DECENTRALIZE NOW!

[beardedlamb]

i'm pissed.

who's with me?

[kbadr]

I usually am, in varying degrees.

[acrouch]

very nice.

[arclight]

From what I remember from my intro to journalism class way back in the Reagan years was that the FCC came about because (at the time - 1930s) the radio spectrum was unregulated and all manner of crap was happening - people broadcasting over each other's signals, etc. So the radio spectrum was considered a scarce resource needing regulation.

At present I find little justification for the FCC except for a technical agency that defines what parts of the spectrum may be used for what (see how long you can broadcast on 121.50MHz before a helicopter shows up.)

With the ease of digital communication, the radio and (by extension) broadcast TV spectrum are effectively unlimited, meaning the whole premise for content regulation is moot; it's all a matter of protecting vested interests.

The internet tends to balance this out somewhat as consumer high-speed connections become widely available and the cost of production and distribution drop (digital video, editing, and streaming.) The vested interests are trying to plug this 'digital hole' by trying to undermine 'Net Neutrality" (charging content providers for access to networks - note that many of the network providers are also content providers), proprietary formats (Microsoft's WMA, Apple's AAC, Adobe/Flash's "Nelly Moser" codec), and conflating self-publishing with piracy (RIAA vs BitTorrent, etc.)

Aside: Every computer platform or program comes with the vendor's social agenda, usually to keep you dependent on them. The GPL is at least honest enough to state their up front.

However, there are plenty of success stories (homestarrunner.com, Red vs. Blue, South Park) but the trick is monetizing that success. Homestarrunner sells merch & media; it's not clear anyone makes money directly off their online content. So until micropayments take off (no movement in a decade on this despite Scott McCloud explaining it all), you're going to have focus on a non- or indirect monetary reward from your efforts - landing jobs, selling merch & media, etc.

Kinda like improv. You won't get rich headlining, but if that leads to commercial, writing, or film/TV/videogame/voice acting work, so be it.

This is a topic that's near and dear to my heart. In the same way that Grover Norquist wants to reduce government to a size where it can be drowned in a bathtub, I want to wield a shovel powerful enough to crush the skull of the media gatekeepers and make Los Angeles and New York culturally irrelevant.

[TexasImprovMassacre]

I'd rather be in Austin

[York99]

You're right Jeremy, that ManCow is hilarious. Good call.

Seriously though. That post combined with the YouTube link at the end fill me with both fear and hope. All hail the master race: Indians?

[York99]

make Los Angeles and New York culturally irrelevant.

I never wanted to Live in NYC or LA. I was looking for work in production in many other places. Finally, on my mother's prodding, I moved to LA. When I say it's an industry town, I mean it. It seems that all businesses there are to serve entertainment in some way. It's huge and it's everywhere.

I, too, hope that the field opens up more to the rest of the country. Texas and Louisiana, among other states, have made tremendous inroads. However, the machine there is so enormous, that I doubt either will be totally irrelevant any time soon.

[beardedlamb]

yeah, i think irrelevant is the wrong word. maybe just weakened so that other spots can flourish.