SemelMedia

The Decomplicator

2010-03-04T22:40:37Z

Wouldn't it be nice if someone explained to us in simple, engaging language terms that the news folks take for granted?

Decomplicators from mrsemel on Vimeo.

The 5Ws

2010-03-04T22:37:59Z

Could a quiz format be a way to keep TV viewers interested in current (and old) news stories?

The 5Ws from mrsemel on Vimeo.

No Right Answer

2010-03-04T22:32:49Z

I'm always interested in finding fun new ways to comment on the week's news. Here's an off-off-off Broadway tryout of one such concept:

No Right Answer from mrsemel on Vimeo.

Shameless Plug VI

2010-02-08T22:35:13Z

Looking for a few laughs on a Thursday night? My colleague Ken Olshansky and I are producing a show at the 92nd Street Y in Tribeca on Thursday, February 18, from 7:00-8:00PM. Billed as "New York's first live news comedy game show," the event comes out of the The News Distillery, the news comedy blog Ken and I have been working on with New York cartoonist and master puzzle maker Robert Leighton. The show is hosted by the Sundance Channel's Faith Salie and features on panel VH1 and "Chappelle's Show" writer Brian Donovan, "Daily Show" producer Gideon Evans, and McSweeney's financial advice columnist Alison Rosen. Here's a link to all the info. Best of all there's a bar, if that helps get you out on a cold winter night.

Radio of the Future

2009-06-17T01:14:51Z

Ever wonder what the radio station of tomorrow will sound (or look) like? Edison Research's Tom Webster has a notion, based on - of all things - a new browser release.

Shameless Plug V

2009-05-15T14:36:11Z

What is literacy these days? It used to be that being able to read and write made one literate. But since the advent of electronic media that's been redefined. For a contemporary examination of literacy in the digital age, follow The Literacy Post, the latest offering from writer and educator Colleen Carroll.

For Space Enthusiasts Everywhere

2009-05-15T14:24:06Z

Given the ease with which video can be added to websites, many organizations are following the original model of cable television in appealing to ever-narrow but quantifiable audiences. One such example is SpaceFlight Now, which is aimed at the worldwide space enthusiast community. Always a one-stop source for all news about space, it's particularly valuable during Space Shuttle and other NASA missions.

On Aircraft Icing

2009-02-14T18:01:04Z

As usual, Miles O'Brien has a thoughtful, thorough, and informative explanation of aircraft icing in the aftermath of the crash of Continental flight 3407 just before landing in Buffalo, NY.

Shameless Plug IV

2009-01-17T14:51:10Z

Abbeville Press recently released the long-awaited "little sibling" to their award-winning "How Artists See" children's book series by author Colleen Carroll. The "How Artists See Jr." series of board books introduces art to the toddler and pre-school set. Like the original series, each volume examines a common topic in art. The four subjects - Dogs, Trains, Horses, and Babies - are universal favorites of pre- and early readers.

Is The Internet Outdated?

2007-10-02T11:54:13Z

Recent exponential growth in broadband video, social networking tools, and IP telephony have relied on the ability of the Internet to support such huge data traffic. Now early Internet pioneers are pointing out that the web of webs was never designed to support such bandwidth. Luckily, being pioneers, they're hard at work on the next generation of technical underpinnings for the web. Read about it here (.pdf file).

Ephemeral Networking

2007-09-19T18:22:01Z

One under-reported (in my opinion) aspect of broadband video has been how the internet enables ad-hoc networks to spring up around time- or location-specific events. An entire channel devoted to G8 summit coverage is exactly the sort of promise (from a programming perspective) internet video is meant to fulfill and is a fantastic way for a micro-broadcaster to excel where the traditional networks and even cable news organizations fall short.

Internet TV Grows Up?

2007-09-11T01:32:44Z

For a thoughtful post on the professionalization of internet video, see Laurie Sullivan's NewTeeVee article.

Exploring The US Army's Web Strategy

2007-09-11T01:27:29Z

For an inside look into how the United States Army develops and implements its internet strategy, watch this interview from blogger and Forrester Researcher Jeremiah Owyang.

Movies and TV Intersect (and Shameless Plug III)

2007-09-10T20:55:38Z

Time was you could tell movies from TV shows. Movies had big budgets, big effects, and big stars, whereas TV focused on smaller stories and ongoing character development. But in recent years TV has caught up, at least in the realm of narrative ambition and production values, as evidenced by shows like Lost, Smallville, Battlestar Galactica, and the CSI franchise. For the latest evidence, check out NBC's big breakout hit, Heroes, and the work of the Emmy-nominated director who shaped it and other recent feature-caliber TV series like Revelations and American Dreams.

Who Pays To Use Our Skies?

2007-08-23T16:12:48Z

An important debate is going on in Congress concerning how the Federal Aviation Administration should be funded. Basically the arguments center around whether Congress should retain the existing system, which provides funds from excise taxes and from the general revenue fund, or move to an entirely new system of user fees. Though the outcome will greatly affect all users of our nation's skyways, it's also a glimpse into how funding debates concerning other federal agencies and industries might play out and how interested parties make their case using all available media. For an admittedly biased but comprehensive view of the issues involved, see this summary.