Aug 2

Aug 2 Proposed New TV Rating Category: TV PO

Caution: this blog post contains political content, which I normally avoid. On March 12, 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued an order that established requirements for installing “V-Chips” into televisions 13 inches or greater manufactured after Jan. 1, 2000.

Jul 22

Jul 22 I Bought a Magazine Today!

Dennis D. McDonald

Anachronisms, Books, History, Magazines, Media, Publishing

I know, I’ve criticized magazines before as vestiges of an old fashioned past, but I confess: I bought one today.

May 23
May 23 When Will Electronic Textbooks Take Over?

Dennis D. McDonald

E-book, Media, Publishing, Textbooks

All it will take is one high-quality rebel to jump into digital textbook distribution. I studied the economics of that business last year for a client and saw the raw numbers of what you say. Someone’s going to come along and convince a large state to go with digital distribution, bundled with something like this new e-book. Talk about a saving in gasoline for shipping!

Mar 16
Mar 16 New Media Tools and Market Research Independence

Dennis D. McDonald

Associations, Industry Analysis, Market Research, Media, Metrics,

It’s interesting to see how the mechanics of market research have been impacted by the web based and online tools now available for gathering and reporting information about personal preferences and behavior.

Jul 25
Jul 25 Copyright Basics Explained by Disney Characters

Dennis D. McDonald

Cartoons, Copyright, Disney, Media, Pixar

From Professor Eric Faden of Bucknell University comes this review of copyright law, explained in super-clever terms using snippets of video and dialog from Disney and Pixar animated films.

Feb 12

Feb 12 Using New Media To Sell Old Media

Dennis D. McDonald

Media, Podcast, Publishing, Writing, iPod, iTunes

I ordered a book from Amazon today that I heard discussed on a recent podcast. I think this transaction is a good example of how challenging it can be to trace the influence different media can have on a purchasing decision.

Feb 4

Feb 4 The Revolution Will Be Online, Not Televised

Dennis D. McDonald

Demographics, Media, ,

Last week in Social Media, Demographics, and Antiwar Demonstrations I commented on how the demographics of large protest demonstrations seemed to be changing due to availability of electronic alternatives for organizing and conducting protests.

Dec 28

Dec 28 Mr. Lincoln's Telegraphy Practices and Modern Email

Dennis D. McDonald

Email, History, Technology, Telegraph, Media

A while back I published an announcement about a new book by Tom Wheeler called Mr. Lincoln’s T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War. Tom sent me a note suggesting I also check out the book’s web site, which is here. One of the things listed on the web site is a discussion of how Abraham Lincoln used telegraphy and how this might relate to modern usage of email.

Dec 12

Dec 12 Abraham Lincoln and the Telegraph

Dennis D. McDonald

History, Technology, Telegraph, Media, Lincoln

If you are a fan of the history of technology, this new book might interest you. Bob Willard has been kind enough to forward to me information about Tom Wheeler's book Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War.

Jun 30

Jun 30 Comparing Eras of Innovation: 1950's Aerospace Advances and Today's Web

Dennis D. McDonald

History, Innovation, Media, Web 2.0, Cold War, Bestech23

We are now in the midst of a very innovative period of social and technological change that is being partly driven by the increasing availability of web based tools that support the development of relationships, the sharing of information and experiences of all kinds, and the manipulation of information on a scale that was difficult to contemplate just a few years ago. The experiences we have online are taking on increasingly important roles in terms of individual emotions, financial consequences, and personal relationships. There have been other periods of intense social and technological innovation. One of my favorite ones for study is the post Word War II aerospace industry.

Jun 22
Jun 22 Duke Law's Copyright Comic, "Bound by Law?"

Dennis D. McDonald

Copyright, Media, Publishing

Duke Law’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain has published a comic book titled Tales from the Public Domain: BOUND BY LAW? A cross between a superhero adventure and the Crypt Keeper, the comic tells the story behind the knotty copyright, public domain, and fair use issues associated with contemporary documentary production.

Mar 24

Mar 24 What is "Personal Data?"

Dennis D. McDonald

Identity, Personal Data Ownership, Privacy, , , Web 2.0, , Media

When you start reading up on personal data and the definition of ownership, you quickly get caught up in questions about "what is property?" and "what data about me do I really own?" These are tricky questions.

Mar 16

Mar 16 Proposed: A Choice-Based Approach to Controlling the Commercial Exploitation of Personal Data

Dennis D. McDonald

Identity, Personal Data Ownership, Privacy, , , Web 2.0, , , Media

Today significant commercial trafficking occurs in personal information. Credit bureaus, research companies, insurance firms, and corporations regularly buy and sell personal information. While much of this trafficking may be benign, most is either unknown to, or beyond the control of, the individuals this personal information describes.