Video Blogger Killed the Network News Star
Posted on April 26, 2006 at 07:19 PM
The 1979 Buggles hit song, "Video Killed the radio star" was about a singer who feared his radio career was about to be cut short by television. Fast forward about 25 years and we find ourselves in a time where more and more Americans prefer to get their news from the Internet rather than some stuffy anchor sitting behind a desk.
Now I'm not saying that millions of Americans are turning off their TVs and turning to video blogs or podcasts for their news, but irreverent, quick hitting formats of shows like The Daily Show are beginning to take root on the Internet. And people are watching.
Be afraid Katie Couric. Be very afraid...
Case in point, the show with zefrank (pronounced zay-frank) has really caught my attention over the last few months. His tag line "Thinking so you don't have to" is indicative of this new medium. His biting commentary and quick wit covers a wide range of subjects from U.S. foreign policy to the annoying new barista at his local Starbucks. Without the FCC or a giant news conglomerate to moderate his content, zefrank is a refreshing look at news in the world today.
Though I only imagine it'll be a matter of time before some cable news network or media whore, ala Yahoo!, throws this guy a garbage bag full of cash to leave the show. So enjoy it while you can.
Ed. Note: While the images displayed on zefrank are usually safe for work, he is known for occasionally dropping a few four letter expletives. So listen with caution whilst feeding your new found zefrank addiction while working for the man.
Other video blogs worth checking out:
Rocketboom - Host Amanda Congdon covers a wide range of information and commentary from top news stories to quirky Internet culture.
diggnation - A weekly podcast whose hosts Kevin Rose & Alex Albrecht take you through the top stories of digg.com, a social bookmarking website that has quickly become the leader in breaking Internet news.
mobuzztv - A lighthearted and sometimes irreverent look at current events and trends.
Google Current - Host Conor Knighton takes you through the days top Google searches and related stories.
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