6 chapters across the catalog
Crowds on Demand, Astroturfing and Paid Protesters
The company "Crowds on Demand" is highlighted for providing paid actors to attend city council meetings and protests, a practice known as astroturfing. Reports from New Orleans indicate that actors were paid to support a new power plant. The company openly advertises services including paparazzi, adoring fans, and coordinated lobbying efforts.
The discussion turns to the proposed Comcast-Time Warner merger and how net neutrality rules might facilitate it. They argue that Comcast prioritizes its own video-on-demand services over Netflix for competitive reasons, and that future regulation will lead to deep packet inspection and content filtering.
EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive, Video Licensing
The European Audiovisual Media Services Directive is being implemented in the Netherlands, requiring all "on-demand" video providers to register with the government. This includes any service with a "mass media character" that offers a catalog of videos for economic gain. The hosts view this as the beginning of a licensing system for blogs and podcasts, aimed at providing government oversight and fee collection.
Future of Audio Distribution, On-Demand Streaming
The evolution of podcasting is predicted to move toward ubiquitous on-demand streaming as bandwidth infrastructure improves. The ideal future involves seamless integration into car dashboards via WiFi, allowing users to subscribe to and update content with a single click rather than relying on manual downloads or physical media.
A new deal has secured the rights to approximately 110 unaired television pilots for digital distribution, offering a look at content that failed to make seasonal rotations. The internet is enabling the growth of niche markets, allowing specialized content to reach a viable global audience that traditional domestic broadcasting cannot support.
Amazon has faced significant backlash from the independent publishing community for its policy of only carrying print-on-demand books produced by its own subsidiary, BookSurge. Critics and authors have reported issues with BookSurge's quality, including pages falling out, and higher production costs compared to competitors. The Washington State Attorney General has reportedly looked into potential antitrust or RICO implications regarding Amazon's attempts to dominate the on-demand printing market.
