Tonight I created a folder in my email called “TV”. I sent “share this video” emails (using YouTube, which is down right now for maintenance so I can’t link to it ) to myself of cartoons I found that I loved, and that my daughter loved. A way to create an index that I can control, so that nothing, er, odd makes it to my kids’ eyes. But now, when my kids want to watch a cool cartoon (like, say, Bugs’ playing baseball (Google video), perhaps the most important cartoon since, well, Bugs and the dream of Frankenstein), well, they will see me bring it up on my computer, via this folder or a simple keyword search. Nope, I’m not using Comcast video on Demand. NOPE, I’m not popping in a DVD. I’m….wait for it….DOING A SEARCH!!!
Now…tell me this medium isn’t changing how we understand ourselves. This is why I love this industry.
But there’s a problem. The video I am showing my kids is some ripped off crappy fourth hand reproduction, barely worth watching. Sure, the essence is there, but where the vivid color? The nuance? The g’damn original glory? I’ll tell you where – it’s languishing in the vaults of Warner Brothers, who refuses – so far – to let Bugs free.
But man, Warner, if you want to make a mint, let’s talk. Because it won’t be hard to figure out a way to do it, if you just follow the free, and monetize where the pilgrims pitch their tents. Migod, just do it. JUST DO IT!
i’m not surprised youtube was down…that site continues to explode in popularity:
Alexa details
C’mon Steve, you’re expecting something for nothing which is not the way America works. So people are supposed to provide unlimited access to high-quality video to anybody who wants it and not ask for a thing in return? So naive.
i’m not surprised youtube was down…that site continues to explode in popularity:
I think you could charge membership to something that useful. Sign up for Warner Online, pay 5/mo for access to old cartoons. Or do it like Salon, and have an intrusive ad blocking your way. Sure, you could copy and paste the articles outside of the paywall, but its not worth the effort. I’m not sure if you read him, but Mark Cuban had a writeup on why net TV is broken a couple of days ago. He’s at blogmaverick.com, and I highly recommend his stuff.
Posted comments:
“So people are supposed to provide unlimited access to high-quality video to anybody who wants it and not ask for a thing in return? ”
I believe this could be paid for by commercials.
Baseball Bugs has been available on DVD for about 3 years. I agree that Warner Brothers (full disclosure: a corporate sibling of my employer…who also runs a column by John) are being myopic #$%-holes about John K.’s blog, and they need to release more of their collection, and considering their length cartoons are a perfect thing to sell online as microchunks via iTUnes or something similar. But if you want Baseball Bugs in full color pony up the $50 for the 4 DVD “Golden Collection set of cartoons. It probably works out to about a buck a cartoon.
There are 3 4-dvd sets out so far and my kids love them all.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AYJXS/104-4195009-7224717?v=glance&n=130