Learning zapping again

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Zapping, channel surfing, channel hopping or whatever you would like to call it; I am learning it again.

There are about 90 video and audio podcasts in my subscription list in iTunes. They range from "This week in Startups" to "Dance department" and "Boagworld" to the excellent "TED Talks".

It is different from Regular Old TV (ROT) because I have conciously chosen each subscription as opposed to channels whose content I don't control. The amount of annoying advertisements is very low. There are Ads but they are better targeted to me and they can easily be skipped.

But with 90 subscriptions there is still too much to see or listen to. I can't consume it all. That's why I have been developing new habbits:

  • Audio podcasts (talk, not music) are played back at double speed.
  • If a podcast contains content that I've already heard: skip.
  • If a podcast contains content that I may be interested in some time in the future: skip. (Except the TED talks.)
  • If I have skipped several episodes of a podcast in a row: unsubscribe.
  • For current affairs and news podcasts, if they're older than a few days: skip

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Mammut video edited with iMovie '09

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Here is a video I shot and edited for the Mammut testevent 2009:


In iMovie '09 you can sync edit points with beats of the music. You have to add the beats yourself. I did this by 'tapping' (the 'm' key) along with the beat while playing back the music. Unfortunately, if you don't 'tap' slightly before a beat, it actually gets placed slightly after the beat. There is a bit of a delay. In this video it is not too noticeable. (Of course now you've read this you do notice it ;-)
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Why I am a TEDster: Content, Community, Cause

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Three main reasons why I am a TEDster (a member of the TED community) are:

  • Content
  • Community
  • Cause
Content
Even though the content of the conference eventually makes its way online the live experience is much better. Experiencing them together with others really enhances the experience. There is a big feeling of excitement and community during the conference and you can immediately have discussions about what is presented including with the speakers themselves.

Community
TEDsters are a great bunch of people to connect with. During the conference you can dive into a deep conversation with any other attendee or speaker without hesitation. "In real life" I find that I first have to gauge if the other person is interested, willing and able to dive into a deep discussion.
Great connections can be made. Socially, but sometimes for business as well of course. I've connected several TEDsters to other people in my network for various mutual benefits.

Cause
I've been looking for bigger causes to contribute to than local volunteering and ad-hoc contributions to organizations like the Red Cross. It can be difficult to find a charitable organization that you can identify with and that you can trust. TED, owned by the Sapling foundation, is such an organization for me.
The TED Prize, the TED Fellows program and the TED Talks online are examples of how TED supports good causes. A portion of the membership fees get directed to these causes and TEDsters are encouraged to help out in other ways if they can.
This year (2009) I've started to translate TED talks, pledged to mentor (a) TED Fellow(s), pledged to spread the message about SETI and helped a bit with the Charter for Compassion by doing a translation. Especially for the Charter for Compassion I hope to find more opportunities to contribute (as an atheist) and I'm always on the lookout for more.

(You don't have to be a conference attendee to help if you would like.)

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Another great speech about Music and the Future of New Media on IT Conversations

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Here is a nuanced analysis on the current state of Music and New Media by Jeremy Silver, CEO of Sibelius software.

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3839.html


First paragraph of the introduction from the IT Conversations site:
"The general perception is that the music industry is in flames. But music is such an extraordinary experience that it has power to carry on regardless of what happens in the industry. Jeremy Silver discusses the fertile and dynamic world of digital music on the internet which is a scary place for an industry trying to make money. Silver advocates for the success of the music industry as an important contributor to the economy and to the preservation of musicians in society. But no one knows the direction to take the industry for growth."
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