“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 March 31, 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.
Apple Spoke
Last
week I talked about the big announcement from Apple and wondered
about the new streaming service planned. The day came and the
question…wasn’t really answered. There was a lot of talk about
the programming, and how HBO would be available, but specifics
remained thin on the ground. We don’t know a lot more about that
service now than we did before.
week I talked about the big announcement from Apple and wondered
about the new streaming service planned. The day came and the
question…wasn’t really answered. There was a lot of talk about
the programming, and how HBO would be available, but specifics
remained thin on the ground. We don’t know a lot more about that
service now than we did before.
There
was a lot of excitement about the new credit card, but that doesn’t
really qualify as a topic for this program so we can pass on that.
And there was some news about the gaming platform, Apple Arcade, but
like the streaming service there wasn’t a lot of detail available.
was a lot of excitement about the new credit card, but that doesn’t
really qualify as a topic for this program so we can pass on that.
And there was some news about the gaming platform, Apple Arcade, but
like the streaming service there wasn’t a lot of detail available.
There
was one interesting bit of media news that did get some details
offered. That’s the expansion of the Apple News + service. This
$9.99 a month service gets you access to 300 top magazines, the Wall
Street Journal and the LA Times plus a few others. It’s been
really funny listening to Millennial generation reporters try to
sound excited about this offering. There are a bunch of problems
lurking below the surface on this one. Enough that I have serious
doubts about its long term viability.
was one interesting bit of media news that did get some details
offered. That’s the expansion of the Apple News + service. This
$9.99 a month service gets you access to 300 top magazines, the Wall
Street Journal and the LA Times plus a few others. It’s been
really funny listening to Millennial generation reporters try to
sound excited about this offering. There are a bunch of problems
lurking below the surface on this one. Enough that I have serious
doubts about its long term viability.
Let’s
start with the fact that it’s mismatched with its consumer base.
It’s my generation and maybe Gen X that have any deep attachment to
magazines. Those generations are not necessarily ready to do a lot
of reading on our phones, while the Millennials aren’t that
interested in reading the product. So that’s concern one.
start with the fact that it’s mismatched with its consumer base.
It’s my generation and maybe Gen X that have any deep attachment to
magazines. Those generations are not necessarily ready to do a lot
of reading on our phones, while the Millennials aren’t that
interested in reading the product. So that’s concern one.
Concern
two is strictly business. This isn’t set up to be a winner for the
magazines themselves. Apple takes a huge chunk of the subscription
fees, and doesn’t give the publications access to the subscribers
information. Which sounds like a lose-lose business proposition to
me. I will be interested to see how many of the magazines stick
around after the initial glow has worn off.
two is strictly business. This isn’t set up to be a winner for the
magazines themselves. Apple takes a huge chunk of the subscription
fees, and doesn’t give the publications access to the subscribers
information. Which sounds like a lose-lose business proposition to
me. I will be interested to see how many of the magazines stick
around after the initial glow has worn off.
Last
but not least is the issue of the Wall Street Journal. A lot is made
of the fact that this highly respected newspaper
is included. A closer look shows that the Journal is playing this
close to the vest. You will not get full access to all their
reporting, just a selected
portion
of it. It appears the newspaper knows its audience well enough to
know they won’t lose anyone to the Apple service, but may gain some
through the exposure. Plus, if I read it right, they are holding on
to the subscription chain and not going through Apple.
but not least is the issue of the Wall Street Journal. A lot is made
of the fact that this highly respected newspaper
is included. A closer look shows that the Journal is playing this
close to the vest. You will not get full access to all their
reporting, just a selected
portion
of it. It appears the newspaper knows its audience well enough to
know they won’t lose anyone to the Apple service, but may gain some
through the exposure. Plus, if I read it right, they are holding on
to the subscription chain and not going through Apple.
In
the end, there was a whole lot of sizzle but surprisingly little
steak. We’ll have to wait and see if that is still coming.
the end, there was a whole lot of sizzle but surprisingly little
steak. We’ll have to wait and see if that is still coming.
The Future of Smart Speakers
Do
you have a smart speaker in your house? Do you know what I’m
talking about? Smart speaker seems to be the preferred name for
things like Amazon’s Echo and the Google Home devices. We have two
in the Phlipside house, an Amazon Dot and a Home Mini. I don’t
know that either get a lot of work. Honestly, they are used mostly
for background music, and as a timer. Not really getting the most
out of that technology at my house.
you have a smart speaker in your house? Do you know what I’m
talking about? Smart speaker seems to be the preferred name for
things like Amazon’s Echo and the Google Home devices. We have two
in the Phlipside house, an Amazon Dot and a Home Mini. I don’t
know that either get a lot of work. Honestly, they are used mostly
for background music, and as a timer. Not really getting the most
out of that technology at my house.
There
are people trying for more out in the great wide world. Which is
probably a good thing since projected sales of smart speakers are
expected
to be more
than 140 million units this year. Almost a quarter of homes with
wifi have one. That’s expected to be close to half in the next
three years. One idea I’ve heard recently is pretty cool, the
other I’m not so thrilled.
are people trying for more out in the great wide world. Which is
probably a good thing since projected sales of smart speakers are
expected
to be more
than 140 million units this year. Almost a quarter of homes with
wifi have one. That’s expected to be close to half in the next
three years. One idea I’ve heard recently is pretty cool, the
other I’m not so thrilled.
So,
bad news first.
bad news first.
Marketers
are coming for you smart speaker. With all these speakers sitting in
our homes, companies want to reach out and touch the customer.
Through the use of specialized applications, called “skills” by
Amazon and “actions” by Google, companies are working to
create
ways to bring their products and services to you. This includes
things as innocuous as a tooth brushing timer from the folks at
Oral-B, to a choose your adventure game connected to HBO’s show
“Westworld”. Seems like fun and games now, but I’m always
concerned about how far it will go. And there are the ongoing
questions about security and privacy that have followed these devices
from day one.
are coming for you smart speaker. With all these speakers sitting in
our homes, companies want to reach out and touch the customer.
Through the use of specialized applications, called “skills” by
Amazon and “actions” by Google, companies are working to
create
ways to bring their products and services to you. This includes
things as innocuous as a tooth brushing timer from the folks at
Oral-B, to a choose your adventure game connected to HBO’s show
“Westworld”. Seems like fun and games now, but I’m always
concerned about how far it will go. And there are the ongoing
questions about security and privacy that have followed these devices
from day one.
On
the other hand, Amazon has opened up a new front for the devices with
their Alexa for Business skills templates. The idea is to train the
device to take care of a variety of routine tasks. For example, all
the routine stuff done when a new employee joins the company. I
believe the current HR term for it is “onboarding.” Instead of
tasking a person to answer the same questions over and over, there’s
an Alexa skill to help people set up the company e-mail, get
passwords, how to access company sites on smartphones. Even better,
these skills can be created without the company having to write any
of the underlying code. It can all be handled by filling in a
request form and plugging the
information
into a template. Just last year, Amazon added 50 new personal skills
last year, and looks to increase the business related ones moving
forward.
the other hand, Amazon has opened up a new front for the devices with
their Alexa for Business skills templates. The idea is to train the
device to take care of a variety of routine tasks. For example, all
the routine stuff done when a new employee joins the company. I
believe the current HR term for it is “onboarding.” Instead of
tasking a person to answer the same questions over and over, there’s
an Alexa skill to help people set up the company e-mail, get
passwords, how to access company sites on smartphones. Even better,
these skills can be created without the company having to write any
of the underlying code. It can all be handled by filling in a
request form and plugging the
information
into a template. Just last year, Amazon added 50 new personal skills
last year, and looks to increase the business related ones moving
forward.
So
I should probably start working on getting a little more work out of
the ones at my house.
I should probably start working on getting a little more work out of
the ones at my house.
Do We Need To Stream?
I
find myself conflicted on the subject of live streaming. The recent
mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand shows the downside of the
idea at its starkest. The ability to reach a worldwide audience in
an instant, with no effective oversight is a lure for those people
who want to aggrandize themselves and their anti-social behavior.
That’s an extreme incident, I’ll grant you. The underlying
question is, do we need to stream our lives LIVE?
find myself conflicted on the subject of live streaming. The recent
mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand shows the downside of the
idea at its starkest. The ability to reach a worldwide audience in
an instant, with no effective oversight is a lure for those people
who want to aggrandize themselves and their anti-social behavior.
That’s an extreme incident, I’ll grant you. The underlying
question is, do we need to stream our lives LIVE?
I
want to be clear from the start, I am aware that the overwhelming
majority of live streams are benign, even fun. Live streams of
events can spread the enjoyment. This past weekend, I was in charge
of live streaming Sunday morning worship at my church. It has uses
as a marketing tool, and a way for online folk to connect with their
audience. There are times when the “live right now” aspect of a
stream is important.
want to be clear from the start, I am aware that the overwhelming
majority of live streams are benign, even fun. Live streams of
events can spread the enjoyment. This past weekend, I was in charge
of live streaming Sunday morning worship at my church. It has uses
as a marketing tool, and a way for online folk to connect with their
audience. There are times when the “live right now” aspect of a
stream is important.
It’s
the availability of live streams on social media platforms like
Facebook
the availability of live streams on social media platforms like
that
concerns me. These companies make it simple to push your stream out
to a worldwide audience. There’s little advance preparation
required to jump on the social media platforms, and even less
oversight of what is being presented.
concerns me. These companies make it simple to push your stream out
to a worldwide audience. There’s little advance preparation
required to jump on the social media platforms, and even less
oversight of what is being presented.
And
for what? I’ve said before, for most of us, our lives just aren’t
that interesting. There is no need to put them
out in the world in real time. The moments could be shared as
effectively with a non-live video post. Then we might have a chance
to head off the sharing of events like the one in New Zealand.
for what? I’ve said before, for most of us, our lives just aren’t
that interesting. There is no need to put them
out in the world in real time. The moments could be shared as
effectively with a non-live video post. Then we might have a chance
to head off the sharing of events like the one in New Zealand.
Even
the professional media needs to take a step back from the “live
right now” inclination. The Weather Channel is being sued for 125
million dollars following a fatal accident involving three storm
chasers. The two who worked for the satellite weather channel were
live streaming their 70 mile an hour chase when they ran a stop sign.
They struck a National Weather Service storm tracker and all were
killed. Why?
the professional media needs to take a step back from the “live
right now” inclination. The Weather Channel is being sued for 125
million dollars following a fatal accident involving three storm
chasers. The two who worked for the satellite weather channel were
live streaming their 70 mile an hour chase when they ran a stop sign.
They struck a National Weather Service storm tracker and all were
killed. Why?
Late
last month, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg spoke about the need for
better standards of content regulation on social media. Facebook has
acknowledged that every one of their oversight systems failed to
catch the New Zealand broadcast. They failed to catch previous
murders and acts of violence too. Sadly, it took an event like the
Christchurch mosque terror attack to force that to the front.
last month, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg spoke about the need for
better standards of content regulation on social media. Facebook has
acknowledged that every one of their oversight systems failed to
catch the New Zealand broadcast. They failed to catch previous
murders and acts of violence too. Sadly, it took an event like the
Christchurch mosque terror attack to force that to the front.
In
the end, I believe we would all be better served if life came with a
little delay attached.
the end, I believe we would all be better served if life came with a
little delay attached.
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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