Wolf Tracking

On a typical NBC airing of Fear Factor back in the heyday of snacking on roaches and swimming with eels, everyone had and knew their role. Contestants grossed us out, the host initiated a sense of competition and the audience was grossed out. It got me thinking that a stint on reality TV would have been a better fate for Katie and the Couric Factor because she’d have a clear role.

This week, New York Times reporter Bill Carter penned the article; “Is It the Woman Thing, or Is It Katie Couric?” that examined Couric’s contributions eight months on the job. The headline was no doubt a softer jab than others have taken because of Couric’s first-mover status as a female network anchor, but a jab nonetheless when splashed in a headline.

I don’t really know why it troubled me enough to write, as I’m not a big fan of Couric, but it did. For years, I’ve been disappointed (like many) by the quality and focus of network and cable news. Somehow over the past two decades, it became way too ok to blur the boundaries between news and entertainment, making it much more difficult to hear or tell relevant news stories.

It also felt like a much bigger deal in years past when a journalist or producer made factual errors. I’ll never forget watching the network and cable coverage of Richard Jewel, the security guard that aided victims of the Atlanta Olympic bombing. He was crucified on national television, as anchors and morning news hosts alike cited the National Enquirer in their reports of his involvement in the bombings. That was a sad week for people in the news business.

How about a more recent example, the 2000 election? Gore won Florida!…No Bush won Florida!…No wait, we don’t know who won! Jayson Blair beat the plagiarizing drum at the New York Times and Dan the Man would have rather not served as the reminder about verifying sources. Those incidents only left bruises that faded over time.

As media scrutiny continues to center on Couric and the CBS News team, its worth noting that there are a lot of reasons why people no longer choose network news that have very little to do with casting. I happened to have recorded Couric’s first couple of nights as anchor and it reminded me of those live episodes of NBC’s ER and The West Wing. Nothing about the broadcasts felt sure-footed. I don’t think it was a “woman thing” and as a viewer the impression I was left with was that a ton of effort and fanfare was put into a party neither Couric nor the audience could enjoy.

If CBS really wants to catapult to number two, or fight for the top spot, it is well within reach. Consumers have way too much choice these days to ever be more than fair-weather fans of network and cable news. Just like social media, it is content that is king. Why do you think we love those minute-by-minute reminders about when the weather report will begin during the local news? I like to catch all three network reports and compare them. As viewers, we want what we want, when we want it.

What CBS and newsies should do is focus more on being better journalists and telling richer stories, and less on touting an anchor’s star power. It would be incredibly refreshing to see CBS to take a team approach like the New England Patriots. No one really likes coach Belichick, but everyone knows where he stands — and that if you’re standing with him you’re part of a team with a common goal. If CBS deepened its lineup with talented journalists like Cynthia McFaddon, Brian Ross, John Seigenthaler or John Quiñones, there would be more reason to watch because better stories would be told. Lose the gimmicks, set aside the splashy sets. If sets mattered, YouTube would not be nearly as popular as it is today. They can also better leverage technology, content and talent to strengthen local news lead-ins. Look at how quickly PerezHilton took off; personality and content go a long way locally and globally.

Couric’s most memorable moments occur when she’s truly committed to the story. Ironically, when you’re anchor those high-touch interviews that create real, appealing moments are often reserved for arms-length guests. With so many stories to tell, all networks can do a better job of prioritizing stories that matter. It is an exciting time to be a journalist. It is also an incredibly difficult time to be a journalist! The biggest turn-on as a viewer is seeing reporters passionate about telling worthwhile stories and getting them right. It’s the biggest rush we as media professionals get working with journalists.

Good stories create moments that can live online and in offline conversations. There was some great reporting during the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and it brought people back to network news. There are plenty more stories left to tell and journalists like Couric have a responsibility to pursue and share them. CBS and other news sources can do better job regardless of if there is a man or women at the helm. An anchor can keep a team grounded, but it takes a whole crew working together to man or wo-man the ship.

Here’s an interesting perspective on the role of media watchdogs and the company they keep; http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itgic/0401/ijge/gj05.htm

When he’s not busy giving away piles of money, Bill Gates likes to pop his head into the technology press once in a while to make a few predictions and remind everyone that there’s someone out there even more loaded than Warren Buffet. The latest instance came at this week’s Strategic Account Summit, a gathering of Microsoft’s advertising partners.

In his keynote speech, Gates outlined a future in which digital media pervades every aspect of our lives - with music, video, news, phone calls and presumably eternal bliss being delivered to everyone through an all-in-one wireless device.

All this digital excitement won’t leave room for the printing press, Gates claims - all reading will be conducted “completely online” in the future, supported by targeted advertising. Sounds like a hoot - pretty soon we’ll be wondering how people ever read George Orwell’s 1984 without the iconic Apple ad to keep them company! Hey kids, this Civil War chapter in your history book is brought to you by Cap’n Crunch!

It’s no accident that the Strategic Account Summit was deemed worthy of an appearance by Microsoft’s patriarch. As Windows Live matures and Microsoft customers get more of their services for free on the Web instead of buying expensive software, advertisers will be responsible for keeping Microsoft’s $50 billion revenue stream from disappearing. That’s why Google is giving Steve Ballmer sleepless nights - in the world of online advertising, Google is Bill Clinton and MSN is Roger Clinton. Even adding Yahoo! to their stable wouldn’t change that fact.

So before you start throwing away your book collection and awaiting the inevitable, it’s worth noting that Bill Gates also predicted in 2004 that the email spam problem would be “solved” in two years. That hasn’t quite panned out.

Yes, Bill Gates is insanely rich. Yes, Bill Gates is insanely smart. And yes, Bill Gates is correct that digital media will change the way we live in years to come. But will Microsoft have the foresight to lead the charge?

Now might be a good time for Bill Gates to borrow the Oracle of Omaha’s crystal ball for a few years.

Have you ever wondered how high school students perceive the war in Iraq?

Or how pre-teens are impacted by national news headlines especially today with everything that is going on in the world?

Well, the Kid Witness News (KWN) education program, supported by Panasonic (I should probably mention that we do public relations for the company) in conjunction with more than 200 public schools in the U.S. and seventeen countries, does just that. The program provides economically disadvantaged students with the chance to show others the world through their eyes and in their voice.

Currently in its 17th year, KWN has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of young students across the world affording them the opportunity to create and learn through the use of digital video technology. Each year hundreds of participating students write, produce, act in and edit videos on a variety of news or curriculum based topics. These children are extraordinary and could be the next Barbara Walters or Brian Williams!

This year six Spotlight Award winning videos will be honored at the annual KWN New Vision Awards on May 7 in Secaucus, NJ.

Here’s a list of the students/schools and their project descriptions:

Documentary

“We Will Not Fight: Draft Resistance in The Vietnam War”

School Without Walls, Washington, D.C. – Students in grades 9-12 ranging in age from 14-18.

Students take a look back during the era of The Vietnam War and learn that sometimes, if you don’t learn from the past, there is a chance of history repeating itself.

Health, Science & Technology

“The ABC’s of Smoke Detector Safety”

PS 41, Brooklyn, NY – Students in grades 3-8 ranging in age from 9-14.

With approximately 7 million Americans currently not equipped with a smoke alarm*, the students hope to raise awareness for these often ignored life and home savers.

*The 2006 Fire Safety Census - conducted by Liberty Mutual and the International Association of Fire Fighters

News

“Education-The Times is Now”

Gordon Parks Academy, East Orange, NJ – Students in grades 4-6 ranging in age from 9-13

Having improved since the standards of the No Child Left Behind Act, several sixth grade students highlight how their school’s “Each One, Teach One” program is getting everyone in on the initiative.

PSA

“At Risk Students”

Jere Baxter Middle School, Nashville, TN – Students in grades 5-8 ranging in age from 13-15.

This class is striving to be part of the nine percent of at risk students who will earn a college degree while knowing they WILL make it and encouraging others in the process.

Local Hero

“Chicago’s Finest Choklit”

Marcus Garvey School, Chicago, IL – Students in grades 5-8 ranging in age from 10-13.

An unlikely hero reaches students over the air waves and encourages them to be themselves, do their best and the value of education.

Fiction Comedy/Drama

“Standardized Testing With The Right Attitude”

Ernest Hemingway Elementary School, Ketchum, ID – Students in 5th grade ages 10-11.

A glimpse of how three very different students prepare for a major test – each ultimately learning how to ‘let it flow’.

With much of the news focus on technologies, environmental issues, war, peace, the global economy, its worth engaging those people that will be affected the most, our kids. As a mother of an 11 year-old daughter, I know from first-hand experience, kids are informed, they care about issues and they have a lot of interesting things to say, so we should start listening to them!

Here are some links to kid-run websites. You just might get a better read about your future customers…

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/kids

http://www.kidsnewsroom.org

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK

http://www.headlinespot.com/for/kids

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org

http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/index.asp

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/kidspost/orbit/kidspost.html

Marking the continued erosion of traditional media viewership and readership, millions of consumers flocked to search engines to track the tragic events at Virginia Tech. Understanding this challenge and changing consumer behavior, many top-tier news organizations purchased search engine ads to promote their coverage.

The Associated Press ran a wire piece commenting on news outlets promoting their coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting via search engine ads. Ad Age sent out a poll to their readers asking them if it was in bad taste for these news organizations to capitalize on a tragedy.

At first blush, this approach may seem crass, especially if you look at the search terms that were purchased. The New York Times bought, “Shooting at Virginia Tech,” while others put their money on the general term, “Virginia Shooting.” As the AP article keenly points out, these search term ads are akin to yesteryear’s newsboys on street corners.

This use of technology reflects a changing consumer mindset and underscores the fact that the rise of social media is powerful and lasting. During the Web 1.0 era traditional news sites such as CNN.com were the first place people went for news. That was before the rise of powerful search engines such as Google that more and more consumers are using as their entry point to information online. News organizations are adapting to user behavior and are delivering content in ways that are palatable to consumers.

I understand what these news organizations are doing and support them for responding to an evolving market. Remember, promotion of news coverage is not a new phenomenon. Media companies have been touting their anchors and reporters with billboards, radio segments and TV ads for years. While many of us cringe to hear that the “Gray Lady” is associated with frank search engine ads, it is a necessity to remain relevant with today’s consumers.

Regardless of how you feel about the music of Nine Inch Nails or its front man Trent Reznor, last week marked the end of an aggressive ad and marketing campaign to promote the Nine Inch Nails critically acclaimed sixth studio album, Year Zero. The buzz started with secret messages in Nine Inch Nails tour t-shirts and morphed into leaked songs, strategically placed USB drives and numerous websites devoted to the futuristic concept album.

Despite being a band that has been signed to a major label for nearly it’s entirely career, something about the guerilla marketing tactics for Year Zero manages to give the project an organic, underground feeling. Reznor’s embrace of social media and his creative marketing decisions have made fans of all musical genres open their eyes to the wave of a new era of musical promotion. The marketing for Year Zero has pushed the boundaries of how an album can be marketed and Reznor proves that it doesn’t have to come at the expense of the music or the art.

The name of the album itself seems to suggest a sort of leveling out of current life, of perceptions, an erasure of common truths and judgments. The irony of this title however, or perhaps a better statement would be, the genius of the album, is that instead of starting over or leveling the current trend of early music leaks driven by the ever shifting fan controlled music industry, Reznor in his very rock star way clung to these trends without fear. Instead of resisting and fighting the early release of his music, the explosion was decidedly controlled, Pandora was let out of its box, but it was Reznor’s hand lifting the lid.

The marketing for the new album had somewhat of a snowball effect and turned into a veritable scavenger hunt for clues. In February a fan noticed a Nine Inch Nails tour T-shirt with the letters that spelled the words “I am trying to believe” and people seemed to believe there was more behind the message, and there was. This secret code lead fans to the internet, and what they found was a website that had been registered as iamtryingtobelieve.com, as well as dozens of other websites associated with the album, all with closely related IP address some as simple as the promotional art (a bombed out Hollywood sign, circa Year Zero) that visitors can erase with their mouse and others with short video clips. Around this time secret telephone numbers related to the album appeared, and when fans called there were pre recorded messages of clips from the “future”.

Then in mid February USB drives started appearing on Nine Inch Nails tour spots in Europe. Around the time the first secret message was decoded from a tour shirt, a USB drive was found in a bathroom stall during a Nine Inch Nails concert in Lisbon with an MP3 track from the new album. Others were to follow in Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester complete with the promotional art. It was rumored, and largely accepted, that Reznor himself was responsible for the drives, and after a listening party that turned into a leak of a poor recording of the album on April 1st, the album was made available for streaming on April 4th.

In a Guardian article Reznor was quoted as saying, “The USB drive was simply a mechanism of leaking the music and data we wanted out there. The medium of the CD is outdated and irrelevant. It’s really painfully obvious what people want — DRM-free music they can do what they want with. If the greedy record industry would embrace that concept I truly think people would pay for music and consume more of it.”

In spite of his alleged involvement in the leaks, it is Reznor himself that resists the term marketing or advertising at all, especially in response to Rolling Stones‘ statement that the album’s fan involvement and subsequent promotion is a “marketing team’s dream.” In his own words, Reznor imagines the album free of all market influence “…what you are now starting to experience IS ‘year zero’. It’s not some kind of gimmick to get you to buy a record - it IS the art form.” But we know better. Regardless of what you call it or how much you like the music or the new album, it is clear that Reznor stared into the fear of artists, large record labels, and studios alike, embracing a future of music that pushes and embraces artistic concepts, but also expands the avenues that can be used to market and consume music.

Reznor’s campaign teaches us that it is still possible to give the consumer or the fan what they want, but creatively control the way in which they receive the information. For Reznor this project is a concept album of the future, an imaginary musical space that began with a laptop on tour, but for those of us watching, the campaign is a perfect synthesis of art, marketing and technology. And after the promotion is complete, there is still more mystery to uncover, and it is this that will keep a true fan or interested newcomer buying the album and coming back for more. The CD’s color changing, thermo-chrome heat sensitive CD face doesn’t hurt either, because who could pass up an opportunity to see that?

To uncover the mystery yourself, below are just a handful of websites associated with Year Zero:

• http://yearzero.nin.com
• http://www.iamtryingtobelieve.com
• http://anotherversionofthetruth.com
• http://uswiretap.com/case_number_required
• http://cedocore.com

At this year’s NAB, high-definition (HD) definition products were everywhere.

From new whiz-bang HD cameras to HD blank recordable media and even virtual HD booth babes, there’s no doubt that it’s finally here.

And while all of this is exciting (I have two Panasonic HD TVs myself), the HD displays at NAB didn’t knock my socks off.

But there’s a little something called iVDR that did. As luck would have it, it’s not yet commercially available in the US and not expected to hit the consumer market until late 2008. Although, it’s already in Japan.

So what’s iVDR?

iVDR is a secured, removable hard disk drive that is supposed to be a new information platform designed for interconnecting homes, cars and mobile living. It’s 160 GB and will cost about $300.

In the future, TVs will have a port that allows you to plug in the iVDR and record your favorite music videos, DVDs and the like. Furthermore, new automobile manufacturers such as Toyota and Nissan have plans to produce cars with HD TVs that will have a cartridge to house this hard drive.

Of course, intellectual property and copyright protection of digital content issues will have to be resolved before my dream of this ultimate convenience can truly be realized.

And yes, Apple knows this (hint: Apple TV) and consumers do too.

Nevertheless, for me, a tech’d out Mom of two little ones, who routinely pops in new DVDs like Happy Feet and Charlotte’s Web while transporting them around town and taking long road trips, this is certainly GOOD news!

While I enjoy cool tech stuff and gadgets, the real way to capture my pocketbook is to make my life easier.

This is exactly what the iVDR will do.

Instead of shuffling DVDs in and out of the car, I’ll be able to record up to about 30 standard DVDs (each DVD holds about 4.7 gigs) and let them zombie out in the car-while I ride in absolute tranquility . . .

This week’s move by MySpace to block video widgets from Photobucket may begin a mass exodus for the social networking giant.

Freedom of expression has been the building block of success for MySpace and now that freedom is being restricted…again…a gradual process that began by limiting the users’ ability to embed content such as music and video players: Tila Tequila, Revver and now Photobucket.

What everyone wants to know is – “what’s next?”

In a recent statement, MySpace commented that it “allows its users to embed video, slide shows, and other features from third parties so long as they comply with our terms of service.”

If this is the case, then the terms of service go against one of the key principles of Web 2.0 – giving users the ability to own data and exercise control over that data.

It is time for MySpace to open up and begin forging relationships with companies like Photobucket — users should have the freedom to mix and match services in MySpace. If the company continues to take its name so literally, they could end up being the only ones left there…

Following two years of research and thousands of consumer comments, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced this week that it will maintain its ban on the use of cell phones in-flight.  The ban has been in effect since 1991.

In contrast to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), whose ban on cell phone use is based on a fear of interference with mission-critical navigational and communications systems, the FCC’s concern is interference with cell phone signals on the ground. 

The seatback phones we’ve all grown accustomed to use a special FCC frequency that operates outside the range of regular cellular phones, circumnavigating the interference concerns voiced by the two agencies.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of allowing cell phone use on airplanes.  Let’s face it – who wants to hear, “no, I love you more honey bun,” or, “dude, I’m flying over the Grand Canyon right now – it’s so cool!” during a 5-hour flight across the country? 

But as today’s consumer grows more accustomed to constant connectivity, the FCC and FAA are going to have to find a solution to satisfy travelers’ needs (desires really).  Think about how much more productive you would be on that cross-country flight with access to the outside world – it could change business travelers’ outlook on flying, and perhaps, business altogether.

So what’s next? 

Onboard broadband connections are scheduled to debut as early as next year using cabin Wi-Fi hotspots according to the FCC.  Simultaneous to its investigation of in-flight cell phone use, the FCC began the process to wirelessly connect travelers to the Web.

According to CNET, a spokesman for AirCell, the Colorado firm that received an FCC license last year enabling it to set up hot spots on aircraft, confirmed Tuesday that the company still plans to begin offering its exclusive service to passengers by early 2008. 

AirCell says customers can expect connection speeds on par with those on ground, and that access for a day will cost $10.

Fliers taking advantage of onboard Internet access may not be able to conduct VoIP calls, however, as that would still require the blessing of both the FCC and FAA.

For now, the cell-phone issue is closed as far as the FCC is concerned, but the issue may arise again. The agency said it may “reconsider this issue in the future if appropriate technical data is available for our review.”  Either way, frequent fliers should be pleased that flying will soon be a much less isolating experience as email, Google searches, and instant messaging are on the horizon.  

When Julius Caesar was summoned by the Roman Senate to Pompey’s Theater on the March 15, 44 BC, he had no idea it would be the last power struggle of his life. The now infamous warning by soothsayer Titus to Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March,” may always have a place in cocktail trivia, but the modern, main event in Mid-March is all about the “Madness.” 

On Thursday the NCAA men’s basketball tournament shot to the media forefront and is one of the best examples of creating killer content appropriate for any medium. 

Whether you’re a die hard college hoops fan with skin in the game, or the casual sports fan trying your luck at “that fun office pool with the bracket,” the NCAA Tournament dubbed “March Madness” is a major media event a kin to Caesar’s glory days. It draws you in with passionate players fighting for victory and keeps you there until the final basket has been cast.    

For the public and media – new and old – it is a content tornado that whips across network television, the Internet, radio, college campuses, office water coolers, and connected devices everywhere. And it is a great opportunity for marketers to leverage the power of “new media” and for consumers to experience it first-hand. 

I am a huge professional sports fan, but I don’t really follow college sports beyond the occasional inquiry to learn if my alma mater, Seton Hall, is doing well. Come March however, I become transfixed in highlights and updates morning, noon and night! I keep my bracket taped to my office door, another copy at home, and a third in my bag in case someone happens to bring up tournament updates and I need to account for new results. For me, it has all the excitement and suspense of playoff baseball when the Red Sox and Yankees are fighting for every win. 

March Madness also demonstrates the media madness possible when the right content is made available to consumers in a compelling way.  This year, even more tournament content is expected to appear online and viewed over mobile devices than ever before.  As a result, it is a great opportunity for marketers not currently tied to the annual tournament to explore and experience the power of “new media,” and its potential for their brand and products.  From viral videos of winning plays and at-the-buzzer reactions from local fans offline, to blow-by-blow blogging about the day’s battles, consumer promotions and contests, there is a swell of media opportunity. 

The “News Analysis & Commentary” section of the March 13 issue of BusinessWeek focuses on plans by CBS to attract millions of consumers to its “March Madness On Demand” for free tournament coverage online. BusinessWeek surmises that this year’s tournament could be a turning point for online video with the potential to attract the largest online audience ever for a sporting event. It also discusses the tournament as an opportunity for the Internet to showcase its advantages over television, including instant access to information, simultaneous viewing of games taking place at the same time and the opportunity to customize content to meet the consumers’ needs, from fair-weather fans to fiery fanatics.  

Regardless of your feelings about college basketball, March Madness is a valuable way to take in and weigh in on new ways technology is impacting how we experience this historical tournament that began back in 1939. While college players do battle on the court, it’s worth reflecting on brand marketing and the experiences and mediums that can be leveraged to communicate with broad or highly targeted consumer audiences. 

• Are you embracing interactive content and the viral nature of the Internet? 
• Are there communications assets not being leveraged across new mediums to reach new audiences?  
• In what ways can we as marketers create new dialogs with consumers?   

I believe the results and feedback to the media presenting tournament content will dramatically shape the expectations of consumer content delivery, and offer fair warning for marketers that even more innovative brand experiences will be required to effectively reach consumers in the future. It will be interesting to see if the madness leads to even more online video demand, and of course, the games are exciting too.  Here are some of the places I’m mad about for experiencing the NCAA Tourney… 

• http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/index
• http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball 
• http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab
• http://www.ncaasports.com
• http://www.aolsportsblog.com/category/march-madness
• http://digg.com/basketball/Watch_NCAA_March_Madness_Basketball_Online_FREE   
• http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1004668 
• http://www.bizreport.com/2007/03/march_madness_takes_advertisers_online.html  
• http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/default.htm    
• ESPN Radio 1050 AM (NY Metro Area) 
• Sirius Satellite Radio (the first radio broadcaster to provide national coverage of March Madness in its entirety) 

At the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco earlier this week, Nokia announced a new initiative to connect with gamers, and put cell phones on par with Nintendo’s DS and Sony’s PSP as a go-to mobile gaming device. Their head of game publishing, Gregg Sauter, promised a new delivery platform, a solid lineup of games from recognized publishers like EA and THQ, and a new site to support developers, complete with a blog.

What I found particularly interesting from Gregg’s announcement is that Nokia’s platform, dubbed N-Gage, will be compatible with tens of millions of devices that are already in the hands of users- even phones made by competitors LG and Motorola. Why wouldn’t Nokia, the world’s largest cell phone manufacturer, try to own the mobile gaming space by themselves? Couldn’t they build a killer handheld console that doubles as a phone?

The truth is, Nokia already tried that. And failed. In late 2003 Nokia released a dedicated gaming phone, also called N-Gage, to a disappointed and largely puzzled gaming community. The price point was twice as high as the day’s leading handheld system, GameBoy Advance. The graphics looked muddy, the user interface was terrible, and users had to hold the device sideways to talk on the phone (which earned N-Gage the nickname “taco”). To make matters worse, N-Gage games couldn’t be delivered wirelessly, and had to be purchased as separate cartridges—a huge no-no when it comes to mobile content. The combined crummy phone and sub-par gaming device shuffled off this mortal coil in 2005.

Similarly, Disney launched Mobile ESPN in November 2005, exclusive handsets and all. While we all remember the “guy at a wedding cheers loudly in reaction to the sports clip on his phone” commercials, I’ve never met anyone that actually owned one of these. It was taken out behind the barn in December ’06. Just like N-Gage, Mobile ESPN was resurrected last month as a subscription-based service for Verizon Wireless subscribers.

Clearly, these two companies have wised up after their embarrassing attempts at hardware. Content is king, and if the media machine behind the mouse can’t build a better phone, other media companies should take their cue and explore their options on bringing their IP to mobile devices as a third party. I’m interested to see how big media companies will deliver content to the next generation of mobile phones. Open-ended, smart interfaces, like Apple’s iPhone, coupled with a constantly growing wireless infrastructure, should open up the third screen in ways we’ve only dreamed of.