept of a conference in London England late last
year. The FutureBook conference is just what the name says, a
meeting of a wide range of folks gathered to discuss the future of
the book. They looked at a lot of ideas, particularly those aimed at
younger readers. So discussions of books that use artificial
intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and three
dimensional spatial audio were to be found there. Imagine the
possibilities of books that offer that kind of interaction.
Of
all the possibilities, I was fascinated by one that garnered a great
deal of attention. If only because it is the most old school of the
“new ideas”. Audiobooks have been growing in popularity by
significant numbers. Some experts at the conference believe they
will overhaul e-books in the near future. It’s enough of a growth
spurt to attract the attention of both Google and Apple. Each has
either launched or announced their intention to launch audiobook
services. There is a bumper crop of smaller companies also exploring
the possibilities. Audible’s days as the only option in this arena
has come and gone.
all the possibilities, I was fascinated by one that garnered a great
deal of attention. If only because it is the most old school of the
“new ideas”. Audiobooks have been growing in popularity by
significant numbers. Some experts at the conference believe they
will overhaul e-books in the near future. It’s enough of a growth
spurt to attract the attention of both Google and Apple. Each has
either launched or announced their intention to launch audiobook
services. There is a bumper crop of smaller companies also exploring
the possibilities. Audible’s days as the only option in this arena
has come and gone.
With
that success comes challenges. Audiobooks once were throwaway
add-ons. They didn’t make a lot of money, so publishers didn’t
pay them much attention. Plus, they can be expensive. Audiobook
narrators get paid by the hour and a novel can run 6, 8, 10 hours or
more. With the financial growth of the format, authors are now
clamoring to get a better cut of the money related to the audiobook
rights to their work.
that success comes challenges. Audiobooks once were throwaway
add-ons. They didn’t make a lot of money, so publishers didn’t
pay them much attention. Plus, they can be expensive. Audiobook
narrators get paid by the hour and a novel can run 6, 8, 10 hours or
more. With the financial growth of the format, authors are now
clamoring to get a better cut of the money related to the audiobook
rights to their work.
It’s
an audience with substantial growth possibilities, which can mean
profits for everyone involved. All from a format that goes back to
our earliest experience of books. When they were read to us.
an audience with substantial growth possibilities, which can mean
profits for everyone involved. All from a format that goes back to
our earliest experience of books. When they were read to us.
Fighting the Stupid
This
is a good news/bad news story. The bad news is that it will make you
want to throw your hands in the air and despair for our culture. The
good news is that something is being done about being stupid.
is a good news/bad news story. The bad news is that it will make you
want to throw your hands in the air and despair for our culture. The
good news is that something is being done about being stupid.
Warning-there
is a certain “grumpy old man” aspect to this story as well.
is a certain “grumpy old man” aspect to this story as well.
In
the last week or so, the folks at YouTube have upgraded their
guidelines concerning videos that encourage people to do things that
might be dangerous. This is in response to fads like the Tide pod
thing from last year, something called the “fire challenge” and
the Bird box challenge. I’d actually not heard of one of those so
let’s review.
the last week or so, the folks at YouTube have upgraded their
guidelines concerning videos that encourage people to do things that
might be dangerous. This is in response to fads like the Tide pod
thing from last year, something called the “fire challenge” and
the Bird box challenge. I’d actually not heard of one of those so
let’s review.
Tide
pod challenge involves doing things OTHER than washing clothes with
the laundry detergent pods. This could be biting into them, chewing
them, even cooking them.
pod challenge involves doing things OTHER than washing clothes with
the laundry detergent pods. This could be biting into them, chewing
them, even cooking them.
The
fire challenge was the unknown one. This involves setting yourself
on fire.
fire challenge was the unknown one. This involves setting yourself
on fire.
The
Bird Box challenge comes from the Netflix series that involves
blindfolding yourself to escape monsters. People are now trying to
do things like drive cars in the real world while blindfolded.
Bird Box challenge comes from the Netflix series that involves
blindfolding yourself to escape monsters. People are now trying to
do things like drive cars in the real world while blindfolded.
All
of these challenges have one thing in common. I have no idea why you
would think it was an intelligent thing to do. And all of them have
resulted in injuries, some of them serious. This is the part that
inspires some to wonder what people are thinking when they do these
things. Fox News used the headline “YouTube tells creators not to
be idiots”. Yeah, I can see that.
of these challenges have one thing in common. I have no idea why you
would think it was an intelligent thing to do. And all of them have
resulted in injuries, some of them serious. This is the part that
inspires some to wonder what people are thinking when they do these
things. Fox News used the headline “YouTube tells creators not to
be idiots”. Yeah, I can see that.
The
good news is that the video service has changed the rules and will
take down videos that fall under the new ban. Videos that may cause
serious injury now go into the same category with videos about
illegal activities like how to build bombs, pranks that make victims
believe they are in physical danger, or cause emotional distress to
children. The problem is that there are thousands of these kinds of
videos. Tracking them down and removing them will increase the
strain on the system in place. YouTube also recognizes that there is
a difference between the more benign kind of prank videos that have
been a mainstay of the service for years. They will have to find a
way to balance the fence on what is and isn’t banned.
good news is that the video service has changed the rules and will
take down videos that fall under the new ban. Videos that may cause
serious injury now go into the same category with videos about
illegal activities like how to build bombs, pranks that make victims
believe they are in physical danger, or cause emotional distress to
children. The problem is that there are thousands of these kinds of
videos. Tracking them down and removing them will increase the
strain on the system in place. YouTube also recognizes that there is
a difference between the more benign kind of prank videos that have
been a mainstay of the service for years. They will have to find a
way to balance the fence on what is and isn’t banned.
But
seriously, how on earth does anyone think setting themselves on fire
is going to be fun? I’m just gonna sit here and shake my head in
disbelief for a while.
seriously, how on earth does anyone think setting themselves on fire
is going to be fun? I’m just gonna sit here and shake my head in
disbelief for a while.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2018
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
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