The Spectrum Sage: 2013

4/22/13

Final Grades

Final Grades have been posted in Blackboard.

4/9/13

Two Nets Hint at leaving Airwaves

Here's the Arereo backlash that is making news recently.

A Hit is a Hit

Study guide for Sopranos episode we watch next time.

4/8/13

AM DJ Links

WDIA - Memphis: Rufus Thomas, B.B. King
WHBQ - Memphis: Dewey Phillips
WLAC - Nashville: John R., Hoss Allen, Gene Nobles
WJW - Cleveland: Alan Freed (and WINS - New York)

Zero TV

Read about how (mostly Millennials) are skipping cable, satellite, and over-the-airwaves TV. And here is one more about the same. And one more.

4/2/13

Aereo wins ruling vs. TV broadcasters

We have followed this new company all semester. Here is an update.

Another form of payola (other than straight cash payment) was giving a big-name DJ a "writing credit" for helping to expose a song. Read about Alan Freed's 'credit' for the Chuck Berry song, Maybellene.
The music biz is a sleazy biz.

You should know the history of these four radio stations:
KDKA, WLW, WLS, WGN

4/1/13

Copyright Ruling

Read about recent Supreme Court decision on copyright and make sure you connect 1984 Betamax videotape decision.

FCC moves cordless mic spectrum

This isn't exactly an electronic mass media story, but it's a story about spectrum space.

3/22/13

Assignment 6

On Tuesday, please come to class prepared with some knowledge of HD radio...what it is, how it works, advantages for listeners/clients. And do some research on what type of music a listener will hear on Hot AC format.

3/19/13

Using Video Game Devices to access Content

Read about more people turning to video game consoles to stream content and play discs.

Nielsen Media Research

Link to Nielsen Media Research. Wiki entry for Nielsen ratings system. Sample diary.

3/11/13

Weather Company

Read about how the former Weather Channel is adapting to audience using mobile platforms.

3/5/13

Fox plans rival to ESPN

Read about Fox creating a new sports TV network.

3/4/13

Broadcast Network beater

Read about the great numbers AMC's 'Walking Dead' is posting.

2/28/13

Assignments

Just a note about assignments. I am no longer accepting late assignments. Please have them ready for me in a printed form either before or at the noon deadline for the rest of the semester. I'll be glad to review emailed submissions and give suggestions before assignments are due.

Analyzing pixels

This research is not exactly mass media. But it is interesting how scientists are now studying changes in individual pixels to detect subtle changes captured on video. [Watch the video, too]

Internet edges TV broadcast network news

More evidence about the erosion of TV broadcast network news viewing.

'Angry Birds' cartoon launching next month

As you know, this app is quite a phenomenon - from merchandising to now cartoon. Read about it.

2/26/13

Oscar Broadcast Rivals Super Bowl as Showcase for Ads

I'm a little late with this one, but you can read about Oscar's impact on advertising.

NBC Prime Time Lands in the Cellar

Have any prime-time programming ideas for NBC? They'll take 'em! Read about the poor ratings at this broadcast net.

Nielsen Adds Web-Linked TVs

Read about how measuring audience is becoming more and more complicated.

2/21/13

More Cowbell

Saturday Night Live is a good example of how most television programs were produced in the 1950s. Live television is not easy. The movie, My Favorite Year, is Hollywood's take on producing a TV show during the 1950s. Sid Caesar is a real pioneer of live variety shows. SNL owes much to him. Here is a movie parody from Your Show of Shows. (Part one of two...watch part two, too.) Oh, and here is the cowbell sketch.

F.C.C. Moves to Ease Wireless Congestion

Another story about spectrum space. Make sure you understand the difference between "unlicensed use" and "licensed use."

Nanotubes Seen as Alternative

Read about how Nanotubes will likely be an alternative when silicon chips hit their limits.

2/19/13

Cookies

A great clip submitted by Kevin.

A Network and Its Modern, Manly Goals

Read about the re-branding of a cable network in April.

2/18/13

Transparent Transistors, Printed On Paper

This is pretty technical, but matches our study of vacuum tubes, transistors, integrated circuits, and microprocessors. Note that some of this is being discovered at Purdue.

2/14/13

Men more gabby than women on cell phones

Read these interesting findings, and make sure you know what "m-commerce" is.

Quiz 2

Suffice it to say, Quiz 2 scores were brutal. I will re-administer the same quiz first-thing at noon on Tuesday. Try to find some time over the weekend to look-up answers to concepts you found confusing.

2/13/13

Comcast

Read recent news about Comcast buying out GE.

Silicon Valley

Please watch this film. A great story of science and engineering.

2/7/13

Communications Tower Climbers

Watch the 'ups and downs' of professional tower climbers.

2/5/13

Not a record breaker!

Turns out that Sunday's game was not a record breaker. Nielsen says 108.41 million people watched the Baltimore Ravens 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, failing to match the 111 million viewers last year and in 2010.

But 108.41 million isn’t awful — it’s the third most-viewed program in television history, behind Super Bowl XLVI (111.3 million) and Super Bowl XLV (111.0 million), CBS says. Here is the story. Here is a graphic for perspective.