by cameron | Sep 14, 2006 | Uncategorized
If you’re in Australia, pick up a copy of the Sept 7th edition of BRW in your local newsagent and read the cover story on Web2.0 on page 30. TPN gets a *very* small mention on page 33, along with fellow Aussie Web2.0 startups Atlassian, Omnidrive, Zapr, Remember The Milk, Touchstone, Gnoos, Bluepulse, Tangler and Tinfinger. Congrats to Ben Barren who actually got some copy! I smell the work of Mike Zimmerman from Technology Venture Partners in this story. He gets a bit of copy as well. Mike, if you are responsible for getting our brief mention, my thanks!
by cameron | Aug 28, 2006 | Uncategorized
Today I attended the PANPA (Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association) conference where I spoke on a panel with Mark Jones and Hugh Martin about blogging and podcasting.
The most surprising thing about the day was that most of the sessions I sat in had the same message from a variety of speakers: the media business is changing fast, hold on to your hats. For once I wasn’t the only guy pushing that barrow. It kind of threw me – what’s my value if I’m not the crazy futurist guy?
Still, I think I managed to ruffle some feathers during our panel, so my role is still safe for a while yet.
Here’s my raw notes from the day’s sessions.
Robert Whitehead, President, PANPA
State of the industry address:
"the future for newspapers is only
bleak if we fail to respond"
"media is diversiying at an
enormous rate and adveritisng spend
is fragmenting"
"failing to respond to disruptive
change… we no longer fear change"
newspaper media… reflects all the
things we do… competing for the
quick consumer fix for news updates
that used to be the mainstay of
radio… online sites focusing on
consumer participation…
Alexander Downer, Foreign Minister:
one of the good things about being
a politician and mixing with the
media is that you know you are
mixing with a profession that is
held in as low a regard as yours is
by the general population.
…blah blah blah "national
values"”…. blah blah blah
"national identity"…
it is sometimes claimed that no two
democracies have gone to war with
each other, i don’t know if its
true but it is almost true
re islamic values…
in the 1990s we heard a lot about
"asian values". we don’t hear much
about that any more. asia is an
increasing democratic place. with a
few very notable exceptions.
(Cameron aside: values values values… i always
worry when I hear pollies and
corporate execs talk about values.
What are ‘australian values’
exactly?)
making lots of complaints about the
quality and accuracy of the
reporting coming out of the middle
east… claiming that reports about
lebanese civilian deaths are
distorted by the media and that it
is suffering a credibility gap in
the minds of the populace.
Seems to think it is only the
government that can distort the
story to suit its needs.
rights and responsibilities…
every newspaper has the right to
publish the cartoons (danish
islamic cartoons) but they need to
think through the consequences.
main point –
the values that underpin the free
press also underpin our wider
foreign policy.
For all the negative reports that
have come out of australia over my
time, I think the Hanson is the
worst.
David Kirk, CEO, Fairfax:
changing its name… fairfax media
instead of john fairfax holdings…
its an important statement of where
the company if heading. how we
conceive of our company and our
mission in the 21st century. what
these mean in a world of
convergence driven by the internet.
online #1 news position in
australia and #2 in classifieds.
best known online service
stuff.co.nz. Websites 3.5million
uniques every month. Trademe has
1.6 million users.
32.8 million blogs as of last week.
Wikipedia stats…
world will take 100billion
photographs
amazon has 2.3 million books…
two laws:
media is always changing
audiences are always fragmenting
always been that way, but happening
faster
miles davis "if you arent nervous,
you arent paying attention"
history of our industry is always
about threat and adaptation
more people reading our content in
print and online than ever before
in our history
television more under threat
FTA TV in oz lost 11% of its
audience
paper audience is stable in total
readership
I spend the vast majority of my
time on these changes.
managing change…
having the right people with the
right skills in the right place at
the right time and resources to
deliver…
the strategy for fairfax
3 priorities
1. defend and grow the newspapers
2. build strong online businesses
3. become a genuinely integrated
digital media company
broadband a key factor for growth,
intend FF to be a key provider of
content over broadband.
robert cauthorn CEO CityTools:
cauthorn@citytools.com
the "we talk, you listen" model is
dying
Rebecca Huntley, Gen Y author:
brand disloyal
technology is a necessity in their
lives, not a luxury
value change and diversity
the mobile phone is the icon of
this generation, understand the
role it plays in their lives, its
far more than that, its a personal
accessory, entertainment, its all
invested in the phone, like a part
of their body, if they left it at
home its like someone cut their
hand off, *audience sniggered*,
not merely about being able to
download stuff off the net,
technology has changed this
generations attitude towards time
and space. The first generation to
see itself as truly global. Sharing
a global youth culture. Don’t see
it as American, just see it as
their culture. Don’t engage in
national politics. Don’t believe
the future of the world happens in
Canberra. More interested in global
events, international concerns,
truly active though at the local
level.
Gen Y are a reaction to Gen X.
Conventional approach to life, have
learned from Gen X not to leave
marriage and children too late.
Want to be self-employed so they
have more work/life balance.
Jim Chisholm, iMedia:
imediaadvisory.com
by 2015
between 25% – 70% of print will
have moved to online
all this content is free
interest in news media will have
dropped for a third
over 180 free dailies worldwide
20% of all circulation in Europe
are now from free titles
which of you would pay to watch the
news on TV every night? nobody put
up their hand. yet people pay for
the newspaper. why?
in many european countries, free
dailes are the #1 circulation
the "one version" newspaper idea is
dead – mercedes gives its cutomers
choice, why don’t newspapers?
Aus/NZ lead the world for internet
penetration in classified
advertising.
Steve James from Commercial Radio
Australia told them that radio
growth was going to be strong.
Whaaat??? ROFL!
by cameron | Aug 27, 2006 | Podcast
Check out our new sponsors! iTrainer.com.au and lastminute-auction.com
On my first Daily Video Edition I mentioned that Australian Philip Rhoades has recently received permission from the NSW Government to build his own cryonics facility, the first of its kind in Australia. Tonight on the show, Phil and I talk in depth about cryonics. If you’re an Aussie and you want to get more information about how to get suspended, check out the Cryonics Association of Australia.
Who wants to live forever????? Who wants to live forever???????? (Me.)
Stuff about this podcast you should know:
Opening Theme Song: “Save Me†by The Napoleon Blown Aparts, America’s baddest rock n’ roll band!
by cameron | Aug 26, 2006 | Melbourne, Podcast, Uncategorized
Last night (Friday, 25 August 2006) I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Melbourne premiere of Kevin Smith’s new film "Clerks II" followed by a three hour Q & A with Smith himself. The Astor Theatre was packed full of devoted fans who laughed their asses off throughout the entire film and then laughed perhaps even more during Smith’s talkfest. Smith introduced the film, walking up a steep flight of stairs and saying something about if he had fallen down them it would have been "more embarrassing than "Jersey Girl". Hehe.
First let’s talk about the film.
For those of you who haven’t seen it yet and who might be thinking "Meh, the last few Smith films didn’t quite hit the mark, I might give this one a miss", I say unto thee – GET YOURSELF TO THE CINEMA (opens in broad release across Australia on August 31st).
This film is a cock knocker.
The audience at the session last night – admittedly, Smith fans – laughed themselves silly and cheered at the end. This is one HELL of a sequel. Now – I’m a fan of Smith’s. Huge fan. Tried to get in contact with the guy so I could get a podcast interview with him while he was here but "his people" didn’t get back to me. Anyway… I’m a huge fan but I thought all of the films since Chasing Amy fell a bit flat. Not that I don’t give the guy massive kudos for doing what he does – hell, I’m not making films. Good luck to the fat bastard. But I just didn’t think the last few films were as good as Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy which are all, IMHO, classics. Clerks II is up there with them. It is tighter that a fish’s asshole. The laughs are non-stop and the requisite Smith themes of finding a purpose, hetero-male-on-male love, and modern relationships are all covered off in perfect style.
Dante and Randall are back and as funny and annoying as they were when we first met them 12 years ago. The Quick Stop has burned down (because Randall left the coffee pot on overnight again) and they are now working at a Moobys for manager Rosario Dawson, along with young Christian nerdy colleague Elias. Dante is engaged to a gorgeous blonde (played by Smith’s real life wife) but he has also found love with Becky (Rosario Dawson). During the film he needs to decide between leaving New Jersey (the movie takes place during his last 24 hours in NJ) to head out to Florida with his soon-to-be-bride to work for her father in a car wash or stay in NJ with manager Becky. Add to this mix Jay and Silent Bob, very short cameos from Jason Lee and Ben Affleck and Ethan Suplee (and a milk lady), a dance sequence, and you have a very entertaining film. As i said earlier, it’s got a million laughs that all worked.
Then we got to the Q & A with writer/director/editor/actor Smith which was scheduled to run for 90 minutes but instead ran for over three hours, past midnight, and only finished because the cinema kicked everyone out.
I’ve made a quick list of subjects Smith touched on (mostly prompted by questions from the audience) to give you an idea of the breadth of the evening:
pluto is no longer a planet which leads him to believe that a death star really does exist
getting sued by darth vader
the joel siegel story
superman returns, how much it sucked
how life changed since 94
yes, jen (his wife) is a milf
storyboard that had silent Bob dead pulled down from "train wreck" after an hour deliberately to get people talking
clerks animated movie Harrvey Weinstein wanted a theatrical version. "Clerks Sell Out", will probably come out on dvd. Smith yet to write script. Storyline – Randall & Dante make a film about being clerks.
A favourite moment – when Homer Simpon said "prove me wrong silent bob"
Another fav. moment, 1997, Ben Affleck goes to Thanksgiving dinner at Spielberg’s house, Lucas is there, Ben asks if he’s ever heard of "Clerks", Lucas replies "Yes, Death Star contractors, very funny".
How his sister feels about being cast as the animal masterbator in the original film
how does he feel about Affleck / Damon / Lee success
Mewes’ rehab to get off of heroin & crack addiction
Taking jay to meth clinic
AfflecK in same rehab, Jay says "check out this morose muthafucka"
Jay driving around with a deployed airbag really happened
Smith likes to LOWER expectations of his films to people treat him like a retarded Kid
How hard it was to get Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson to make the new film
Anderson runs a successful tile import business, never wanted to be an actor, has a love/hate relationship with the first movie, was just a customer at quick stop when Kevin was writing script
Keeps pitching tv show to HBO, gets accepted, but never makes it
37 episodes set in view askew universe
If first film hadn’t worked he would have Kept working at quick stop
Mewes had been doing the tuck thing for years, before Silence Of The Lambs
Duchovny was nearly in J&SBSB, wanted to play Cock knocker
big fan of rim job but Kevin Is a no for ass to mouth
big fan of Internet porn
spend ages describing Brazilian fart porn
Kevin’s brother gay married 12 years to a man
5 fav films:
jaws
jfk
do the right thing
a man for all seasons
last temptation of Christ
Clerks II already made $24 million from budget of $5
maybe in his 40s or 50s will make a Clerks III
likes to make up his own curse words
degrassi next gen going back to the well inspiration for Clerks II
advice to young film makers: write it and make it
"if a chimp like me can direct…"
next movie is a horror film, wants to cast no regulars just unknowns
jon peters rise to power
commercial failure of Jersey Girl didnt hurt his career, Gigli copped the blame for it
put him off big budgets for a while
prefers writing editing & q&a to directing
myspace addicted
loves friend approval, has 96000 friends
jay was on myspace a year and a half before Kevin. Jay gets laid from it.
MySpace brought in more people than view askew.
Shannon Doherty’s german attack dog
On directing his wife make out with other people – he likes to watch
she was sposed to play becKy but Weinstein wanted a name
if she was making out with affleck he might be worried but not o’halloran, women trade up but not trade over
backlash from prince – Smith walked out with the nda from Prince World in his pocket. The film he shot is being turned into a jehovahs witness recruitment film by Prince
Would he open a secret stash in Australia
The success of Clerks had a lot to do with timing. People felt over educated, under employed.Â
His fascination with Koala’s taking a poo
Will there be a sequel to Dogma?
His thoughts on the "brown coats"
hasnt seen firefly but mewes is a big fan
loves his fans to death
which is why this 90 minute Q&A now running over 3 hoursÂ
The story of Walt Flanagan’s dog – "Kill the baby brodie"
thought about buying the quick stop which was his fav Job outside of this one
rst video is shuttered
passion of the clerks original title people hated it
On getting slagged on entourage (cool with it)
because you edit your own films does the film change much from the original vision uses avid
how Mewes feels about smith putting his story out there, the story about mewes fucking Nicole Richie in a bathroom
The pussy troll scene inspired by Mewes who has fucked 300 chicks
harvey wanted him to show the troll in the film
