Off the dial, in the Notspots, the only source of culture could be the fridge

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Read more! For the tech savvy the new cultural revolution is here, but if you've got a crap connection you'll be left behind.

This blog post can be read at 5tth.blogspot.com




I sit here on a Friday night listening to an album which is rather delightfully entitled `Swallow This Turd'. It is a sampler album of American `Popular Beat Combos' signed to the Tic Tac Totally label, which has been heavily featured by the excellent Tom Ravenscroft (the son of the late John Peel) on his BBC 6 Music show.

This is where I am so thankful not to be in a Notspot. Being an anorak I consume my media in a very different way to how the broadcasters, and indeed the music industry intended. For instance the original radio programme which featured the album was recorded onto my computer from the BBC i-Player, strictly speaking a bit naughty, but essentially it's no different from taping it. Infact I used to have a DAB radio (since deceased) which would record DAB direct onto an SD card as MP2 files and those could be converted to MP3 in i-tunes and put on my i-pod, which is then plugged into the USB socket on my car stereo.

In essence I can record programmes, some very good programmes which are broadcast late at night, and then listen to them at a time of my choosing. Radio 3's outstanding Late junction programme has on occasions been my breakfast time listening.

To be able to do this, from the i-player I need to have at least 2mbps, otherwise it buffers, and pauses every couple of minutes. To get at this free download, which is actually rather good, I had to download a 135Mb zip file... On my connection it took about 20 Mins, which is quite bearable. My laptop is female and it can multi-task, although waking up in the morning is more of challenge.

I can also download podcasts, videos, and other AV stuff where I access more of my culture these days than TV.

The simple message is that the delivery of culture is becoming more and more dependent on digital connections. Without a good connection people are missing out, and potentially the arts are suffering.

In part the BBC has to be aware of the fact that there are a lot of people who can't `listen again' or use the i-player, and pressure has to be put on the corporation to, in turn to put pressure on the DCMS to ensure that everybody who pays the licence fee has the ability to access the content, and at the same time on-line campaigners should take the opportunity to get the arts onside. Many bands make it via Myspace and other on-line music sites. And a lot of music is also sold on-line

I'm only listening to this lively little sampler LP because I can get 2Mbps, in the past it wouldn't have stood a chance.

If the title `Swallow This Turd' provokes your curiosity it's here type in a valid e-mail address and it will send you a link to the download. Read more!

Is Don Tapscott right?

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Read more! I listened to him speak in Copenhagen at the FTTH Council event and have to admit I have more notes from that session than any other. This week he has taken on the music industry.

Whilst Murdoch and Google battle it out over news access by us mere mortals, the music industry has been applying undue pressure, particularly in the UK, in order to protect an outdated business model.

Don has decided to point out to the music industry several options available for their survival. I personally would not want anything to do with the billing engine responsible for ensuring each person was credited the appropriate amounts, but hey, jobs for the boys there in his suggestions!

What many people are endeavouring to achieve is to change the scarcity model into that of abundance. The problem is that the "protectionists" apparently didn't see this abundance lark coming. So, not having considered solutions prior to its arrival, they now feel threatened. Instead of embracing it, they are panicking like mad and endeavouring to hang on to the olde worlde models.

Won't work. It is that simple. And the telcos are in a similar kerfuffle.

If someone comes along, doesn't play the game, and instead of offering an 'up to', unlimited connection by the current definitions of unlimited etc, makes available a connection that is, "Really, all you can eat. No, honestly, it is, try and break it if you want, we want you using bits", what will we hear from the telcos? Certainly, no more of Benoit's hunting the mythical bandwidth hog, because our all-new 'use it or lose it' telco will be celebrating having found the people who really USE their network. It should be in transporting bits that telcos are making money, not in throttling and restricting the movement of bits.

Several years ago at a conference, I had a chat with Steve Kennedy (previously of Thus) over lunch about data transport costs approaching zero. That is even more the case now. If you have built your network on an assumption that by moving bits around, you stand to make ever more money as the costs of doing so approach zero, then what you want is people USING your network. You want them sharing videos, video conferencing, using VoIP, uploading, downloading, you name it.

You need to make it easy for those users. Not hassle them as the top 5% bandwidth hogs. Don't frighten them into not downloading a film or music track in case it might prove illegal with threats that their kids will suddenly be cut off in the middle of career-affecting school work.

Let everyone have access to what they want. Solve the billing engine problems by collaborating across sectors eg news, music, video etc and charge a flat rate that is supported by similar reductions in access costs because those running the access networks will see their usage go through the roof.

Stop trying to be all things to all men. Focus on what you are good at, and do it well. Make your money from a penny (or a fraction of a penny_ made for each of millions of transactions, instead of trying to find the single million penny/pound deal. Make a little from lots and lots and lots of people doing things. Because by making everything abundant, you will be far better off than now.








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