Gameiac Maniac

 

One of a presidential chief of staff’s greatest challenges is deciding what is important for the president to know.

“Presidents, like everybody else, want to know everything,” said Andrew Card, former White House chief of staff for George W. Bush from 2000-2006.  “It’s the chief of staff’s job to make sure that the president has what he needs — but not everything he wants — and that he focuses on real presidential decisions, rather than just government decisions.”

Card, who joined Steve Scully, the political editor for the C-SPAN networks, and participating students from George Mason University, Purdue University and the University of Denver for a live video conference on Apr. 7, provided a window into a chief of staff’s daily life.

“I would try to be at my desk at 5:30 in the morning,” Card said.  “The first document that I would read would be the President’s Daily Brief, the PDB.  That would be information and analysis that came from the CIA.  Then I would read economic and domestic news.”

Card also kept constant tabs on the whereabouts of the first and second families using a little locator box on his desk.  Days were not limited to eight-hour shifts.

“You don’t do real work while the sun is shining,” said Card.  “You do the work in the middle of the night.  It wasn’t unusual for me to get a call from the speaker to come to the House at two, three or four o’clock in the morning.”

The president’s job is an even more demanding one.

“The president had to face unprecedented challenges,” Card said.  “I watched President George W. Bush lead with presidential courage.  He had the courage to make very, very tough decisions.”

Card shared some insights into the Bush administration:

• At first, everyone thought a plane flying into one of the World Trade Center towers was “a horrible accident.”
• The realization that America was under attack by terrorists caused Bush to focus “on the unique and unbelievably lonely responsibility he had to preserve, protect and defend.”
• The “Mission Accomplished” banner on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln celebrated the successful completion of a mission by the carrier, its leadership and its crew.  The banner “was never meant to be part of the overall messaging of the president’s speech.  If you read the president’s speech, he never said that he accomplished the mission of the battles in Iraq.”
• Bush did not have a victory celebration after either of his elections.
• In his second term, Bush wanted to reform Social Security and immigration.

In an apparent swipe at Obama, Card said Bush did not allow politics to drive his decision-making.

“Presidents have to be love magnets when they seek office, but they have to have the courage to be lonely while they serve,” said Card.  “Some presidents don’t know how to do both of those inconsistent things at the same time.”

Card hammered the point home further.

“Being smart includes recognizing the world as it is, rather than what you want it to be,”  Card said.  “It’s very difficult to deal with the world as it is.”

To illustrate, Card enumerated various crises, other than 9/11, during the Bush administration:

• A U.S. submarine hit a Japanese trawler off the coast of Hawaii, causing an international incident.
• A Chinese plane forced an American plane down, causing tensions with China.
• Sen. Jim Jeffords switched political parties, causing the Republicans to lose control of the Senate and making it harder to get support for tax cuts.
• Karzai, the first democratically elected leader in Afghanistan, did not turn out to be the leader everyone hoped he would be.  Corruption is still a big problem there.

Professor Steve Klein asked, “How much don’t we know and never learn of ?”

Card confessed that what he misses the most is the information he was privy to, even though it was “frightening, the enemy is real and challenging to thwart.”

Produced by C-SPAN, the distance learning course is a unique opportunity for students to interview guests via video conference.  It airs on Friday at 5 p.m. and also streams online (http://www.c-span.org/Distance_Learning/).

In her recent article on Mashable.com, Sarah Kessler explains “How a Government Shutdown Could Affect Tech.”  

• IPO Filings Put on Hold — Securities and Exchange Commission wouldn’t process any company filings
• Government Web Sites Go Dark — only essential sites necessary for operation will remain open (ex.: IRS site for filing taxes)
• Telemarketers and Spammers Celebrate — Do Not Call Registry and Spam Database won’t be available to law enforcement
• Employees Go Without Paycheck — government employees; people working for private companies on government contracts, including Google (cloud-based services) and Microsoft (Office suite services)
• Government BlackBerrys Switched Off — unessential employees would turn in BlackBerrys or be banned from using them; essential employees permitted to keep checking essential emails

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mashable.com features a new article by Lauren Drell titled “How To: Improve Engagement on Your Brand’s Facebook Page.”  The advice comes from a new study of 200 large, well-established brands by Buddy Media. 

Advice for large brands: 

• Be Timely

             – Posting time/day of week depends on when brand peaks on Internet 

             – Patterns and trends unique to particular industries 

• Be Concise

             – Content should be 80 characters or less (27 percent more engagement) 

             – URL should be full-length so readers know where link will take them 

• Ask for Engagement

             – Simple instructions more effective getting a “Like” 

             – Put question at end of post (15 percent more engagement) 

             – Don’t ask invasive “why” questions, ask “what” 

Advice for Smaller Brands: 

• Balance data from study with what you know based on Facebook Insights and personal experience with your Page
• Social marketing space constantly evolving; statistics can change in months
• Your Facebook marketing program must be flexible

 

     In 1976 Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded a small company named Apple Computer.  For its first 35 years, Apple was the underdog to its rival Microsoft.  In his article on Mashable.com, “35 Years & $317 Billion Later, Apple Intends To Dominate a Post-PC World,” Ben Parr shares some little-known facts about Apple, “now the most valuable computer company in the world:”

• Apple’s market capitalization exceeds $317 billion, $100 billion more than Microsoft;
• Wayne, one of the co-founders, got cold feet and sold his 10% stake in less than two weeks;
• 1985 — CEO John Sculley forced Jobs out of the company; and
• 1997 — Jobs was brought back when Apple “was on the brink of destruction.”

     Apple’s golden years followed with wildly successful products such as the iPod, iMac, MacBook, iPhone and the iPad. 

     So, what’s in store for Apple in the next 35 years?  Parr believes Apple will dominate a post-PC “world of mobile devices … for decades to come” by competing “on design and user experience”  instead of hardware specs.

     Someday Jobs will leave some big shoes to fill.  Parr wonders “whether anybody can provide the design and product vision” Jobs brought to the company in his “quest to redefine technology.”

     There’s a fun new article on Mashable.com titled “OMG, the Oxford English Dictionary Added New Words! We ‘Heart” It! LOL!”  So, OMG, maybe the dictionary’s editor is just a Valley Girl at ‘heart,’ you know?

     OMG and LOL, along with FYI, are all, according to the OED, “initialisms associated with the language of electronic communications.”  It’s interesting to note that the first use of OMG dates back to a 1917 letter and in 1960 LOL meant “little old lady.”  Official recognition for a word seems to be as slow as the beatification process.  Who knew?

     A symbol for the verb “love,” the heart sign “may be the first English usage to develop via the medium of T-shirts and bumper stickers.”  In the future, we should brace ourselves for a flood of new entries based on the new social media.

     There are many other new entries you can check out for yourself by clicking here.  My favorites are “doughnut hole,” a dessert made from the cut out center of a doughnut, and “muffin top,”  defined as “a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers.”  Too many of the first can definitely lead to the second.

     Kaiser Wahab’s Mar. 24 article “How the Web Has Changed Our Perception of Copyright Law” on Mashable.com discusses the slow pace of legislation and how private and government interests are aggressively “pushing the envelope” to combat the continuing problem of copyright infringement on the Internet.

“Hurt Locker” lawsuits: example of file sharing suits where content creators file claims against individual defendants

• Filed on behalf of producers against thousands of anonymous downloaders
• “U.S. Copyright Group Law” firm subpoenaed ISPs to discover downloaders’ true identities

Courts forced to address following issues:

• Should courts file suits against thousands of geographically disperse defendants?
• Privacy: Do courts have authority to force others/ISPs to reveal defendants’ identities?
• Mass Joinder: Can courts join thousands in a single suit when facts are different for each one?
• Amount/size of monetary awards? — movement to lower damages since many people sued don’t profit from infringement — juries still awarding plaintiffs large settlements

U.S. Government Position:

• “The violent pace at which the Internet can facilitate infringement demands swift and coordinated enforcement.”
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

             + Last year began obtaining warrants to shut down domain names hosting/linking to infringing content/products

              + Raised concerns due to innocent sites being shut down and lack of due process (no notice of seizure warrants)

• Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA):

              + Introduced last year in Senate

              + Allows Attorney General to bring a shut down order against any domain name “dedicated to infringing activities” — how do you define this standard?

Conclusion:

• “Copyright enforcement is the battle front du jour”
• Government expermenting with aggressive enforcement strategies at expense of free speech, due process and fair play

   

Video storytelling:  

The Digital Video Revolution:  Cheap digital video cameras and free video-editing software ushered in the video age 

• Impact: millions of amateurs worldwide publishing frequently
• Versatile form of journalism: VJs — video/backpack journalists — work solo as both reporter and videographer

             1. Quality varies — differences deliberate, audience knows what to expect 

             2. Perfection not necessary  

                  * Quick, less polished video content often draws bigger audiences  

                  * Unedited video streams becoming common practice  

                  * “It’s shot vérité style.”   

             3. “The only way to learn video journalism is by doing it.”  

Plan Your Video and Go:  

• Use different approaches for different projects

              1. Documentary-style video story; breaking news and highlights clips  

              2. Breaking news: witnesses/investigators’ reactions, footage of scene

              3. Press conferences for compelling news events make good video  

              4. Highlight clips, especially in sports, among most popular content; isolate short clips of best action edited together with voice-over descriptions or linked to news story as raw clips with captions

              5. Documentary-style video story — requires more planning; storyboards  

• Try storyboarding

             1. Visual sketch of story, separated into parts so it can be organized  

             2. Think about focus of story: main idea you want to get across  

             3. Interviews/demonstration sequences (A-roll) + environmental footage (B-roll) support and explain main idea  

             4. No artistic talent necessary — use stick figures  

             5. Can rearrange pieces to tell more effective story  

             6. Adapt shooting to what will make most compelling story  

             7. Have idea of what story is  

             8. Make mental list of shots and interviews needed to tell story effectively  

             9. Bookends (opening and ending shots) really important  

            10. Can update storyboard after shooting video and before editing  

• Mix shots

              1. Beginner mistake — overuse of zooming and panning  

              2. Collect sequences of wide, medium and tight shots  

              3. Wide-angle/establishing shots give viewers sense of the environment  

              4. Medium shots give the viewer normal view  

              5. Close-ups: zoom first, then record  

              6. “Blank” shots of location/setting for natural sound  

• Build five-shot sequences:  shoot in exactly this order and get usable material everytime; shoot steady — no panning or zooming

             1. Close-up on the hands  

             2. Close-up on the face  

             3. Wide shot  

             4. Over-the-shoulder shot  

             5. Creative shot from different angle  

Voice in Video:  

• Effective video interviewing

             1. Select right location —  complements story topic; makes subject comfortable; ask for permission to tape if on private property  

             2. Sound and lighting — some environmental noise OK if subject wears wireless mic; pick location that fully lights subject  

             3. Capture first response and body language  

             4. Interviewer must remain silent while subject is speaking   

• Use a stand-up

             1. Content: short with important or interesting details  

             2. Write a script, warm up: or jot down outline with major points  

             3. Be stable, breathe easy: stand/sit straight; don’t move shoulders while talking; breathe from stomach/diaphram  

             4. Talk with hands: looks less formal; use sparingly so it’s not distracting  

• Control story with voice-overs

Gear Up and Get Out There:  

• Camera choices

              1. Flip cameras — a staple in beginning video journalist’s toolbox  

              2. Point-and-shoot digital photo camera with video mode  

• Video camera shopping questions (don’t buy more camera than you need):

              1. Media type — one that uses mini-DV tapes or solid-state memory card  

              2. High def — could present problems with storage and processing  

              4. Editing software — compatible with camera and computer  

              5. Accessories — cost can be half the camera cost  

                    * Tapes and batteries  

                       – Completely charge batteries several hours ahead  

                       – Use largest-capacity battery available; keep factory one for backup  

                      – Have enough mini-DV tape/storage capacity on cards for job 

                    * Microphones  

                    * Tripod: makes videography look professional  

                    * Headphones: listen to make sure you’re recording good audio  

                    * Lighting  

                        – Essential to shooting video  

                        – Most options clip into a “shoe” on top of camera  

                        – Increases drain on battery   

Shooting Good Video:  

• Focus: use automatic focus unless you have photography skills
• Zoom

             1. Set before recording; use only when necessary as slowly as possible  

             2. Never zoom when someone is talking  

             3. Do separate shots if you want different angles and compositions  

• Exposure

             1. Automatic works in most situations  

             2. If light especially low, switch to manual to open iris + let in more light  

• Aim for solid, not spectacular, clips

              1. Be selective  

              2. Avoid panning and zooming  

              3. Hold all shots at least fifteen seconds — helps in editing process  

              4. Be silent — won’t be able to edit out unwanted audio  

              5. Framing and composing — follow “rule of thirds”  

• Get good audio: choose best microphone for job

              1. Built-in mic: best for sporting events, fairs and festivals  

              2. Wireless mic/lavalier: best for interviews  

              3. Shotgun mic: best for capturing conversation among several people  

• Mix in still images: screenshots/mug shots can be used in print to tease to the online video package or on Web site as promotional icon

Working with Digital Video Files: editing best way to improve shooting  

• Keep it short
• Choose editing software

              1. Most computers have video-editing program already installed  

              2. Programs also available on the market to give professional results  

• Practice visual storytelling

              1. Tell a story  

                   * Arrange clips in coherent, interesting order  

                   * Run audio of interview or voice-over “under” the video  

                   * Keep it short and to the point  

              2. Lessons to learn  

                   * Hook audience and define story in first 20 seconds  

                   * Have a beginning, middle and end  

                   * Use many short clips so viewer won’t be bored  

                   * Focus on one central idea  

                   * Better characters = better stories  

                   * Show viewer what subjects are talking about  

Publishing Video Online:  

* Most video files too large to publish unless compressed  

*Video-sharing services compress files, publish them in universal Flash video format  

* Best approach — content delivery network (Brightcove or Akamai), or free video-sharing service (YouTube, Vimeo, Blip.tv and Metacafe) — take video files, convert to Flash, offer embed codes so you can publish them on your Web site  

* Before uploading video file: use editing program Export function, find link to Settings, make adjustments to ensure highest quality  

• Can also do your own compression

              1. Need Web server with ample bandwidth and storage  

              2. Factor in additional compression file will receive before publication by video-sharing site  

              3. Higher quality = larger file size = longer upload  

• Seek viral video distribution

             1. Web sites like YouTube and Vimeo can help distribute video and get it seen by more people because they have larger audiences and more search engine visibility  

             2. Embed codes make it easy for others to help distribute video  

             3. Recommended: Web service called TubeMogul automatically uploads your video to as many as 20 different video-sharing sites

NOTE:  Anyone who has taken COMM 360 or COMM 353 can relate to the following:

 

Dan Rather, former anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and special correspondent for HD Net, where he is the managing editor of “Dan Rather Reports,” sounded the death knell for the traditional evening news broadcast.

“The evening news is what the Mafia would call a walking corpse,” said Rather.  “It’s pretty much dead, but it doesn’t realize it yet.”

On Feb. 24 Rather joined Steve Scully, the political editor for the C-SPAN networks, and participating students from George Mason University, Purdue University, the University of Denver and Georgetown University.

Rather gave several reasons for the decline of the old media:  corporatization of news and the subsequent lack of competition; the politicization and manipulation of the news by media savvy politicians; and the lack of guts exhibited by individual journalists themselves.

“American journalism needs a spine transplant,” said Rather.  “We’ve lost some of our courage.”

Tucker Carlson, founder and editor-in-chief of the “Daily Caller,” heartily agreed.

“The best journalism is tough, and it pays no regard to authority and doesn’t suck up to power,” said Carlson.  “The essential problem in American journalism is the unwillingness to take on figures in authority.”

Rather took a minute to define the news.

“News is something that is important that people need to know, that somewhere, somebody — particularly somebody in power — doesn’t want them to know,” said Rather.  “All the rest is pretty much just advertising.”

Both Rather and Carlson are veteran journalists.  News matters to them.  It makes a difference.  Journalism gives them a sense of contributing to something greater than themselves.  When asked what makes a good reporter, Rather was specific.

“I’d say three things,” said Rather, “curiosity, a kind of relentless determination and the ability to write well and quickly.”

Rather has reported on a number of traumatic events — the American Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Watergate and 9/11.  When an event like this happens professionals feel the same emotions as everyone else.

“As a professional, as a pro, you have to seal out all your emotions and focus on the job at hand,” said Rather.  “It’s later that you go through the emotional trauma that other people are going through as it’s happening.”

We have progressed from the radio age to the television age to the age of the Internet.  According to Carlson, the biggest problem with online media is a lack of money.  This affects national news coverage.

“For example, there’s never been a greater need for digging deep, exposing corruption, finding out what those in power don’t want you to know,” said Rather.  “Investigative journalism is extremely expensive.  It’s a danger to the country because the new business model has not been invented, much less put online.”

Lack of money also affects international news.

“At the very time we need more international news, we’re getting less and less,” said Rather.  “Bureaus have closed all over the world.  We have news packagers, not news gatherers.”

Carlson says the challenge today is finding young, intelligent, unbiased reporters with a passion for news to join a profession that offers big salaries only to a select few.

Produced by C-SPAN, the distance learning course is a unique opportunity for students to interview guests via video conference.  The course airs on C-SPAN on Fridays at 5 p.m. and also streams online (http://www.c-span.org/Distance_Learning/).