"I went to a place to eat. It said 'breakfast at any time.' So I ordered french toast during the Renaissance". --Steven Wright ... If you are a devotee of time travel, check out this song...

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Talking To You This Morning Through YouTube (About Imus)



Hey, I thought I'd say hello to you today through YouTube.

Well actually, I was talking on Tuesday, right smack dab in the middle of bustling Manhattan, in front of Fordham University (where I teach), on a summer's afternoon ... and I was actually talking about Imus ... but, still, the synapse between production and reception of video has never been shorter.

Here’s how this happened ... not that many steps ...

I got a call late Tuesday afternoon from a producer at Channel 11 News in New York City - can they tape me for a couple of minutes, giving my views about Imus’ possible comeback.

I said sure (I always say yes to television - "say no to drugs, say yes to television"), and that’s why I’m standing in front of Fordham University about an hour later.

I give my views. The Channel 11 news is on at 10pm in NYC (that's Tuesday night). I tape my segment. Next day (Wed) I convert my 25-sec interview into a .mov file, upload it to YouTube, and it’s all yours now, right here.

What’s amazing to me about this is the speed and ease with which my words got from that corner on 60th and Columbus Avenue to you, right here and now. From my point of view, it almost doesn’t matter if I’m on a local tv news or a national show - it all gets up on YouTube, and out to you and the world, either way...

3 comments:

pamb3 said...

What's your point? You don't like what Imus said so he should be blackballed. I thought you of all people would defent freedom of speech. What do you do on the weekends stay home and watch reruns of Mr Rogers. Be carefull your mind is showing signs of getting weak.

Paul Levinson said...

:) I do of all people defend freedom of speech. But that's not what this about. Imus has every right to say whatever he pleases, and not be fined or arrested - that's freedom of speech. He doesn't have the right to be paid millions of dollars to say what he pleases on the radio - that's up to networks and the people. My point is that I hope the networks don't put him back on the air. You don't agree with that? Fine - but it has nothing to do with freedom of speech and everything to do with an employer's right to hire or fire an air personality.

Anonymous said...

So what else did you say during the 10-minute interview? 'cause off the bat, the way they edited you, I disagree. I think he said what he said (those three words in the midst of a several-hour program) for the same reason he says most everything: he's paid to be a "shock jock," and he does it very well.

I wasn't surprised he was fired, but I'm still curious to see CBS's post-Imus financials. Did they ever think to ask those demanding Imus's firing "Will you contribute as many listeners as we'll lose by getting rid of him?"

Technical question: can you amp up the volume on your end? I maxed the volume slider on both the YouTube box and my computer, but it was still very hard to hear.

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