PcTv4Me

Is this the future of how we'll consume our television product? This mailer for PcTv4Me just arrived in my in-box, offering 2,000 world wide TV channels direct to my PC for no monthly fee - just the cost of the software.

The blurb claims the product offers:

• Hundreds of channels from around the world to watch. And new channels
• are added every day
• Hundreds of Radio stations to listen to anytime, all of the time. And new
• stations are added daily
• Available 24 hours per day right from your PC and laptop
• All of the programming is uncensored
• No additional hardware needed

South Africa is one of the countries the package claims to include. I wonder if SABC is factoring stuff like this into their revenue calculations. I mean, although this may be the future of consumption, I doubt they think it's "the right thing to do."

More info here

Trend Watch: Advertising Online

More small and medium-sized business advertisers are now spending their advertising budgets online than are buying ads in traditional media, according to a report from The Kelsey Group and research partner ConStat.

The penetration of digital and online media grew to 77% in August 2009, up from 73% a year ago, while penetration of traditional media fell from 74% to 69% during the same period.



"Penetration" is the percentage of businesses using a given type of media, irrespective of spending level. Small and medium-sized businesses reduced their overall spending on advertising and promotion by 23.5% over the past year but Digital/online rose as a percentage of overall ad spend from 22% to 36.8%. Spending on websites and profile pages increased by 26.8%.

TED.com Lectures

Ted.com bills itself as "Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world...." and that's just what it is.

TED.com makes the best talks, lectures and performances on three core subjects - Technology, Entertainment and Design - available to the world, for free. More than 450 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week. All of the talks feature closed captions in English, and many feature subtitles in various languages. These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted.



So educate yourself, and start trend-tracking today.....

Eastern Cape TV Online?

Did you know there's an Eastern Cape company capable of providing online web broadcasting services? Check out Purple Turtle Communications. The availability of this locally means that even in the hiatus whilst we wait for regional tv licenses to be assigned, there are other (and arguably more affordable) options available, offering the potential of local content, 24/7.



I'd like the Eastern Cape to look at this kind of model for Provincial Communications generally, with costs distributed between departments to ameliorate the costs eg: health, arts and culture, education etc. etc. It could be just the springboard we need to build a local market for local products. Other benefits of this kind of approach include:

• creating an outlet for people to create content so they can generate income from the skills being taught
• offering the province/municipalities a way of communicating with their people
• Since all material used in the channel needs to be created, the whole value chain of production would potentially benefit

And incidentally, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that this could attract its own revenue streams; one local online news network in San Diego, California just received $700 million of development money.....

Cape Winelands Film Festival Call for Entires

Since the first edition the Cape Winelands Film Festival (CWFF) has significantly grown in size and international participation. More than 70 features, documentaries and short films from over 35 countries were in competition during 2009. More than130 productions formed part of the festival programme, in total 62 featues, 27 documentaries and 44 shorts from more than 35 countries. The 2nd edition of the festival had 32 international guests. The festival had more than 300 screenings in March 2009.



Now the 3rd edition of what's become one of South Africa's largest film festivals has announced its call for entries. Entry forms are available on the official website of the festival: http://films-for-africa.co.za/ The festival will take place from 17 - 27 March 2010 in Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

And incidentally, if you want to see Facebook in action as a marketing and promotional tool, then join the festival's Facebook group; these guys are really leading the way in profiling their films and their festival using this totally free medium.

Two Seas TV

Two Seas TV, a production company in Cape Town, has set up an online social network dedicated to film and TV production in South Africa.



It offers a number of tools to help you to stay in touch with other members and increase your online presence:

· Advertise your company
· Promote your film
· Drive traffic to your site
· Share ideas
· Brainstorm concepts
· Meet potential partners
· Read news & reviews
· Watch clips

It’s also FREE and easy to sign up, so go to: http://twoseas.socialgo.com/ and try it out, see if this kind of thing can work for us in the Eastern Cape too..... Maybe someone could start with a Facebook site?