2006: A Year in Media Trend Watching

2006 was the year user-generated viral video content became a trendsetter for pop culture.

It’s an On Demand digital world and we’re living in it with gusto. This “crazy” year was about small audiences creating massive buzz.

All year long, the Jointblog has been tracking and watching media trends as they happened. What did we see?

Among the top themes:

Radio was everywhere but not on your typical device. Old radio, new radio…it created a lot of pondering and overall listening. Yet radio seemed to grow tired of being so public (or serving Wall Street demands).

Howard Stern’s move to Sirius drove millions to search for him online once he disappeared from traditional radio, messing up morning radio listening habits. He pimped on Letterman while getting finger wagged by CBS Radio, Rolling Stone and analysts.

Stern’s first traditional radio replacement sucked, creating car wreck radio. Former outcasts replaced the replacement.

Air America said it was “business as usual“. It wasn’t.

The White House also said they were making progress in Iraq. 3,000 U.S. soldiers and 158 journalists covering the war might disagree…if they could. But they can’t…since they’re dead.

The World Wide Web turned 15…but the net’s neutrality was endangered as Congress debated it.

The definition of TV permanently changed. User-generated content was often better to watch. So was Lazy Sunday on YouTube.

Not all viral videos worked…just ask Chevy about their Tahoe effort.

Yes, YouTube became America’s favorite water cooler place online to watch Zidane’s World Cup head butt, the Hoff’s latest music video or Michael J. Fox’s political message.

This got Google’s attention…so they bought YouTube.

Of course, Faith Hill probably didn’t like YouTube’s honesty. And Michael Richards wished cellphones didn’t have cameras while Britney wished she remembered her panties.

“Truthiness“: Word of the Year plus A Vote For Word of the Decade as fake news was the buzz. Update your dictionaries.

In a related ColbertNation story, Stephen Colbert made George Bush frown.

Bill Clinton gave FoxNews a few choice words, helping turn election momentum and reminding Democrats how to get it done in front of a camera.

A tipping point was reached with “The Long Tail“.

Women drove social networking website growth due to their Internet preference to form communities (men just like the experience — watch porn). Meanwhile, MySpace became more than just a teen hangout; Baby Boomers liked it, too. Or they just formed their own version.

You don’t piss off Oprah.

But you do idolize American Idol.

Google went on a buying spree, aiming to Googlize old media advertising. And search marketing remained a hot media trend all year.

Big Media was scared as it kept losing control.

Ringtone sales were off the hook.

Scarlett Johansson made HDTV look real good on The Tonight Show while Borat gave high fives everywhere.

The world’s top brand name — Apple — made some great TV ads and was the key starting the viral video engine…while, at the same time iTunes reaching its one billionth download (Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound”) (now at 2 billion and still growing strong, contrary to false reports elsewhere). On-going Apple success spurred mainstream media attempts at podcasting.

But so can you.

Snarky humor was the rule if you wanted a blog hit. However, 50% of blogs die within 3 months. Still, the blogosphere doubles in size every 6 months.

MTV turned 25. How’d they celebrate? By firing one of its founders.

Traditional radio tried to ward off iPod (more popular than beer, by the way) and Internet radio users with HD Radio…with very slow results and few listeners. At the same time, radio did try to fight back against the FCC’s indecency movement.

Google denied the government’s request for search data…while AOL got in trouble for accidently releasing user’s search data.

Identify fraud rose…while hypocrites like Mark Foley and other got caught as teens put themselves at risk online.

Product placement advertising made a serious move online as strong content mattered. Meanwhile, old media complained online search engines steal content.

Radio still couldn’t find consensus for electronic people-metered ratings. Cellphone, Apollo Project, Arbitron or Other? Or ever?

Oh, a Desperate Housewife was visible from space, thanks to Google Earth.

The Jointblog’s #1 article drawing in readers from organic search results? “Katie Couric’s legs are apparently searchable and newsworthy“…and they were, even if she didn’t like it. At least she broke a glass ceiling anchoring the CBS evening news.

You are the Person of the Year. Keep the net neutral.

Goodbye 2006, it was nuckin’ futs. Hello 2 double oh 7.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

What is Net Neutrality? A Battle for Content Control

Net neutrality to save the Internet remains a hot political and media trend watching topic. Right now, the web remains “neutral”…open to all who choose to access it, allowing content to be freely and naturally distributed — uncensored, without corporate influence controlling what you see, search or find. Natural organic search results are based on search engine algorithms measuring content authority value matching keyword terms.

Time magazine (and other mainstream publications) says 2006 was the first time user-generated media trumped mainstream traditional media in this week’s “You are the Person of the Year” issue.

Big Media Owners, though, are vigorously trying to figure out better ways to capitalize the Internet, as paid search, banner ads, subscriptions and general advertising models can produce only so much potential revenue.

For the past couple of years, some global media pipelines (cable companies, phone companies, broadband providers, etc.) have been pushing Congress to change the Internet’s “net neutrality” laws. Big Media hopes to create a “tier” system — creating a basic access level and a premium access level.

This would mean some Internet content potentially could be no longer part of the Internet’s “public domain”. Depending on how much you pay might determine how much access to the Internet you have. This has many social and ethical ramifications.

If allowed and enacted by Congress (which tabled the issue last summer), an Internet no longer neutral could also dramatically impact the entire concept of this Web 2.0 user-generated content era. It’s a battle of control between Media Owners and Media Users…the most-important on-going media trend to watch in the New Entertainment Ecomony.

With issues like copyright infringement, illegal download file sharing and Hollywood gossip blogger Perez Hilton, has any industry ever encountered a set of strategic choices more fraught than the ones the media business confronts today?

Despite the challenges, keeping the net neutral is essential.

This YouTube video shows how you can Save The Internet and keep it “net neutral“.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

You are the Person of the Year

Pat yourself on the back. You are the Person of the Year. At least that’s what Time Magazine says.

And isn’t it about time? Yes, it’s confirmed. Congratulations, you are fabulous. Even you slackers in the basement.

Okay, now go post another viral video.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

More Adventures in Contextual Advertising

Sometimes the human element does matter. First there is this:

Here’s another example of automated new media contextual advertising that could use a little sensitivity training, as first spotted by Gawker:

Mmmm, makes you want to run for that all-you-can-eat E-coli lettuce…

Over 250 sick after eating at Indiana Olive Garden (Yahoo)

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Radio Needs To Target Teens Now

What do teens want? Radio could be something they wanted…if radio actually targeted them.

The Future of Music Coalition says “radio’s wrecked…but it can be repaired”. Radio better get a-fixing quick.

In reality, teens still listen to the radio; it’s just not on the same old receiver. To teens, radio’s online, it’s on their computer, it’s on their iPod or phone. The very definition of “radio” has evolved for teens. Radio just hasn’t evolved with teens.

In the ten years since the 1996 Telecom Bill changed the radio industry, radio aggressively went for the ratings gold, reshaping itself into the most “advertising-friendly” medium it could be for 25-54 year old adults.

“Unfriendly” ratings demos (e.g. teens) were avoided, which meant radio mainly stopped providing teen-centric programming and formats.

This naturally created a demand vacuum, which quickly got filled by the Internet and the iPod.

Radio has to put teens back into its targets again and begin building relationships for the future. It’s the only way radio will find growth.

Retargeting teens was the main theme delivered this week at ratings publisher Arbitron’s annual state of the industry gathering in D.C. CEO Steve Morris said:

“There are few bold and innovative ideas for the young audience…, on reaching the 12 – 17 age group. Champion kids programming and audience measurement for this audience. Get them before them become iPod-addicted.”

“(Radio is), at a minimum, in the audio entertainment business,” he said. “Try new stuff for young listeners. Be thinking in terms of what it means to be in that broader entertainment market. Find new vehicles for audio entertainment.”

“Radio is moving too slowly, and the difference between us and other media is widening, not narrowing,” he said. “Radio could be the most accountable medium but this vision has not become reality, and I think it is a lost opportunity.”

One-fifth of the current U.S. population is 12-24. Radio future must attract today’s teens now.

To read more of his comments, click here.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Opie and Anthony’s new XM commercial is really viral video

Radio morning nutjobs Opie and Anthony (CBS Radio’s Free FM as well as XM Radio) have a new ad campaign, just released this morning. It’s not for their CBS Radio show…it’s for what they do on their XM Radio show on The Virus 202. The commercial really is a commercial/viral video combination, complete with the embedding code just like YouTube. A viral video ad (an entertaining virus?). Wonder if it will make it to TV…Umm, probably not.

Rather, they want the O&A pests to post and promote it. That’s very smart.

Will CBS Radio make an O&A web ad, too?

Here it is:

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

What Happened in 2006? JibJab Knows…

Nuckin’ Futs! The JibJab Year in Review | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Update: "Official" Definition of "Truthiness" (how to get yours)

The Colbert Report noticed “Truthiness” was just named Merriam-Webster’s 2006 Word of the Year. And yet, when Stephen Colbert ran to his nearby bookstore to purchase the newest edition of the dictionary to see his invented word to bask in his glory, he noticed his word…wasn’t in there.

So just where was the truthiness? Were the wordinistas at Webster’s just being truthy?

And just where is this Merriam anyway?

Colbert kindly looked past the slight and made available at ColbertNation.com a download for Websters’s readers to print up and then paste into their dictionary, substituting the old page.

To make truthiness fit, something’s gotta go.

Sorry “try”..bye bye.

It’s this kind of interactivity with a show’s audience — merging old and new media together — which defines truthiness…(and also serves as a line-blurring model for what will eventually turn into Web 3.0).

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Radio has reduced spot time more than 25% in the past 2 years…now it needs to improve its pricing rates

The voice is a powerful influencer. The right voice can sell anything. When an audio ad is broadcast on the radio, it can reach millions instantly on the right stations. No other medium compares.

However, the competitive challenge from new media threats and post-consolidation bloat has caused the radio industry a major case of the “blahs.”

As ZenithMedia reported last week, Online advertising is poised to grow 7 times (28%) the rate of overall ad market (4%).

However, last month, radio got an early Christmas gift report to help offset the ZenithMedia predictions. Now radio needs to convert the news into positive industry results through stronger ad rates.

Mediaweek reported that commercial time on radio stations is now averaging less than 10 minutes per hour, lower than the average number of commercial minutes per hour (12 to 14) on television (according to a study by Empower MediaMarketing, which analyzed Nielsen Monitor-Plus data in 15 of the nation’s top markets).

This is good news for radio…just 2 years ago radio averaged more than 12 minutes of commercials per hour and more than 14 minutes per hour in the top 10 markets.

Radio now needs to improve its spot pricing model…fewer commercials means more marketing impact due to reduced clutter, especially when compared to other big cume reach media platforms like TV (or newspapers). And Internet advertising media cume reach is so much smaller than what radio delivers every week (226 million in the U.S.).

Radio is undervaluing the value of its commercial time. It’s time to get confident again and show radio’s worth.

Brandweek/Empower reports:

Overall, radio now airs 9.42 minutes of commercials per hour, with Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles airing the most at 10.25 and 10.15, respectively. The three markets with the lowest number of average commercial minutes were Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., (8.43), Atlanta (8.83) and Philadelphia (8.84).

Clear Channel — which launched its “Less is More” initiative to cut total commercial time last year — averaged 7.99 minutes, 15% below the 15-market average.

The amount of commercial time varied by format. News/Talk and Sports formats devoted the most time to commercials at 11.91 minutes and 11.47 minutes, respectively. Country formats averaged 9.72 minutes per hour of commercials. Most other formats averaged just under 9 minutes per hour of commercial time with Classical and Religious having the lowest commercial spot loads at 6.81 and 7.78 respectively.

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy

Truthiness: And That’s The Word of 2006

2006 truly has been the year in truthiness. And now, dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster confirms it after conducted an online survey: “Truthiness” is the word of the year.

Truthiness godfather Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” get the credit for saying it first, back when he launched his nightly satirical fake news show in October 2005.

Not that the Colbert Nation did any ballot stuffing…that wouldn’t be very truthy, now would it?

What is truthiness? Says Colbert, “Truth that comes from the gut, not books.”

This year fake news found huge buzz. Our gutty hero Stephen has never been a supporter of the “word police”; he actually thinks the people at Mirriam-Webster are a bunch of “wordinistas”.

Nonetheless, Colbert apparently was pleased when he learned his word was Best of the Year:

According to press releases from the Associated Press (which even Fox News published on their site):

“Though I’m no fan of reference books and their fact-based agendas, I am a fan of anyone who chooses to honor me.”.

“And what an honor,” he said. “Truthiness now joins the lexicographical pantheon with words like ’squash,’ ‘merry,’ ‘crumpet,’ ‘the,’ ‘xylophone,’ ‘circuitous,’ ‘others’ and others.”

Well said, Stephen Colbert, well said. Truthiness…and that’s The Word.

Is it the word of the decade?

For the Top 10 words of 2006 according to online voting, click here (metrics2.com).

– All posts written by Chris Kennedy