Writer/Director Michael Ajakwe's 2nd Annual Web Series Festival To Honor America's Court Judge Kevin Ross and Jean-Michel Albert

(Kevin Ross, Michael Ajakwe and Jean-Michel Albert)

LAWEBFEST Selections to Screen in South of France; 2011 Honorees Named

LAWEBFEST, the only all-web series festival in the world, is honoring Kevin Ross, host of tv's "America's Court with Judge Ross", with the Social Media Award for his efforts at educating the public, especially minority communities, on digital issues affecting them though his 3BAAS Media internet marketing firm and online column.

“Receiving this honor affirms what I believe to be absolutely true – in order to achieve success as each of us individually defines it, you must do what you love,” Ross said. “I’m fortunate that my passion for new media has lead to the creation of a business and me hosting my own television court show.”

Created in 2010 by veteran Emmy-winning tv producer and NAACP Award-winning playwright Michael Ajakwe, Jr., the Los Angeles Web Series Festival is the industry (and world's) first all-web series festival honoring serialized shows created for the Internet. The goal of the three-day festival is to celebrate web shows by bringing creators, producers, directors, actors and technicians together under one roof.

In addition to Ross, Jean-Michel Albert-- founder of Europe's first all-web series festival-- will be honored with the festival's “Envisioneer Award” for his efforts at organizing the first all-web series festival in Europe. Additionally, Albert is awarding 6 LAWEBFEST entries with an all-expense paid trip to Europe in October to showcase their web series to an international audience at the Marseille Webfest.

“The web series is a global phenomena and our partnership with Europe's first web series festival is just the beginning,” said LAWEBFEST Founder and Executive Director Michael Ajakwe Jr. "This year, we're thrilled that we can offer a handful of LAWEBFEST entries an opportunity to expose their wonderful shows to a European audience... Building a sense of community is one of our main goals and we have a great partner in producer Jean-Michel Albert.”

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award from another pioneer in the web series industry,” Albert declared.


Los Angeles Web Series Festival takes place March 25-27 at the Stage 52 Theatre in Los Angeles. The Marseille Webfest in Marseille, France is being spear-headed by the Paris and Marseille-based tv, film and web series producer October 14-16 2011. Last year, when the city of Marseille expressed an interest in hosting a web series festival Albert-- who was chosen to lead those efforts-- reached across the Atlantic ocean to Ajakwe.

Other festival honorees include "Maverick Award" recipient Scott Rice, whose award winning parody series “Script Cops” drew the attention of Sony Digital after it received over a million hits. The "Groundbreaker Award" will go to Hayden Black, an innovative English online media producer whose "Goodnight, Burbank" is the first web series adapted into a half-hour comedy made specifically for the web.

Festival organizers this year have seen a dramatic rise in entries and expect the number of screenings to double. Thus far, 50 web series have been selected from nearly 200 submissions. These entries hail from 19 different states and 8 foreign countries.

For African-Americans Interested In The Online Space, This Is Your Urban New Media Wrap-Up For January 2011

The Game’ Is a Winner, Helped by BET Loyalists

“The Game,” a sitcom about pro football players’ relationships with women, puttered along in obscurity for three years on the CW network. The season it was canceled, it attracted only 1.9 million viewers an episode. Then it was resurrected with two new episodes last Tuesday on the cable channel BET, which picked up the program and resumed production as part of an effort to add scripted shows to its schedule. The response from BET viewers was “jaw-dropping.” The first two episodes of the new season averaged 7.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched sitcom ever on cable television.

The 30-year-old channel had never had such high ratings for a series. “Just over the moon” is how Debra L. Lee, the chief executive and chairwoman of BET Networks, described her reaction. “It proves that cable is competitive,” she said. How does a show quadruple its audience? Ms. Lee credits a smart marketing plan, fan bases on Facebook and Twitter, and frequent showings on BET of repeat episodes in the past year, which ginned up interest in the new episodes.

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For Minorities, New 'Digital Divide' Seen

When the personal computer revolution began decades ago, Latinos and blacks were much less likely to use one of the marvelous new machines. Then, when the Internet began to change life as we know it, these groups had less access to the Web and slower online connections — placing them on the wrong side of the "digital divide."

Today, as mobile technology puts computers in our pockets, Latinos and blacks are more likely than the general population to access the Web by cellular phones, and they use their phones more often to do more things.

But now some see a new "digital divide" emerging — with Latinos and blacks being challenged by more, not less, access to technology. It's tough to fill out a job application on a cellphone, for example. Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment.

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Dr. King's Facebook Page Vandalized With Racist Images

A Facebook page that appears to be run by the Martin Luther King Center has been vandalized by individuals or a group of people who are determined to populate the page with disturbing racial imagery. Images using the N-word are displayed all over the page, along with other hurtful pictures, including a black man having sex with a bucket of chicken.

It is not clear who is responsible for maintaining the page or moderating the images, but the KingCenter.org website is listed as the group that owns the page.

Details...

Will The Strings Attached To Comcast/NBC Deal Be Effective?

Both the FCC and the Justice Department have effectively cleared the way for Comcast (aka, that cable company from Philadelphia) to own a majority of NBC Universal, but the regulators did so with several strings attached to the deal. Among the regulations outlined by the FCC and the Justice Dept., are:

*Comcast/NBC must license its programming to online distributors that have obtained distribution agreements with one of NBCU's peers.

*Comcast can't do anything that would unduly limit content owners' abilities to freely negotiate creative arrangements with Comcast competitors.

*The Comcast/NBC Voltron is not allowed to "retaliate against any broadcast network, affiliate, cable programmer, production studio or content provider for licensing content to Comcast competitors."

*Comcast must relinquish its management rights in Hulu, which is a joint venture of NBC, Fox and ABC, "so Comcast cannot use NBCU's partial ownership of Hulu to diminish its competitive significance."

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If You’re Not Networking, You’re Not Social

Social media isn't isolating us as we tap on our laptops, smartphones and tablets; rather, we're becoming "hypersocial" in our virtual, avatar-populated environment, suggests researcher and author S. Craig Watkins. Rather than gathering in, say, the bowling alleys that were social hubs in the 1950s, we Wii-bowl with companions nearly anywhere on the globe.

Author of "The Young and The Digital," a book about today's so-called digital natives, Watkins rejects some researchers' laments that technology isolates us, noting that multiplayer online games cultivate friendships across long distances, and Facebook helps childhood friends keep in content when they move geographically. "There's nowhere we can't connect to our friends and our network," he says.

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Black People And The Internet - What's Up?

African Americans are more likely than whites to access the Internet by mobile phone, and they are twice as likely to use Twitter. Mobile devices have expanded access to the Internet, but they also limit the experience. NPR's Renee Montagne talks with IT consultant Anjuan Simmons about Internet trends among blacks.

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Isidra Person-Lynn Relaunches 'Sunday Morning Live' On Blogtalkradio

Media expert Isidra Person-Lynn has taken to the Internet to provide news, information and entertainment from a African American perspective on her new online Blogtalkradio show 'Sunday Morning Live'. Person-Lynn, a University of Southern California graduate who went on to become a celebrated public affairs radio personality on Los Angeles station 103.9 FM KACE, has also created a frequently updated blog for the weekly program.

Person-Lynn is clearly filling a void in the talk arena, as traditional black radio broadcast stations are opting to play more music and reducing their focus on spotlighting local issues in African American populated communities.

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Spelman Coeds Win AT&T Mobile Campus Challenge, Besting MIT & Harvard

Sisters Are Getting Their Tech On!

Jonecia Keels and Jazmine Miller of Spelman College have won the 2010 AT&T Big Mobile on Campus Challenge^SM with their next generation e-learning mobile application, HBCU Buddy.

HBCU Buddy is a mobile application created to educate and inform users, including both prospective and current college students, about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the United States. It is a fully-fledged mobile service application that provides detailed information about HBCU's and integrates all facets of college life.

The application opens with a directory profiling each HBCU with information on academics, admissions, research, student life, alumni, among other details. After selecting a school, students can navigate through the school – literally – by accessing virtual tours of buildings, on-campus videos, and local GPS and directions.

HBCU Buddy can also provide students with customizable social networking features to connect with each other, their school and community. The application connects to social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and integrates tools such as chat and calendar to help students stay informed. Students can use the application to follow the latest on school club and campus happenings, local events, hot spots around the community, and more.

Jonecia Keels and Jazmine Miller were recognized and awarded a $10,000 scholarship (divided between them) and a mobile device of their choice each at the Higher Ed Board of Advisors Meeting in Miami, Florida, on October 7, 2010.

The President has been keen to foster stronger STEM education for all American students (science, tech, engineering and math) because the jobs of the future will require strong skills in these disciplines.

Source: Jack & Jill Politics

Jesse Jackson, Michael Jackson And Barack Obama - Here's Your Latest Tech And Online News Brief

Rainbow PUSH Hosts DC Telecommunications Symposium

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Citizenship Education Fund will host its annual symposium examining the current state of telecommunications and international affairs on Friday, October 29. The event takes place at the Capital Hilton hotel in Washington, DC., 1001 16th Street, NW from 7:30 - 2:00 pm and is open to the public. Pre-registration is required.

The topics and panels to be convened include "Obstacles and Opportunities in Implementing the National Broadband Plan," "Digital Civil Rights," "Broadband Adoption: Why it Should be the Top National Priority in Technology Policy," "Focus on Africa: U.S. HIV-AIDS Policy," and "Financial Literacy Training."

An opening VIP reception will be held on Thursday, October 28, 2010 6:00 PM, at The Willard Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. To RSVP call 202-383-7974.or additional information visit http://www.rainbowpush.org/.

Commander-In-Chief Giving Lots of Love To Black Bloggers

President Obama stopped by a "black online summit" at the White House Monday as part of an outreach to African American journalists and bloggers before the midterm elections, an effort that includes the Democratic National Committee spending what it calls an unprecedented $3 million to reach the most loyal part of Obama's base, African American voters.

"I thought the meeting was great in that it showed that President Obama and his administration are taking black new media and our growing influence seriously," David A. Wilson, managing editor of theGrio.com, told Journal-isms via e-mail.

"They outlined how the administration's policies have had a positive effect on the African-American community and they invited us to make suggestions on how they could work better with us and provide us with more access to the White House.

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Michael Jackson Earned More This Past Year Than Any Living Celebrity Except Guess Who?

Over the past year Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna and Jay-Z each each earned more than $50 million. But Michael Jackson earned more than all four--combined.

Thriller To Become A Movie

The King of Pop, who died in June 2009, made an astonishing $275 million in the past 12 months, putting him -- by a wide margin -- atop the Forbes list of top-earning dead celebrities. Jackson's take was in no small part because of the more than $250 million worldwide box-office haul of the Sony film This Is it. Check out the one celebrity who still banks more than the music legend.

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Never Heard of TuneCore? Then You Need To Step Your Music Game UP!

Less than five years after Price launched it, TuneCore has become the world's largest distributor of music, as measured by its volume of releases. The New York-based company pumps out 15,000 to 30,000 new songs each week, more than most major record labels release in a year. And it achieves that without scouting and signing artists, operating a recording studio or cranking up the marketing and promotion machine typically part of a traditional recorded music label.

Established musicians such as Jay-Z, Trent Reznor and Aretha Franklin use TuneCore's services, as well as lesser known artists such as Dave Days and Liam Sullivan.

The story of how TuneCore became a key part of the digital music ecosystem parallels the rise of the digital music business, once the shock of widespread piracy began to wear off and executives began to question every assumption they had about the industry.

Full Story

Technology Impacts The Diaspora In Unimaginable Ways

Ask web entrepreneur Stefan Magdalinski why he moved from London to Cape Town two years ago, and he points to a map that illustrates the technological revolution reshaping Africa.

The map shows the 14 undersea fibre-optic cables that will link the continent's Internet service providers to the servers of Europe and Asia by mid-2012, increasing the capacity of its cable Internet connections almost three-fold from today and nearly 300-fold from 2009.

The cables are drawn in different colours and in thicknesses that represent their capacity -- from the thin gray line showing the 120-gigabit cable that was Africa's only fibre optic link in January 2009, to the broad orange swath showing a 5,120-gigabit cable set to launch in 2012.

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Starbucks Wants Your Business Coffee Addicts, Badly!

Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee retailer, have unveiled additions to their WiFi network that will allow customers to enjoy free access to media like movies and e-books while in store. Smartphone toting coffee lovers–as well as those with iPads and laptops–can now enjoy a variety of “snackable” content simply by connecting to the Starbucks network.

After network connection is established a welcome page will appear, allowing customers to scroll through various sections including entertainment, wellness, business and careers, and “my neighborhood,” where they can find community news, restaurant reviews and more.

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The Latest From Hip Tech Site Mashable

Every week, Mashable puts together a calendar of upcoming social media and web events, parties and conferences. Would you like to have your conference or event listed here? If so, please contact us at least one month before your event to establish a media partnership. For more upcoming listings, check out Mashable’s Events section.

In the meantime, here are some tips on how to network, share your information and/or promote your event(s) using social media:

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Egyptian Women Use Twitter to Fight Sexual Harassment

Women who experience sexual harassment while walking the streets of Cairo will soon have a way to use Twitter to fight back. A Web service called Harrasmap will collect tweeted or texted reports of gropings, whistles and other unwanted harassment; the data will be used to generate a real-time map of the city showing areas that might be unsafe for women.

With 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of female foreign residents saying they have experienced harassment in Cairo, the site's founders say they hope the service will help victims realize that they aren't alone.

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Time To Get Out Of That Unemployment Line

Wake up, job seekers. Sixty percent of you aren’t using social media in your quest to land a position, according to MicroTrain, a professional training and job services company. That means the 40 percent of job hunters who are using social media—sites like LinkedIn and Twitter—hold a decided advantage over their behind-the-times counterparts. As James Ellis, director of professional services at MicroTrain, pointed out, many job postings on Twitter and LinkedIn never appear anywhere else.

JOBS IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media specialist and author Dan Schwabel noted recently that the old approach to finding a job—“developing a resume and cover letter, locating jobs on and submitting your resume to corporate sites and job banks, and crossing your fingers in hopes of receiving a call from a hiring manager—is, for the most part, a thing of the past.”

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BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE – THE WORLD IS WAITING!

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Technology Has Already Changed How We Pay Bills, Read, Watch TV And Listen To Music - Are You Scared Yet???

THE FUTURE - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!

Stop fighting the Internet black people, resistance is futile. Digital efficiency is the new world order, so bragging about how you are not computer savvy, or how you don't "do" email or social networking just confirms your stupidity. Don't believe us?

Well, what we've listed a few things for you to consider - under the hood.

1. The Post Office: Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.

2. The Check: Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with checks by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process checks. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the check.

This plays right into the death of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.

3. The Newspaper: The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man.

As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.

4. The Book: You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music.

The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. The price is less than half that of a real book. And, think of the convenience once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book; you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book.

5. The Land Line Telephone: Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they've always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes.

6. Music: This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who like to hear it.

Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalog items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with; older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit.

To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary "Before the Music Dies."

7. Television: Revenues to the networks are down dramatically; not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV.

Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing. Commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it. It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix, or pay a dollar and rent from Redbox.

8. The "Things" That You Own: Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in "the cloud." Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services." That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system.

So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider. In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device.

That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

9. Privacy: If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. It's gone. It's been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. You can be sure that 24/7 "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google "Street View".

If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. And "They" will try to get you to buy something else: again and again.

All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

Black Blogging Rockstars Provide Insight At The March 2010 SXSW

Rules Requiring Network Neutrality Struck Down By Court - Is That Really Such A Bad Thing?

Obama Administration's Options Now Limited

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Federal Communications Commission lacks the authority to force Internet service providers to keep their networks open to all forms of content, throwing into doubt the agency's status as watchdog of the Web.

The FCC has long sought to impose rules requiring Internet providers to offer equal treatment to all Web traffic, a concept known as network neutrality. But in a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit found that the agency lacked the power to stop cable giant Comcast from slowing traffic to a popular file-sharing site.

Although the Comcast case centered on the issue of network neutrality, the court's ruling could hamper other initiatives, including the Obama administration's ambitious plans to expand high-speed Internet service nationwide and the agency's enforcement of new truth-in-advertising rules on broadband speeds promised by carriers.

In This Chess Game - What's The Next Move???

Analysts said the decision in effect removes a government enforcer that otherwise would prevent a company such as Comcast from blocking the Hulu or YouTube video sites from its network, analysts said.

"Today's ruling is destabilizing, as it could effectively free broadband service providers from FCC regulation over broadband," said Rebecca Arbogast, head of research at Stifel Nicolaus.

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Black People Are Embracing Twitter And Facebook... Gangbangers Say We're Down With New Media Too!

What, You Think We Don't Know What's Up?

When a gang member was released from a US jail soon after his arrest for selling methamphetamine, friends and associates assumed he had cut a deal with authorities and become a police informant.

They sent a warning on Twitter that went like this: We have a snitch in our midst.

Unbeknownst to them, that tweet and the traffic it generated were being closely followed by investigators, who had been tracking the San Francisco Bay Area gang for months. Officials sat back and watched as others joined the conversation and left behind incriminating information.

Law enforcement officials in the US say gangs are making greater use of Twitter and Facebook, where they sometimes post information that helps agents identify gang associates and learn more about their organisations.

"You find out about people you never would have known about before," said Dean Johnston with the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, which helps police investigate gangs. "You build this little tree of people."

In the case involving the suspected informant, tweets alerted investigators to three other gang members who were ultimately arrested on drug charges.

Tech-savvy gangsters have long been at home in chatrooms and on websites like MySpace, but they appear to be gravitating toward Twitter and Facebook, where they can make threats, boast about crimes, share intelligence on rivals and network with people across the country.

"We are seeing a lot more of it," Johnston said. "They will even go out and brag about doing shootings."

In another California case involving a different gang, much of the information gathered by investigators came from members' Facebook accounts. Authorities expect to make arrests in the coming months.

"Once you get into a Facebook group, it's relatively easy," Johnston said. "You have a rolling commentary."

And gang members sometimes turn the tables, asking contacts across their extended networks for help identifying undercover police officers.

It's hard to know exactly how many gang members are turning to Twitter and Facebook. Many police agencies are reluctant to discuss the phenomenon for fear of revealing their investigative techniques.

Capt. Walt Myer, director of the Riverside County regional gang task force, said gang activity often "mirrors general society. When any kind of new technology comes along, they are going to use it."

Ad Feedback Representatives from Twitter and Facebook say they regularly co-operate with police and supply information on account holders when presented with a search warrant. Neither company would discuss specifics.

Gang use of Twitter and Facebook still lags behind use of the much-older MySpace, which remains gang members' online venue of choice.

The Crips, Bloods, Florencia 13, MS-13 and other gangs have long used MySpace to display potentially incriminating photos and videos of people holding guns and making hand gestures. They also post messages about rivals.

Last week, officials in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, announced the arrest of 50 people in a crackdown of a Latino gang they say was engaged in drug sales and hate crimes against black residents. Prosecutors say some of the evidence was pulled from MySpace and YouTube, including rap videos taunting police with violent messages.

While some members are wising up to the police attention such postings can bring, gang information remains publicly viewable online.

Dozens of Facebook accounts are dedicated to the deadly MS-13 gang, with followers from around the globe. At one site, a video displays pictures of dead members of the rival 18th Street gang, and some users have left disrespectful comments.

The toughest part about tracking someone on Twitter is finding the alias or screen name they are posting under. And many tweets are nonsensical or pointless, so cutting through the clutter can be difficult.

"It's tricky," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy David Anguiano "If you find out what they go by, you are good to go."

Anguiano tracks the online activity of graffiti vandals - the so-called tagging crews that sometimes morph into gangs. They post tweets saying they are heading out to spray paint and sometimes post links to photographs of their work.

Often, they cannot resist bragging about their handiwork, and the electronic trail they leave is frequently used as evidence.

"They talk about it too much," Anguiano said. "You want the fame so you've got to go out there and talk about it. That's when your mouth gets you in trouble."

Source

The Net Neutrality Arguement - Where Do You Stand?

Are Open Internet Policies Essential to Minorities?

FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn told a minority media conference audience Jan. 22 that network neutrality is not a threat to minority advancement but smart regulation that will help avoid the "damage" done to diversity by radio and TV deregulation. But is that actually true?

The FCC's Democratic majority is backing a proposal to expand and codify the FCC's Internet openness principles. Since the Democrats have a 3-2 edge, some version of that proposal is likely to pass.

The minority community has been divided over the issue of network neutrality, with a number of groups cautioning the FCC, and more recently the White House and Congress, that network neutrality rules could widen the digital divide by discouraging the private investment necessary to get broadband to the poorer and minority communities that are currently unserved and underserved.

Clyburn made it clear she sided with those who saw the rules instead as a way to prevent "[ceding] control of the most significant communications advancement in our lifetimes."

"Together we must ensure that people of color--and all Americans--can 'participate as owners, employees, and suppliers' on-line," she said. "That cannot happen, however, if we passively permit a new set of gatekeepers to erect yet another set of barriers to entry."

Of course, there are many who disagree with Clyburn, arguing that net neutrality is not all proponents are making it out to be. And given the White House push for a National Broadband Plan, economic realities may trump the impassioned pleas of those sitting on the FCC.

While broadband adoption has been the focus of much attention in terms of enfranchising the minority community, Clyburn said closing the digital divide was about more than that.

"[W]hen it comes to communities of color--and other traditionally underrepresented groups--the broadband story does not and cannot end with adoption. Broadband is not simply a one-way challenge limited to finding ways in which individuals can obtain meaningful high-speed Internet access."

While network neutrality proponents like Clyburn want a fairly narrow definition of acceptable network management, others are arguing just the opposite.

Comcast, fresh off a strong performance challenging the FCC's network management finding against it in Federal Court (the BitTorrent case), echoed its arguments there by telling the FCC late Thursday that it must compile evidence and establish statutory authority before it adopts any rules.

While Comcast maintained it shares the goal of an open Internet and applauds a fact-based approach to the rulemaking, it also said that evidence collected by the FCC for its broadband plan raises "serious concerns" that the network neutrality regulations as currently constituted "would put at risk the continued investment and innovation in broadband networks needed to meet those goals."

The nation's largest cable operator noted that rules should only be adopted based on real "not conjectural" harms and benefits, and only if addressing both outweighs the risks to innovation and investment. Comcast added: "To date, there is no such record."

Comcast also said that since there is no express grant of Congressional authority the FCC is relying on the ancillary authority it says must be tied to specific statutory provisions, with a justification for why it is "reasonably ancillary" to that authority.

Taking a far more proactive regulatory stance was the American Cable Association, which represents over 900 smaller and medium-sized cable operators. "The proposed regulations do not go far enough."

ACA asked the FCC to extend the open Internet regs to "all providers" of broadband content, applications, services and devices." ACA said that all those play a key role in either shaping or distorting "the internet experience." ACA took the opportunity to continue its campaign against ESPN360, saying it was one of those content providers blocking access.

As the debates rages on over the extremely important issue, we'll keep you informed!

Technology Is The New Civil Rights For Black Children - Welcome To The Digital Renaissance Movement!

Growing up in the ’70s, John Halamka was a bookish child with a penchant for science and electronics. He wore black horn-rimmed glasses and buttoned his shirts up to the collar.

"I was constantly being called a geek or a nerd,” he recalled, chuckling.

Now 47, Dr. Halamka is the chief information officer at the Harvard Medical School, a practicing emergency-ward physician and an adviser to the Obama administration on electronic health records.

Hybrid careers like Dr. Halamka’s that combine computing with other fields will increasingly be the new American jobs of the future, labor experts say. But not enough young people are embracing computing — often because they are leery of being branded nerds.

Educators and technologists say two things need to change: the image of computing work, and computer science education in high schools. Teacher groups, professional organizations like the Association for Computing Machinery and the National Science Foundation are pushing for these changes, but so are major technology companies including Google, Microsoft and Intel.

That message must resonate with parents and school administrators, they say, if local school districts are to expand their computer science programs.

“We need to gain an understanding in the population that education in computer science is both extraordinarily important and extraordinarily interesting,” said Alfred Spector, vice president for research and special initiatives at Google. “The fear is that if you pursue computer science, you will be stuck in a basement, writing code. That is absolutely not the reality.”

Kira Lehtomaki can attest to this. She came to computing by way of art and movies. Art projects, not computers, were her childhood passions. She loved watching videos of Disney movies like “Sleeping Beauty” and “Dumbo,” and wanted to grow up to be one of those artists who stirred life into characters using pencils and paper.

She even took a summer job at Disneyland as a “cookie artist,” painting designs and Mickey Mouse faces on baked goods, because she was allowed to spend a few days with Disney’s animators.

Yet as a 19-year-old college student in 2001, Ms. Lehtomaki saw the Pixar film “Monsters, Inc.” and was impressed by how good computer animation had become. At the University of Washington, she pursued computer graphics, graduating with a degree in computer science.

Today Ms. Lehtomaki, 27, is an animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios, working on “Rapunzel,” which is scheduled to be released next year. She does her drawing on a computer, using specialized graphics and modeling software. Her computer science education, she said, is an asset every day in her work, less for technical skills than for what she learned about analytic thinking.

“Computer science taught me how to think about things, how to break down and solve complex problems,” Ms. Lehtomaki said.

Reformulating a seemingly difficult problem into something a person can know how to solve is “computational thinking,” which the new high school courses are intended to nurture. Some schools in Los Angeles County are experimenting with the introductory course, called “Exploring Computer Science.” Last year, 35 students were in one pilot program, and this year the course is being taken by 130 students.

Students from low-income families create projects that address subjects of their interest, like gang violence and recycling. Others choose to make simple computer games.

The story continues...

HP Tracking Webcams Don't Recognize Black Faces - Well, Excuse Me!

This is beyond awkward. It appears that Hewlett Packard's new webcams, which have facial-tracking software, can't recognize black faces. After just returning from that Tavis Smiley America I Am exhibit, HP has some esplainin to do!

Their response:

"We are working with our partners to learn more. The technology we use is built on standard algorithms that measure the difference in intensity of contrast between the eyes and the upper cheek and nose. We believe that the camera might have difficulty "seeing" contrast in conditions where there is insufficient foreground lighting."

Why Is Barack Obama Using Social Media So Much? Well, Here's Your Answer!

AT&T Doesn't Want You To Use Skype or Google Voice, But It's Their Horrible Service That's Driving Customers Away!

HEY AT&T, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???

By Kevin Ross, CEO of 3BAAS Media Group

So I pulled up to this AT&T store at 6:57pm on Sunday August 2, 2009. The front door said clear as day that this location closes at 7:00pm. Now admittedly, no one was in the store except three employees, including two ladies behind cash registers. When I walked up to the door it was locked, so I knocked on the glass and a late 20-something man gestured that they were closed.

I then asked him to walk over to the where I was. He complied.

After indicating that I was there to pay a bill, the man told me they closed at 7:00pm I said “It’s not 7:00, it’s only 6:59.” His retort was the registers were already closed out. My response was, “Why are registers closed when the store is still officially open?” The man shrugged his shoulders, and walk away. I don't have these issues with Skype, and AT&T knows it.

Initially deciding to just drop the whole thing and move on, I began walking towards a nearby take-out restaurant to get some dinner. Suddenly, I just happened to look at my ATT Blackberry, which was showing 6:58. I paused for a moment, turned around and headed back to the store. I asked the gentleman to come over again.

When he did, I showed him my AT&T phone with the time now reading 6:59. “Your company phone is even showing that you guys should not be closed yet,” I said. He then pulled out his black iPhone (the one some AT&T users have been complaining about) and showed it to me. At that point, it read 7:00pm.

“My phone says 7:00 p.m.,” the man replied. Well, it’s clear that even with his phone now reading 7:00. I should have initially been allowed to transact business. When I asked for his name he indicated he was Jarrett and he was in charge. I asked for his last name and he refused to give it to me.

When I asked for the manager’s name, he indicated his name was Adam. I advised him that I would be contacting his manager. Jarrett rudely replied, “Well, you do that – contact him.”

That's when my Blackberry camera came in handy. After snapping the picture above, I did contact Adam Garcia, the store manager. While apologizing for the situation, he went on to defend the stores actions based on several robberies that AT&T stores had been experiencing whereby criminals are waiting right up until these stores close before stealing from them at gunpoint.

As a result, AT&T, unbeknownst to the general public, has began instructing stores to close 30 minutes early then the time stated, lock the doors, and not allow additional customers to enter.

While I understand the safety precautions be implemented, it stills doesn’t excuse poor customer service being shown to customers trying to spend money with AT&T.

Mr. Garcia asked me to send him this piece before posting which I did. He said he would make sure he got back to me to discuss further. To date, Adam remains missing in action. No phone call, no email. Nothing. Nada. Zilch! Am I the only one who's experiencing this?

And yes, this is the same AT&T who’s chum (term used to measure the number of customers who leave or switch to another service) is increasing due to consumers experiencing constant dropped calls in areas where various phones show a full signal.

This is the same AT&T who is covertly trying to prevent Apple from accepting the Google Voice application because they don’t want consumers to have options. Instead, AT&T wants to subject customers to unprofessional employees. Employees that may soon need to find work in other industries, as VOIP becomes more widespread and the society finds less need for traditional phone service.

Don’t take my word on this - ask one of those 8,000 employees Verizon is laying off due to reduced demand for their product. And that’s taking place despite there aggressive marketing campaign for FIOS.

All I can say is AT&T, you need to get it together. Right now, it seems that the FCC is on you too, which means my world that has you in it does not feel close at hand. Is this thing on???

New 2009 Study Examines Online Habits of Tech-Savvy African Americans

A recent survey conducted by 3BAAS Media Group that polled members of the newly formed Urban New Media Group elicited some surprising answers to questions surrounding habits of US blacks who frequent the Web.

Queried on the Internet locations they visited, You Tube by far was the most popular, followed by news sites such as CNN and Huffington Post, and then Facebook.

While blogs came in much lower than expected, the online tool the majority of respondents indicated they were most interested in learning more about was blogging. A close second was creating video content, with training on additional Facebook social networking applications coming in third.

Interesting enough, Twitter was not used by many of those surveyed. And yet mastering how to Tweet ranked in close proximity to Facebook.

When asked on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the best) how well were clergy and political representatives communicating important issues affecting African Americans, both received a score of 3. Community leaders fared worse, garnering an average score of 2.

Black newspapers and cable networks also received a 2 when the question was posed, "From a scale of 1 – 5 (with 5 being the best) how well do you think black media is doing providing important information to African Americans?" Black magazines and radio were each given a 3 score.

What was also revealing was the number of computer hours individuals spent specifically online. By far the most popular answer was between 3 – 6 hours a day.

Additional information asked included whether individuals believed Johnson Publications, creators of Ebony and Jet magazines, would be able to survive the current downturn amid advertising cutbacks and plummeting circulation numbers.

And participants also were given an opportunity to identify one issue that they would you like to see the Urban New Media Group focus on.

While the Urban New Media Group is open to anyone, most of the respondents were blacks residing in the United States. With membership having already swelled to almost 500 people, clearly a need exists to reach consumers seeking to become fully engaged in all things involving information and technology. Complete results of the survey will be provided to members and the public in the coming days.

The group was launched at the USC Annenberg School of Communication's 2009 Beyond Broadcast Conference. The 4th annual gathering of media experts, industry professionals and academia featured a discussion entitled, Urban New Media - Embracing The Digital Renaissance Movement. On hand to give their insight was Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas, USC Annenberg Dean Ernie Wilson, actress and media personality Rolonda Watts, and several others.

The moderator of the event was Kevin Ross, president and CEO of 3BAAS Media Group, a strategic marketing and online branding firm based in Los Angeles. Buoyed by the response the panel discussion received, 3BAAS is already planning a full 3-day conference focusing on urban niche communities in 2010.

For more information about the Urban New Media Group, visit the website, or join via Facebook.

Barry Diller's IAC Kicks Black Search Engine Rushmore Drive To The Curb

On The Kevin Ross Show, George Mason University Professor and Author Michael Fauntroy broke the news that Rushmore Drive has run out of gas.

The black search engine company that was under the IAC conglomerate never gained traction after it's much touted, splashy launch a lttle more than a year ago. CEO Johnny Taylor offically resigned yesterday according to Black Web 2.0, and Barry Diller, CEO of IAC, confirmed the company's uneventful demise

An IAC (NSDQ: IACI) spokeswoman said the move is "part of our continued effort to rationalize the IAC emerging businesses." The closure affects 17 employees; some people will be staying as the site's business winds down and IAC said it will help others find new positions.

The Washington Post is reporting that as for the potential sale CEO Johnny Taylor mentioned in his resignation letter to staff, apparently the company had exhausted all possibilities. According to April comScore numbers, the site had 439,000 uniques; internal tracking is higher (as is usually the case), around 600,000.

I'm sure more than a few folks are left scratching their heads wondering "What was even the point of Rushmore Drive???

Let's hope the new site The Grio doesn't suffer the same fate. It's all about content, folks!

TheGrio.com Debuts, Partners With NBCU And Sponsor Ford To Reach African Americans Online

NBCU Launches Web Site Aimed at African-Americans

Mary J. Blige: Branches Out on New Song
Dropped Charges Protested in Texas Dragging Case
Obama Speeds Projects to Create, Save 600,000 Jobs
Baseball Star Barry Bonds' to Split from Wife
Shell Settles Human Rights Suit for $15.5M
Stevie, Alicia, Latifah Booked for 'Mandela Day'

National Black Theatre Festival Marks 20 Years
Governor Race in Virginia May Hinge on Black Voters
Africa's Longest Serving Leader Dies
Races Differ in Rates of Sleep-Related Obesity
Publisher of Oldest black Newspaper Tells Secret to Survival
$1.5M to Black Mississippi Troopers Said Unlikely

From Black Report

Radio One Loses 60 Million This Year & Ebony Magazine Now Only Has 1 Photographer. Are We Losing Black Media?

After the 1st Annual Urban New Media conference sponsored by 3BAAS Media Group, a clarion call was made to address the bleak condition rapidly unfolding with black owned newspapers, radio stations, magazines and television outlets. It's time to be the change we want to see.

On Wednesday, June 10 at 7:00pm PST, respected African Americans in media will discuss how a new generation of black entreprenuers are determined to continue telling the stories of our history, celebrating our culture, and providing our perspective. Tune in to The Kevin Ross Show on Blogtalkradio as Boss Ross reveals what tradtional media is doing, and how new media is taking things to a whole new level.

We also reveal the results of the media survey completed by the recently formed New Urban Media Group on Facebook.

The call-in number is (347)945-5939. Don't miss it

1st Annual Urban New Media Conference for African Americans To Be Held at USC

Join African American leaders from the Greater Los Angeles area as we examine the current state of black media and best practices on innovations in online communications at the 1st Annual Urban New Media Conference sponsored by 3BAAS Media Group.

This panel is a part of the 2009 Beyond Broadcast Symposium taking place at University of Southern California's Annenberg Center June 3-6.

Confirmed Panelists:

LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
KJLH Radio General Manager Karen Slade
Christ our Redeemer Pastor Mark Whitlock
Political Consultant and Journalist Jasmyne Cannick
Actress & Media Personality Rolonda Watts

Moderated by Kevin Ross, 3BAAS Media Group

With the theme, "Embracing the Digital Renaissance" the panel will explore how the Internet is being used among different constituencies. We will also discuss the implications of digital and other technologies for the future of reaching communities of color, employment opportunities and the latest in mobile applications. An important aspect of the panel will be to build lasting virtual and real world bridges across the spectrum of organizations and ideas in the public information space.

The afternoon forum provides an opportunity for media, academia, politicians, business and the technology sector to convene to chart the course African Americans have already embarked on as the Internet re-imagines how society receives news, information and entertainment. The goal is to identify opportunities where these conversations will produce the highest value in the United States and abroad.

Seating is limited so attendees are strongly encouraged to RSVP. For those unable to attend, the free event will also stream live via the Internet. (Parking is not included). Hope to see you there!
For more information go to the 4th Annual Beyond Broadcast Conference website

Media Contact: dwayne.foster@3baas.com or check out our event page on facebook.

Ross and McLaughlin’s New Web-Based Syndicated Talker "Game On!" Takes Center Court on Blogtalkradio

One week after their eponymous radio show bested 1000’s of other Blogtalkradio (BTR) programs and claimed the number one spot, online teammates Kevin Ross and David McLaughlin are now preparing to launch their new Internet syndicated show Game On!

Debuting Tuesday December 2 at 8:00pm EST, “Game” is for fans hungry for smart, edgy talk. A spirited West Coast-East Coast, conservative-liberal, black-white take on the week’s most provocative political issues, Ross and McLaughlin will also feature “Satirical Soapbox” commentary from Boston Herald blogger John Breneman and RaidRadioNow.com’s Shomari McKenzie, as well as newsmakers from inside and out the Beltway.

When Blogtalkradio paired the winners of Fox News Radio’s Battle of the Blog Talkers together for their first outing “Exit Poll 08”, they knew they had something special. “Kevin Ross and David McLaughlin delivered six hours of talk that proved to be very successful with an online community wanting to discuss Obama’s historic win and the future of the Republican Party,” said Philip Recchia, director of programming for Blogtalkradio. “With their dynamic personalities, this show will be anything but politics as usual.”

Ross, an African American Republican straight out of Hollywood central casting, is a former judge turned small business entrepreneur and GOP party strategist. McLaughlin, a white Southern Baptist who teaches and coaches youth football on the weekends, is also a rabid Democratic loyalist and the newly selected director of Heading Left, one of two political channels currently featured on BTR.

With Congress set to debate the merits of the Fairness Doctrine in 2009, Blogtalkradio’s technology and marketing of its hosts demonstrate how conservative leaning talk radio can remain censor-free, while still being inclusive to diverse opinions and perspectives.

"Given what’s currently going on with the economy, traditional media is now open to innovative cross promotions with emerging media," said Ross, who hosted a weekend talk show on 790 KABC in Los Angeles. “Our 60 minute program will have all the features of regular shows, plus we’ll be able to engage folks in our interactive chat room and have it immediately available on demand.”

Currently the most popular hosts on BTR, a number of radio outlets have expressed interest in carry Ross and McLaughlin on their station’s websites to deliver increased value to not only their audience, but also those advertisers looking to obtain maximum exposure. 3BAAS Media Group expects to begin securing stations in the 1st Quarter of 2009.

“Internet talk is the new frontier, allowing the Clear Channels, Citadels and Premiere Radios of the world who dominate the syndicated market to have an additional tool in their arsenal," said McLaughlin. “I’m excited to co-host what will definitely be a full court press on the political issues of the day.”

About Blogtalkradio

Launched in 2006, BlogTalkRadio is a free, web-based talk radio platform allowing any user with a phone and a computer to host as well as produce a live, interactive show -- no downloads or extra equipment are needed. The world’s largest online radio network, each show can accommodate unlimited live listeners and chat room visitors. Upon completion of the program, it is automatically archived as a podcast. Since the company’s launch, thousands of men and women from divergent backgrounds and languages have broadcast more than 100,000 shows. Notable guests include President-Elect Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, actor Brad Pitt, film director Brian DePalma, former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, artist Yoko Ono and Academy Award winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson, among others.

Your Best Friends TIVO and DVR Are On The Way Out

“DVR and video on demand are struggling for relevance today. The challenge that TiVo faces — the challenge that any device based service faces -– is how they’re going to address user behavior. For every one person who plans ahead to tape shows they’ll miss, there are nine other that want to go online now that they’ve missed it.”

Tivo made a name for itself with a set-top box that performed magic: at the touch of a remote you could pause the present, slip into the past or leap over ads into the future. Now, the future of the company which defined the DVR is likely to depend on dumping the magic box altogether.
The eleven-year-old DVR company was so universally loved on its entrance into the marketplace that it got to date a character from "Sex and the City."
And yet Tivo’s stock has been languishing at or below $6 for months, it has only a 10 percent share of the DVR market and its market cap ($619 million) is so low that any one of our nation’s beloved moguls could buy the company for some loose pocket change.

Only 3.6 million of the nation's 36.2 million DVR users in the U.S. are willing to fork over $300 for three years of Tivo service.

Why? Because the Tivo box is dying. WIRED Blog Net has the rest of this story.