MTV will be Watching, Second-by-Second

According to news reports , "MTV Networks will track second-by-second viewing of Web commercials and videos, and link viewer online communities built around its TV programs." This is all based on their new advertising strategy that feels that they need to keep up with the generation of the digital age.

According to this new plan, MTV will pass on second-by-second data to their advertising partners about what videos and ads on its site are being watched by users online. They believe that they have a bigger community than they actually realize within their reach, therefore, they want to improve all sorts of interactive communication to give users a better experience.

For a long time, MTV was a label that defined our generation. However, this new advertising plan seems to point out that they are no longer in control. Is MTV no longer defining our youth? And, if MTV is reaching out to online communities, are online communities a more definitive label of this generation?

CEO's gone mad

Recently, in class, we have been discussing the importance of being careful with your "online identity." We have discussed several examples of people in charge using a blog-type format to communicate. We also continued to discuss the repercussions of an enraged CEO responding to a blog. Well, last night, I bumped into another one of those...

I had to do an online survey for a project I am working on, and since I am not really familiar with these programs, I decided to do an online blog search for some community feedback. I quickly bumped into The Moth. If you follow the link, you will see that this guy chose to comment on his personal experience with these programs. The article was fairly helpful, it points out the good and the bad of each software. Well, as I continued to scroll down to the comments, to see if there was anything helpful on there, I realized there was an enraged co-founder of a website on the loose! Vivek Bhaskaran, co-founder of QuestionPro, responded to The Moth in a way that proves just like we have discussed in class.

Now, in Bhaskaran's defense, he knew just how hurtful that blog post could be to his program. Honestly, now that I come to think about it, I never even went to the website in question. Therefore, this leads me to think about that quote any publicity is good publicity!

Can bad response customer blogs be good publicity?

Stumbling newbie

Okay, okay...So I finally got suckered into joining one of the social bookmarking sites mentioned in class (that was not mandatory): StumbleUpon.com.

I can't talk about it much yet, because I am too recent of a member, but, so far, so good! It is nice to learn, explore, and find several good sites of my interest that I would have probably never found, or taken the time to find, honestly. I suppose, as of now, I have found myself never doing "nothing" online, because I am stumbling, and I like to tell myself that at the very least, I'm being resourceful, and finding interesting sites. However, I have also found that as for the times I am actually supposed to be doing work, I find myself stumbling once again. I suppose that is the default of the newbie obsession to any other site.

Blogging or Plugging? (Now, that is the question!)

Blogging has not only opened gateways for the everyday person to talk to the world, but, celebrities have also found themselves at good use of this form of communication. This, then allows them to create a more personal and straightforward conversation with you and !. You know, to tell us of their problems, and everyday events. However, this also allows them to plug in their personal agendas.

A recent example of this is Google co-founder, Sergey Brin, who has started a blog. In the blog, he tells of being at risk for Parkinson's Disease, and then he also uses his blog to plug his wife's genetic testing start-up firm. This is the link to the blog, for anyone who is interested: http://too.blogspot.com/

This led me to question, can blogging be considered more successful or useful than actually going through the trouble of paying millions of ad dollars?

Is RSS the new DVR?

Recently, in class, we have been discussing RSS. I, personally, had never used, or ever heard of this technology. I feel that I understand the convenience, however, somehow, I still feel rather hesitant about applying every single website I visit in my new Google Reader. I feel that there is something to be said for the truly dedicated fan to a website, no? I mean, who knows, someone with opposing views may say that they use their RSS, and feel just as, or even more dedicated to any particular site because at least, they will for sure not miss any new articles or...that maybe, this way, they truly show to be interested on the content rather than the pretty colors it lies on. I don't know.

But, that same thought got me thinking again. It got me thinking about RSS working just as like our TV's DVR system. Essentially, is RSS not causing us to skip over all of the other crap on the page to get to the real meat, just as we skip over all commercials? DVR has caused quite a controversial stir, however, is internet advertising still not as acclaimed to be create an issue of importance out of this at all?

What does this mean for graphic designers out there designing webpages that may not be looked at much longer?

Or to major firms getting paid millions of dollars to place banners alongside every and any blank space on a website?

In the end, is getting more RSS subscriptions better for a website than getting more hits?

The Ol' High Speed Rumor Mill

Well, I am not much for writing, but I am one for thinking, processing, and observing things around me, so I will go ahead and give this blogging phenomenon a chance. 

I think it goes without being said, that this is one of the most controversially political things in our history. First, the nation was split as the Democrats battled it out, competing from what almost seemed like two completely separate parties. Then, after that was settled, Americans were thrown for another loop when McCain threw a major curveball in the political race: Sarah Palin. 

Sarah Palin has been in the limelight, literally seconds, probably milliseconds, since the announcement of the Vice Presidential nomination. Everything form her beauty queen photographs, to her exercise routine, and caribou hunting skills, sparked all over the front pages of all major websites. 

I find it interesting to consider just how much must have gone into the protection and media watch before the public release of her name. Can you imagine how many websites and postings they must have created/deleted to prepare for the mass search engine entries that were to come? I mean, in essence, they had to prepare what the wanted you to learn about this person. Therefore, just like people clear their names so that when their future employers Google them, they may not find anything incriminating, the same way works for Palin. Palin had to cover her tracks so that when the people of the United States Googled her, we wouldn't see those embarrassing Facebook pictures from that toga party last year!

Well, that may have worked well at first, but, who was to control the mass media, including the common day blogger, from there on after? This short news piece gives an idea of just how much the Internet media has had an effect over Palin. 

Now, bloggers, just like Bob, who was mentioned in the news piece have caused a riot by simply sitting in front of their computers for about 15 minutes and distributing a message that has made its way to millions and millions all over the world! I didn't decide to post on this issue because I am a follower of Palin, by any means, but, because I thought this was a great example of the way that the Internet affects social medial and public relations. The Internet has surely changed the way that information s distributed to the rest of the world and the way it affects the public view.