roundtable: Re: Is the problem content production or access to carriage?

roundtable: Re: Is the problem content production or access to carriage?

Re: Is the problem content production or access to carriage?

B. Parker Lindner (mediamat@u.washington.edu)
Wed, 30 Mar 1994 17:31:34 -0800 (PST) 

Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 17:31:34 -0800 (PST)
From: "B. Parker Lindner" <mediamat@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Is the problem content production or access to carriage?
To: roundtable@cni.org
In-Reply-To: <Pine.3.85.9403282249.A18710-0100000@idi.net>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.89.9403301730.A12748-0100000@carson.u.washington.edu>

Regarding the dabate on 'high quality content' in creating digital/video 
information, it must be noted that the real cost of production is not in 
production hardware, but in human resources.  Because of the predominantly 
commercial applications of television, the public generally gives 
credibility only to well-produced media productions.  This brings the 
issue of media and visual literacy into the discussion.  So far, computer 
types have mistaken digital moving images for video production.  They are 
not the same.


On Tue, 29 Mar 1994, Samuel A. Simon wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 28 Mar 1994, Michael Chui wrote:
> > 
> >      While it's certainly true that non-profits are usually struggling
> > to raise funds, could you say more about why you believe the production
> > of high-quality content is likely to be a greater problem than obtaining
> > access to carriage?  From a technical and economic standpoint, it seems
> > to me that the means of producing high quality content have been become
> > increasingly available with advances in digital technology - witness
> > low-cost "Rodney KingCamcorders," digital audio/video editing equipment
> > like Video Toasters and morphing software, $500 gigabyte disk drives,
> > free WorldWideWeb editing/server software, etc.  However, there appears
> > to be real business incentive for carriers to develop "vertical 
> > monopolies" from content production to delivery, denying access to 
> > potential information providers.  It is pretty much technically and 
> > economically feasible for a non-profit to build a "basement video 
> > server," but no bidirectional point-to-point digital network exists to 
> > deliver the service.  I agree that non-profit funding is an important 
> > problem, but vis-a-vis the digital media, it seems like the more 
> > pressing public policy issue might be access to carriage, rather than 
> > funding content production (ignoring, for the moment, the previously 
> > discussed difficulties in prioritizing content for funding).
> > 
> > Michael Chui
> > mchui@cs.indiana.edu
> 
> 
>   Michael,
> 
> 
>    I understand about the more ready availability of production equipment 
> and the like.  But I have experience now in two occassions, one in cable 
> and the other in low-power television.  We have had "the outlet", but the 
> cost of  producing signficant proramming over time had nothing to do with 
> the availabity of cheap camcorders. Indeed, the need is for production 
> quality euipment, but it wasn't the equipment cost that was/is the 
> problem. It is the absence of the money needed to produce the 
> programming/material at a level and on a scale that would gain audiences 
> in a market with multiple traditional outlets.  Even "sliver casting" 
> didn't work, because we don't ahve the resoures to go to the level of 
> porduction...not just quality of the video, but teh qualityof the program 
> content itself. 
> 
>    While I undersand the idea of opening up a street corner for anyone to 
> go make a speech (or put up a digital program), I think the need/goal is 
> bigger.  It is to produce material on a consistent basis that is 
> read/seen/used, and to do that requires a lot of money.  With that money, 
> if there is a strong program/service/idea then the outlet will be there 
> in all likelihood. 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Samuel A. Simon
> IDI (Issue Dynamics Inc)	|   Internet:	ssimon@idi.net
> 901 15th St. NW Suite 230
> Washington, DC 20005
> (202)408-1400 (v/tdd)
> (202)408-1134 (fax)
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