Americans like to believe that they are on the cutting edge of technology.
Sometime they are.
Sometimes they are not.
When it come to the VJ Revolution, they are pretty much playing catch-up with Europe.
Most European media companies long ago began the shift to video for their broadband sites and most of them have adapted the most cost-effective way of creating that content – and it’s not using full blown beta crews.
If you want to take a look at a great site for video, take a look at The Guardian’s stuff. In particular, let me direct you to Gary Younge’s work. Younge is a columnist for The Guardian, but is resident in the US. Think Alistair Cooke, and his ‘Letter from America’.
take a look here. (sorry, Guardian videos not embedable)#
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2008/jan/18/romney.carolina.younge
Gary won’t be joining us in Brussels next week, but here are some of the folks who will:
Confirmed speakers include:
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74 Comments
Nino February 25, 2008
Business Michael, business, you already did the reading and your VJ got nowhere really fast so don’t give me any more of your BS and stop hiding behind authors to buy yourself time because you can’t come up with any answer. You made statement of sure proven success now it’s show time, start talking.
Tell me how your theory of business can help someone like me. Show real applied examples.
I’ve been saying to you that your entire DNA congregations is nothing more that a group of self proclaimed television executive whose sole purpose is to encourage a bunch of people to do work on their own in hope that some of these executives will like it and buy it. So let’s start in your own backyard. How many videos were sold from your CitizenNews site and for how much each video was sold for? After all that’s what the purpose of your site was, wasn’t it? Remember that you called it the Ebay for VJs? That’s been going on for months now, such incredibly innovative concept should have a decent track record to back your claims of success. What about it?
rosenblumtv February 25, 2008
Ah Nino
You really disappoint me. For a moment there I really thought you might be open to learning something. These books are not about personal improvement, they are about television and technology.
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman is a semnial work in the television field. Postman was a professor at nyu film school for many many years and very highly respected worldwide. Why don’t you try and open your mind to something new. (You asked, after all). As I said, I will be more than happy to buy the books for you.
Nino February 25, 2008
Just as I thought Michael more and more BS. If I want personal enrichment I’ll start going to church on Sunday for sure it will not come from somebody like you. If you want to discuss about personal life enrichment I can run circles around you on that subject too. So stop your sidestepping BS, if you want to discuss something stick to business. You said that there are better ways to do it that what I’m doing so start talking. So let’s hear it Mr. Expert.
rosenblumtv February 25, 2008
Well, this is truly encouraging. Why don’t we start with the Postman book. It.s only about 120 pages and still in print. If you like, I am more than happy to buy you a copy and have it shipped to you.
Nino February 25, 2008
Cliff, maybe one day in your pea size brain of your you’ll understand that Michael’s main mission is to suck as much free time and work from photographer as he possibly can. His interest is not the well being of journalism and definitely not your well being, his only concern is his own well being and well as his clones with the same mission. Is not about your future is their future. My opposition to their methods is to preserve professionalism and to make sure that everybody gets a fair share of the business in order to afford to make a decent living. If you can’t understand all this then you deserve to be a chronic unemployed and get used to because with his system you’ll be working a lot for free.
Nino February 25, 2008
“Perhaps you think that in life you have nothing more to learn. That would be a tragic assumption on your part. If you decide you want to expand your mind a bit, just a little bit, you let me know and I will be more than happy to help out.”
I guess you already made the assumption that I’m at a dead end with my learning, re,member I’ve seen your work and the result of your teaching.
This should be interesting, why don’t you go ahead and detail how I could expand my mind?
Lenslinger February 24, 2008
Try again, Cliff. My local affiliate doesn’t share the political bent of our cable brethren. Were you at all fluent in modern day broadcasting, you’d know that.
Cliff Etzel February 24, 2008
I find it quite humorous that at least two of the nay-sayers who rant on working in some capacity for Faux News affiliates.
That issue alone refutes any amount of journalistic credibility as a rule.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Stewart, I am trying to open the link but all I am getting is the logo and the text on the Governor story. I assume I am missing something…
Lenslinger February 24, 2008
That’s funny!
http://www.myfoxwghp.com/myfox/
pencilgod February 24, 2008
You may have missed the boat on NZ Michael. A lot of the shows were the product of some very generous public funding loopholes that have since been closed. NZonAir would basically pay for a series, the production company would keep the IP and could then use the series overseas as a superior “pilot.â€
For example there was a show called Popstars that was made in NZ funded in part by NZonAir. It did ok so the creators said bye to NZonAir and sold it to Australia where it did even better. So they sold it to England where UK Popstars did very well was adapted to Pop Idol and the next thing you have is American Idol… so its our fault sorry world.
That no longer happens (or should no longer happen) as NZonAir now insist on holding part or all of the IP of a show it funds. Free ride over.
We still make a lot of TV for very little but that is mostly thanks to tighter production planning rather than poorer quality acquisition… sort of the opposite of the VJ system.
! February 24, 2008
lenny,
your station’s web channel, http://www.wghp.com , has the cleanest home screen going.
by a country mile!
Lenslinger February 24, 2008
Stewart”Lenslinger” Pittman
WGHP TV
Greensboro, N.C.
Ya’ll holla.
! February 24, 2008
i’m glad everyone here is using their real names so when things shake out in the real world we can see who was right and who wasn’t.
signed,
!
Lenslinger February 24, 2008
Cliff,
I suspect I’m one of those you refer to as The Detractors, as if we’re some as if we’re some moody synthesizer-heavy garage band. I’m cool with that. But it really infers a unity that isn’t there; please don’t confuse the many professional voices who post here with our most active and bellicose member, the ever present Nino.
I myself don’t have all the answers. Neither does Rosenblum, neither do you. Can we all stop pretending we know how this revolution’s going to end? I’m all for thoughtful discourse but this forum has reached the level of the pre-wrestling match promo, in which sweaty muscleheads in glittery spandex preen, threaten and work up new finishing moves as their masked oppponents bristle and flex. I can get that on cable.
Instead, I’d rather read Michael’s many predictions; screeds I consider both fanciful and spot-on. No matter how they may raise the hairs on the back of my neck, it’s always provocative reading. For my (lack of) money, Rosie’s about half right. The new media upheaval will shake loose much of the fat that’s gathered around broadcasting over the years. As one who’s run circles around this paradigm for nearly twenty years, I’m nothing but stoked about the rise of one-man-bands (sorry, Vee-Jays), the erosion of the show business’ approach to newsgathering and emergence of unthinkable new delivery platforms.
Will the medium sized market TV station I work for be at the forefront of this revolution? Not bloody likely, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’ll pay me to make damn good local TV, often all by my lonesome. I’m proud of my work and love where I live; perhaps when the kids are grown, I’ll take one of those newfangled multimedia jobs … I’ve already turned down a couple.
Meanwhile, I’ll keep following Rosenblum’s career, though I reserve the right to call bullshit whenever I have the energy. What I don’t have an appetite for is some-third rate supplicant of his screaming how he’s gonna bury me and my kind. Pull it back a notch or three, Cliff – perhaps we can get along. But I doubt it.
Cliff Etzel February 24, 2008
Why think for themselves when they believe they have all the answers…
It’s clearly evident that the detractors aren’t willing to see how the profession is changing – and yet those very changes are showing it can be done better by those willing to adapt to the changes.
A long time mentor of mine has a great analogy that can be applied to the vehement detractors.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Well Nino,
Now that you have learned how to earn a living, as you tell us so many times, perhaps you would care to expand your education and learn how to think as well. Perhaps you think that in life you have nothing more to learn. That would be a tragic assumption on your part. If you decide you want to expand your mind a bit, just a little bit, you let me know and I will be more than happy to help out.
Nino February 24, 2008
No Michael, nobody is planning to become poor, you and your clones of experts are creating poverty under the pretend that there’s a career waiting for those poor sucker stupid enough to believe; while your sole objective is to improve YOUR standard of living at the expense of these poor idiots.
You can quote all the books and all the history that you like and that’s nothing more that BS smokescreen to hide the fact that you and those “executives experts†are looking for a free selection of material so they don’t’ have to make decision about hiring crews to produce something that might turn out to be nothing and make themselves look like the incompetents that they really are, because if they were really smart they would not be in the predicament that they are now. Let all those poor idiots; how does Sechrist call them? “talents†go out and waste their time and money, then show us what they got and maybe we’ll buy it. Translated it means that “I’m so stupid that I can not make up my mind or figure what’s important so I let these suckers do the thinking for me at their own expenses so I get to keep more of the budget in my pocketâ€. And then let’s make ourselves look important by letting Rosenblum quote some classic literary work to give the illusion that we are intelligent.
“All this ‘BS’ of mine is about expanding your thinking beyond the mere task of eating and earning a livingâ€.
“Beyond the task of eating and living?†Are you for real? Is this your interpretation of living? Let me tell you something Mr. Living Expert, before you go beyond the task of eating and living you have to get there first. I can assure you that the collective average revenue of your VJs is not only below poverty level, it doesn’t even register as revenue, it doesn’t even qualify as poverty, poverty would be a success, and you and those cab drivers disguised as TV executives are making a bad situation even worse so you can satisfy your collective greed.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Dear Nino
I don’t think anyone is planning a ‘life of poverty’. (I certainly am not).
All this ‘BS’ of mine is about expanding your thinking beyond the mere task of eating and earning a living. Perhaps you might like to take a crack at it. If so, here are a few books you might want to start with. If you make the effort, I think you might find them quite interesting:
-Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
-The Worm and the Cheese – by Carlo Ginzburg
-The Alphabet vs. The Goddess by Leonard Shlain
-Discourse on the Introduction to the Encyclopedia of Diderot by D’Alembert.
These were all on the ‘required reading’ list for my course at NYU. Read them. Seriously. I will be more than happy to discuss with you.
Nino February 24, 2008
Michael, learn from you?
You better replace those rubber booths of yours with a full rubber suit because the brown stuff is piling up and you are gasping for air.
What has all this BS of yours has to do with work and careers? Look at your video again,
Careers means paychecks, means having skills that somebody, preferably an employer or clients can use and hire you day in and day out, means being able to pay for cars, buy a house, support a family, pay for colleges. In summarizing a career means revenue and revenue means quality of life.
Do you know the quote from George Santayana “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it?â€
Yes I know it, I also know the quote from Nino
“Unemployment is a repeatable disease”.
Quote from someone that thanks of the acquired skills and education has not collected one single day of unemployment benefits in his entire life and thanks to those skill he is enjoying a comfortable quality of life and was capable to raise and outstanding family, not the life of poverty planned by those DNA “experts”. Michael, show me any VJ that can say all this.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Dear Nino
What you continually fail to understand, no matter how many times I explain it to you, or how slowly for that matter, is that what you are looking at here is not teaching a few people to do what you do, only cheaper so they can get a few jobs.
What you are watching, what you are priviledged to watch, even if you are not capable of understanding it, is a quantum revolution in communications.
Just as the invention of the printing press suddenly opened the door to book writing to millions and millions of people, so too this digital revolution is opening the door to millions and millions of people to doing what you have been doing until now.
I am sure this is both very upsetting and very annoying at the same time.
How dare they presume???
well, yes, millions of people are picking up video gear and you know what, most of it is going to be junk. Good! Great in fact.
Millions of people pick up pencils and write. Most of that is junk too. Who cares?
Who cares that most of what aspiring novelists write is junk? Out of those millions grow a few true greats. Who cares that most of what is on Youtube is junk. We will soon start seeing the Shakespeares of video start to appear. Real authorship. Real passion. Real art.
No, you Nino are like the Medieval Monks who feverishly copied their hand made bibles and made such lovely letters. They knew ink and quill and how to really draw Cherubs.
Their day ended. They are museum pieces today.
Do you know the quote from George Santayana “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it?”
Watch… and learn.. if you can.
Nino February 24, 2008
Cliff Etzel // February 23, 2008 at 6:17 am
†…if you live a life as an employee and never take a risk, if you never make a mistake, you never really learn anything.
Well said Michael.â€
Cliff I’m sure that you are repeating what Michael probably said trying to defend his VJs flap sometime in the past. May I remind both of you that the only few bright spots that Michael has been able to come up with are VJ getting employed by somebody? Tim French actually got a job and that cause to create an entire thread just for that on this blog.
Would you two care to rephrase it so you don’t look so foolish?
Nino February 24, 2008
Michael, do you remember that only a few days ago you said this?
“We are getting close to DNA2008, our VJ oriented, digital news conference in Brussels, Belgiumâ€.
And this was my opinion:
Otherwise also know as:
“How to lower the quality of life of photographers by shifting most of their pay to management and ownersâ€
And of course you predictable response:
“I can always depend on you to make a snide comment based on little or no information or knowledge.”
Michael don’t you hate it when people can see right thru all you BS?
This is what Mike Sechrist, WKRN-TV general manager, one of our American representatives at DNA had to say:
“We are looking for people to go out there create and edit a story, post it on their blog and call us, if we like it we’ll buy it.”
Michael, and this is what you are referring to as a career in video?
Let me repeat myself Michael, in case any idiot thinking of becoming a VJ did not understood what I had to say:
The DNA Conference, otherwise also know as:
“How to lower the quality of life of photographers by shifting most of their pay to management and ownersâ€
Suddenly all you references and boasting about those free video sites like Youtube make sense, you guys are looking to pick from a mass of videos, everybody go out there and produce something so if you find something that you like you MIGHT buy it. Might as well post an ad in homeless shelters because that’s where all these VJs careers will end up.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Dear Stephen
Well, I gotta tell you that I was very impressed with the sheer volume of NZ production. For such a small country, much like England, it generates far more than its share. It’s a market I will start paying much more attention to in the future. Thanks for the tip.
pencilgod February 24, 2008
Sure go visit http://app.touchdowntv.com/TDPortal/Default.aspx?tabId=1&pageId=1&portalId=5
They are responsible for more TV good and bad… mostly bad than you would imagine.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
You’re kidding.
Well, I suppose anything is possible. Do you have more info and specifics?
pencilgod February 24, 2008
Just got back from a weekend away with my family, nice not to work for a bit anyway I saw Michael claiming a list of shows were developed in Europe but aside from the Office were all first done in New Zealand. I worked on many of the pilots over here. Not that some of them were much to crow about but hey I just shoot them.
Nino February 24, 2008
Cliff Etzel // February 23, 2008 at 6:17 am
” …if you live a life as an employee and never take a risk, if you never make a mistake, you never really learn anything.
Well said Michael.”
Cliff, do you know that they make these moisturized flushable wipes that can take the brown stuff right off your nose? I use them to remove the same brown stuff from a different part of my body. They also come with Aloha lotion and considering the frequency that you might need it they’ll keep your nose nice and soft and ready for your next round of asskissing.
Nino February 24, 2008
Cliff in his infinite wisdom wrote:
“None of the detractors do – They’re unwilling to be forward thinking”
OK Cliff, let look how far the VJ forward thinking got you.
After almost one year that I’ve been reading your BS and all the incredible opportunities of being a VJ, your resume consists of the phrase “Call me” meaning that you don’t have a single thing to write not you can show that you worked a day in your life.
You biggest accomplishment was to be accepted to attend a seminar 15 years ago.
You have one single client that you did two videos for and your portfolio consist of a total four video clips including two as a self assignments.
And this is what you call “forward thinking” forward where, to the unemployment line? Can you understand of why we don’t take this VJ crap seriously, we are all afraid to end up like you.
Nino February 24, 2008
“The ‘crews’ would have been fired a long time ago in the cutbacks, and they would have less coverage then they have now. You don’t get it do you? Not at all.”
No, we really don’t get it Michael, now it turned out that it was a mission of mercy, a rescue? I wish I had the time to retrieve all your posts 3 years ago of you crowing and boasting about a station in a major market making the change to the way of the future, your VJs. It wasn’t a rescue back then.
Let me tell you one thing, VJs could work with proper training and with the right individuals, just like the one man band have been working well for the last four decades, the problem is that you have no clue of how to produce anything and the result shows, those poor guys are paying the price for your shortage of knowledge while with their money in your pockets you take trips around the world.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Whatever you say pal 🙂
$ February 24, 2008
Your accountants are too busy transfering records from one failed start up after another.
rosenblumtv February 24, 2008
Dear fox employee,
I think my accountants will be more than happy to tell you that I know how to run a successful business, but thanks for your insight anyway.
Cliff Etzel February 24, 2008
None of the detractors do – They’re unwilling to be forward thinking – instead they opt for having a backwards, arcane mentality about how video is created.
I get a good laugh anymore reading the nay-sayers heated responses. I think this quote says it best and I believe is appropriate to the detractors on this site:
$ February 24, 2008
What a joke! Now Rosenblum wants to claim VJs somehow SAVED KRON?
Talk about clueless when it comes to running a successful business!!!!!!!
rosenblumtv February 23, 2008
Do you think KRON is a secret?
In fact, no one would be working at KRON at all were it not for the VJ model. The ‘crews’ would have been fired a long time ago in the cutbacks, and they would have less coverage then they have now. You don’t get it do you? Not at all.
Nino February 23, 2008
“In any event, I will be sure to pass on to all the execs here in Brussels that in Nino’s opinion, they are all wasting their time.”
I have to go to work now but I’ll get back to you later on this one because you touched a big one about the European executive mentality. For now why don’t you bring up the story about this hot shot consultant (I believe is the keynote speaker there) that went to this unnamed San Francisco TV station with this exceptional VJ idea that would turn it into the envy of the broadcasting industry, and what the results were 3 years later, maybe that collection of European’s brains need some reality check and open their minds and ears to other opinions, I bet that San Francisco station wish they had.
BTW, is any KRON executives there too?
rosenblumtv February 23, 2008
Geez Nino
7:52 AM in Tampa on a Saturday morning, and you are already at work on my blog. If you didn’t exist, I would have to invent you. What a worker you are! (I wish my staff could learn from your example).
So, if anyone is ‘sidestepping’ the issue, it is you, sorry to say. You, after all, are the one who said, and here I quote from you “I can guarantee that their programming stinks”. Maybe you wish to amend that to say, “I guarantee that the European VJ driven programming stinks”, but then you would have to be watching A LOT of European programming, which I don’t think you are. I bet you watch RAI, which I agree, does stink, but Ironically, I don’t work with them.
In any event, I will be sure to pass on to all the execs here in Brussels that in Nino’s opinion, they are all wasting their time.
I am sure they will all pack up and go home after that.
Why didn’t we all see the light from the Oracle in Tampa before?
Nino February 23, 2008
“hmm, well I guess that The Office, Trading Spaces, Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, Nanny 911, among many others, all of which started here and were imported to the US…”
No Michael, the conversation was always about VJ but you as normally sidestepped the issue by bringing up something that had nothing to do with the subject, I should be used to by now because that’s your trademark when you want to avoid an issue. You can try to impress people by dropping big names (your opinion list) but the fact remains that the VJ work produced in Europe is considerably inferior of the average work produced here in the US and at the end all the meetings and do all the talking will not change a thing, the bottom line will always remain that if the public doesn’t like what they see and don’t watch and you don’t have a product, that’s why you don’t see any VJ work on network television here in the US. In the end all that matter is the public accepting or rejecting bad work, and that’s no executive decision of bunch of people gathering at meetings, that’s viewer’s decision.
Cliff Etzel February 23, 2008
Well said Michael.
rosenblumtv February 23, 2008
Dear Weaver
Nice job.
I can see why it led the broadcast.
If you shot it, cut it and produced it you should have entered it for the award. Next year you should.
rosenblumtv February 23, 2008
Dear Nino
“I get and pay extra $20 a month for two channel from Europe, mainly for keeping up with the languages, and I can guarantee you first hand that their programs stinks. Ask any viewers how many programs from Europe they watch”
I think you said that.
Their programs stink.
I am pretty sure you said that.
I don’t think you were talking about the VJ work. I am pretty sure you were talking about European programs.
It turns out a lot of people are watching them – just US versions done later.
hmmm
Weaver February 22, 2008
OK, so how is that a VJ piece?
The talent (used loosely) is there on camera the whole time and unless that camera was floating around on air I’m assuming a photog was there too.
Come on!
There’s a time and a place for one man shoots…I did this one….
http://www.myfoxwghp.com/myfox/MyFox/pages/sidebar_video.jsp?contentId=5778903&version=1&locale=EN-US
….last week and it led our 5 o’clock newscast which is ODD for our anchorpacks (as we call them when the anchors voice our work after we shoot and write it).
This day, this story met the criteria for this story to lead off the news….and it looks good later on the web too.
Nino February 22, 2008
“The Office, Supernanny, Dancing With The Stars, The Weakest Link, Trading Spaces, Survivor, All In The Family, Sanford and Son.. I could go on and on and on… I am actually a bit surprised you don’t know this”.
I am too, I apology and take back what I previously said, I didn’t know that VJs were doing all this in Europe.
rosenblumtv February 22, 2008
actually nino, i never threw a temper tantrum and to this day I make a point of never raising my voice. My old man was in the army and a screamer. It makes you look at life in a different way.
As for the viewers, you might be surprised to learn that many of the most popular shows on US TV, and I don’t mean PBS, are European imports. They are just redone for Americans, but most of the most interesting concepts actually start in Europe, then wind up in the US later. Just for starters (and by no means a full list in any way): The Office, Supernanny, Dancing With The Stars, The Weakest Link, Trading Spaces, Survivor, All In The Family, Sanford and Son.. I could go on and on and on… I am actually a bit surprised you don’t know this.
Most major TV series kind of get ‘test marketed’ in Europe. If it works there, US networks feel ‘safer’ retreading them for the US market.
As for the US rejecting the VJ concept, this is really not the case. We are having very good traction at newspapers and magazines (stand by for a major announcement, as we are just signing the contracts). As for local stations, while the pure VJ model is some time away, as you already know, there are more and more VJs percolating into local stations one by one.
I would suppose you are watching RAI, which I understand is not so good. As my Italian is not so good either, I have difficulty following it. Having lived in Milan for some time, I did see RAI, and, I think, due to Berlesconi, it is certainly no BBC. But ironically, I have never worked with RAI.
Nino February 22, 2008
You forgot Irish whiskey. Man you got a gift about side step dancing, we are talking about television. I’m talking about viewers rejecting your concept and you bring up EPCOT. How come you always keep avoiding the importance of the viewers issue, like they really don’t matter to you. My entire post was dedicated to serving the viewers and went right over your head. Should you they all go to EPCOT instead of watching TV because you said so?
I get and pay extra $20 a month for two channel from Europe, mainly for keeping up with the languages, and I can guarantee you first hand that their programs stinks. Ask any viewers how many programs from Europe they watch, or tell me how many programs from Europe done by European VJs are regularly on TV here in the US. And please don’t mention those British humor comedy on PBS, they work well as a cure for insomnia.
The fact still remains that the US rejected your entire VJ concept, and those few who tried are having difficulties staying in business, that should tell you something, and now you are basically telling them that they are not on the cutting edge because they went against your wishes. I bet you threw a lot of tantrums when you were a kid.
rosenblumtv February 22, 2008
Frankly, I do look back fondly on my DV DOJO days. I learned a lot from my mistakes there. The Travel Channel Academy is the result.
Of course, if you live a life as an employee and never take a risk, if you never make a mistake, you never really learn anything. So I guess the first lesson (if you have any kind of risk profile) is that you are going to fail as well as succeed, and that is no crime. If you never fail at anything, you have never learned how far you can go. Of course, there are those who would rather live a ‘safe’ life. To me, a bit boring.
$ February 22, 2008
Rosenblum makes the mistake so many others do.
He thinks all the world thinks alike and then is surprised when, once again, he is wrong.
It’s become an impossible habit for him to quit.
All one has to do is look back fondly on his DV Dojo days.
Same song. Same fate.
rosenblumtv February 22, 2008
Ah Nino
I am neither sore…
nor am I a loser.
I guess its kind of hard for you to argue with the reality of all the european media companies who are doing this, so I suppose its only because europe has such ‘low’ standards.
‘The American viewing public sure don’t give a damn about what’s going on across the pond.’
(sez you).
hmm, well I guess that The Office, Trading Spaces, Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, Nanny 911, among many others, all of which started here and were imported to the US… hmm, no. I guess its just those remarkably low standards over here. Did you know that Survivor actually began in Sweden? It was started by Strix TV, which is owned by TV3, which is a VJ Network! (oops!). You know, for a European, you have a pretty, what shall I say, American perspective on things here.#
This is not surprising, The last time I went to EPCOT (which is near you), I was astonished to see the ‘European’ streets. They looked like something out of Disneyland (hey, it IS Disneyland). The ‘Paris’ had baguettes, and guys with berets and cafe tables with red and white checked cloths. It was Paris, but kind of 1959 Paris. The Italian part was similar, but they had spaghetti instead of baguettes. Hard for Americans to recognize that Milan and Paris and Berlin are on the cutting edge of technology, architecture and fashion ( I guess until you start to talk about Prada clothes or driving a Porsche or a BMW). (How did THAT happen? What about Detroit???)
No, Americans like to believe that Europe is still kind of this backwater where (as you write, ‘European standards are considerably lower than US standards, hence your success).
Oh yes, much lower over here.
Is that why the Euro (which was launced at .87 closed yesterday at $1.42?) Hmmm. Ever hear of Leica? (German) Ever hear of Hasselblad (Sweden). Ever hear of Kodak?
hmmm….
Nino February 22, 2008
You know Michael, I’ve seen sore losers in my life but you take the cake. Now you are down on the American viewing public for having good taste and rejecting your crap. Keep in mind that Young executive were not responsible for the demise of KRON, neither were those VJ, the viewer saw it, did not like it and expressed their displeasure by switching channel taking the advertisers and their dollars along with them. Not a very complicated formula. The public doesn’t care if a program was produced by one person or a dozen, crap is crap and if they don’t like it they switch to something better, you just can’t shove your crappy work down their throat and tell them that they must like it, the viewers have a canny way to decide themselves what’s good or not, executive who do not listen to the viewing public end up like KRON. Viewer’s biggest concern is their cable rates going up almost monthly but they put up with it because there are programs that they like to watch. What you are basically telling them is that in order for the TV bosses to make more money we’ll give you lousy programs and hoping that they will not notice it, but they did that’s why VJ in this country is history. Who cares about what’s going on in Europe, you are the only one because you found an audience, the American viewing public sure don’t give damn what’s going on across the pond. Did you look at those promo videos that you just displayed here, one worse then the other, show those to even the lowest demanding client here in the US and you better make sure that McDonald is hiring. I told you before and demonstrated to you, European’s standards are considerably lower that US standards, hence your success in Europe.
If you like it so much there let me tell you how you can save even more money, one way ticket.