media

The Power To Do Better

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Youtube, Lulu.com, BlogTalkRadio, and many more websites and services out there are throwing down a challenge.  It's not apparent, but in time I'm betting it'll become moreso.

It's a challenge to all those people who say "I can do better."

Think you can make a better music video?  Book?  Web page?  Think you can sell your art better or sell your crafts better?

From Etsy to Smashwords, the tools are out there that, the next time someone says they can do better with some creative endeavor, they have the opportunity to put their money where there mouth is.  There's no reason not to publish a book or sell cosplay materials online, because there's many ways to do it.

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Media Wars Part 4: A Sustainable Media Geekonomy

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So as I mentioned last post, the Media Geekonomy is stuck in an Extraction mentality where members of it (Fans, Support, Creators) are often trying to get the most out of their situation.  This is exacerbated by regular business practices, attitudes, and technology changes.  It's an unpleasant situation, and it can't last forever – because there's a lot of simmering pathology and problems.

Me I'd like it solved because I can see a lot of continuing unpleasantness.  I can see more lawsuits and bizarre regulations designed to limit the choices of Fans and keep Creators under control by those in the Support sector.  I can see ignorant companies folding, unaware of how the market has changed until they die off.  I see Creators loosing out on opportunities or being denied them.

So let's ask what we want the Media Geekonomy to be, and I'd say that the opposite of Extraction (getting as much as possible) is Sustainability.  Sustainability is about making sure you have enough now and in the future.

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Media Wars Part 3: How We Got Here

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Last column I discussed the fact that the Media Geekonomy is an area of conflict, an Exctraction Economy where different factions are in conflict.  Fans want things cheaper, the Support people want to make money and keep their good position, and the Creators of media want money and stability.  Their interests don't line up and often end up adverse.

So how did this happen?

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