Hey! Free marketing information

The Nielsens are probably best known for the TV ratings the organization releases every week. The trouble is the ratings are less useful in this era where people watch shows from hundreds of channels on DVRs.
Nielsen is also facing problems convincing networks and their advertisers that its information is still useful. After all, who cares who’s watching “The Office” when it’s potentially possible to measure who’s watching the commercials between the show.
20070925_heynielsen.jpgNielsen has launched Hey! Nielsen, a new site which just seems geared to mine marketing information from the general public. On the face of it, the site appears to be a place for people to sound off about TV, music, etc., but Nielsen has plans for the information.

From Hey! Nielsen’s About page:

Using data from real users, Hey! Nielsen generates a Hey! Nielsen score — a real-time indicator of a topic’s impact, influence, and value. As users submit feedback, the score is created from a number of factors such as user response, blog buzz, and news coverage, as well as raw data from our sister sites Billboard.com, HollywoodReporter.com, and BlogPulse.com.

It seems to me Nielsen is trying to use the social-networking potential of the Web to build a new set of marketing data. I wonder how many people are going to divulge their opinions for Nielsen’s new data mill.
I also wonder how useful the data will be. After all, marketing data is used to help determine the Peoples Choice Awards and we all know how well a barometer of pop culture that event is.

Looking off the cutting bleeding edge

Today marks the launch of “Halo 3” — the biggest game for the Xbox 360 and perhaps Microsoft’s saving grace in the ongoing console wars. My contribution to the brouhaha can be found here.
Many of my technology stories cover the latest and the greatest, but it’s interesting that I rarely, if ever, use the products I cover. This ranges from “Halo 3” to the iPhone.
It can lead to some product envy. Sure, a new iPhone would be nice, but is it practical on my budget?
It’s also challenging to sound knowledgeable, but I hope I held my own against the hardcore fans of a product. I don’t need to have played the “Halo” games to know the basic premise or to know the impact the first-person shooter has had on the industry. At the same time, I feel I’m missing a little bit by not playing the game.
I guess it’s not too much different than covering a band or a TV show or an event that I don’t frequently partake in. It just seems different for an item someone can take to the checkout line and buy.

The reign of the geek begins tonight

With the fall TV season is in full swing, my free time is going to be totally sucked dry as I try to keep my TiVo’s hard drive from filling up. One thing I’ve noticed is that geeks are going to be pretty much ruling the roost this fall (until the cancellation ax falls).
There are a number of cool shows that I’m checking out — “Bionic Woman,” “Heroes,” and “Pushing Daisies.” “Beauty and the Geek” remains the only reality show that I can stomach on a weekly basis.
One new show I’m definitely adding to my Digital Video Recorder is “Chuck,” which premieres tonight. There’s not much I can add that hasn’t been said elsewhere — the pilot episode is tight. It’s full of polish and cinematic flares under the direction of McG.
There are some weird questions about the premise that could prevent the show from totally succeeding, but the strength of the cast and the general fun of the premise could keep it going for a long time.

What’s next for Al Gore?

From Ryan:
This was originally published on my personal blog, but is here now for your reading and digestive pleasure.
I don’t know why I did it, but I watched what seemed to be all 82 hours of this year’s Emmy telecast Sunday on FOX. The creative arts Emmy show (a two-hour affair Saturday on E!) was much breezier — they cut out the lists of nominees, most of the speeches and thankfully all of the singing numbers.
Anywho, I was interested to see Al Gore win an Emmy for his broadcast baby, Current TV. As I watched the audience’s resounding ovation, I wondered what was next for the former vice president.
Since he’s already won an Oscar (for “An Inconvenient Truth”) to go with his Emmy, what is his next entertainment conquest? I think he should form a barbershop quartet and go for a Grammy.
What do you think? A Grammy? I don’t think Al will go for an American Music Award because it’s not classy enough. Perhaps a Tony for a Broadway production of “An Inconvenient Truth”?
Heck, if they can turn “The Producers” and “Hairspray” from cult films to top-rated musicals, who knows what they can do to an environmental documentary. I can’t wait to see a musical “Truth” come back to movie cineplexes.

Let’s get it started

The Buzz has entered the blogosphere and is ready to serve. We sit here ready slam our keyboards with cool, compelling arts observations, thoughts and other minutae for public consumption.
These profound passages – relating to both the local and national entertainment scene – will be served up by longtime Chico E-R Buzz Editor Alan Sheckter and Chico E-R Web Content Editor (and keen pop culture critic) Ryan Olson.
We hope you’ll join us frequently. You’ll be glad you did next time you bump into someone you’d like to impress who asks you, “What’s happening?”

What’s next for Al Gore?

I don’t know why I did it, but I watched what seemed to be all 82 hours of this year’s Emmy telecast Sunday on FOX. The creative arts Emmy show (a two-hour affair Saturday on E!) was much breezier — they cut out the lists of nominees, most of the speeches and thankfully all of the singing numbers.

Anywho, I was interested to see Al Gore win an Emmy for his broadcast baby, Current TV. As I watched the audience’s resounding ovation, I wondered what was next for the former vice president.

Since he’s already won an Oscar (for “An Inconvenient Truth”) to go with his Emmy, what is his next entertainment conquest? I think he should form a barbershop quartet and go for a Grammy.

What do you think? A Grammy? I don’t think Al will go for an American Music Award because it’s not classy enough. Perhaps a Tony for a Broadway production of “An Inconvenient Truth”?

Heck, if they can turn “The Producers” and “Hairspray” from cult films to top-rated musicals, who knows what they can do to an environmental documentary. I can’t wait to see a musical “Truth” come back to movie cineplexes.

Open-mic night at the Chuckle Hut

I’ve got a topical joke, but I know it won’t go further than this blog:

The U.S. military is working on a futuristic anti-mob energy beam that makes people think their skin is on fire. Unfortunately, the military refuses to deploy it because some might view it as a torture machine.

The military’s had this problem before — the device’s first name was TortureBeam 5000.

That’s my time. Thanks, folks. You’ve been great.

Chance encounters

Chico can be a pretty small world sometimes. On Friday, I happened to head downtown for a slice of pizza where I ran into one co-worker at City Plaza. Later, I ran into another co-worker near Duffy’s.

I guess I didn’t expect to see them — I usually don’t see anyone I know when I visit downtown. Still, I run into people enough times to keep things interesting.

Oh, I walked through part of City Plaza’s fountain and emerged with a sharp, distinct smell of chlorine on my clothes. I wonder if the city increased the amount of chlorine after some parents complained.

Different worlds

I know some groups are worried about “freaking,” that genteel style of dancing involving dance partners sexually grinding against each other. China apparently has a similar problem — kids holding hands while dancing. BBC News has the story. Interestingly, the Chinese government is promoting dance as a way for increasingly overweight kids to get exercise, but some are worried.

Some parents had expressed fears that if boys and girls danced hand in hand they might fall in love and put their studies at risk.

I wonder if the Chinese might be receptive to square dancing. It seems less scandalous than the waltz.

Good news and, well, good-er news

Hey all –

I wanted to share two of the best things to happen today. First off, someone installed those paper towel dispensers that auto-magically whirl paper out when you wave your hand in front of them. Truly, we live in a wondrous age.

Perhaps more importantly, I’m proud to announce that I helped relaunch my newspaper’s Web site today at ChicoER.com. The redesign has been a long time coming, and I’m glad to turn our site on its head (esp. with the help of my co-workers).

Oh, I also devised a slightly corny slogan to go with it. “The new ChicoER.com – the power of more.” One huge reason why I’m not in public relations, although I’m all right with it.


ChicoER.com – It’s for real.

It’s a modest effort compared to the most progressive of the “Web 2.0” sites. I mean, where are the delightful search “clouds,” jerky 30-second video clips and user-defined ‘news’ sections?

Still, it’s a pretty big step forward for a 30,000-circ. newspaper used to putting out stories just once a day. I’m happy with this blend of old-fashioned journalism with the best the Web can offer, including multimedia, mashups and some user-contributed material.

I hope those interested enjoy it as well. Please let me know what you think.

— Ryan

– Learn about the redesign — Including the “power of more.” (Just one of the three or four things I’ve had to write about the redesign).
– Watch Editor David Little discuss the new site.