Parents and scientists too often think over various habitual hot potatoes like “Do video games cause violence?” and “How to protect children from negative sides of the internet, TV and peer pressure?”

According to AP, Japanese schoolchildren are getting addicted to internet-linking mobiles. The government is worried about how elementary and junior high school students are getting sucked into cyberspace crimes (pedophiles, trickster, etc.). Besides, they spend much time playing video games and chatting all day long.

Out of sight, I can’t but make some examples concerning the internet and video games as well. Have a look around! Do you remember yourself ten years ago as advanced web-users? You weren’t “third-generation” users.

One of the leading analysts of telecommunication market, Jakob Nielsen is of the opinion that folks weren’t accustomed to the internet area in the past.

Recent researches of Jakob Nielsen show that we are (web users) getting more and more selfish, anxious and angry! Also every internet surfer is impatient being on the web. I’m not surprised due to my own experience and knowledge.

According to Jakob Nielsen, instead of dawdling on websites many users want simply to reach a site quickly, complete a task and leave. I’ll say! As for me, I hate waiting for too long, can’t stand dragging my feet.

I’m not going to chewing the fat about it. Following just confirmed facts and results, I came to conclusion that web-users, who correctly use search requests and engines, are less subjected to stress and irritation.

Further to my pros and cons of using stunning breakthroughs of science, I’d like to take notice of video games. Popularity is self-evident. Nobody can ban online distribution and playing.

I’ve already said that video games have positive influence. Thus, they can’t be a reason of violence and cruelty.

In confirmation of these words Harvard researches disproved a considerable impact of video games on children. If you ask somebody whether video games cause violence or have nothing in common with cruelty, remember these researches.

Perhaps the most startling finding (at least for people the likes of Jack Thompson) is that boys that don’t play any video games at all are now considered to be socially inept. A danger sign for boys is “not playing video games at all, because it looks like for this generation, video games are a measure of social competence,” says Kutner and Olsen.

The most important point, however, is that video games activate reward regions of brain in men more than women. Allan Reiss, MD, and his colleagues from Stanford University Medical Center have proved that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play. That’s why men more likely to become “hooked” on video games.

To sum up, I’d like to express a hope that addicted gamers will be able to think for themselves. Unfortunately, therere many inveterate gamers who can’t imagine their lives without such a consuming activity. They just can’t do anything with it. Find aurea mediocriatas, or the golden mean!

Having said that, I remembered some valuable posts on video games at amuseline.com
• The Secret of Video Games Ups and Downs
• What Makes Video Games Serious Business?
• Video Games Have a Positive Influence.

Technorati Tags: video games cause violence, serious business, ups and downs, internet, videos, web TV, media research, television

There is a grain of truth in the words “TV is a root of all evil”. Have you ever thought of mass media (including television and the press) as “the fourth power”? It’s really so! To whom does the press serve? How to make out the truth and the false seen on a boob tube?

No matter to answer most of these questions. Everything is relative. Listen to the radio, watch TV and try to get to know where the relative truth is or trust only yourself. Remember, everybody lies (according to House M.D.).

If we take as an example dictatorial and authoritarian governments (China, Venezuela, Cuba, etc.), I can scarcely believe that the mass media do reflect an opinion of the majority. In such countries the press usually reflects the opinion of the Ruling elite.

By the way, since TV came into existence, it used to be a source of information. Creators just had an intention to show everything that matters. Ten years back some used antennas to pick up TV, and got only one station, could see it barely.

Later, owing to technological breakthroughs, TV stations increased in number. Satellite TV has become the peak of perfection. But now television differs, and reminds of a reality circus.

I singled out pros and cons of watching TV. Unfortunately, I can’t say which of them are advantages and disadvantages (for ones some reasons are really good, for others not quite well):

• Brainwashing machine. A controlling tool. A useful method for the government to send subliminal messages and propaganda to the masses, and for businesspeople to brainwash said masses into butting their low-quality products, waste of time, a form of mind control.
• Lifestyle. You don’t have to go out to find out latest news. At the same time, watching TV without rest as well as playing online-enabled games will make you a couch potato or crazy about it.
• Side effects. Many people watch horrifying images on the news and watching TV all day long. Nervous folks can’t stand it. Make sure offensive scenes to a greater or lesser extent make for raising stress and interest as well. It’s capable of turning your brain to mush.
• According to some research, watching funny videos or movies can lower your blood pressure. That’s become a confirmation of the greatest and important advantages of watching TV. An entertaining tool. Entertaining shows are a way of relaxing and winding down after a stressful day at work and/or commuting. They help you forget the annoyances of the world.
• A useful educational way to learn what’s going on in the world. A lot of channels like the Discovery Channel and other educational ones are at your service on the go.
• Busy people don’t fritter away their time on watching TV all day long (just news and surveys). Other common people choose the time to watch TV shows, programs, and news blocks selectively.
• Violence surrounds us and it is unfortunate that our children are exposed to this explicit material, whether found in video games, movies or on television. Thus, we can’t but agree that watching TV is the same as playing video games.

The advantage to watching TV is that there is a wide selection of channels and stations to choose from, as well as formats and types of broadcasting. It depends on you for what to find time.

According to our Amuseline.com poll “How many hours of web TV and/or video do you watch a week?”, we came to the conclusion that the majority of respondents spends 5-15 hours a week. Happily, the data shows relatively encouraging results. Nothing has been lost.

Technorati Tags: advantages of watching TV, television, web, TV, videos, fourth power, mass media, TV shows, series, House, video games

The share of traditional paper output like magazines and newspapers is getting less asked-for. Even (mostly paid) online sources of information don’t attract a great readership’s attention. People have fallen into the habit of watching TV news giving preference to internet television.

Digital media is gaining in strength, height and speed. Thus, free and qualitative materials are of great demand and interest nowadays. Advertisers place inVideo ads on video sites like YouTube, Revver, Dailymotion, Blinkx, Metacafe, etc. and this is valuable to consumers who use media content.

Various polls show that folks prefer better to watch TV free online than read magazines on the web. Therefore investors and sponsors spend their money on digital media. According to the Newspaper National Network, studios spent $880 million on newspaper ads last year, down from $1.5 billion in 2005.

Talking about the hottest places to investing money, it should be mentioned that free magazines and newspapers will be of a greater value for both consumers and advertisers if they become free forever. By the way, absolutely free content is the right way to achieve a success on the web!

On the other side, how to get money and cash in? Use more and more kinds of ads and set inVideo, textual, visual, indoor, outdoor, etc. in motion. Offer titbits (aka new services) for free! Make use of video channels and upload short films a la user-generated content by means of video-sharing web-sites.

One of the examples of an appropriate hype and close cooperation with online video sites is as follows: the Chicago Tribune has capitalized so-called “untapped inventory”, packaging its film critics and columnists in video shorts that are then posted on YouTube and other Web-based channels.

Some of newly-fledged video services teamed up with well-known portals to be promoted and moved ahead for free. NBC’s new HuluDotCom channel on YouTube created in early March and featuring only short-length clips (from 28 seconds to 3 minutes) from popular shows like Family Guy, The Office, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, etc. Thus, Hulu does all its best to boost itself.

In spite of my reasoning, newspapers and magazines will be free forever in the near future! Moreover, free newsrooms should become more integrated with digital services and opportunities, be available via gadgets on the go.

In confirmation of these words, Adam Jones, an NBC News executive, says that “video will replace the textbook”. Launching a new educational site, NBC shows the young generation how they’re interested in cooperation. It doesn’t concern me, but I do always consider books to be the best means of education and eloquence development.

On the balance, I’d like you to watch online TV for free, read free magazines forever and get to know a lot of fresh and breaking news using such sources of information once and for all.

Technorati Tags: free magazines forever, watch tv free online, web television, for freem, video on demand, online newspapers, video sharing, websites, youtube, google

We are proud to bring you some more weird and wonderful news. There’ve been loads of peculiar and quirky rumors and facts in online video and web TV sphere over the last few weeks.

The most disturbing events, I guess, are about China and the Olympic games. European countries together with the rest of the world will never come to a positive agreement for side pieces. It’s a pity.

Out of sight, presidential election and the electorate’s preferences have also become surprising for me. The USA people are in a mess at the moment. On the one hand, this patriarchal community can’t vote for a woman. On the other hand, Afro-Americans have also been out of favor for a long time. Funny thing is that Americans are in a dilemma.

It would be nice to vote for a future president online. At least be happy to have an opportunity to suggest your opinion, because in a number of countries it’s a rarity. GetMyVote presents a service due to which everyone has given a place to upload video, audio and text files that are directed at the candidates. The site offers users ways to interact with the commentaries by leaving comments, rating commentaries, tagging commentaries, and recommending commentaries.

By the way, one of the first online video services started uploading candidates’ speeches, YouTube, is now seeing 10 hours of video uploaded every minute. Owing to this user-generated content web-site Google made some more extra money. Sure thing, to be more competitive and spectacular on the web, Google decided to improve video quality on YouTube.

According to webtvwire.com, YouTube video integrated in to Google maps allowing companies to advertise on the web. First of all, it was done for businesses in the USA. This feature, which at first glance may not seem very important, could help many small companies to build their business using the power of the Web.

Talking about better and the best video quality, I can’t turn a deaf ear to pixel aspect ratio basics, explained on dvguru.com. Sitting at home and watching movies on a widescreen, willy-nilly one starts comparing video on TV and on computers, and camcorders. Learning the differences between formats will give you a better understanding of exactly how video is displayed.

And again scientists and statisticians bring us figures and facts about ourselves and our habits to watch videos. Do they really anxious of that or they have nothing to do? At the same time, it’s interesting to know in February Americans watched 10 billion online videos.  And every year we spend more and more time watching videos (an average of 16 minutes and 12 seconds for the week ending April 12, 2008 as compared to 15 minutes and 14 seconds during the same week last year).

There are many talks about user-generated content all around the web. And it’s no by accident. Experts and analysts couldn’t have expressed the one opinion on user-generated content and its pros and cons. According to emarketer.com, the number of user-generated content creators will rise from 77 million in 2007 to 108 million in 2012.

Record and upload your own video, share it with the rest of the world, cause you’re not alone.

Technorati Tags: online videos, web TV, news, media, digital media, television, internet, user-generated content, IPTV, video on demand, YouTube, google, videos

This year spring happened to be warm and sunny. I beg your pardon! Fool’s Day also brought some surprises. I believe it’ll bring some more weird and wonderful news. There’ve been loads of peculiar and quirky rumors and facts in online video and web TV sphere over the last few weeks.

Sure thing, the People’s Republic of China brought bad news on the threshold of the summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Media services look concerned. Like-minded people, who are going to visit these games, will wear a badge with the word “Freedom”

As of developing countries like Afghanistan, Reporters Without Borders is shocked by a campaign being waged by the ministry of information and culture, the lower house of parliament and the Council of Ulemas against privately-owned TV stations, especially Tolo TV, for broadcasting footage of men and women dancing together.

What should we advice them in this case? Let it takes its course with a glance that Muslim countries live on their own. They haven’t come of age.

But let’s get back to the subject. What do you think of amateur video blogs and their close cooperation with professional bloggers and journalists on the web?

Journalists of traditional media have been actively discussing the future of paper newspapers and magazines. Surely, most of them predict that online content will prevail over other sources of information. The strength of the Internet as a source for news increases daily.

Moreover, in a number of countries professional journalists and reporters began to teach others how to change into probloggers, who are able to talk about cutting edge WEB trends, content, news, standards, blogging, techologies. For example, if you want be a freelance writeк or blogger, you should satisfy these requirements:

• Be enthusiastic and have a sense of humor!
• Be creative, critical and articulate in your English mother tongue.
• Have strong research/analysis skills.
• Your location is flexible.
• Generate 1 to 3 quality posts a day.
• Become a producer. Use a digital or video camera, record stuff and upload it on YouTube, Google, Revver, etc.
• Watch other videos on video-sharing web-sites like YouTube, download video and podcasts via a video iPod, mobile phone, etc.

Mark Glaser shares his ideas on media shift and change in media usage. It goes without saying, that there is a vivid move away from traditional media and toward online media. Web TV and online video sites with user-generated content whether intentionally or not do news. (via)

TV is a root of all evil. Nobody has to refuse its existence and influence on people’s minds. On the other side, web television is of a greater importance both for viewership and media bloggers as a source of information and entertainment.

Frank-Washkuch says that online magazines increase videos and readership. Many online publications - most of which are traditionally text-based - are increasingly employing video to escalate readership. Many general news Web sites, such as CNN.com, have sections exclusively dedicated to video footage, and politics Web site TalkingPointsMemo.com uses a video section to supplement its news coverage.

According to the new State of the News Media 2008, the main TV network news programs averaged 23.1 million viewers a night, a drop of 5%, or 1.2 million viewers compared with data from 2006. Over the past 25 years, the audience has fallen around 1 million per year.

Our habits and attitude toward online space is rapidly changing. There are new rules of media, according to which the audience knows more than the journalists. We see in what way amateurs cooperate with probloggers. Without dialogue there won’t be success on the web. Owners of amateur video blogs shouldn’t compete, but team up with probloggers. (via)

Technorati Tags: video blogs, vblogs, media, bloggers, news, journalists, magazines, web, video, internet, TV, IPTV, posts, video sharing, user-generated content, ipod, mobile