Garrick van Buren – Page 161 – About time. And product. And being more deliberate.

Ze Frank vs. RocketBoom – What Counts?

It’s great that Andrew got on my TiVo, great that he’s on phones, getting the traditional media comfortable with alternative distribution methods. Andrew deserves our thanks for going down this road (it’s not one that sounds like fun to me).

To his credit, I can’t tell the difference between RocketBoom and the news from local affiliates. So, it must be working. But, I don’t want smaller, shorter television, I want 3 minutes of interestingness.

What’s it matter if RB has 10x the audience if Ze’s fans buy him bling duckies and dress up their vacuum cleaners?

“Should we even care about eyeballs? I don’t. I care about my audience, but my show ends on March 17th, 2007 whether I have one eyeball or a million. Given the current state of web metrics, talking about eyeballs seems to create more risk than value anyway…..In the absence of sane metrics, we’re already repeating the mistakes that turned television into what it is today.” – Ze Frank

And later:

“[Ze] Frank says that Baronâ€™s numbers are inflated and make it difficult for he and other video bloggers to sell advertisements with much lower numbers to offer. …. Ze Frank and many other video podcasters ought to be able to make a living doing what they are doing.” – Marshall Kirkpatrick

Uhhhhh, Mr. Kirkpatrick, there are many other ways to make a living than advertising. Sure, none of them are fashionable, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

There are two problems with metrics:

Measuring the right thing is hard – and different for everyone
What gets measured gets attention – whether or not it’s the right thing

Studio 60 – Best Show on Television

Sure, I’ve probably said this about ever Aaron Sorkin production…save West Wing (it just didn’t click with me). The writing in all his programs is superb, the characters – real, the situations – idealized without being unrealistic, drama without cheese or melodarama. Life.

Though, if history is any indication – Studio 60 won’t be on for much longer. Perhaps that’s one of the benefits – the need to savor each one because there aren’t that many.

Like really good, imported Belgian chocolate.

Related: Rex feels the same way

RE: What this Website Looks Like

Ben has some recommendations for wordpress publishers using the Hemingway theme (like I am of this writing).

While I agree with some of his suggestions – the undercurrent of the entire discussion is that visual presentation doesn’t really matter – let alone main pages.

Search engines shouldn’t index the main page of a blog (cause it changes lots) – only the links off it, so the likelihood of someone coming by the home page via a search engine should be low – Google et. al should be pointing to the category archive or permalinks.

Secondly, there’s a thing called RSS that delivers the web without a visual presentation. I read all my favorite and not so favorite websites through RSS (including Ben’s) – so I rarely see a what it looks like.

Between you and me, I’m a big fan of just trying on new themes. I’m doing this right now at the First Crack podcast and Working Pathways. When I find a few moments here and there, I’ll tweak the standard to more my liking or find an entire theme closer and repeat.

No, I’m not entirely happy with Hemingway – for some of the reasons Ben states. Yes, I’ve got some changes in the works – when will you see them…..maybe never. Especially if you’re reading this through the RSS feed.

First Crack 89. Unincorporated #2 – The High Point

A short story about rural junior high basketball players passing time between games.

Listen to Unincorporated #2 – The High Point [12 min]

UPDATE: I just got an email claiming responsibility for inventing High Point. Made me smile.

NBC – Nothing But Crap

“NBC’s decision to stop putting quality, scripted shows on in the 8 o’clock hour is the pathetic and cynical act of a loser.” – Jeff Jarvis

Not that I know what any TV broadcaster has on at 8 o’clock anymore anyway – even TiVo is having a hard time keeping track.

TiVo Being Funny

I’ve mentioned before how desperate our TiVo is to recommend its paltry selection of over the air broadcast to us. The other day, I saw Jen delete a bunch of Hogan’s Heros from TiVo’s recommendations.

Uh. I kinda wanted to….oh, forget it.

Then tonight, going through the Now Playing, 3 of the Scrubs recordings were in fact – Hogan’s Heros.

Ha.

TiVo really wants us to watch Hogan’s Heros and is masking it as Scrubs. Funny.

Or maybe, like the recent Amazing Race problems – the broadcaster is just screwing with the schedules.

I like the former option better.

First Crack 88. Unincorporated

A short story about a private stash in a small rural community.

Listen to Unincorporated [12 min]

First Crack 87. Again

I talk about the best TSA airport check point experience ever, review Keyspan’s cordless USB Skype phone, and say good bye to my grandma.

Listen to Again [14 min]

Military Coupe? Let’s Go Shopping

After being in Thailand for only a few days I was shocked to read that I had 15 new messages. “Are you okay?” was the common headline. I was eating yogurt with bananas and felt quite fine. I was puzzled by the sudden dramatic concern for my well being. – Brenda

Tina Fey Had the Best Job in New York

TiVo grabbed the premiere of 30 Rock for us. Comparing it against Studio 60 is like comparing the past 15 years of Saturday Night Live against anything funny.

Tin Fey’s work on Weekend Update was a small glimmer of hope in Lorne Michael’s otherwise deserted, stale series. Like the paper the next morning, the only thing going for Saturday Night Live these days is its comfortableness. While I assumed 30 Rock would bring out a new enthusiasm and funny from the recent SNL alum – it was more like all the cut skits too awful to record.

At least Studio 60 has Alan Sorkin’s writing team – even if it’s more West Wing-y when I’d prefer it to be more SportsNight-y.