Big Brother in Your Brain: Neuroscience & Marketing

    Eric Kogelschatz first learned about neuromarketing while attending graduate school at Michigan State University. After reading the NYTimes article “There’s a Sucker Born in Every Medial Prefrontal Cortex” and watching the PBS program “Frontline: The Persuaders” Kogelschatz’s ideas about advertising changed.
    “From my perspective, the institution of advertising is defined as the communication of product or service related information in a persuasive manner. However, after reading this article and watching the program, I began to realize that advertising, coalesced with cognitive neuroscience (neuromarketing), would allow marketers to change overt consumer behavior by influencing emotional and rational attitudes, beliefs and motivations,” said Kogelschatz.
    “With the advent of neuromarketing, neuroscientists and researchers have been directing their expertise to marketing, using MRIs to analyze consumers’ brain activity when exposed to different stimuli,” said Kogelschatz. He said that companies like Google are using math to develop advertising strategies.
    While working at Modernista! in Boston, Kogelschatz started a band with three neuroscientists. During practice, the band mates would often talk about neuroscience. This led Kogelschatz to start rethinking his beliefs on advertising and science. “I often thought about neuroscience in relation to my research and experience in advertising,” said Kogelschatz. This led him to write the blog post titled “The Convergence of Cognitive Neuroscience and Marketing.” After the success of the post, Kogelschatz decided to submit a panel proposition to SXSWi.
    “My hope is that the panel audience will observe an in-depth analysis of the convergence of neuroscience and marketing and gain a subjective perspective on the topic based on emotional and rational information,” said Kogelschatz.
    Kogelschatz has extensively researched the convergence of neuroscience and marketing, digital music innovation, digital technology and urban revitalization. He is currently putting together his panel for SXSWi 2010. The panel will include innovative speakers in the areas of neuroscience, advertising and neuromarketing. Kogelschatz’s panel will answer questions such as: what is neuromarketing? Is advertising an art or science? Is neuromarketing ethical? Will digital marketers become scientists and mathematicians or will creativity triumph?
    For more information about Eric and his work, please visit www.erickogelschatz.com

Dance at CUNY

As an old dude myself, I'm very impressed with the accomplishments of Dance at such a young age (although I'm not so sure about his choice of hairstyle). As with most of these presentations to students, he lets them know that they need to seek a career doing something that they love. Great advice.

I agree with him that we are experiencing a very exciting time in journalism. Where is journalism headed; in particular, what is going to happen to newspapers? It is good to know that the NY Times is embracing the web and utilizing their site to be a usable supplement to their daily printed paper.

One of the reasons I returned to school is to get training in this area. I hope to be able to utilize my experience as a video journalist to either teach, or apply my skills to the web.

Gabriel Dance videos & questions

The Gabriel Dance videos were insightful and really helpful to get me in the right mindset for our final project.

He gives a disclaimer early on that warns multimedia designers not to get into it unless they’re truly committed, and he advised that you only make a high-quality finished product if you enjoy what you’re doing. He talks about the computer and computer programming as a tool for him to be better at journalism. His heart is in journalism and being a good storyteller, and he uses his programming genius to make his stories really powerful and interesting. It’s exactly the mentality we need for our final project with our investigatory journalism site.

He described how important it is to be comment on the sites of the person or group with which you want to work during the interview process. It goes back to our comments in class about opening up conversations instead of just throwing your point of view out there. You want to open up dialogue about what kind of technologies your dream employer is using when you’re taking a stab at joining their team.

Gabriel said he built the Robinson Crusoe site in a group of 18 people. I wonder what it’s like to build a site with a large group of people? What are the problems you run into with the programs when you split up work? He talked about time as a valuable commodity when it comes to building interactive sites, so I would ask him how long it took for him and his 18 group members to build the Robinson Crusoe site?

He also said that even though college students are under alot of pressure, there is more room for students to take on long-term projects while still in college. What does he mean by this? I had hoped it would be the other way around? That was a bit of unsettling news.

"The computer just enables me to do my journalism, much like a pen...or a stylus...or a paintbrush..."

Gabriel Dance's lecture on multimedia journalism was insightful and extremely relevant and helpful in our class. You wouldn't have expected to hear a minute into the presentation that he originally got a degree in computer science without any consideration of journalism. And while 10 years ago, the two fields would have never been considered as being interrelated, the Internet has introduced a whole new world of possibilities for journalism and communication. Dance realized early on in his graduate career at UNC the potential in using computer skills and journalism skills together. It was neat to see the thesis project he did using Flash (and I'm almost tempted to ask for his help on Flash as one of my questions...ha). His section on usability in multimedia journalism was interesting - while you as the web designer obviously will know how to navigate and utilize the pages, you must also consider your audience and keep in mind that people can leave a website just as quickly as they came to it, so you have to make it as simple and understandable as possible. His discussion on user generated content was especially entertaining, and the idea of interactivity and a sense of "societal participation" in online journalism is such a refreshing change from the monopolistic control of news content that has been the standard for so many years.

I would like to ask Gabriel:

1. Do you think it is (or will be) essential for students who pursue a career in journalism to learn multimedia skills? Do you think it would be detrimental to a journalism student to not learn the skills necessary for online journalism and instead stick to the practices of traditional journalism (hard news writing, page layout/design, etc.)?

2. What is the biggest benefit of interactivity and user generated content on the web? What is the biggest drawback or challenge?

Gabriel Dance Speech

Garbiel Dance’s presentation at CUNY was insightful and yet I came away with some questions regarding his employer and his overall concept of journalism. I certainly agree, wholeheartedly, with Dance’s assertion on failure. It is definitely beneficial to experience such fate from time to time. It makes young professionals or students of any discipline better at handling the proverbial career rollercoaster. Mr. Dance suggests students should take more risks and perhaps “push the envelope” a bit more when creating some of the work while in school since “there is no pressure to make a profit.” For the most part he is correct, except that most students don’t believe there is no pressure and the restrictions are sometimes self-imposed.

Mr. Dance’s work with the New York Times is impressive on the level of interaction and appearance. I wonder, however, if the paper’s leadership fells this separates them journalistically or is it only to increase traffic and create brand loyalty, both very valid and important aspects of the industry. Dance considers himself a journalist first, then somebody who uses technology to improve on the content. There is no doubt in that the New York Times is an industry leader and they will continue as standard-setters on many fronts related to what could barely still be called the “print industry” especially during this tumultuous times for the medium.

If I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Dance two questions they would be:

1. Do you think you were hired on at the New York Times because of your journalistic talents or your familiarity with technology?

2. Do you believe such innovations regarding the Times’ online separate your employer journalistically?

You Can Dance If You Want To

Gabriel Dance that is. He's the senior multimedia producer for The New York Times and recently spoke to CUNY journalism grad students about multimedia journalism. Several points in Dance's presentation resonated with me. Dance spoke at length about having passion for multimedia journalism. He said if you're going to go into this new field you have to be passionate about it or, like anything else, you're not going to be good at it. He went on to say that if you don't have the desire to take what's out there on the web and make it better, and more creative, then you won't thrive in the field.

I like that he encouraged the audience to be OK with failing and that it's a sign you're trying hard. As I lack a technical background, this statement makes trying multimedia tools less intimidating. The time and place he says to try new projects and really experiment is grad school. Lucky for us, we're in grad school! Free from the real-world restrictions of profit, deadlines, and directed content--we're able to create innovative and interactive sites. Dance advised the audience to find sites you like, create your project, and really push your self to go to the next level.

My questions for Dance are: At the NYT you have access to a great deal of resources. What are some smaller papers, or media entities, that are producing stuff you like on a shoestring budget?

Also, do you think we could soon get too out of control with focusing on aesthetics and not on the integrity of the "journalism"?

Gabriel Dance

The presentation by Gabriel Dance at CUNY was an interesting perspective on multimedia journalism. I think the edge that Dance has in the field of multimedia journalism is his degree in computer science. What I enjoyed best about the presentation was when Dance talked about the level of experimentation a student has with journalism at the university level. He made a great point when he talked about not having to deal with advertising, different levels of editing, turning a profit or even losing your job. The university level allows you to experiment with journalism, be more creative and take chances.

Dance also spoke about his master thesis project that he did back in 2006. I thought it was interesting that he said there are things in his project that are not even being done today. Not because people at the working level are not bright enough, but because of all the restrictions that come into play when working for a company. Dance also made it a point to talk about competitive analysis. Dance said that in order to be good at what you do, you have to know what others are doing.

Dance also talked about transparency. He gave the example of the debate analyzer, which allows the user to watch parts of the debate that are most important to them and read the transcript of what is being said alongside the video. There are also tabs pertaining to different issues that a user can click on to learn more about specific topics. He said the most important thing about transparency is that the user gets to engage in the content and there is no editorializing.

Overall I enjoyed the presentation. What I did find a bit discouraging is that it seems having a degree in computer science would be extremely beneficial to a multimedia individual. Unfortunately that is something that I do not have, so I feel that I am at somewhat of a disadvantage when it comes to entering the world of multimedia.

Questions:

1) You said earlier in the presentation that "If you don't fail then your not trying hard enough." Can you give an example when you failed and what you did to pick yourself back up?

2) I know you stated that it is not necessary to have a degree in computer science to work in multimedia, but obviously it has been extremely beneficial to you. Any advice for those without a computer science degree?

Gabriel Dance Lecture

Dance spoke several times of the the importance of collaboration. This resonated with me because I have always worried that I haven't mastered all the skills necessary to succeeding in our rapidly evolving field. So, of course, it's comforting to hear Dance confess that no one is "the best" at all aspects of a job or project. It's reassuring to know that even the most renowned of professionals rely on others to accomplish goals.

Another part of Dance's lecture that I found insightful was when he stated that the internet has created a vast community of people sharing and mimicking ideas. I've often pondered the implications that the internet has cast upon the idea of plagiarism. Dance, to some degree, echoed my opinion - that the copying and sharing of ideas is ubiquitous, and the internet has exposed the frequency of what we call plagiarism. Dance emphasized the importance of building upon others' ideas. Pretty much everything has already been done; it seems that creativity lies in the ability to reconstruct and improve upon those things.

Questions:
1. Do you think the definition of plagiarism has changed because of the increased information sharing afforded by the internet? For example, if one has an idea for something, then googles it and finds that someone has already done it, can they be faulted for having the same idea that one of the other billions of human beings has had?

2. Is in-person collaboration necessary to the success of your projects? Or do you find yourself and your colleagues mainly collaborating via text, email, Twitter, etc.?

Gabriel Dance's Presentation

Jesse Orona here,

The first thing I noticed about Gabriel Dance was the passion he has for what he’s doing. I completely understand wanting to merge various skills to create a whole new career and Gabriel Dance’s presentation shows you how to do it.

My favorite part of the presentation was the content section. It is our responsibility to make the site comprehensible to even the most computer illiterate person out there and keep things simple. The use of a big button that clearly tells the user “Play”, backward and forward buttons clearly present, and features presented in ways the user is familiar with makes so much sense.

I never realized how many people it takes to put together a site like those Gabriel Dance featured. You have to have a good relationship with the people you work with otherwise the project is going to suffer.

My two questions for Gabriel Dance:

What sort of skills should a person still in grad school acquire and showcase if he or she is looking for an internship with a company that produces multimedia presentations like those seen in your presentation?

What do you think is going to be the next big thing in multimedia technology?

Gabriel Dance

Gabriel Dance focuses on multimedia journalism and believes in the influence on multimedia. He has a really good background in computer science and in multimedia journalism. I think when he has some projects, he really considers media users’ convenience and needs as a journalist. He made websites easy to use and navigate. Hence, in his projects, design and contents are consistent and easy to use. He really loves his job and encourages students to be multimedia journalists.

Questions:
Do you think journalists should adopt new technology with their field? Why or why not?
How do you get some innovative ideas for your projects?

Gabriel Dance and New Media

Gabriel Dance has an interesting story behind him and he's currently in a position to work on and talk about some of the most exciting and innovative multimedia projects in existence. He's (like) quite a lucky guy.

I enjoyed Dance's enthusiasm and honest demeanor - his simple advice offered right away (to do what you have an inherent interest in) is good for anyone to hear. Dance clearly ended up in the right place at the New York Times, where the multimedia projects being created are simply amazing. I think Dance gave a good overview of a few important issues in journalism as well as multimedia technology.

I was particularly interested in the section on transparency. The image of the media is not overwhelmingly favorable these days, so it's more important than ever to be open and honest with where we obtain our information. Providing access to sources that we've used to build a story and presenting information in a way that lets the audience see the issues for what they are will only help to build our own credibility. Better transparency is needed in many of this country's arenas, and journalism should be leading the way.

A couple of questions for Dance:

1. What are a few more examples of ways that news outlets of all kinds can strive towards better transparency?
2. The NYT creates many intricate and time consuming projects. How do you go about making sure people actually see the work you do? What strategies have you adopted?

Gabriel Dance

Gabriel Dance’s lecture at the CUNY Grad School of Journalism focused on some pretty interesting things. Well we know he talked about these five things….usablility, context, transparancy, innovation and user-generated content.
What struck me as interesting was when he talked about using the resources available and taking the time – as a graduate student – to experiment with certain projects. I think this class has given us a good head start to doing this. Also I think it is going to be interesting to see how we deal with project management when dealing with our groups in class. Also when he talks about using the internet for transparency, I think he is mentioning something really worthwhile. Journalists don’t always have the time to provide the extra content, research, etc. that they have done. When the story goes to the newspaper it has to fit within the space allotted for it after the ads go up; it also has to be edited.
Through the internet, journalists are able to provide readers with the original documents and research, extra photos or other source material. He mentions that many people have a problem believing the context in which certain materials (in the presentation he uses government documents as the example) are used for stories. Many skeptical readers feel that the journalist uses the materials to support the stories that they want to tell. Providing readers with the original content does lead to higher credibility for the reporter and ultimately the reputation of the newspaper/magazine.
I also like the different examples he used of user-generated content. I think his ultimate goal is not only to see what users have to say but to grab new ideas and get an snapshot of the larger picture: looking at your audience, what they are interested in and what contributions they might have. That woman who posted the picture of her dying mother in the Polaroid gallery was such a great example.
Two Questions – 1. What are some tips on effective project management? Is it more about organizational skills or communication skills? 2. What is the one thing that you think universities should require of their graduate students in mass comm./journalism/social media before they can get their degree?

Gabriel Dance

One thing about Gabriel Dance's presentation at CUNY that I found particularly interesting was his talk on user-generated content. As an industry in general, I think TV stations struggle with this concept. It's not as simple as asking people to send in "puppy pictures," as Dance suggested. However, that is what you see on many TV station web sites. Dance brought up a shining example of the power of user-generated content with the picture of a reader's dying mom. That is power. As Dance said, he will likely remember that for the rest of his life.

So I would want to ask Dance 1.) why he thinks so many stations/newspapers struggle with user-generated content and 2.) how can stations/newspapers effectively solicit user-generated content?

Gabriel Dance

I found Gabriel Dance's talk to the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism to be very interesting. Dance seems very hip and innovative when it comes to his multimedia skills and projects for the NY Times.

I completely agreed with his first few words in the beginning of his talk. Someone must have a love for the internet and computers and must have an interest in applying both to the field of journalism before anyone decides to dive into the world of multimedia journalism.
His master's thesis project on Robinson Crusoe is simply out of this world. It is quite impressive and incredibly creative.

I liked his emphasis on usability and on how naviagtion must be so clear and easy for users that there would be little room for error. His example of Barack Obama's timeline of his life was a great example. The addition of two big buttons at the time of the timeline ended up being the only way that users browsed through the project instead of clicking on specific dates.
I appreciated his advice to people looking for any kind of multimedia job. You must promote yourself, but also acknowledge the skills and projects that the news outlet or company already has. That is sometimes hard to remember.

1. I liked how you joined many other professionals in saying that this is great time for journalism. Where do you see the field heading within the next 5 - 10 years and do you see any room for print versions of any newspaper or magazine?

2. Which project have you created that you are most proud of?

Gabriel Dance Talk

In a recent talk at CUNY, Gabriel Dance brought up a few great points about creating and pushing the envelope of online journalism projects. Dance pushed the fact that it is important to not be playing catch-up. While the internet allows for stealing of ideas, this is the time to actually create new ideas. Creators need to know what else is going and how these concepts get pushed further and they need to be part of that foward push. No one will be the best at every detail of making web content, but one does need to grasp all the concepts and techniques. It's about building a team of people that can handle the tasks required.
Dance pushed the fact that usability is basically getting out of the way of the content. It must be clear and the interactive part of the content cannot take away from the overall project and message. The average person is not going to content sites to see how they are put together, but they are going to learn something. Simple is better, but that does not mean it can't be creative.

1. Is it too late for some companies and businesses to catch up on using the online content to help their own fortunes?
2. What project haven't you seen yet that you just know has to be done by someone? Is there a project you are dying to do?

Gabriel Dance

Gabriel Dance brought up an important concept that resonated with me: transparency. In an age that is punctuated by low trust in journalism, the Internet gives news organizations an opportunity to share their source material with readers.
"Check us," Dance said, referring to the New York Times. "We're not afraid. We've done the fact checking."
He said the reporters who spend hours sifting through stacks of documents are thrilled that the the reader can now have access to the real gems that are uncovered.
Showing readers the source documents of a news story will help re-establish their trust in the news media that take advantage of this capability.
My questions are, Has showing the readers your source material backfired? Has it ever exposed a flaw or an unexplored angle in a story the Times has run?

Food Hacking 101

Do you want to retrofit your oven to bake pizza's at 900 degrees? Would you trick out your Brita filter for better vodka? Do the words methylcellulose, maltodextrin, or meat glue make you giddy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a new hobby called food hacking. Jeff Potter is a food hack. He's the creator of Cooking for Geeks, a blog dedicated to the idea of epicurean experiments.

What is food hacking? As Potter explains, it's “using unusual tools or techniques or ingredients to make something yummy.” He can't remember a time when he didn't cook. “I've cooked all my life, and my approach to cooking is really based on intuition and experience that I was fortunate to learn from my parents, who loved to cook,” says Potter.

Potter feels he's never really had a bad experiment. “There are certainly things I've made that tasted bad, but from an experimental perspective were great successes, because I learned something,” says Potter. “You know the saying ‘in theory there's no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is?’” Potter asks. “I think I get the most satisfaction out of experiments where theory and reality line up--where I expected to see something happen from a theoretical perspective, and went to test it, and sure enough, spot on,” says Potter.

One of the theory-meets-reality experiments in Potter’s forthcoming food hacking book, is about collagen in stewing beef. As Potter describes, “collagen is one of the longest molecules in the body, and it takes a long time to unwind, break down, and hydrolyze. You can see this by cooking stew beef and checking it after it's been simmering for 15 minutes and then comparing that to stew beef that's been simmering for 6 hours--they're both at the same temperature, but the 15 minute stew beef will be tough and dry (due to denatured actin proteins) whereas the 6-hour version will be tender and flakey as the collagen converts to gelatin and masks the dryness of the denatured actin.” Potter continues with a tip, “oh, and by the way, you want lots of collagen in beef stew--trying to make beef stew with more expensive cuts of meats that are lower in collagen actually makes for worse stew.”

Potter explains that rethinking heating methods allows for new ways to cook some of our favorite foods. Salmon poached in a dishwasher or cookies baked in a waffle iron sounds unusual, but actually is just unconventional according Potter. “Once you understand the mechanisms for these sorts of things, suddenly you're free to wander away from a recipe and be confident that what you're doing will work,” says Potter.

“It's a great place to share what I've been working on, and a great place to learn what other people are working on!” says Potter when asked about his upcoming panel at the South by Southwest interactive conference in March. His first book “Cooking For Geeks,” due out in 2010 (hopefully in time for SXSWi) by O’Reilly Media. Potter says, “the book really isn't a list of food hacks in as much as it is the frameworks that would allow someone to go play and try new things.” So, get your blow torches, dry ice, and goggles, and get ready to try something new in your culinary laboratory!

SXSW Panel - Black Blogging Rockstars

What we know as the blogosphere is starting to change. Maurice Cherry of 3eighteen media might say it’s becoming bigger, better and blacker.
While past panels at SXSW (like “Blogging While Black” and “Digital Urbanites”) have shown that Black bloggers and bloggers of color are becoming more prominent and well-known in the media, Cherry’s panel “Black Blogging Rockstars” will attempt to take a look into the future of Black blogging.
By looking at the pioneers and thought-leaders of the Black blogosphere the panel will also attempt to answer the question, “What does is mean to be a black blogger?” The panel will feature discussion on trends, stereotypes and blogging on Black celebrities as well as the current recognition for black bloggers. Here's what Maurice said we can expect from “Black Blogging Rockstars.”

1. On your website it says that you have put on the Black Weblog Awards, you own 3eighteen media and are the Chief Strategy Officer at Relate Media Group. It seems like you are a pretty busy guy. Do actually have time to blog? If so, can you tell me about it?
I do find time to blog every now and then -- currently I'm a contributing editor at Techdrawl and a writer for Black Web 2.0 on top of my other duties. Generally, I report on tech startups and entreprenuership by African-Americans, Africans, or companies located here in the South.

2. What cool things can people expect from the panel? What do you want them to take from it?
I think people will get to see new, fresh African-American faces who are doing big things in the world of blogging and beyond. I promise not to make it a boring, pedagogical-type panel (personally, I hate those!). This is not a 'Blogging 101' type of panel. What I want people to take from it are ways they can either enhance their own brand or blog and the kinds of opportunities which can are available.

3. Which are some of your favorite blogs to read?
Right now, I fluctuate between about 200-300 blogs in my Google Reader in a number of different categories. Some of my favorites include Soulbounce, Crunk and Disorderly, NOTCOT, Kicks on Fire, Lifehacker, Smashing Magazine, Blackfolks (a LiveJournal community), and Acquire.

4. Why is it important to have a panel about minorities and blogging?
For the past few years, there has been at least one panel available at SXSW concerning minorities and blogging. These have generally been discussions on identity, race, and how that hashes out in the general blogosphere. I think it's time to move the conversation past that and look at those who have succesfully carved out a niche for themselves in the blogosphere and help illustrate to others how they can do the same. While the title of the panel is "Black Blogging Rockstars", the things people can learn in this panel won't just be for Black people.

5. Do you think the black blogosphere has been ignored by the mainstream media? If so, why?
In large part, I think so. The mainstream media is still just beginning to accept, use, and integrate blogging into their own programming. In this respect, entertainment programs like Extra and Access Hollywood are a little more forward-thinking when it comes to including and discussing blogs, but they still mostly ignore the Black blogosphere. One of the programs which did give great coverage to and about the Black blogosphere was NPR's "News and Notes".

6. Do you think there are stereotypes attached to black/minority bloggers? If so, what are they?
You know...I don't think there are. If they exist, I certainly haven't thought about them. Bloggers are bloggers. What they blog about may give them some sort of a bias to others, but overall, I don't feel that Black or minority bloggers are stereotyped. I think if you're online and blogging, you're already a step above the rest.

7. What do you think the continued growth in multicultural and multiracial blogs on the Internet will do to the future of media in general?
I certainly feel that the growth in multicultural and multiracial blogs will start to fill the voids that we're seeing now in television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. As shows are cancelled and periodicals close their doors, people are going to start turning online to find the news or information they want. Bloggers can really start to make a name for themselves if they create portals of information for those underserved communities or topical niches.

8. What part does the “digital divide” play in this issue?
Given the ubiquity of computers and Internet broadband coverage, as well as the use of smartphones, Internet tablets, and laptops, I feel it's easier than ever before to get online and get connected. There are also a number of freely available sites to begin blogging, such as Blogspot, LiveJournal, or WordPress. If you've got five minutes, you've got a blog.

9. Can you tell me a little about your current role in Black Weblog Awards?

I am the Chairman/Founder of the Black Weblog Awards, an annual Internet event which showcases the best and brightest in the Black blogosphere in over 30 categories. The Awards have been going on since 2005. We have some great things going forward in 2010, so stay tuned!

Journalism, innovation and experimentation

I really like that idea of experimenting with journalism.  Journalism is such a diverse field, and the opportunities to be creative and innovative are endless.

I've never thought of it this way, but being in college is the ideal time to push the boundaries with journalism.  You aren't restricted by advertising revenue quotas or making sure you don't cross the wrong people.  This is our time, as students, to explore all the realms of multimedia journalism.  I think that's why Cindy's web design class is so extremely beneficial.  We are learning all the tools we need to be multimedia journalists.  When you combine tools like Flash, Photoshop and Dreamweaver, you have the potential to produce amazing reporting pieces.

One thing that Gabriel stresses during his lecture is to be aware of what other people and news sites are doing.  Not only for potential job interviews, but to know what is going on in the industry, in your industry.

This is such an amazing time in journalism, and we are lucky enough to be a part of it.  The things that Gabriel and his team are doing over at the New York Times are truly inspiring.

Gabriel,
-Do you think other news sites will start doing innovative multimedia pieces like the New York Times is, and has been doing doing for quite some time?  Do you think that soon, it will be standard practice for these multimedia pieces to be included on all news sites?

-Do you think learning the computer side of multimedia journalism before the journalism part benefited you?  Why or why not?

The Commenter Ecosystem

As a self proclaimed “message board veteran,” I felt Kate Miltner’s panel was not only interesting but actually in my wheelhouse. I am a big sports fan and as such I have been known to banter with the fanatics of opposing teams as well as my own from time to time. In addition, I am also a news junkie who visits numerous sites for different angles and details regarding many topics. In this arena, I have grown to appreciate message boards for more than just being an avenue of expression or interaction. I am guilty of, on several occasions, deciding whether to read an article based solely on the number of comments. For some reason, consciously or not, I suspect the more people opine on a story, the more priority it should have, at least for me at that point in time.

Miss Miltner’s panel will explore the phenomenon that is the “commenter culture.” There is so much to consider of this still evolving community. The panel will discuss the role of the commenter as a contributor and an authoritative participant (for the self policing boards). Another a topic of discussion will be the concept of social capital and how it applies to this particular phenomenon especially when some media entities (Facebook Connect) may be shifting the structure in a way that blurs the line between the real individual and the message board character/persona.

Miss Miltner’s expertise in the social media realm should add perspective to the discussion; especially considering where this particular industry is headed. Professionals such as Miltner will have an integral in applying, or discounting the need for, social media and the various components and intricacies it creates for the medium.

Finally, the conversation will obviously reach the point where capitalistic interests are evaluated. What does this mean for the hosting sites and especially the advertisers? Have all options been considered, in terms of monetizing this arena.

Facebook and Teens with Dr. Rayne

Karen Rayne is a professor that teaches and explores a subject that might make most people blush. You guessed it; Dr. Rayne talks about sex. However, she doesn’t just talk about sex, she talks about talking about sex. In other words, Dr. Rayne tries to help people become comfortable talking about sex, and in being able to address important issues in sexuality. Currently, Dr. Rayne is preparing for a panel at the 2010 SXSW Interactive, which is held annually in Austin, TX.
At SXSW, Rayne will hold a panel discussion dealing in issues of teenagers and social media such as Facebook, MySpace, and other popular social media interfaces. Although the subject is not a simple one, Rayne suggests that there are important issues that can be addressed immediately such as the age verification practices. Rayne, however, understands making improvements will be no easy task: “The biggest media-specific issue I see is how to determine age via the Internet (other than clicking on the box "Yes, I'm over 13 or 18"). Doing this without violating the privacy of adults is complicated,” said Rayne.
More important, perhaps, is educating teenagers on the proper use of social media. According to Rayne, teenagers need to be educated on “appropriate online interaction and guidance on how to self-moderate and interact effectively and safely.”
The perceived problems that Rayne offers solutions to with teenagers and social media, however, are merely an extension of problems that already exist with teenagers and sexuality in general. Some of these problems persist well into adulthood, as one may notice when reading Dr. Rayne’s blog (karenrayne.com). Rayne states that students of all ages remain ignorant to many topics, which may be in large part due to taboos and discomfort in speaking frankly and openly. It seems many questions go unanswered because they were never asked to begin with. Thankfully, Dr. Rayne covers topics as light-hearted as “super-hero reproduction” to topics as serious and life threatening as rape and sexual abuse and offers a safe environment in which to grow and understand such personal topics.
Keep an eye out for her panel during SXSW 2010.

Web Framework Battle Royale

If the terms "Model View Controller" and "URL Mapping" are to you what "paper" and "plastic" are to the local grocery store bagger, then South by Southwest has a panel for you. If, on the other hand, "Content Management Systems" and "Caching" are as clear to you as the finer points of quantum physics, well, you might want to attend the panel anyway.

South by Southwest will feature "Web Framework Battle Royale," a discussion which promises to delight everyone - from the geekiest of programmers to those who think HTML is an extremely large shirt size. Leah Culver, a programmer with the social media-savvy company Six Apart, will head the panel.

Web frameworks, in the simplest of terms, are tools that assist in the construction of dynamic websites, enabling user input and interactivity. According to Culver, "most web frameworks don't interfere much with the design of the website. Mostly they are intended to make the request/response process easier by handling URL routing, form processing, templating etc." She also points out that although the title of the panel suggests a war between popular frameworks, "The competition aspect of the panel is really for fun. I don't think there is a clear "best" web framework. I think there may be a "best framework for the job" and I hope each audience member is able to determine for themselves which tool is best for their project based on the information presented."

As website interactivity and user-created content have developed into the gold standard of internet communication, the critical importance of tools such as web frameworks has become undeniable. Culver, relating the necessity of frameworks to the SxSW panel which she will head, says, "There's a point when starting a new website that you need to choose the tools for building that site. Maybe you go with the tools you already know or maybe you want to try out something new. The purpose of the panel is mainly to learn about a variety of web frameworks and expose some of their useful features," assuring that "Web Framework Battle Royale" will be a very informative and appropriate panel discussion.

Two SXSW Vets Come Back for More

This year’s South by South West conference will include two past panelists. Mr. Paul Boag, Creative Director of Headscape Web Design (http://headscape.co.uk/), will be speaking at the Pain Free Design panel. Mr. Reddington, Director of iShed and the Pervasive Media Studio (http://www.pmstudio.co.uk/), will be speaking at the Pervasive Games and Playful Experiences: Rendering the Real World panel. Below is the interview I had the privilege of having with the two Brits about the up coming conference.

Jesse: First off, what is it about the SXSW that caused you to accept another invitation? What made you come back for more?
Paul Boag: The honest answer is that I would be going to SXSW even if I wasn't speaking. If I speak I don't have the added cost of the ticket. The thing about SXSW is that it is where all those the web community gather. It’s a brilliant opportunity to learn new stuff but more importantly to spend time chatting with some of the best minds in the field. The hot weather is a bonus too when you come from the UK!

Clare Reddington: I have attended SXSW for the last two years, organizing funded delegations (that are funded by public money and UK companies apply for) from the South West of artists and digital media companies to give them an opportunity to research new business opportunities, view work, spot emerging digital trends. This year I decided to pitch a panel idea in as a way to get added profile within the Festival.

Jesse: Some in my class, including myself, will be attending the conference and creating a site around our experiences there. Can you give us a taste of what you'll be discussing?
Paul Boag: A lot of what I will be talking about comes from this presentation... http://boagworld.com/news/educating-clients-to-say-yes


Clare Reddington: Working for Watershed, a leading arts and media centre in the UK, over the last five years I have collaborated with many of the UK’s leading producers of pervasive games, located performance and interactive narrative. Last year I led the delegation of UK [creatives] sic who brought The Hat Game to SXSWi (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7943382.stm)

Whilst pervasive gaming has featured in previous SXSW [programmes] sic, we believe it is time for a more textured discussion around the social, cultural and economic possibilities of this incredibly exciting new form.

Jesse: Ms. Reddington, why do you think there aren’t more women in the gaming industry?
Am afraid I am not really qualified to speak on this, but I guess its currently a self fulfilling prophecy, women don't see themselves represented at the highest levels of the gaming industry so are not inspired to make a career in it. See http://www.skillset.org/skillset/press/releases/article_6286_1.asp

Jesse: Mr. Boag, how do you feel about net neutrality?
Like anybody who works regularly with the web I believe passionately that it should be accessible to all and should not be limited or censored in anyway. That said, many of the most successful companies on the web (Youtube, Facebook, Google) contribute little to the upkeep of the network. Over the long term this issue will need addressing.

Thank you both for your time and I look forward to seeing your panels this spring.

Rob Gonda of Sapient (a digital, advertising, interactivity and consulting firm) thinks that in the future, your refrigerator might be able to tweet that your’e running out of milk and butter. He aims to imagine the entire internet as a focus group in his SXSW panel “Real-time everything: the Era of Communication Ubiquity.” He’ll tackle issues of real time, focus groups, IPv6, user-generated content and the possibilities for the future through real-time tools.

So what is IPv6? IPv6 is the next-generation Internet Protocol version designated as the successor to IPv4. IPv4 was the first implementation in the Internet and still used today. It is an Internet Layer protocol for packet-switched internetworks.

Gonda will open up dialogue about the possibilities of the constant analysis of real-time information sharing, visualizing trends, comparing brands and making predictions with this information over time. What he’s really getting at here, is the possibility to monitor all this real-time communication to avoid using samples to represent populations - he conceptualizes analyzing the entire population instead of making generalizations about what we know from focus groups and control groups (aka samples). The implications of this idea are powerful.

Gonda posted this funny video on his blog about the death of Twitter, and the emergence of Flutter, a (fake/humorous) nano-blogging site. The eyeglasses are a great idea........ :)

Does he really believe Twitter is dying? No way. “In late 2008, Forrester Research estimated that Twitter had 4 to 5 million users,” Gonda said. “A Compete.com blog entry in February of 2009 ranks Twitter as the third largest social network behind Facebook and MySpace, and reporter it had roughly 6 million users and 55 million monthly visitors.”

Check out his blog at RobGonda.com or Takemetoyourleader.com (The later has tons of interesting information about trends in marketing, consumer behaviors, technology and social media.

I Don't Trust You One Stinking Bit (Chris Brogan, New Marketing Labs)

In a panel called "I Don't Trust You One Stinking Bit," Chris Brogan, president of New Marketing Labs will discuss the importance of what gives people confidence on the web and how his company can help any business create a company that users will love.

Chris Brogan is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller for his new book Trust Agents. Chris has been using social media and technology for years now to help companies, businesses and organizations build reliable online relationships with their users. Brogan's blog has been in the top 10 of the Advertising Age Power150 and the top 100 on Technorati, making him known as a leader in social media. Brogan also consults with fortune 1000 companies on their social media strategies. New Marketing Labs was created by Brogan to help companies revamp their business by integrating social media into their marketing strategies.

For this panel several questions will be discussed concerning on-line confidence and what businesses could do to ensure their users feel safe. Questions such as "Why do we trust people online? and What makes us trust companies?" Followed by questions such as "What are the consequences of misplaced trust?" "Why trust can be easier to develop on the web than off," "What is social proof?" and finally "What makes a user want to embrace and spread your message?" Brogan is most excited to talk about his new book Trust Agents. The book talks about how to build attention, reputation, and trust in this age of uncertainty. Brogan thinks that SXSW will be the very best crowd to talk about the issues in his book in a bigger way. "I'm always happy to speak to groups of smart people. My company thrives in the social software space, so this is my people," Brogan said.

From all the comments made on the panel picker it seems that people are extremely excited to hear Brogan speak. He speaks all over the United States, so this panel is sure to be interesting. When asked what he loved most about his job he replied,"It's my chance to really share with the world an execution experience instead of just my ideas. I blog about my ideas. This is my chance to do something with those ideas in the real world."

SXSW 2010 Preview: The Brain as a Computer Interface

In a panel conversation called Is The Brain The Ultimate Computer Interface?, contributing editor for Scientific American and freelance science writer Christie Nicholson will address trends that sound outlandishly futuristic but actually aren't far from becoming a reality.

Accepted in the first round of selections for SXSW 2010, this panel will tackle such questions as “How close are we to enhancing humans with an ability to control machines?” and “What are the positive medical outcomes of controlling machines/materials with our thoughts?” By discussing the kinds of developments that have already occurred – such as scientists’ ability to create a functioning artificial hippocampus in rats (essentially making it possible to create memories related to motor skills) – we can better prepare for what the future may hold.

Like many of us, Nicholson finds the possibilities of “brain-hacking” to be “amazing and scary,” but points out the specific positive effects these technologies may have in the medical realm. Recent innovations (as recently outlined by 60 Minutes) “are providing hope for paralyzed people to communicate, walk and function in ways never thought possible.” Individuals suffering from memory and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s stand to benefit from further research in this area as well, as do those with Parkinson’s and even depression. According to Nicholson, “medical uses provide a powerful argument for harnessing” these technologies.

Power demands responsibility, of course, so Nicholson will also discuss ethical and social considerations during her presentation. Nicholson believes that, eventually, “a board comprised of leaders from different industries” should be assembled to establish ethical guidelines, but for now, “the first thing we need to do is understand what technologies exist and function today and who is funding what research.”

We are only beginning to understand how our brains work and how we may apply technology as a means of control and improvement, making panels like “Is The Brain The Ultimate Computer Interface” (and SXSW in general) not only informative, but essential.

Entertainment biz attorney: ‘Don’t get sued!’

It’s a nightmare scenario: a young entrepreneur or artist sets up a Website to distribute the product of her years of hard work in the arts scene, only to find out she doesn’t have the rights to that work.

Attorney Robert Strent, a partner at Grubman, Indursky & Shire, PC will host a panel at South By Southwest called “Don’t Get Sued! A Guide for Content Creators” that will give creators guidelines for staying out of legal hot water and hanging on to their intellectual property.

Strent is an entertainment and media lawyer who represents clients in all aspects of the industry—writers, directors, actors, Websites, brands and authors. His clients range from start-ups to large media companies, and emerging artists to A-list talent.

Retaining the rights to an artist’s work often involves having sound legal documents drafted before an artist “makes it big.”

“Basically, it is critical that content creators be able to demonstrate that they own, control or otherwise have the right to exploit their content in the media in which it is currently being exploited and in the media in which the entrepreneur may want to exploit it in the future,” Strent said. “In order to determine what documents you need, you have to look at how the content was created and what elements are embodied in the content.”

Content creators can incorporate other artist’s work into their own—provided they have a legally-binding agreement with the owner of that intellectual property. The panel will discuss the documents relating to work done by a third party, including writing agreements, agreements relating to the creation of designs and logos, acting agreements and individual appearance releases.


The panel will also explore other avenues of acquiring the rights to third-party work, such as employing fair use exceptions in copyright law and using material that is in the public domain.

Strent said he looks forward to the chance to head a SXSW panel because of the festival’s multimedia focus and the youth and dynamism of the arts scene in Austin. He encourages young artists to establish solid legal ground for their content before they make it big and legal matters become more complicated.

Other panelists will include Koethi Zan, senior vice president of business and legal affairs at MTV, Luke Paglia, associate general counsel at American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. and Joshua Sussman, vice president and general counsel for programming at IAC/InterActiveCorp.

Writing Web Content For A Living

Tiffani Jones owns Second and Park (http://secondandpark.com), a web writing business, and a SXSW panel, titled “Writing Web Content For A Living.” She focuses on copywriting and content strategy. Before starting Second and Park, Tiffani was a community/marketing specialist and project manager at Blue Flavor, and attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. She started to write the website a couple years ago, when she was working at a design agency. This agency needed someone who writes copy. She always wanted to be a writer, so she loved to do it. Because of that, she took some classes related to writing. She said through these classes, she grew from there.

Second and Park is her web writing and content strategy business. She started Second and Park as a practical way of exercising her entrepreneurial side because there is a great need for good web writing out there. For her business, she said “web copy is writing that makes peoples’ websites easier to use and navigate, more fun to read, and more compelling.” The writing also could involve taglines, product descriptions, and interaction on the page.

Even though many people focus on design and new technology, when people surf the web, they are looking for content, most of which is written. Therefore, good web copy helps businesses and organizations communicate who they are and what they do in a way that makes people want to stick around. In addition, good web copy makes a website easier to use and navigate.

To become a web writer, she said the most important things are knowledge of basic design, user experience principles, and the basics of good copywriting. She also mentioned that how to write for the web is different and grammar fundamentals are a good place to start. Finally, she gave some advice for new web writers; “Write a lot of web copy! Start reading about it (A List Apart is helpful.), and familiarize yourself with the best web copywriters out there- I took one at the school of visual concepts in Seattle. Once you have the basic principals down pat, start practicing. Rewrite copy for free, and see how it feels and if you like it. There are also classes out there which can be very helpful.”

The Digital Divide

The digital divide is not simply about the “haves” verus the “have nots,” or, those who own a computer versus those who don’t. According to Jessamyn West, the organizer of the panel, How The Other Half Lives - Touring The Digital Divide, it’s not merely about access to the technology, it has become a necessity to know how to adequately use it as well. She believes that, in America today, literacy isn’t just about being able to read, write, and numerate; one must also be able to operate a computer, or, be “tech literate.”

She came up with the idea for the panel after attending SXSW previously and noticing attendees and panelists discussing how everyone is “totally plugged in and networked and how great that is.” West says, “I wanted to make the digerati aware that there are still people in America who are not online, who don't get what all the fuss is and who may be using their websites or interacting with their technology, but don’t really know what they’re doing. We have to create genuine options for them as well.”

West notes that, “many jobs, even non-tech jobs require you to apply online.” She also points out that the government, at the national and local level, likes to “communicate and exchange information online.” She cites as an example, Hurricane Katrina. “In post-Katrina New Orleans when FEMA was requiring people to fill out requests for assistance, they could do so either online or via the phone. You can guess how easy it was to get through on the phone lines,” said West.

West points out that, while we have made some gains in closing the technology access gap, there is still more that needs to be done to train people how better to use the technology. “People oversimplified by saying ‘poor people don't have computers, let's give them computers,’ then we realized this was only part of the battle.”

Ms. West, a librarian in Turnbridge, Vermont, says that libraries are one place people, who may not otherwise have an opportunity, can get the chance to learn how to use a computer. “Public libraries are in some way filling this void and this is where my interest in this topic really started. I do a lot of direct tech instruction and education where I live in rural Vermont,” she said. And, it’s not just in rural communities, she notes that, “librarians in New York city face similar but different challenges with urban users who often have cell phones but no computers.”

She vows that her presentation, “will be a punchy, fact-based look at what the real challenges are facing people on the other side of the digital divide now that we're past the ‘people don't have computers’ stage and into the ‘people have no connectivity’ stage and facing the ‘people don't know what to do with the internet once they've got it’ stage.”