Topic: Media

As the release of smart phones and tablet PCs fill technology reports Brian Roberts reminds us that cable TV is still a part of most people's lifestyle. Talking about the development of On Demand television and an impending application store for your TV, the idea of technological convergence between computer and TV seems ever closer. John Battelle challenges Roberts to answer questions on the future of cable in an online video world.

Michael Calabrese argues that the FCC's apportioning of the airwave spectrum gives a false impression of scarcity. The government's spectrum apportioning doesn't take into account the capabilities and accuracy of today's digital radio equipment, carving unnecessarily wide detours around both federal and commercial properties, and ignoring low-power opportunities. The recent DTV shift freed 18 channels, netting $2B at auction. More can be done to optimize spectrum use.

Tech journalist Mitch Ratcliffe discusses the future of books, reading, and publishing. He talks about how Booksahead.com is a platform to discuss authors and publishing, as well as news about the industry. Calling from the 2010 CES he also reviews new mobile devices, including E-Book readers and tablet computers, as well as the Sophie Project, open source software for writing and reading.

What are the key pieces policy makers must understand about the intersection of technology trends and digital economics to create broadband policies that make sense? What are the best roles of regulators, users, and industry in creating a rich environment for the powerful convergence of media and communications? Richard Whitt, Senior Policy Director at Google, provides a new framework for building better broadband policy in this Emerging Communications Conference 2009 presentation.

In the information age, we can collect more data than ever about our lives and activities. But we rarely use that data to effectively drive decisions by government, corporations, or even individuals. Joy Mountford shares examples from her work that show the beauty of data and its visualization.

Moira interviews Kathy Reichs, forensic anthropologist and author of the popular Bones detective series.

Inspired by the success of LibriVox, a project in which collaborators record free audiobooks, Hugh McGuire has embarked on a commercial project: BookOven. In this conversation he tells host Jon Udell about how the new venture enables writers, editors, and proofreaders to work on long-form texts that can be published in traditional or new ways.

BBC Backstage is the umbrella term for an evolving set of feeds and APIs that the BBC has been offering since 2005. Ian Forrester updates Jon Udell on what progress has been made, and what obstacles remain, as the BBC navigates toward its digital future.

The first SpokenWord.org town-hall meeting conference call was held on August 27, 2009. Included in the discussion: a review of the most-requested new features, a discussion of the new APIs and new strategic directions for the site.

Moira speaks with Fresh Air commentator and linguist Geoff Nunberg, who discusses his book The Years of Talking Dangerously and assesses the impact of words in a dynamic, changing world. In the book, he explains why grammar buffs are drawn to sarcasm, and deftly unpacks the telling phrases of our national conversation, from progressive to elite to change, as well as the national conversation itself.