Virginia Tech, Killer's 'Media Manifesto' Broadcasted

I am absolutely flabbergasted—although I know I shouldn't be—that NBC is broadcasting to the world the words, video and images of a killer. When I watched the broadcast last night, the first thing that came to mind were very brief broadcasts I've seen of Al-Qaeda members when they've captured people. We only see about 10 seconds of that. Why does this merit who knows how long of discussion and critique? Ok...ok..I know free speech, but we're talking about a dead person who killed 32 people on a idyllic college campus in the US. I could see NBC broadcasting a few photographs (like the mail package) and quoting some of his words, but to show his video—YouTube style? I think it's a very bad idea.

Why should we be educating the masses on what it's like to get inside the mind of a 'madman'? Why do we need to see and hear those images? It only perpetrates more violence. Enough already. In the age of developing content for the Internet we need not encourage more violent acts to show up for viewing to teach our youth about 'how-to' become a killer.

In my opinion, by broadcasting the words and images of a killer under the auspices of 'understanding' we give the power back to the violator and minimize the stories of the people (victims) most affected by this horrible turn of events. This violent student killer's (I don't even want to memorialize his name) story takes away the power of the victim's stories and sensationalizes the problem, making him appear as a hero-villain. Not a good message. Instead, we need to hear many more of the victim's stories which offer a powerful, pertinent learning lesson and understanding of violent experiences.

And, if we are going to try to start a reality-TV-style discussion about the Virginia Tech shooting, why don't we take a lead from last week's 'big story' with Imus and the Rutgers Women's Basketball team and at least get the discussion going about the right issues. Isn't this more about how easy it is to get guns in this country? Is a high school or college campus more sacred than our communities? Since Columbine, some high schools have constructed expensive metal detectors to retrieve the guns and violent tools that kids carry with them. Taking them away does nothing. They can get them again down-the-block at the local pawn shop and 'big boxes'.

I can only hope that enough people are incensed by this terrible tragedy to do something more than what we have become accustomed to seeing at these times-- symbols, candles, grave markers, letters, flowers and memorabilia posted to fences. I recognize these are healing devices. But we need to get beyond that. If we really want to support and heal the large numbers of people left behind in the wake of violence on campuses and in our communities, then we need to confront the real problem.

Guns and ammunition.

We need to do something to stop the easy access to these resources. The discussion this nation has about the Virginia Tech massacre needs to begin to focus on easy access to guns and ammunition. That would make all this nonsense we see in the media more palatable-hopeful-promising. Acting on what's really important to deal with these types of problems. Confront them. Solve Them. Otherwise we will continue this terrible cycle of violence, death and grieving, but never get to the most important level. Fixing it. That's a message that requires local, state national and global attention. Even if an entire economy revolves around it. We owe it to ourselves, our friends, our family and we owe it to humanity.

Recognize Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

"Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t even have to make your subject and and your verb agree to serve… You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

During National Volunteer Week, April 15-23, thousands of volunteers nationwide will receive presidential recognition for their service through the President’s Volunteer Service Award – the most prestigious volunteer award currently associated with the White House. Like National Volunteer Week, this award seeks to inspire by example, honoring the service of our country’s most committed volunteers and sharing their achievements to encourage more Americans to volunteer.

If not this year, consider getting involved in National Volunteer Week in the future and thank your volunteers with a prestigious President's Volunteer Award. But remember—appreciating the work, spirit and generosity of volunteers should happen every day.

Future Dates for National Volunteer Week:
2008 - April 27 – May 3
2009 - April 19 – April 25
2010 - April 18 – April 24


The Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network supports the vital work of millions of volunteers, who are helping to solve serious social problems in thousands of communities nationwide. To be connected to a local Volunteer Center and learn more about the volunteer opportunities in your community, call 1-800-Volunteer or visit www.1-800-Volunteer.org.

PODCAMP NYC- THE NEW MEDIA UNCONFERENCE

New York City, April 6 & 7, 2007—If you’re wondering how podcasting, videocasting, and other social media can improve your business and life, pack your bags and head to The New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, April 6-7 for PodcampNYC. Podcamp NYC is part of the growing “unconference” movement that fosters networking and learning in a participatory, “all are welcome” environment. There are no keynotes here—session leaders simply sign up to speak and the “law of two feet” governs who attends. Plus: admission is free.

New Media “Unconference” encourages Participation and Community

What's an "unconference?" An unConference means that the participants are also the experts. Audio and video podcasters, enthusiasts, businesspeople, hobbyists, musicians, promoters, marketers, and people who generally want to understand more about the new media space. The power of an unconference is you get FREE ACCESS to ideas, thoughts, best practices, and the true "wisdom of crowds" simply by registering and attending.

VOICES | SELECT | FILM

Starting tonight, on Home Box Office, the documentary film "ADDICTION" will be previewed, and will be broadcast numerous times throughout the month. Some cable broadcasters will also be participating with a free HBO weekend starting on March 17th. HBO, in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, has put together a campaign to educate Americans on drug and alcohol addiction. The campaign highlights the understanding of drug and alcohol addiction as a disease of the brain. The campaign centers on the 90-minute documentary and will proceed to broadcast a series of interviews with leading addiction experts throughout March.

OWN THE HBO SERIES ON DVD AND HOST A HOUSE PARTY ANYTIME

The four-disc set includes topics such as The Adolescent Addict, The Science of Relapse, Parents of Opiate-Addicted Children, The CRAFT Approach to treatment and Brain Imaging are explored to show the complexities of both addiction and recovery. Three discs of additional content are provided that will not premiere on the network. An interactive Addiction: Communities Take Action website will arm communities with tools, including a hosting toolkit and viewer's guide, to support their efforts. Purchase your DVD for year-round screenings and community gatherings with family, friends, neighbors and colleagues.

Dolce & Gabbana Reluctantly Pulls Controversial Ad from Spain

Dolce & Gabbana are probably one of the best fashion design teams of our day, but why did they make such a poor and irresponsible business and advertising decison to produce and distribute an ad that looks to portray gang violence against a women? How insensitive were the decision makers who produced the ad? Dolce & Gabbana, the fashion designers and owners, the art director, photographer, stylists, hair and makeup artists--all--were a part of the shoot and no one had the nerve to say this was out of line? I've art directed fashion shoots myself. I know everyone looked at the images on the computer screen and thought they were sensational and congratulated each other on another work of art.


According to Brandweek, Stefano Gabbana, a partner in Dolce & Gabbana, indicated that the image represented an erotic dream or sexual game. Apparently the ad ran in Spain, but was withdrawn from the magazines when Spain's Women's Institute advocated for it's removal. Spain's Women's Institute, a branch of the labor ministry, said the ad "not only reduces women to a sexual object but the image sends the message that the use of force as a means to achieve subjugation is admissible."

More disturbing is that Gabbana said he would only pull the ad in Spain, because "they have shown themselves to be a bit backward," he was quoted as saying in the La Vanguardia newspaper. According to the newspaper, Dolce & Gabbana defended the campaign as art "What has an artistic photo got to do with a real act? You would have to burn museums like the Louvre or the paintings of Caravaggio." Isn't he getting that a bit backward himself? These ads are not hanging in a museum. They may set out to create art, I surely can relate to that. But, they are still selling products and an image. Neither gang violence against women, nor an erotic sex dream should have a place in the global marketing of products, even though it often does. If a company has consumer groups and activists stating an ad looks to be promoting violence against women, perhaps it might be wise to remove the ad, minus the prima-dona attitude and discriminating commentary. A "we're sorry" might be better a business management tactic.

Spain's not the only country that wants the ad pulled. 13 Italian Senators demanded that the offensive ad be pulled as well. Sad thing though is that this ad is still getting plenty of free publicity and mileage, and Dolce & Gabbana are running other violent images in Britain. As long as violence sells movies, the nightly news, and products it will keep coming at us. Don't like it? Complain and don't buy it!

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE GIRL SCOUTS?

The Girl Scouts are going digital with website promotion for their annual cookie drive. Here's the perfect example of how a Non-profit organization can wield the power of the Internet to reach their audience, drive traffic and make money for programs. The Girl Scouts have created a website girlscoutcookies.org and have used YouTube, MySpace and Friendster to reach out to people who want to purchase Girl Scout cookies. They've even created a little cookie movie from old archived commercials. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Girl Scouts are also operating cookie academies, where girls 11 and older are learning how to create business plans, manage money and attract larger customers for bulk orders. One Girl Scout said it really helped her to better understand business practices. And that’s exactly what it should do, according to Katherine Cloninger, the Girl Scouts chief executive, who says cookie selling fosters independence, self-esteem and confidence.

Anyone for just one thin mint? Search by zipcode to find where you can get your box.

THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

Since I'm attending The New School for interdisciplinary studies this MovieMaker magazine interview is quite fitting. Jennifer Wood interviews Annie Howell and I especially like this quote from her:

"I believe documentary is the interdisciplinary discipline. In addition to spanning academic fields—film studies, anthropology, sociology, to name a few—good documentary engages with both form and content; hopefully content that has real relevance in peoples’ lives. Documentary films allow us to experience situations, meet individuals and understand issues in a personal, emotional or intellectual way that is simply unique, and that tends to have appeal across mediums, fields of study and professions. At The New School, documentary study and practice have always thrived. Institutionally, there is an emphasis on making change in the world as well as on developing a serious art practice within a social and historical context."

I couldn't agree more with Annie Howell's assessment and it's precisely why I decided to return to study media, documentaries and advocacy, and especially why I chose The New School.

Read the Interview

4th ANNUAL GRASSROOTS MEDIA CONFERENCE

Event Date: February 24, 2007 | This year, the NYC Grassroots Media Conference seeks to ask: What are the common threads inherent in our global struggles for social change and how does the media contribute to our understanding of the root causes of injustice faced by world communities? From educating ourselves and our government leaders to spreading our messages and recruiting broader and more diverse constituencies into our campaigns, media is central to the struggle for social justice. Therefore, the fight for better access to and representation in the media is essential for advancing peace and justice both at home and abroad.

Join the 4th annual NYC Grassroots Media Conference to explore these connections and strategies, and come together to demand a media system that will link our diverse communities, connect local and international struggles, and fight for social justice across boundaries and beyond borders. Register Today.

SUPERBOWL SUNDAY—SO FAR—SNICKERS TAKES BEST AD

Ok, I'm watching the game. I don't really follow football all that closely, but this is a great game. I was reminded of the opportunity I had to buy a Romeo Britta painting of a cat 15 years ago, but Cirq de Soleil was just ok. Maybe you had to see them in person. I never realized exactly how entertaining watching grown men scrambling for a wet ball in the pouring rain could be. Downright sexy. Prince? Oh he's always great. The commercials? So far, too much violence. They lack creativity. Coke's are not bad—I wasn't all that crazy on the take-off on Grand Theft Auto, but at least they're conceptualized and well executed. The best so far? Snickers. Original!

WHAT REMAINS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF SALLY MANN

I find it so interesting to observe the things that inspire me to write and those that don't. I really love technology and the Internet and all the opportunities it offers to become inspired. Sometimes I collect on a memory in an instant, and it can be so circuitous. That’s what happened today.

I was trying to find a particular series on HBO and came upon an upcoming documentary about the photographer Sally Mann. That triggered my memory. I met Sally Mann briefly about 15 years ago when I worked at the Black Book. At the time she may have been interested in getting more work as a commercial photographer. She showed me black and white photos of kids; I believe some made with a box camera. I remember thinking her work was very original. I had met literally hundreds of photographers over the years and her work stood out. She has a unique point of view and I can’t wait to see the documentary about her work.

I Googled her and found a provocative essay that was written about a book of hers, Intimate Family and went on to read her response to the essay. This is truly a scintillating dialogue between artists and opinions. I highly recommend reading Noelle Oxenhandler’s essay, Mann’s response and watching the documentary. 15 years ago Sally Mann struck me as a pioneer for the life of an artist who pushes her way through what at one glance may be a taboo subject and on another glance a simple artistic.

I consider myself lucky in many ways. One--15 years ago, for only an hour or two, I was in the presence of what I perceived to be a pioneer, someone who I wanted to emulate as an artist. An artist who helps people make the leap to think deeply, analyze, learn and make great art. That memory and mission is still with me and going strong.

Synopsis of WHAT REMAINS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF SALLY MANN

MEDIA CULTURE -- DID YOU KNOW?

MotherJones Magazine has a terrific column called Ad Nauseum and in it's January/February 2007 issue they highlight some unbelievable media statistics including the following:

In 2005, there were 108,000 instances of product placement in television programming—up 30% from 2004.

he 2005 season of nbc's reality show The Contender had 7,502 instances of product placement—adding up to 11 hours and 57 minutes of screen time.

Placing ads inside video games is expected to be a $1 billion industry by 2010.

When Dateline NBC recently asked children to choose between a banana and a rock with a Scooby-Doo sticker on it for breakfast, nearly all chose the rock.

A recent Broadway production of Sweet Charity was rewritten to plug Gran Centenario tequila. José Cuervo described the change as "elegant, organic, not forced."

Advertisers spend more than $12 billion a year marketing to kids. The average American child is exposed to 40,000 ads per year.

References to "a killer coat of Lipslicks" and other Cover Girl products were worked into Cathy's Book, a novel for 12- to 17-year-old girls published in October.

Great Moments in Product Placement

1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas is conceptualized and sponsored by Coke.

2000 FedEx says of its supporting role in Castaway, "We're a character in this movie."

2005 Target buys all ad space in the August 22 New Yorker; its logo appears tore than 1,200 times in the issue.

Read them all

SPAM/SCAM | Cry for Help: 36 Scam Emails from Africa

There's nothing I dislike more than SPAM. We all know what SPAM is and I'm not talking about that delicious delicacy in a can that Monty Python referred to that became ingrained into our pop culture. No, it's a different icon of culture -- SPAM/SCAM email-- we either trash it or curiously look through the SPAM filtering software available in our email browsers to make sure we haven't missed a 'real' email. Those pesky spammers are smart and creative! They figure out how to rig forms and Opt-Ins, and create special software to fish for free email addresses. I just wish software developers could come up with a better filtering system so as not to catch 'real' email. Some spammers actually know what business you're in and create specialized content to fit that business.

Illustrator Henning Wagenbreth recently created a book Cry for Help: 36 SCAM Emails from Africa, in which he compiled and illustrated the bizarre 'Nigerian' SCAM email letters that asked for our help in making a fortune in lucrative business propositions. Wagenbreth explains "The deception with SCAM-mails works in the following way: first the scammers locate appropriate e-mail address suppliers and buy thousands of addresses of people all over the world, especially those people from rich, industrial nations. Enticing letters are then written and sent as mass e-mails. The author asserts that he has come upon too much money either through legitimate inheritance, political unrest, a tragic accident or through simple theft. In telling his plausible story, he slips into one of various roles decorated with rich detail. Sometimes it’s the helpless child by his parent’s deathbed who’s received millions of dollars and doesn’t know what to do with it all. Another time he may pose as the government official who is manipulating the state budget or embezzling state funds and is in search of someone to help launder the money. Or he pretends to be the relative of a deposed dictator and authoritatively demands immediate assistance with a foreign currency transfer."

While I'm on the subject, here's a particularly fascinating subject header of a SPAM email I just received while writing this post. Dad: My daughter killed my wife.news just come. I peer through my preview pane it's a press release with a stock tip. We've all gotten them. When will this SPAM/SCAM end? Perhaps we should all start archiving the SPAM/SCAM we get. There are some humorous SPAM/SCAM annotations out there, that's for sure.

MEDIA REFORM CONFERENCE UPDATE

Watch video of the speakers including: Bill Moyers, Jesse Jackson, Jane Fonda, Congressman Ed Markey, Gina Davis, Amy Goodman and Robert McChesney. Be sure to watch "5 words" from Conference Participants.

JOIN THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MEDIA REFORM--ONLINE

The National Conference for Media Reform is for anyone who is concerned about the state of our media and committed to working for change. This energizing weekend from January 12-14, presents ideas and strategies for winning the fight for better media and connects you with thousands of media reformers from across the country. The conference opens today with 3000 people who have traveled to Memphis to listen to over 250 speakers and attend their choice of 100 panels and workshops. If you care about media and can't leave your desk or office log on and watch streaming live video of the opening plenaries with Bill Moyers and Jesse Jackson, and closing plenary with Jane Fonda. You can also view the keynote session with Congressman Ed Markey who introduced the Net Neutrality bill and chairs the Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet, actress Gina Davis and FreePress founder Robert McChesney. Tonight watch the Memphis Music Concert and rally streamed live on the Internet. Be sure to check out their blog over the weekend as well.

Be sure to take advantage of :

Downloadable audio of hundreds of panels and workshops
Live Blogging
Photographs of Conference on Flickr
YouTube footage of Conference taken by participants

USER GENERATED COMMERCIALS TOUT DORITOS AS "SNACK STRONG PRODUCTIONS"

User-generated content has become mainstream in the past few years with the development of blogging and social networking sites like MySpace and YouTube. Corporations have been scrambling with how to profit from this new media content revolution and they seem to have hit on something big that could also be quite powerful, creative and interactive. But it goes beyond that— it’s also cheap and they are wired right into their target audience. We are experiencing a paradigm shift in the way media and advertising business is done and I have some concerns.

Doritos has launched a web based contest where users create a 30 second spot to be judged by consumers and aired on the most watched event of the year in the US—Super Bowl Sunday. As of January 5^th there were 1066 “Crash the Super Bowl” user created commercials uploaded and the top 5 winners were viewed over 676,000 times. They’ve created the contest on a fabulous beta site called Jumpcut where video can be edited online. People are commenting, hitting “I love it” buttons, and coming back to the site to vote for their favorite commercial. The winner gets $10,000 and a trip to the Super Bowl. Frito-Lay will have already gotten all those eyeballs and website traffic prior to the commercial actually being aired. That’s getting away cheap—very cheap in Madison Avenue terms. Then on Super Sunday there will be free PR with everyone talking about the ad. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. What company could ask for more from its advertising? It’s sure to result in a surge of Doritos sales.

Ok, so I hate to be the naysayer here, but let’s not forget that in the past I enjoyed many an hour developing advertising concepts and design for large corporations. Frito-Lay completely bypassed its advertising agency, Goodby Silverstein & Partners in favor of letting the masses create their ad campaign. I have no problem with this. But, how will ad agencies compete with this incredible new user created concept? Frito-Lay is not the only brand to tap into the masses. This is just the beginning. But here’s what I don’t like. They are paying these young creators practically nothing for their ideas, and if successful they will use them into perpetuity without the originator getting any additional compensation. I really hate to include the small print of their “contract” but someone has to point it out:

“irrevocably grants to Contest Parties and their affiliates, legal representatives, assigns, agents and licensees, the unconditional and perpetual right and permission to copyright (as appropriate), reproduce, encode, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, publicly perform, adapt, exhibit and/or otherwise use or reuse (without limitation as to when or to the number of times used), the Entrant's name, address, image, voice, likeness, statements, biographical material and Submission, including, but not limited to, the video or digital recording and performances contained in any of the above items (in each case, as submitted or as edited/modified in any way by the Contest Parties, in the Contest Parties' sole discretion), as well as any additional photographic images, video images, portraits, interviews or other materials relating to the Entrant and arising out of his/her participation in this Contest (with or without using the Entrant's name) (collectively, the "Additional Materials") in any media throughout the world for any purpose, without limitation, and without additional review, compensation, or approval from the Entrant or any other party."

Isn’t that a mouthful?

What does this mean for the future of advertising? How about the young creators who are not only signing their creative rights away for pennies, but are also helping to push products by word-of-mouth, as well as buying and consuming them too? Who really wins with this model and is it a good economic one? I’m not so sure. I think user created content is great, but many of the young people who are participating in these projects may not realize exactly what they are getting themselves into.

Someone put on a critical thinking cap, please.

VOICES SELECT | MAGAZINE |

New Moon Magazine for Girls
New Moon magazine is an inspirational magazine for girls and women. What makes it incredibly special is that it is advertising free. New Moon states on their website that they're for every girl who "wants her voice heard and dreams taken seriously." Their blog tells of their next issue titled Letter to Congress. They're looking for political blogger journalists—someone who will watch when bills are stalled or move in congress. Sounds like advocacy to me... :-)... way to go New Moon magazine!

MAKE MEDIA LESS ADDICTIVE FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDS

Kids and adults are getting bombarded more than ever by commercials, advertising, video games and product placements. Soon they will be all over the cell phones as well. It's big business and not everyone realizes that this thing called "media" can become addictive. Last year, kids 4 to 12 years old had an estimated spending power of $45 billion, and teens $160 billion. There are teams of very smart, well-paid advertisers out there whose job it is to equate more “stuff” with more happiness. It’s a tough job for all of us to resist that kind of pressure - but even more difficult for kids. Download the MediaWise Parent Survival Guide to find out how advertisers are targeting your kids. Get the Facts.

While you're at it-- find out more about how your kids post to places like YOUTUBE and MYSPACE. MediaWise Walks you through how they do it.

VOICES SELECT | WEB SITE|

Check out some of the best news photography of the year. View the Winners Gallery at World Press Photo -- awards for best photography in twenty categories -- from portrait to nature to spot news and TIME MAGAZINE offers their year in photos.

DON'T LAY OFF NOW--

Make Net Neutrality Priority 1 for 2007. There's little to no discussion of what net neutrality is on regular broadcast news. Because of this the Free Press initiative "SavetheInternet Coalition" was born in April 2006 and byseveral months later, in July, over 1 MILLION people had signed the petition to maintain our Internet freedom. By September the public stood together on Net Neutrality and the anti-net neutrality Bill that passed through Senate stalled.

Net Neutrality ensures that any citizen can view the smallest website or blog as easily as they can view a large corporation's website, preventing phone and Internet companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from charging additional fees or making it very difficult to navigate and load the websites you want to see and read. Only the big payers would get the fast "broadband" lane. The best way to understand net neutrality is to take 5 minutes and watch this new video. If you want to continue to have a free and open Internet (the way it is right now) then you you owe it to yourself to understand the principles of Net Neutrality before these companies spend enough on lobbying Congress to take away our free and participatory aspect of the Internet. If they do that, they take away our voices too. The Internet is an incredible Democratic resource for every citizen. We can't let the Internet become this generation's TV and Radio—as citizens will lose our power. Take notice --watch the video.

VOICES SELECT | AD CAMPAIGN | MILENIO

Milenio is a national newspaper in Mexico. Who says Mexico is poor? Here's a rich ad campaign with a sense of humor. Good or Bad?

“A very complex world needs a good explanation.”