In other news, I’m now working for the New York Public Library, where promoting access to information and making it accessible, useful, and engaging is what underlies the work we do every day.

Lets take a look at the live viewership per network:

Data from Silicon Alley Insider

And now lets look at DVR viewership over a 7-day period per network:

Data From Silicon Alley Insider

Notice anything?

Aside from the 20 year gap between the average CBS Viewer and the average CW viewer, the DVR doesn’t change things very much.

Now let’s add Hulu into the equation for DVR Viewership:

Data From Silicon Alley Insider & TV Week

The average age of a Hulu viewer is 32 years old.  While the average viewer age on DVR only drops 1 year from live viewership on NBC and Fox, their joint venture, Hulu drops the average viewership age by at least 12 years for Fox and by 17 years for NBC.

Hulu started off as a way to prevent networks from turning $100 bills into 100 pennies, but it might be just the reverse.  It’s the cheap yuppie’s DVR, but with one huge advantage for the networks: no fast forwarding through commercials.

If I were NBCU and Fox, I’d put on a big show at the Upfronts with a simple motto:

Hulu: It’s like TiVo with commercials and the kids like it.

Using apt, it was possible to install and update software, and even upgrade the OS, with just a simple instruction.  apt-get would download and install not only the program you wanted, but also take care of all of the dependencies it required.  There were many official mirrors of the core debian programs, called repositories, and thousands of unofficial repositories one could rely on if they couldn’t find the application they were looking for inside the core debian distribution.  apt was decentralized, yet controlled and efficient enough to provide a sufficient user experience for its core audience.  If your software didn’t make it into the core repositories, users could paste a URL into a text file, and unofficial software could be distributed along side the core Debian distribution.

The advantage of being in the core apt repositories was that users wouldn’t have to go to additional lengths to install your software since it was in the repositories that shipped with the OS (meaning increased distribution and use).  These were packages vetted by the core team, demonstrated to work with that version of the OS, and cause minimal compatibility issues.  Unofficial repositories couldn’t inherently guarantee that level of safety and stability, but applications distributed this way were just as easy to install.

And none of this precluded someone from distributing an application as source and compiling it locally.

In short, apt kicked ass.

The apt repository model was replicated by RedHat (and Centos) with yum and ultimately powered the Jailbroken iPhone’s Installer.app.

The apt-get model is fantastic for distribution of open projects, but doesn’t work natively for distribution of paid applications (though it wouldn’t take much to add it).

Yet when it comes to the iPhone, Apple is intent on acting as the sole distribution outlet.  There are several real benefits to both the end-user and most developers of Apple acting as the sole distributor, but it also means Apple is going to become (and maybe already has become) a bottleneck to distribution.

Apple is expecting itself to serve as the protector of its users, filtering inappropriate content (no porn apps) and malicious apps (no virus laden or private information stealing apps) out.  And while this can provide a huge benefit to its users (and provide assurances on behalf of developers) for content and distribution, it also serves as a gatekeeper for applications that might threaten the current business model of Apple or partners, or more realistically, simply just be a bottleneck for releases.  Applications will have to be re-approved, even for the slightest changes, in order to continue these assurances from Apple, as a developer could change an innocuous, approved application into a malicious one fairly easily.  That’s a lot of responsibility for Apple.  This means it’s going to be a lot harder to developers to rapidly iterate on their designs (as Apple promised would be possible) and push out updates, particularly critical security updates.

We’re apt to see an official apt-style model of distribution on the iPhone outside of the Jailbroken installer.app, though it doesn’t mean that the Jailbroken environment isn’t a fantastic playground for developers to innovate in (and it might even be possible to use the Apple SDK as a starting point, even for Jailbroken apps, though I’m not sure this is possible yet).

So what can be done about getting apps into the store faster?

For Developers:

Document like crazy – your code has an audience:  You aren’t just developing so your code can be used by yourself and your team.  It also has to be read by the Apple vetting team… EVERY SINGLE TIME.  Flag changes you’ve made and make it easy to find what you’ve done (detailed changelogs are insanely valuable here).  Apple has a limited team reviewing applications.  Make your code so an intro computer science student could understand what’s going on.  The reviewing team isn’t dumb, but after staring at other people’s source code all day, they’ll sure appreciate not having to decipher cryptic elements of yours.

For Apple:

[note I'm not in the developer program yet so I'm not sure how your process works entirely yet]

Implement a priority point release update approval process, and make it completely transparent.  Security updates should be moved up in review speed.  Security releases should be moved up in the priority queue.

Publish code documentation standards – if people know how to document their code for more efficient approval, they’ll assuredly do it.

Make your approval process transparent.  Sure, SJ’s temper might decide who has a job this afternoon, but that doesn’t mean your app approval process needs to be equally as opaque.  Let us know how things work.  We’ll work on making our apps better suited to you as a result.

Yet, Apple in the Middle means that if the Middleman fails, nobody wins.  There is absolutely no way to route around Apple, so as a developer, if Apple fails, gets backed up, or just decides your app is good enough as is, that’s final.  At least wiht Apt, even if the distribution stopped updating, or the repositories went down, the system could still live on.  No such luck here.

I’ve been using the location-driven social network BrightKite pretty heavily in the past few weeks (and it’s made me realize that I’m the only one who uses it since Fairfield County is not a web-hipster enclave), though for some reason, its SMS feature hasn’t been working at all.

This morning on the heels of Loopt’s demo at WWDC and Gawker’s proclamation that it will forever change public interactions, I started to rethink Verizon’s stance on social networks using its network.  Does it fundamentally make sense to block social applications until adequate parental controls are built in, particularly since their competiors are encouraging them?

Ultimately Verizon made the right buisiness decision to block BrightKite (and Loopt) until they deployed parental safeguards.  The number of web-hipsters who won’t choose Verizon as their wireless provider is far less than the number of parents who will choose Verizon for themselves and their children because they can block or constrain the use of these social networks.  Furthermore, while there’s no public research on the subject, I’m fairly certain that wireless providers are going to be like political parties, children will tend stick with the carrier their household used.  So all those kids whose parents chose Verizon because it blocked social networks will stay on, even when they move off the family’s bill.

House Music United – Yes We Can Obama’s entire Yes We Can speech over a gorgeous classic house track.  Truly inspirational.

Kidz in the Hall – Work to Do Kidz in the Hall are a Chicago-based group (formally on the new Rawkus Records).  MC Naledge was one of Obama’s earliest musical supporters, so last December, he and producer Double-0 decided to release one of the first Obama support tracks.  The Ivy-league educated duo (they met while at UPENN) followed this up in January with a remix featuring Bun B and Talib Kwelli.

Work To Do

Work To Do (Remix feat. Bun B & Talib Kwelli)

DJ Green Lantern – We Need Barack (feat. Mavado) Part of Green Lantern & Russell Simmons mixtape for Obama.

DJ Green Lantern – We Need Barack (feat. Mavado)

Pete Rock – Obama for the People

Nas – Black President (Produced by DJ Green Lantern)

Bonus 80’s Throwback: Grandmaster Flash and Mellie Mel – Jesse (thx Falcon)

First it was the white earbuds, then it was the white plastic and brushed metal with lighted Apple logos across college campuses.  Now, iPhones and Airbooks are becoming the chic and ubiquitous norm among the corporate set and the C-Suite; how?

Last week, eWeek released Apple’s new sales numbers.  Apple now has 66% of the market for new PC’s in the >$1000 category; 64% of new laptops and 70% of new desktops (that’s surprising).  Ok, so if you want to be hip and trendy, you’re going to have to do it by laser-etching or stickering your MacBook.  But what it does mean is that the people at the top are adopting Macintosh as their platform of choice at an astronomical rate.  It also means that Apple is refusing to compete in the commodity technology market.  For those who have the impression that computers are supposed to cost over $1000, the only choice is apple.  But for the majority of the world, where what matters most is access to technology, apple won’t even be recognized.

In a world where high tech is ubiquitous, Apple will become the mark between the Have’s and the Have Not’s.

Great to hear from you and fantastic to see that your music career is taking off. I’ve spent so little time in Fairfield recently that I haven’t been able to catch any of your shows.

I’ve moved into the new media space and started a social media strategy consultancy, but I no longer (a) have the design skills or (b) the time to build out a site.

That said, you’ve already laid the groundwork for a killer web presence, not in the least beginning with a great sound and a passion for making incredible music.

To put together a great web strategy you need 3 things:
1. A strong presence on social networking sites (and direct engagement with fans and other artists)
2. Lots of new, continuously generated content
3. A way to make yourself a personality

You’ve already got a pretty good MySpace with over 2000 followers there. That’s huge and a great place to start. Even a lot of signed bands have a total marketing budget of maybe 3 grand a year (if they’re lucky), and they spend that on two things: a publicist and a MySpace. You’re going to have to be your own publicist, getting as much coverage and presence as possible. But as far as the MySpace goes, keep building on top of what you’ve got.

Streamline the MySpace, get rid of any logos that are like “Made by xxx”, but most importantly directly engage with everyone who friends you. Leak them exclusive new songs directly (not posted for everyone – private message them a link to the mp3). Strike up a conversation with them and keep it going. You want each of them to be just as passionate about you as you are about making it, because once they’re that excited, I guarantee you that all they’ll want to talk to their friends about is you and your music. There’s no better place for disparate supporters to become fans and to ultimately become evangelists for your music than on social networks.

In addition to refining your MySpace, you’re definitely going to want to expand your Facebook presence. Most musicians are really MySpace-centric, but you’re in a position to really leverage Facebook in a way that most other artists can’t right now. First, your primary demographic is already all about Facebook, as the success of promoting your shows through it already shows. Build out your Facebook Page, get all your content up there (videos, notes, etc.) and start promoting the hell out of it (offline as well as on). Facebook kicks ass because it lets you leverage viral effects and amplify your message really easily. A page is the easiest way to build that in. We want Andrew Hoover popping up in people’s feeds as much as possible and this is the way to do it. Use Facebook like Myspace to directly engage with your fans – they expect it on MySpace, they don’t expect it on Facebook – and the unexpected is what makes you stand out amongst all the noise. Connect directly: one-to-one, as well as one to many, and do it every single day without fail. Never leave a conversation open – respond to every message and email. You want them to be passionate about you, you’ve got to be just as passionate about every one of them.

Next: You’ve got to get content out there, and lots of it. Put up video of live shows, brainstorms, behind the scenes footage, studio time, traveling to and from events, anything and everything that’s kinda cool or funny. Pictures: same thing. Blog entries – yep. Unreleased songs – absolutely (and give them out as MP3’s, I can’t send all my friends a streamer, I can with an MP3). Use sites like Youtube (or even better: Vimeo – like YouTube but where the Williamsburg set and internet cool people hang out, with a focus on real content from real people).

And finally: Remember – you’re promoting yourself just as much as your music, so you’ve got to be a personality. I want to buy into Andrew Hoover as much as Andre Hoover Music. The best way to do that is to mix an open acknowledgement that you’re promoting yourself (and to go out and promote the hell out of your content – give it to MP3 blogs, which work wonders at building name recognition, remixers – who are often DJ’s and will spin your stuff in new settings and sometimes on air, etc.), as much as being yourself. You’ve got to put yourself out there personally and express what you’re into beyond just your music. Take a look at Kanye West’s blog. For the past few months, he’s been posting nonstop about (mostly) cool things he finds, what makes him passionate, some behind the scenes material, and a bit of new material. He does this EVERY DAY. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t post about new Kanye West stuff, but that he’s out there talking about what he’s passionate about. And so the final piece of the puzzle should be an andrewhoovermusic.com that is really your personal outlet for everything, but in a blog format. Take a look at Tumblr.com – it’s a blogging service that I think would be perfect for what I’ve outlined here (and can be pulled into Facebook and MySpace). Express yourself, because if people are passionate about what you’re passionate about, they’ll become fans overnight. You should hype the blog (which will drive people to the Facebook Page and the MySpace) at every event, because it promotes both you and your music simultaneously.

Take a look at Kevin Kelly’s math on online promotion with the end goal of finding 1000 true fans (http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php) – it’s really eye opening about how much success you can have as a musician with only a few dedicated fans.

I hope this helps you sort out your online strategy. This is all stuff you should be able to do on your own. I’m looking forward to catching up with you in the next couple of weeks when I’m back in Fairfield and New York, and keep on making incredible music.

Best,
Dave Riordan

Will Lawrence Lessig and the Free Culture movement become a political liability?

Ever since Lawrence Lessig emerged into the public sphere, there have been whispers among fringe critics that his ideology is just info-communism, but it looks like the innovators over at Red State have managed to create a new charge against Lessig: anti-christian.

It all started with a Keynote.  As part of Lawrence Lessig’s iconic Free Culture talks, there’s a montage of clips showing off some of the funniest moments of remix culture, including video from the left, the right, and the absurd.  Several months ago, as he wound down his focus on Free Culture, and prepared to shift his focus to the corruption of political culture, he began to add several more videos to this series, including a short film by “guerilla filmmaker” Javier Brato featuring Jesus in a diaper lipsyncing Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, and well…

This video has been in many of his most recent talks, including his talk in the Authors @ Google series, the footage of which (of course) was put up on YouTube.

Enter Barack Obama.  Obama used to teach Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School along with Lawrence Lessig, who began teaching at UChicago after clerking for the legendary jurist (and fellow Chicago faculty member) Richard Posner.  In addition to advocating for Free Culture, network neutrality, and a host of other tech-centric policies, Lessig has recently become one of the most vocal supporters of Barack Obama, releasing a series of videos on his support of Barack Obama (which lay out some of the most interesting intellectual arguments in support of any candidate I’ve ever seen).

Lessig has become a pretty high profile public intellectual, particularly in the technology, and his support of Obama only has elevated Lessig further.

On April 21st, RedState, a conservative blog network, made a high profile post about Lessig, his support for Google and Obama, and his “anti-christian stance”, which also immediately urged readers to call the Senate Commerce Committee and ask them to stop Lessig from testifying on network neutrality the next day (this tactic, which I frankly consider to be brilliant, deserves a post in its own right).

Could this be the start of a new trend – quite possibly.  The following week, the Progress and Freedom Foundation, a right-leaning technology policy think tank released a report entitled Tragedy and Farce: An Analysis of the Book Free Culture (and a fantastically titled accompanying press release: “Free Culture” Akin to “Quasi-Socialist Utopianism”), charging that Lessig advocates that the United States should move to a Soviet Union style system for information policy, and promising that this is merely the opening salvo in their criticism of Lessig’s works.

Could this be the intellectual run-up to halt Lessig’s Change Congress project? Perhaps, though it’s more likely that it’s a growing movement designed to curb Lessig’s influence on shaping tech industry policy as a whole, not to tie him to the Obama campaign and try to use him to sink the ship.

Additional coverage:

Ars Technica - Lessig, Google, Obama, and Jesus: a net neutrality mash-up

Ars Technica – Is Lessig’s Free Culture Just a Modern Das Kopyright?