Comments on Media/Entertainment Roundtable: Bryan Gray, CEO of MediaSauce, discusses his thoug...

Wow Harlan, I think you just composed the intro to...

2007-01-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

Wow Harlan, I think you just composed the intro to a very interesting book.

It will be very cool to see where this all leads, and even cooler to be a part of it!

You asked "I wonder where this craving will take us?" My focus is on consumer and business driven communication so that is the world I frequently think about as it relates to the future. As it relates to these technologies, I love them simply because they give the consumer more independence. More control to pick and choose how, when and where they get their information. I see that as being fundemental to the freedom that we understand - especially as Americans.

A small example. A lot of companies see mobile messaging as a big growth opportunity for marketing and advertising messaging. Just one more way to push more stuff at us. Well, I read research last week indicating that the majority of cell phone users polled are repulsed at that very same idea. They wouldn't stand for it. Good for them. I wouldn't want it either - that is as we traditionally think of marketing and ad messaging (irrelevant stuff pushed in our faces all day everyday). Now if we shift the paradigm of that messaging and qualify it as valuable information that will help make your life easier - do you think the results of that survey would be any different?

Would the device, the technology, the channel get more respect as a legit information distribution, or collection mechanism? Probably. But really it is not for any one person to say - the behavior of the many, not of the few, will tell us, and help bring about the next great idea - or technology. As you would say I can't wait to see tomorrow.

Good exchanges. We ought to get together and chat about the future sometime.

Take care.
Jacob

Jacob, thank you for the comments on my posting.In...

2007-01-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Jacob, thank you for the comments on my posting.

In your posting you suggest, “It will be an interesting time when broadband and digital information, the interactivity and dynamic distribution models it offers are fully realized and executed within even the most traditional learning systems.“ You continued, “Educators are looking to that day with ambition and I believe the students are as well. Not only will they help create this future, they will insure their success with it.”

I wish we could flash forward into the future to see how the continuous and rapid changes in media and entertainment are further empowered by innovations in hardware and wireless technologies even beyond the current proliferation of broadband. It will be interesting to see the impacts throughout society including education, health care, commerce, and communications.

The once unimaginable hardware devices that are increasingly common today including Ipod, Zune, PSP and other portable media devices, and cellular telephones with video as well as hand held communications devices, has transported us to a place where the non-tangible aspects of digital media and entertainment have become not only tangible and at our fingertips expediently, but are also easily customizable and personalized in the way we may experience the delivery of media (perhaps to your point of dynamic distribution models).

With podcast, wireless, RFID, Bluetooth, and rapidly evolving video compression technologies including MPEG4, Flash, and streaming video capabilities, a recent showing of a missed television series can be downloaded in its digital format (intangible) for later viewing. It can then be carried around in your pocket for later, more convenient viewing (tangible). We are already experiencing the future of education that includes innovative experiential learning almost anytime and anywhere. With innovations in hardware and digital technologies the intangibles of media and entertainment become tangible.

I have always been fascinated with thoughts of the future where televisions will merge with computing. That day has come as today, the television and hard drive have converged. With TIVO, Microsoft’s popular Window’s Media Center operating system, and the various forms of digital media records, the shifting paradigm is underway. This convergence of technologies combined with the increasing reality type viewing , not only in the broadcast of popular reality programming, but also in the realistic visual experience of HDTV leaves the user craving more. Curiously, I wonder where this craving will take us.

With innovations in hardware and software and evolving digital technologies, the user experience of today’s entertainment and media is a far more engaging, faster, easier, and personalized experience. The intangibles of digital entertainment and media content have evolved to become tangible user experiences via convergence of technologies. I suspect the future of entertainment and media can only continue to evolve. After all, as we have both concluded, ”students will help create this future.” These students are the users of today and the innovators of tomorrow. I can't wait to see tomorrow.

I couldn't agree more Harlan. I htink your point ...

2007-01-03T06:55:00.000-08:00

I couldn't agree more Harlan. I htink your point about empowering patients is THE point. I might even go further and say that outside of your organization, and the medical industry, broadband is allowing us to empower students, business people, prospective customers, educators, community leaders, family, friends, and others to engage and be engaged with a media experience that is within their control.

As we understand and offer better understanding through more engaging content the empowerment process allows individuals to make better, more informed decisions.

We read and understand the research and trends that show us how individuals worldwide are wanting to interact with and consume information. As we execute on this those that stand to gain the most are the users, the audience who is regaining the control - the empowerment to choose.

What you described in your last paragraph was quite poignant. I have many family and friends in many different levels of education and I believe they would agree with you. It will be an interesting time when broadband and digital inforamtion, the interactivity and dynamic distribution models it offers are fully realized and executed within even the most traditional learning systems.

Educators are looking to that day with ambition and I believe the students are as well. Not only will they help create this future, they will insure their success with it.

Great post Harlan.
Jacob Leffler
Marketing Director
MediaSauce

Media & Entertainment in Health Care of TomorrowAs...

2007-01-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

Media & Entertainment in Health Care of Tomorrow

As the President & CEO of Medical Animatics, Inc. and a 2005 graduate of IU School of Informatics - I agree with Mr. Gray's assessments regarding broadband and the shifting paradigm in digital media.

After 14 years of leadership in the medical software industry, I had the privilege of attending college in the IU School of Informatics, New Media Arts & Sciences program. As a nontraditional student, I observed first hand inspiring creativity and never before seen skill sets in the young adult / traditional age college students.

My graduate work included research in the area of human capital, knowledge management, and knowledge acquisition. I minored in Sociology because I was fascinated, not only with what I had observed in classroom, but also with much anticipation for where today’s talent and technology in media arts would ultimately impact the society of tomorrow.

I believe the future of media and entertainment throughout the world will continue to evolve at an exponential rate. I've observed what today's youth are creating in the classroom because they have grown up with technologies all around them. The typical college student of the future will far exceed our current creativity and imagination in media production as a direct result of proliferation of technology and media in the classroom, in entertainment, and all around as a result of daily life in modern day society.

I founded Medical Animatics, Inc. (www.medicalanimatics.com) for this very reason. With a focus towards the production of compelling and interactive media content for health education, medical, and sciences, we are improving health care. We are empowering patients to understand medical treatment options and associated risks. To that end, we relies on graduates of media programs from a number of media and entertainment schools. With the proliferation of broadband, the future will include unlimited potentiality.

Just imagine what tomorrow will be like when today's children are the producers of media for education, entertainment, health care, and other unthought of technologies of tomorrow.

Harlon Wilson - President & CEO of Medical Animatics, Inc.