OMIC effluvia

Playing catch-up on Chicago media

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:39:31 -0600

Disclosure: I’ve had past business or personal interactions with most of the people or entities named above and plan to have them in the future. To the best of my ability, I try not to let the…

The best thing I've read all week

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:17:58 -0500

The best thing I've read all week:

I might be biased thanks to my line of work but this spoke to me:

“The women are also dressed in period threads, and many have big Afros. I am happy to say it brings back an element sadly missing in…

Twitter doesn't leak off the record comments, people do

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:22:42 -0500

Twitter doesn't leak off the record comments, people do:

“There’s no such thing as ‘off the record’ with Twitter.”
- Lost Remote*

I don’t know if Cory Bergman is serious about that statement or using it for a clever headline, but he’s wrong. That’s like…

NBCChicago.com even sadder now

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:14:42 -0500

NBCChicago.com even sadder now:

Michael Miner of the Chicago Reader discusses NBCChicago.com’s new redesign in a larger story about what happens when errors are introduced as you “collate and synthesize the news.”** (Those are…

Why are so many journo/media panels full of white guys

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:11:59 -0500

Why are so many journo/media panels full of white guys:

The Windy Citizen is hosting an interesting discussion about the diversity - or lack thereof - in “future of media” panels. To some it’s simply a case of organizers only seeking out white men. To…

Mayor Daley apologizes for something he didn't do

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:14:55 -0500

Mayor Daley apologizes for something he didn't do:

“Even if privatizing the parking meters was the best alternative, the key issue would be whether the administration, starting with Mayor Daley, followed a process to ensure that the most qualified…

Fratulent

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:24:19 -0500

Fratulent:

“The moral implications aside, the better reason to stop using “fratty” is that it stands for so many things that it ends up standing for nothing. Which means that if you use “fratty” when you…

Reading and writing, no arithmetic

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:56:25 -0500

Reading and writing, no arithmetic:

Two important - to me, at least - announcements:

* I have been promoted to Editor and Director of Content at Playboy.com. It’s a tremendous opportunity and I’m really proud to be a part of an…

NBC Chicago is making me sad

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 22:18:12 -0500

NBC Chicago is making me sad:

NBCChicago.com - along with several other local NBC affiliates - rolled out a re-design at the end of July, less than a year after a previous re-design, which emphasized its local news coverage….

John Hughes in five paragraphs

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:05:00 -0500

John Hughes in five paragraphs:

“Few filmmakers define an era, a genre and a place like John Hughes did with his ’80s comedies often set on Chicago’s North Shore.

He may not have been a critic’s darling, but his name became…

Chicago ≠ The Cubs

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:28:55 -0500

Chicago ≠ The Cubs:

Really digging Mark Caro here:

Presenting sumptuous visions of Wrigley Field and Chicago itself, “We Believe” equates the team and city while tracing their parallel histories. But is that really…

This and that

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:28:03 -0500

This and that:

There’s been lots going on. Here’s a summary:

* I’m getting to a point where I’m bored with using this blog for purely professional discussions “on media: social, local and otherwise” as the tagline…

“And if you order now, you’ll receive a free pearl...

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:24:57 -0500

“And if you order now, you’ll receive a free pearl nacklace!”

(Video via Margaret at PopWatch)

"Zell: I have emotional attachment to my family. Bartiromo: And your motorcycles. Zell: And my..."

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:21:00 -0500

“

Zell: I have emotional attachment to my family.

Bartiromo: And your motorcycles.

Zell: And my motorcycles. I don’t have any emotional attachment to assets.

”

- Um, technically the motorcycles are assets.

Sam Zell on Tribune Co.| Tower Ticker

"Instead of copying the look and dress of a young John McEnroe, try actually playing tennis. You can..."

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:22:06 -0500

“Instead of copying the look and dress of a young John McEnroe, try actually playing tennis. You can exercise with your Ipod. It’s what the playlist function is for.”

- Hipster Hatred Knows No Bounds | PopMatters

"He could take a belt of scotch with the best of them,” Mr. Rather continued. “He could smoke a cigar..."

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:36:20 -0500

““He could take a belt of scotch with the best of them,” Mr. Rather continued. “He could smoke a cigar with the best of them. He could admire a well-turned ankle on a bombshell with the best of them—as you would expect a world-traveled correspondent. He loved to tell jokes. And he loved to hear jokes. Walter did have a terrific sense of humor.””

- Most Trusted Man In America, blah blah blah. When I die, I want to be remembered with words similar to the above.

Rather Remembers Uncle Walter as Scotch Drinker, Cigar Smoker, Cut-up | The New York Observer

"One more reason to get your ass to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend: It’ll be your..."

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:39:00 -0500

“

One more reason to get your ass to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend: It’ll be your very last chance to see the Mae Shi, at least in its current form.

Since their inception, the dizzy L.A. spazz-punks have changed their lineup the way most people change color-coordinated T-shirts…

[snip]

After the Mae Shi’s Sunday afternoon performance at the festival, three of the band’s four members will split off and become Signals. Some context: At the moment, the Mae Shi consists of Bill Gray, Jon Gray, Jacob Cooper, and founding member Jeff Byron. (EDIT: Byron informs us that those four guys are the Mae Shi’s current touring linep, but the group also includes two non-touring members.) But after the festival set, everyone but Byron will depart, carrying on under the new name.

”

- Pitchfork: Mae Shi Members Become Signals

Part of the reason I decided to skip Pitchfork this year was my inability to give a shit about bands - regardless of whether or not I liked their music - that would probably break up within the year.

"I think newspapers shouldn’t try to compete directly with the Web, and should do what they can..."

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:48:54 -0500

“I think newspapers shouldn’t try to compete directly with the Web, and should do what they can do better, which may be long-form journalism and using photos and art, and making connections with large-form graphics and really enhancing the tactile experience of paper.”

- Dave Eggers’ heartbreaking work of staggering reality | Salon Books

"A lot of the festivals book acts that were big in 2008 because they have to have their lineups in..."

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:59:32 -0500

““A lot of the festivals book acts that were big in 2008 because they have to have their lineups in place so soon,” Reed says. “A lot of the bands we book are happening right now and will be on year-end lists at the end of 2009. Last year we had Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, who were huge by the end of the year, and the year before it was Band of Horses. This year, people were talking about the Cymbals Eat Guitars record a few months ago. They didn’t even have a booking agent until the spring. We’re looking ahead, which is what the Web site can provide, a sense of what’s happening now and a festival that ties in with that.””

- How the Pitchfork Music Festival stays recession-proof

Unmentioned in this entire piece is Pitchfork’s role in pushing the buzz behind these bands. Many of the bands they book have received Best New Music status at Pitchfork. So it’s not like they’re whipsmart in responding to buzz on a band so much as they’re a major part in creating it through booking them.

Also, it’s well-known that P4K loses booking battles with Lolla so the notion that they’re far ahead of the curve is pretty rich.

What happens when a label deal goes right and the band breaks up anyway? Answer: Be Your Own Pet

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:50:45 -0500

What happens when a label deal goes right and the band breaks up anyway? Answer: Be Your Own Pet:

I was really disappointed when this band broke up because I felt they were just a few years away from being amazing - and they were pretty damn good when they started. The reason they broke up appears to be “we were too young,” which ought to give pause to everyone at record labels, management companies, and professional sports teams.