I’m counting my blessings today!

PEACE!!

Amani Channel

by A.man.I

I’m preparing to travel to Chicago for the 2008 Unity Conference which runs from Wednesday to Sunday. I plan to bring you the best coverage in the blogosphere from the event. That’s the plan at least.

This will mark a new beginning of sorts for me. I usually attend the conference to network and job hustle. This time, I’ll be looking for clients. I’m working on a master plan, and hope to find organizations that are looking to learn more about integrating social media into their news operations.

There are different ways mainstream outlets can get engaged in the new media space, like Twitter, facebook, and YouTube. Some companies are doing a great job like CNN, NPR, and the New York Times. Others, however, are still far behind. I’ve been randomly visiting newspaper sites, and I’m surprised how many still don’t even have a basic RSS feed.

In addition to the media consulting, I’m hoping to find outlets that are looking for regional coverage in the southeast. My partner in crime Mario “SupeShooter” Page and I are looking to step up our ENG/EFP services for news outlets, are we’re trying to become a go-to breaking news team. I suspect that many of the bigger papers are producing video content, and they most likely need help doing so because video production is not a native skill in the newspaper biz. Wish me luck.

Below is an interview about bloggers with St. Pete Times TV critic Eric Deggans from last years’ NABJ conference.

by A.man.I

from UNITY email:

Democratic Presidential hopeful to participate in live event on CNN
CHICAGO – Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama will appear in front of thousands of journalists next week at the UNITY: Journalists of Color quadrennial convention in Chicago.

Sen. Obama, the apparent Democratic presidential nominee, will appear on stage Sunday morning, July 27th. This will likely be his first national appearance after returning from his international trip to Europe and the Middle East. Sen. Obama has accepted the invitation that UNITY also extended to Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.

“We are pleased that our UNITY colleagues will have the chance to hear from Sen. Obama and be among the first to question him upon his return from his overseas trip,” said Karen Lincoln Michel, UNITY president. “We hope that in this historic campaign, Sen. McCain, whose presence is equally important, will also address our audience – the kind of audience that reflects the growing diversity in America.”

The only problem is, most of the folks attending UNITY (including myself) will be gone by Sunday, and probably won’t get a chance to see Senator Obama speak.

from Visual Eye Media

Visual Eye Media wrapped up production of a cool testimonial/promo video for Siddiq Bello’s Digital Bootcamp.

Bello is a digital marketing expert who now plans, and organizes comprehensive workshops for advertising and marketing agencies. He helps them get up to speed on new trends like mobile phone and behavioral marketing, video game advertising, reaching consumers through ad networks, and other timely social media topics.

VEM traveled to Chicago to tape a two-day session with Burrell, then developed, and produced a two-minute promotional video. This was a fun project because Bello gave VEM creative freedom, and we decided to create a fast paced video that reflected the energy and excitement of the attendees, and presenters.

Producer: Amani Channel – Visual Eye Media
3-D Motion Graphics: Rashad Christopher Sixth Realm Digital

by A.man.I

It looks like Fox News Channel didn’t report all of Jesse Jackson’s disparaging comments when he dissed Barrack Obama last week.
from Journal-isms

A Fox News spokeswoman confirmed to Journal-isms on Wednesday that a transcript shows Jackson saying, “Barrack . . . he’s talking down to black people . . . telling n—s how to behave.”

Looks like some “weasel” leaked the info to TVNewser. Bill O’Reilly tried to explain why the network didn’t air all of the comments:

“I’m not in the business of hurting Jesse Jackson, because it does hurt Jesse Jackson. And I’m not in the business of creating some kind of controversy that is not relevant to the general subject: one civil rights leader disparaging another, over policy. So we held it back.”

What happened to, “we report, you decide”? Once again the Internet destroys the mainstream’s gate.

I thought Jesse wanted to ban the N-Word. He spoke to My Urban Report about it after the Michael Richards controversy.

Since, I’m already writing about N-word, I have to mention Nas. He recently spoke to CNN about why he removed the word “Ni@@3R from his album’s title.
Read the article, and listen to the interview. Thanks for the link SupeShooter.

by A.man.I

In the news business “they” say you always have to be looking for your next job even if you’re not looking.

Though I work as a freelance correspondent for HDNews, I’m a freelance video journalist for the Associated Press, and I operate a video production company in Atlanta, I decided it was time to update my reel. I’m also heading to a big journalism conference next week, and you never know what opportunities will appear.

There are a couple of schools of thought when it comes to editing a reel. Some news directors prefer to see the best packages first, but I’ve also been told to start with a stand up montage.

So, here’s my version.

by A.man.I (This is a repost from Friday titled “What Were They Thinking”?)

JESSE JACKSON
Come on brotha! You’ve been dealing with the media for years. Do you think that a whisper won’t be heard when you’re mic’d up?

Your comments showed a lack of respect for Sen. Obama. It sounds like you’ve got some Willie Lynch in your blood, or maybe you just had a big glass of Haterade.

The crazy thing is, an employee who was training at Fox is the one who noticed the comments, and it took several days for Fox to air the clip.
Check out Journal-isms for the story behind the story.

WTSP TAMPA BAYS 10 NEWS
This Tampa CBS affiliate just started a citizen journalism program. Though citizen journalism gives the public a great opportunity to participate in news, it seems that some outlets are using it as a low cost way to gather content.

Channel 10 plans to supply people in the community with the equipment, and every three months the citizen producers will be “required” to submit content.

Each time you send me a video story that either makes it on the news or on our web site, Tampa Bay’s 10 will pay you TWENTY DOLLARS!

A whopping $20 bucks. With the price of gas! When I was developing a citizen journalism show for Black Family Channel, we were going to pay $250.00 per segment. $20 bucks is more than people get when they submit to CNN’s iReport, but then again most people are shooting on their personal cell phones and still cameras, and not getting station issued equipment.

I don’t think tampabay10′s “citizen journalism team” has taken the right approach. It’s great to encourage public participation, but this initiative sounds like a low paying job. Stringers can make up to $500.00 bucks for each piece of newsworthy content they capture, and sell.

I wonder what Eamon is thinking? Hernando Bob (RIP) is probably rolling in his grave (Thanks for the link L.T.)

Media 1938
Michael Richards, Don Imus, now there’s a social media player to add to the “racist jokes aren’t all that funny when some people say them” list. Loren Feldman, the owner of Media 1938 just lost a deal with Verizon over a video he produced called “TechNi@@a.”

Feldman calls himself a professional comedian, but I’m not so sure of that. While it certainly may seem fun to portray black men as womanizing, weed smoking, hoe slapping, techno-thugs, some folks have been offended by it.

Here’s a portion of Feldman’s explanation:

TechNigga was part of a weeklong project that reflected on numerous issues in our culture. Across the series I make fun of jews, psychologists, scientologists, celebrity rehab, nerds, nazis, tech culture, 70s movies and, yes, black people.

I personally didn’t get the “joke,” and can understand why people would call him a racist. Dave Chappelle could get away with it, but you’re no Dave Chappelle, buddy. It looks like some jokes are bad for business.

I have a question Mr. Feldman, have you looked for any urban tech bloggers? Here’s a start BlackWeb2.0.

PEACE!!

by A.man.I

Politics may be a dirty game, but there’s plenty of room on the field for the media. That’s really all I can say about The New Yorker’s satirical depiction of Barack Obama and his lovely wife. I’m seeing a whole lot of yellow right now.

My favorite columnist Richard Prince has all the details.

On a much lighter note, my news buddy Mario Page sent me a link to a humorous musical short film called “Barackula.”

from Mark Mannschreck

Barackula is a short political horror rock musical about young Barack Obama having to stave off a secret society of vampires at Harvard when he was inducted into presidency at the Harvard Law Review in 1990.

Barackula from mark mannschreck on Vimeo.