Google, You Tube, Deadwood

Irv's Eye View- On Google, Deadwood and Elucidation

Written by Irv Kass

Wednesday, 11 October 2006 http://MediaMogirl.com

Hello, again, everybody. With Google forking over the big money to buy You Tube it makes you wonder if it’s the end of a chapter, and the beginning of a new one. Google is a great company, one I would be pleased to work for or have as a client. Its corporate slogan of“Don’t Be Evil” is an amazing approach for a corporation of its size, influence, and capitalization. We all benefit from such an approach and the success and competencies of Google. But spending 1.6 billion dollars on You Tube? Why wouldn’t this innovative company build its own video site and do it better than any other player in the game? Oh, wait, the company started to do that with Google Video but seems to have gotten off track. For some reason, Google’s big announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year focused on building relationships with Hollywood and the networks to distribute more traditional content. To its credit Google also emphasized the open marketplace, but seems to have put its money on Hollywood and the big players, at least until now. Ultimately it will be a combination of content from a variety of distribution sources that will work on the Web, but the excitement, and the money apparently, is where it should be with the emerging grass roots digital video world that will only get better. But Google’s big expenditure reminds me of the late Senator from Illinois, Everett Dirksen, who pointed out that—and I’m paraphrasing—a million here, a million there, and it starts to add up. In our new millennium dollars just substitute a b for the m in million. The real point is that Google and other well capitalized companies should be leading the charge. Yes, it’s exciting that entrepreneurs like the founders of You Tube and My Space before it, get windfalls from Google and News Corp. But we, as users of the digital video resources, have to be vigilant and reject the onslaught of cross-promotional noise that big money owners are likely to inject. The very smart folks at these companies will be wise to pay attention and not tinker too much with their newly acquired and very pricey assets. Virginia Heffernan of the New York Times, http://screens.blogs.nytimes.com has some interesting takes on how the emerging world of You Tube and other open video posting sites are heating up the cold medium of television. When you watch what’s happening, the HBO drama, Deadwood, comes to mind. It’s kind of like the Wild West out there. Now, it’s the not the cleaned up version of John Wayne westerns, or Gary Cooper for that matter, but the real F-You, kick your ass version that we see on Deadwood. I’ve never watched an entire episode of Deadwood from start to finish. That’s because I’m a late adopter of the show and need to catch up. One day I’ll rent the first season and get caught up enough to engage full episodes. But the compelling nature of the show is inescapable. The villains, the heroes, the language and the ambiguity of individual characters give it an almost Shakespearian quality. And nobody really plays fair. So it’s not a nice town but it’s never dull and there are ample opportunities for deadly failure and breakthrough success. At this particular point in the development of video on the web it will become increasingly messy and also exciting to see who emerges as the breakout winners in the crowded streets of VlogWood, worldwide. We can only hope that the evolving character of that world, our world, turns into a positive—not weak by any means—force that will not only entertain but enlighten and elucidate. A good friend—Rolland Smith--who you may know from his work in television news is an eloquent advocate for elucidation as a prime goal for media. www.RollandGSmith.com Creative use of new media can be tough, fun, and it can also elucidate. It’s not just about conflict, though conflict and tension draw interest. It’s how the tension resolves or is left unresolved that’s important. So, kick some ass, go F yourself or whoever is F’ing with you, but in the end, aspire to be like William S, and his progeny, and leave us with something that elucidates.