#news channels are after one thing and that’s revenue

[coochiequeens]

An update to an older story that’s goods news!

When Jenny Nguyen signed the lease to create her dream bar, she wasn’t sure it would stay open for more than a few months.

But earlier this month, 43-year-old Nguyen’s first-of-its-kind establishment in Portland, Oregon, celebrated its one-year anniversary. Aptly named The Sports Bra, it’s a sports bar where only women athletes appear on the TVs.

Business has been good, despite the niche business model and record inflation sending food and beverage prices soaring. The Sports Bra brought in $944,000 in revenue in the eight months it was open in 2022, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

It was profitable in that first year of business, Nguyen adds.

“It turns out, it’s pretty universal — that feeling of being a women’s sports fan and going into a public place, like a sports bar, and having a difficult time finding a place to show a [women’s] game, especially when there are other men’s sports playing,” Nguyen says.

Initially, she wasn’t sure the idea would work at all. The vast majority of money and attention historically goes to men’s sports only — a big reason why The Sports Bra was reportedly the country’s first bar to only play women’s sports on TV.

It’s also not the kind of thing Nguyen would ordinarily do: She describes herself as “very cautious, risk averse.” But her obsession with women’s sports and frustration with its lack of representation on television screens drove her to empty her life savings — about $27,000 — and give it a try.

“Me, personally, I thought the idea was brilliant and that [it was] what the world needs,” Nguyen says. “But I had no idea that the world would want it. I just wanted to give it a shot.”

How The Sports Bra went from running joke to reality

Nguyen is a lifelong basketball fan who played the sport at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, before tearing her ACL. She’s also a longtime restaurant worker who spent three years as Reed College’s executive chef.

In 2018, Nguyen and a group of friends wanted to watch the NCAA women’s basketball championship game. They went to a mostly empty sports bar and still had to plead with a bartender to switch one of the smallest TVs — which played without sound — from a men’s sport to the women’s championship game, she recalls.

Together, they jumped up and down celebrating “one of the best games I’ve ever seen,” Nguyen says, as a buzzer-beating three-point shot sealed the championship title for Notre Dame. Afterward, she was struck by the normalcy of her situation.

″[We’d] gotten so used to watching a game like that in the way that we did,” she says, adding that they’d only find better viewing conditions “if we had our own place.”

Days later, she channeled her disappointment into a hypothetical: What would she name her bar? “The very first thing that came into my mind was The Sports Bra,” Nguyen says. “And once I thought it, I couldn’t un-think it, you know? It was catchy. I thought it was hilarious.”

For years, she joked about it. Then, the fallout from social justice movements like #MeToo and the country’s racial reckoning after George Floyd’s murder left her wanting to make a meaningful impact on the world and her community.

Nguyen, who came out as a lesbian at age 17, says she doesn’t always feel welcome at most traditional sports bars. The Sports Bra could help her, and anyone else who’d rarely felt accepted in other sports establishments, feel like she belonged.

“I thought about, if we can even get one kid in here and have them feel like they belong in sports, it’d be worth it,” she says.

Helping other women’s sports bars get started

At first, Nguyen had her savings, and $40,000 in loans cobbled together from friends and family. That would keep The Sports Bra afloat for three months, based on her cost estimates for labor, inventory and other overhead.

In February 2022, she launched a Kickstarter to raise $48,000 — enough money for an extra six-month financial cushion, to build up the sort of regular clientele any bar or restaurant needs to survive long-term.

To Nguyen’s surprise, the campaign raised more than $105,000 in just 30 days, thanks to a viral article in online food publication Eater. “At that moment, when I was looking at that Kickstarter graph, I thought to myself, ‘This might work,’” she says.

But the money, which came from around the country and world, was no guarantee of success. Actual people in Portland still needed to frequent the bar.

Today, there’s often a line out the door. Women’s basketball icons like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi showed up, for an event sponsored by Buick, earlier this month. Ginny Gilder, co-owner of the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, has even waited in line to watch her team play on The Sports Bra’s TVs, Nguyen says.

That’s a far cry from the Kickstarter days, which Nguyen says only happened after she was denied business loans by multiple banks and small business associations. The denials commonly cited the high risk of a unique concept run by a first-time entrepreneur during a pandemic, she adds.

Even the bar’s core concept is a struggle: It’s hard to find enough women’s sporting events to fill up the televisions. Only about 5% of all TV sports coverage focuses on female athletes, according to a 2021 University of Southern California study.

Nguyen says she’s taken to reaching out directly to sports networks and streaming services, some of which have hooked her up with access to more women’s sports content. She also spends an inordinate amount of time “scouring” TV listings, a process she likens to “taking a machete and chopping through a jungle.”

But she’s no longer alone. Another bar specializing in women’s sports has opened in nearby Seattle, and Nguyen says she’s in touch with a handful of other prospective entrepreneurs asking her for advice on opening similar visions in other cities.

“I would love to have as many people experience the feeling people experience when they walk through these doors,” she says. “It feels very selfish to keep it to this one building that holds 40 people at a time.”

#USA #oregon #Portland #jenny nguyen #The Sports Bra #A sports bar for women and women’s sports #She was originally denied business loans

[seat-safety-switch]

Becoming rich hasn't changed me. I'm still all about teaching the average person how to fix their own stuff. For instance, I just launched this new YouTube channel called "Accountability." You might think that's a weird name, but let me explain.

Each and every one of the things that has broken on you throughout the course of your life has been touched by an engineering team of some kind. Most of the time, that failure was planned. Even if not malicious, someone's manager told them to cut out all the doomsaying and save a few bucks here and there by making the part flimsier, or stop updating the software, or not give it a second turn in the etchant mixture because we gotta ship this thing now buddy, now, so I can get my bonus.

You can get mad about it all you want, but that anger could be unjustified, something the Buddha says is a big ol' bummer on your road to enlightenment. The question is, how do you know if the failure was planned or if they genuinely didn't know?

That's where my YouTube channel comes in. Remember, it's named "Accountability," and that's just what we do. I spend the billions of dollars that my cocaine kingpin uncle, Sniff Safety-Switch, gave to me on travelling the world, and investigating the individual people behind the things you use (and break) every day.

Then, once I've got them on camera, I tie them to a chair and pull their teeth out, one by one, until they tell me the truth about their quality-assurance plans. Last week, we had the guy who made the little rubber stopper on the end of my cheese grater fall off. He didn't want to spend an extra five cents per unit on a better glue, so he told production to cut it, knowing full well that it would crack after a few years and cause me to slip and scrape my knuckles while preparing a macaroni and cheese feast. Let me tell you this: he is very sorry now, and he would like to offer you a full refund.

Sure, this money might not last long (advertising revenues are in the shitter,) but I don't do it for the money. I do it for humanity. Please like and subscribe.

[saiscribbles]

What are your future plans for your channel btw? Although I like your content criticizing Lily, I think it’s best for you to move away from her because her time on the internet is a huge trash fire that never leads to anything good.

I’d personally really like to see you talk more about Hazbin Hotel or Steven Universe! Your streams are really fun and I love having them on the side while I work. :)

BOLD OF YOU TO ASSUME I HAVE A PLAN!

Much like I never actually intended to start a Steven Universe AU series I never actually intended to become a YouTuber in the first place.

Here's the story:

For years now I've been doing a stream weekly on Twitch where I just talk with chat while drawing. One day Hiding in Public/Private released a couple of great videos on old SU hate videos, including Lily's infamous "Steven Universe is Garbage and Here's Why".

Not too long after that Lily released "Was I Wrong About Steven Universe?" as a nakedly obvious response. I thought hey, wouldn't it be funny if one stream I just react to this video? Just for funsies? To see if Lily has actually changed her mind on anything?

What I didn't expect was I'd end up spending like half an hour explaining Shoujo Kakumei Utena of all things during that video reaction.

I was kinda impressed with my own recall of Utena despite not having watched it in full in over a decade. So I thought eh for funsies lemme cut down that part and slap it on my account. Which is the same account I've had since 2006. I've put videos up there just for my friends and small number of fans before, as you can see from this Minecraft video from 11 years ago I filmed and edited for my friend for her birthday.

And then that Utena video got 5k views. On my completely unestablished YouTube channel. And I was like... huh. I knew people are annoyed by Lily Orchard but damn.

By that point I had also already decided to react to Lily's video on the Steven Universe Movie the next stream. Cause obviously the SU movie is something pretty near and dear to me that I know very well. And Lily's video was SO BAD and had so many OUTRIGHT LIES in it I thought well hell, let's cut down the two SU reacts into a video too!

It'll probably get like 10k views tops.

And then I'll just fuck off back into the shadows whence I came.

And I suddenly found myself with 3,000 followers.

And I suddenly found myself monetized.

And that video just passed 200k views now. In 3 months.

So I was like... well shit. Now I have this new audience over here on YouTube. I should probably actually give them something. I mean the added revenue stream is nice but I'm not looking to become a career tuber. Mostly I felt like I owed it to this new audience I now have.

So I started doing my art stream on YouTube as well! And I also have been game streaming, if you haven't checked my Lives recently. I've been streaming I Wani Hug That Gator, of all things, while doing silly voices and we're all having a blast. I already wanted to get back into game steaming this year even before this giant explosion in attention.

So for now that's the only thing resembling a plan! I'm gonna keep art and game streaming and cutting videos from those streams. I'm not a video essayist. I can't write and perform a script, I'm just not good at it. But I am very good off the cuff which is why I'm a streamer. I can explain things when prompted. So hey, come to my Wednesday art streams (2pm EST) and poke me for art and writing advice! Or to pick my brain about Steven Universe and Hazbin. I thrive on chat interaction! And then those can be shorts and videos too.

I do plan to do at least 3 or 4 more Lily reacts in the future just because they're videos I think would be funny to react to. But after that? Who knows!

#Sai-chan #YouTube #Ask Answers

[pawnshopbleus]

Put Me in a Movie - Chapter Two

Miguel O’Hara x Fem!Reader

Summary - You’re a famous actress and he’s one of the greatest directors of all time. What happens when you get cast in his new movie?

Chapter One

There was nothing essential to do right now. You had the opportunity to lounge around in your house so you took it. Later, you would have to get ready for an event you were invited to. You loved dressing up and attending events. They made you feel like an important person, but you loved being comfortable even more.

You stayed in bed thirty minutes after waking up just scrolling through Instagram and TikTok. The edits fans made of you on red carpets or in movies always warmed your heart. You remember being one of those fangirls and how much getting recognized by one of your idols would mean to you.

Stella called you about five minutes after you got up to use the bathroom. She was calling to tell you that she has more information. You were going to play a Russian spy that falls in love with an American soldier during world war two. “And you’re getting paid a million dollars upfront as well as one percent of the total box office revenue. You are one lucky son of a bitch,” Stella laughed.

“Stella, you know I don’t like it when you say stuff like that,” you playfully scold your agent over the phone.

“Sorry, but it’s true. Anyways, you have a table ready to do tomorrow so please don’t get shit-faced at the event tonight. I know you like to party, but we can’t have another New York Fashion Week incident,” Stella remarked.

You were invited to New York Fashion Week two years ago and were never invited back. At the after-parties, you had one too many drinks, and the next thing you know, photos of you sleeping on the sidewalk were all over social media. Luckily, it only took two weeks for the media to forget about the whole incident. Let’s just say New York City is a place you don’t go unless you absolutely have to.

“I’m a good girl, Stella, I’ll have a few shots at the after-party and I’ll be on my merry way. No more sleeping on the sidewalk for me.”

“Fine, I’ll see you soon.”

You hung up the phone and sighed. Other than Stella, no one really ever talked to you. There were a few people here and there, but they were only interested in furthering their careers. There are shallow and fake people in Hollywood and you’ve definitely met a few. When you move to a city like this it’s almost inevitable. It’s like high school but worse.

You pushed the loneliness aside and turned on the television. There was never anything good during the mornings so you just settled for the regular old news channel. The two news reporters provided you with sufficient background noise to get you through the day.

Around two in the afternoon, your hair stylist, make-up artist, and stylist came over. The type of event you were attending tonight was a fashion show and then the after-party. You were the brand ambassador for the fashion house so you had to look your absolute best as you sat in the front row.

Your hair stylist and make-up artist did quick work on your already beautiful features. Your make-up artist went with a very natural and glowy look that would make you look ethereal. Your hairstylist lets your natural hair out and loose. Tonight you were just going for a simple yet classy look and you felt like doing an intricate hairstyle would take away from your face. Your stylist put you in the brand's latest design and complemented the way you looked in it.

You checked yourself out in the mirror and you were completely blown away by your beauty. This usually happens when you get all dolled up for a premier or an event. The last time you checked your phone it was two thirty, now it was five twenty-three and you needed to leave soon. You thanked everyone that enhanced your beauty today and waited for your driver.

The event was in the heart of downtown. Thirty minutes of sitting in the back seat of a limo with only the sound of you and your driver breathing was going to drive you insane. Thankfully, you made it to the event alive.

The designs on the runway were beautiful and camp. The fashion house had already showcased its ready-to-wear line last winter and was working on bringing in younger designers for some fresh ideas. You were paid to be here so you had to look interested and intrigued by the designs. You saw some pieces that you wanted and some that you absolutely loathed but by the end, you were ready to party.

The after-party was being held at some mansion in Beverly Hills. You don’t know how you got there, but does that really matter? Right now, you were doing shots in Beverly Hills of all places. Shot after shot after shot. The burn disappeared after the third one anyway.

You know you promised Stella not to get shit-faced again, but sometimes promises were meant to be broken. You were twenty-six after all and you were never going to be twenty-six ever again. Luckily, you weren't the type of drunk to get on the table and strip, but you were still sort of embarrassed by your state. It’s not your fault alcohol tastes so good.

Outside by the pool, you lay on one of the tanning chairs. You’re facing the night sky while also trying not to throw up. Your eyes are blinking slowly. You mentally fight with yourself not to fall asleep. You can’t fall asleep now! “You okay there?” A voice asks. The voice came from the left of you. You turn your head to see who was talking to you and you’re faced with one of the most majestic beings ever. His face is chiseled to the gods and his voice is smooth like butter, but also harsh like rocks. It’s hard to explain but it definitely does something to you. He looks like Adonis reincarnated.

“I’m fine. I think I just had too much to drink,” you slur your words a bit but they’re still understandable.

“Ya, I can see that,” he chuckles. He takes in your tired frame. Your make-up is a bit smudged from a night of partying but you still look beautiful nonetheless.  “How about I take you home,” he offers.

“Woah there mister, you are obviously very attractive but I don’t just go home with people. I don’t even know your name,” you sat up. You must have sat up too fast because soon your head was pounding.

“Miguel,” he said, “Miguel O’Hara.”

You must have sobered up enough to get your act straight. This was Miguel O’Hara, the director you would be working for for the next few months. You couldn’t let him see you like this. You didn’t want him to think that you were just some drunk party girl that doesn’t take acting seriously.

“Oh, Mr. O’Hara. I’m-” You tried to introduce yourself but he just waved his hand causing you to shut your mouth.

“I know who you are,” he said, “Now, I don’t want my actors to show up to table reads with hangovers so I think it’s best if I take you home.”

You didn’t want to argue with him so you followed him to his car. It was a modest black Range Rover with a black leather interior.

“My address is-” You started but once again he interrupted you.

“I know where you live. Stella gave me your address after I told her that you were drunk.” You groaned, “Stella’s going to kill me. I promised her I wouldn’t get drunk.”

Miguel just smirked at you and pulled away from the house in Beverly Hills. As the two of you drove, you couldn’t get over the fact that you just decided to trust Miguel so fast. He was technically your boss for the next few months so you had to listen to him.

Miguel’s letting the radio play. He’s playing a station that plays old cumbia music but it does the opposite of its purpose. Instead of making you want to get up in dance, it lulls you into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Chapter Three

#miguel o'hara #miguel o'hara x reader #miguel o'hara x female reader #miguel spiderverse #miguel x reader

[jayalaw]

Thoughts About Light Yagami Being A YouTuber

Thanks to @cacklingskeleton for starting this idea, and @kingofthewilderwest for talking with me about this.

For reference: I am referring to Light from the first five volumes of the manga mainly, rather than the various spinoffs. We will not speak of the horrendous Netflix version. This would be taking place after the Lind L. Taylor incident, which confirms that Kira is in the Kanto region for the whole world.

What's fascinating about Death Note in modern times is that it came out before social media. Light has to get all his news about criminals from newspapers and television, to the point that he had to hide a mini-television in a potato chip bag to avoid surveillance.

Social media has changed things; you can find information about criminals and trials in real-time. The Internet is forever, and we all have smart devices now. Kira could kill a criminal as soon as their mugshot hits Twitter. Not to mention that with the right credit card, you don't need shinigami eyes; you can find all the info that you need on a person.

King and I were disagreeing about one point: would Light do well at YouTube? I think so because Light knows how to control his image, and L was the only person who could see through it. King doesn't agree, because Light's mask falls away rather quickly in the manga. He may know how to plot murder, but his ability to act normal fades away rather quickly.

So let's consider these two angles. There are two ways this could go:

If Light Yagami Is Good At YouTube

Light is calculating and intelligent, good at building his image. I remember this from the manga, how he is popular both in high school and college,

My headcanon is that Light would do videos talking about justice systems in fiction. You have stories about if the apocalypse in Mad Max has appropriate punishments for the antagonist, and if the chickens in Chicken Run have any legal rights. He knows that you can go viral for the wrong reasons, and chooses his topics carefully. What's more, his dad may not understand YouTube, but it would be shameful if Soichiro Yagami's son was caught doing something uncouth.

If Light has some disagreements with YouTubers? He knows how to do what James Somerton did: hide behind an aura of feigned innocence and send his fanbase against them. And how can he be a bad guy? He doesn't even have a Patreon or crowdfunding! All his YouTube revenue goes towards charity, because he has a full-ride to university and his needs are few since he still lives at home to help out with his little sister. She posts videos of them dancing to Misa-Misa's songs. All the other YouTubers are more worried about their careers and are just jealous little shits.

Here is the thing: people leave patterns. And there are whisper networks. Light may think he's leaving no trail, but computers have screencaps, and memory.

If Light Yagami Is Bad At YouTube

He gets by with his channel topics due to his natural good looks. I admit that Light isn't my type because he seems too dark and broody, plus the whole what he did to Naomi Misora, but he might have been appealing.

In this case, the channel topic could be anything: Let's Play video games, reactions to vines and viral videos, "The Best Snacks To Eat While Studying for Entrance Exams." No one doubts that Light can cook, even if he eats those nasty potato chips.

So let's go with King's interpretation. Light is someone who is big talk about general topics, but if you look up close, it's really shallow. People follow him because he's good-looking and has a lovely voice. It's a voice that makes you want to go into battle. Some of his more impressionable fans wonder why he wasn't scouted by a J-pop band. It wouldn't have worked; Soichiro Yagami would stake any manager or agent that would dare keep his son from the college path.

The problem is when Light gets the Death Note. He still posts videos, but he starts getting sloppy. Though he doesn't want to admit it, murder is a huge weight on the human soul. And he takes it out on the communities that welcomed him, in subtle ways.

The Video

Hbomberguy has noticed some trends. Any YouTuber that crosses Light Yagami, even for pointing out something like, "Dude, you took footage from me," somehow gets hit. Light is careful to go only after small people, the marginalized that may leave YouTube from the harassment.

He is careful. After all, if you are going to accuse someone of plagiarizing videos and using his fanbase to destroy the competition, including YouTubers that considered Light a good friend, you need hard evidence, and backups. So hbomberguy brings the receipts, with permission from the victim.

The Kira stuff is the real bombshell; Hbomberguy cites what happened with Lind L. Taylor, and how Light is one of the biggest international YouTubers from the Kanto region, who is bilingual to boot. And something something how he figured out the shinigami thing because there have been incidents of people online talking about writing names in notebooks, getting creeped out when others died, and tossing the books away. They talked about having seen mysterious figures. Yes, it could be Internet hearsay, but the heart attacks match the pattern.

The video goes viral. Light can only watch in horror, because hbomberguy points out that if he dies of a heart attack now, Light will be the prime suspect. Ryuk is cackling.

And somewhere, L is leaning back in his weird crouched position and puffing out a deep breath of frustration. Several months of subtle investigation down the drain, thanks to YouTube drama.

#death note #fandom #death note fanon #hbomberguy

[urfavslav]

various rockstar!tkrv character headcanons

rockstar!hanma would play drums or be main vocalist. no in-between

I think pianist!inupi asks for your opinion on everything, whether a harmony sounds right or you like his outfit for the concert in half an hour

rockstar!izana is the main vocalist. he's the king of tenjiku who's so say he isn't the main star of the show

model!hakkai who writes his own music and plays acoustic guitar !

rockstar!kokonoi would be a sub/second vocalist or have some clinton cave thing where he plays like saxophone and guitar. occasionally you can see him going through chords to a song and humming it out

you can always find drummer!shuji smoking before a concert, 'a little nic buzz won't hurt experience' he says

pianist!inupi (this also includes keyboard, synthesizer) but actually I think he can play any instrument, and he's decent at it. but sticks to piano/keyboard because it's easier.

main vocalist!izana did learn keyboard and synthesizer (sorry if they r the same thing 💀)

independent artist!hakkai who ends up with a youtube channel to produce songs whenever he pleases, a side hobby that ended up with a whole new set of fans

drummer!shuji always has some sort of beat in his head and will tap on your thigh or arm or head (since he's tall)

rockstar!kokonoi often manages himself ,, whether it be revenue of a stadium or concert dates or interviews. it stresses him the fuck out, though he doesn't have enough trust to hire a manager 💀 poor baby

independent artist!hakkai's first song that he learned was one of yuzuha's favorites, he also wrote a song for her

so if rockstar!izana gets sick one day ,, he will push on preforming just not singing, he'd play synth and put someone else on main vocals

pianist!inupi is always booked for some high class event but makes time in his schedule to visit rockstar!koko even try to wedge in a collab with his producers and managers

rockstar!shuji asks you to do his eyeliner. a simple black small wing with yellow/gold graphic liner ,, makes his eyes pop

maybe after a while you could be rockstar!kokonoi's manager, more time with spent with ur boyfie after all <3

pianist!inupi who likes flute a lot, because it's elegant finds it hard to find a pianist duet because he thinks highly of himself.

independent artist!hakkai will ask you to sing with his little melodies thay he writes, loves ur voice no matter I'd ur tone deaf or can't sing

rockstar!izana has 1 love song he composed for you, it's like 7 minutes long will never be released, he's also never told you about it ,, he re-listens to it when he feels down it reminds him that he has you

rockstar!shuji thinks his fans are the cutest and loves flustering them at fansigns

you always have backstage passes for their concerts. they want you to be the first thing they seeafter a show is finished.

★ all works belong to @urfavslav , do not repost on anywhere else with or without credit, do not plagiarise. thank you !

#tokyo rev x reader #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo rev headcanons #tokyo revengers headcanons #tr hanma #tr izana #tr inui #tr kokonoi #tr hakkai #hanma x reader #hanma headcanons #izana x reader #izana headcanons #inui x reader #inui headcanons #koko x reader #kokonoi headcanons #hakkai x reader #hakkai headcanons #urfavslav stories !

[simplydnp]

part of the joy is not knowing but i like making predictions so here are gamingmas 2023 videos:

(EDITED DAY 12)

Fairly confident:

devan wedding: phil said this year! our predictions have been the 24th

pinof 4-6 reaction: at minimum we will see this one. the others have me Stressed cause then there's only a few days between each and i already can't believe the first was uploaded at all let alone 5 days ago

it takes two part 2: similar to above, they either finish it in gamingmas or just do the second and finish it later. these ones are long to record and edit

another dan vs phil: not sure what it would be, but at minimum one more they played fall guys as a dvp!

(new) poppy playtime new game? they said it releases december 2023 so if it launches pre-xmas we might see it

Please if you love me:

festive day in the life 2023: an updated version of one of the most iconic videos ever. we know they have their tree! but they usually post pictures of it by now... unless it's a spoiler.

christmas baking: admittedly a lot less likely than fditl, but christmas sweaters? antlers? gingerbread houses are quaking

amazingdan reaction: more likely than i'd like to admit given phil's direct reference in the powerwash video

if we say all of these (which is unlikely given that i don't think they'll just become an 'it takes two' channel and it has 7 chapters) we'd have: 13. which, is exactly how many days of gamingmas is left at time of posting. do with that what you will.

^ two days after posting they've ruined that so howsabouts we try again: i'm tentatively going 6. i think the pinof reactions will be a december thing. #ad revenue, so 3 more of those if they keep in 3s. + devan wedding. + it takes two 2 + fditl (i am Manifesting so hard)

#am i making this to tempt the greek god apollo? who's to say #dnp #c.text #dan and phil #i did get one thing right! #(my most bland and safe prediction)

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — April 14-20

previous post || all posts

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

04-14 → Gong Jun filmed an episode of Go Fighting!. (blue track suit)

→ The scam's "August" documentary was released. - The documentary mentions 813 in the vaguest sense, describing it only as cyberbullying. - Much of the voiceover is pushing the "poor sad man who can't take care of himself" narrative the scam has been using, and only focuses on Zhang Sanjian's music with barely a mention of Zhang Zhehan's career. - Almost none of the names listed in the credits are the full names of real people, with a lone exception being Xie Yihua; many are just generic or comedic nicknames that cannot be easily linked to a specific individual. [screenshot] - The YouTube link that whalers have been passing around is on an unofficial channel, with all ad revenue going to YouTube rather than the uploader. Whalers seem to be either ignorant of this or are ignoring it. There is speculation that it is so the scam can claim a financial loss on the project.

04-15 → Gong Jun filmed an episode of Go Fighting!. (clown mask)

→ PRSR posted a short commercial featuring Gong Jun.

04-16 → Gong Jun posted a promotional image for the upcoming Go Fighting! season. Caption: "Use your own unique way to awaken people's enthusiasm. This time I really refuse to accept it. I'm back with full firepower!" This was reposted by his studio with the added caption, "Go forward bravely, fearlessly! Starting from April 21st, @ Gong Jun Simon returns with firepower!"

→ The Instagram posted a video of "Zhang Zhehan" playing guitar.

→ PRSR posted a short commercial, a short behind the scenes video, and a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

04-17 → The Instagram posted seven photos of "Zhang Zhehan", advertising the "August" documentary.

→ PRSR posted a promotional video and a short commercial featuring Gong Jun.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted nine photos of him from the Fresh livestream. Caption: "Elegant, soft, and noble. @ Gong Jun Simon portrays a sharp demeanor, and his style is not stereotypical."

→ PRSR posted a video featuring Gong Jun. (minor flashing lights cw)

04-18 → PRSR posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ PRSR posted a short behind the scenes video featuring Gong Jun.

→ Yang Yang posted three photos of himself and Gong Jun from the previous day's livestream.

04-19 → Neil Gaiman reposted a BlueSky post that a whaler @'d him in linking the "August" documentary. He later deleted the repost after a number of us responded to him about it. In a small silver lining, his response to the whaler's post communicates that he still remembers what happened and thinks positively of Zhehan. (This humble post writer asks that no one bother Neil about this or Zhehan in general, Neil has already been bombarded by whalers on BlueSky over it.)

(Context: Neil's book Smoke and Mirrors became a bestseller in China back in July 2021 after Zhehan referenced the book in an Instagram post, and Neil tweeted positively about it. Later after 813, some people @'d him about some of the smears and Neil responded in Zhehan's defense, but quickly deleted the tweets after people let him know that the situation was delicate. The topic of Zhehan has not come up from him since aside from this new incident.)

→ Gong Jun posted a commercial he did for Zhenguoli.

→ PRSR posted two photos of Gong Jun, promoting the livestream half an hour later.

→ Gong Jun attended a livestream for PRSR. [full video]

→ At the same time as Gong Jun's livestream, the scam tried to hold a livestream of the "August" documentary on YouTube and an app funded by crypto currency. Prior to the stream, just over 100 viewers were waiting to watch. The YouTube stream reportedly got shut down for copyright infringement not long after starting.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted nine photos of him from the PRSR livestream. Caption: "Embark on a journey and embrace the comfort of summer, @ Gong Jun Simon is not afraid of the scorching sun, and has his own 'little treasure' to protect him!"

04-20 → Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video of his photoshoot for Zhenguoli.

→ OK! magazine posted a teaser image for their May issue featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ PRSR posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

Additional Reading: → Blue has organized a charity fundraiser for Zhang Zhehan's birthday, this year for the Ching Tien Foundation! Giveaways offered by other fans are available for those who show proof of donation before 05-08. → I finally escaped the Chromebook hell I've been in since November that's been making it much more difficult to collect the info for these posts. Rejoice!

previous week || all posts

#Zhang Zhehan #Gong Jun #Word of Honor #woh cast #lld timeline

[clickedbait]

It was their first con as guests rather than attendees. They'd finally built up a reputation big enough to garner reason to be and to be seen. They had people coming to see them. It was insane! Spencer could hardly believe it, but he knew him and Graham had worked hard to get to this point. Their channel, Couch Critics, was taking off like never before after the latest releases of the Detective Dark movie. They nailed a review that boosted their channel by the thousands. Soon enough they were getting those fancy buttons from Youtube and a bit more revenue than they could've ever expected-- even if Vivien wasn't too happy about it. What a way to play it risky being interns at Supreme Studios, but then again... wasn't that why they'd been hired? The balls they had on them-- how charming. Either way? They were at this convention for themselves and meeting people who found their shit good. It was thrilling, it was invigorating, but even more.. it was surprising.

They'd never known what it was like to be admired this boldly, but they took it in stride that morning of the first day. Reenergizing at lunch and then diving right back into it. They ate it up, feeding whatever egos were growing exponentially in their heads. There were even a few pretty girls that wanted pictures with them, one even tossing Graham a wink at one point. It was unbelievable, otherworldly and something they were sure neither of them would ever get used to. However, the day just had more surprises for Spencer-- this one in the form of a thick southern accented woman with a chihuahua in a sling.

@whatscanon introduced herself as "Branda" and her dog as "Carol Anne", stating they were from Alabama and recently a fan of their things. She'd moved out to LA about two weeks prior to this, but put her packing aside to get the VIP treatment of seeing people she watched. It was a lot to dump on a short meet and greet, but something about that crooked shy grin and the way she kept anxiously petting her dog had Spencer hypnotized. He couldn't look away from the way she'd talk with her other hand and then bring it back to the dog, both rubbing the tiny animal's head. She was something else and that was exactly what Graham said as she walked away after standing between them for a photo op. And really all Spencer could let out was a quiet, "Yeah, she is..."

They'd gone to a party after the first day wrapped, a bands kind of only party. It was guests and VIPs, guests having access to somewhere more private and VIPs the main floor. Graham and Spencer stuck to the main floor, mingling with fans they'd met that day and new people they could network with. It was fun, it was good, and it was a dream come true. Until Graham got sick and was quick to excuse himself first to the bathroom then back to their room. He told Spencer to stay and talk more, build themselves up. So he did that, talking and laughing-- sipping his watered down VIP Party drink. Weak. But what did he care? He felt famous.

Spencer was deep in a conversation with a group of people when he heard that crooned voice ordering a drink somewhere behind him, an accent he'd only heard the once today but stuck with him. He looked over his shoulder to see Branda, dogless, but there. She was leaning into the bar, smiling wide at the bartender. He heard someone say his name and he muttered out, "Yeah, I'll be... right back." Then he was turning, body moving as if he were floating. He sidled up to the southern woman, smile stretching onto his face and heart suddenly jumping up his throat, "Hi--" his voice cracked immediately upon exit and he cleared his throat, lifting his free hand to cough into the side of a balled fist. He tried again, "I mean, hey." His voice was even, maybe a little lower but better, "Branda, right?" Maybe this was weird, maybe he shouldn't have approached. He continues, trying not to stumble through it, "I'm Spencer, you know that, but I wanted to introduce myself."

#whatscanon #✦ › starter › spencer ʷᶦˡˢᵒⁿ

[standardizedbogey]

Forged?

Meme is here

(This is probably going to be way too short for AO3, I'll think about it. But Jupiter finally enters the NPCverse)

Amanda didn’t care much about the sense of abandonment. She’d long gotten past being concerned about something like that. Frankly, she’d also assumed that everyone else in Rocket would have been the same way. Evidently not, which was disappointing she supposed.

The much bigger issue, as far as she was concerned, was that she was bored.

Giovanni had been ambitious and hungry, and always had multiple schemes that he could rotate through. It kept his people happy, active, and well-funded.

Archer was plenty opportunistic, but he also historically was heavily controlled and risk-averse in how he carried out plans. He had an impeccable success rate through the years thanks to it, but he needed Giovanni handling the pressure and creativity to really shine. Without him, and having lost the massive revenue streams like the game corner, Archer had made it clear he planned to make things as quiet as possible.

Members were breaking off as it became clear that Rocket was going deep underground for a cheap and dull period of rebuilding. And he was sure it would be interesting and ambitious when Giovanni came back, whenever he would be coming back. But people weren’t interested as much in following Archer’s plan to be as efficient a placeholder as possible.

Amanda already felt like she had rigor mortis just thinking about it.

She looked over the new assignment that had been pulled up on her laptop. She would be handling a quiet movement of the products that they had in storage as Rocket pivoted to handling their laundering businesses as actual businesses while they tried to find new clients and revenue paths.

After a moment of consideration, she downsized the window and searched for new wanted positions. Not ones posted on normal channels, of course, but the sort for business people who understood what ‘business’ actually meant.

She scrolled dully for a bit through listings that were, at best, uninspired. Low bids for fixers, collectors, and movers mostly.

And then she found a listing out of Sinnoh and she paused.

Something called ‘Galactic’ needed a massive influx of pre-trained Pokemon, and they preferred someone who could collect them from in-house.

That had always been one of her favorite jobs. Based on the wording, they also would like someone who could throw their weight around. That made it sound even more fun.

Amanda looked back at the reduced window and, after a bit of thought, submitted her resume.

[champagnepodiums]

Could you explain the merge of CART and IndyCar?

OKAY so reunification of CART and INDYCAR (I'm going to just be operating under the thought that we know why CART and IRL split in the first place). I'm going to keep it as straightforward as possible but it's messy lol

So after the Split, CART was in a better position -- it had the cars, the sponsorships, the big names etc. CART saw an increase in annual revenue from $38M in 1995 to $68M in 1999. But it was not even because oval attendance was tanking. Television ratings were terrible and the revenue from TV was abysmal (all season CART would make $5M which was less than what some singular NASCAR races made). They also did a public stock offering, selling 35% of the company, raising $100M.

In 1999, young star Greg Moore and emerging talent Gonzalo Rodriguez were killed in two separate racing incidents, two months apart from each other and that started raising safety questions.

In 2000, CEO Andrew Craig was forced by the car owners to resign. He was replaced with Bobby Rahal (yes, Graham's dad lol).

While oval attendance was declining, street course attendance was healthy and CART decided to focus on that as well as oversea ovals which angered some of the more traditional owners and sponsors.

In 2000, Chip Ganassi's team returned to the Indy 500 (and won).

In 2001, CART released a very ambitious schedule -- 22 races in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, the UK, Germany and Australia. One of the races added was the Texas oval which had put on an exciting IRL race the year further.

But the season went like this: Brazil was cancelled when promoters didn't pay, Texas had to be cancelled because the drivers were sustaining too many G-Forces and blacking out in the corners and it was a PR nightmare essentially.

The three manufactures of CART at the time were Honda, Ford and Toyota. Honda and Ford had developed a turbo pop off valve (I don't know what it is lol) and Toyota complained so when CART mandated a change to equalize things, Honda obtained an injunction allowing them to use it which pissed everrrrrybody off. Toyota announced it was going to IRL in 2003.

The German 500 happened the Saturday after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The teams were unable to leave because airspace was shut down so they decided to go ahead with the race and that pissed people off... including ESPN who refused to air the race live. Alex Zanardi lost both legs in an accident at the German 500 so like we're just shoveling the bad PR on at this point.

To make matters even worse for CART, ABC/ESPN which had been airing their races signed an exclusivity deal with IRL (to keep the Indy 500 rights) so CART went to the SPEED channel and they bought time on CBS but really, this is just the straw that breaks the camel's back because without the exposure from ABC/ESPN, sponsors don't stick around etc.

And remember how they put 35% of the company up for public offer? This comes back into play because they allowed teams to disinvest and sell their stocks which meant new voices were coming in and there was just instability and turmoil.

In 2002, Honda announced it was going to IRL so Ford would be the only manufacturer left which further tanked the stocks and at this point, most everybody has already or are going to jump ship to IRL.

CART declared bankruptcy in 2003 and rebranded to Champ Car and was able to keep themselves afloat. I want to leave Champ Car there for a hot second.

The Split killed a lot of interest in American Open-Wheel racing and allowed NASCAR to become the most popular motorsport series in the US. So even though IRL had the ABC/ESPN deal and had the top teams and manufacturers jumping ship to join them, interest is waning (and that is bad because sponsorship, attendance etc etc). And also, the die hard IRL fans are getting mad because they feel like their sport is getting overtaken by CART again -- it doesn't help when the 2005 IRL schedule includes 2 road course races, ending the 7 seasons of oval only.

Manufacturers withdrew support starting in 2006 and that caused major issues for IRL because teams were struggling financially and teams had to cut back or quit full time racing altogether.

By January 2008, both Champ and IRL were starting to worry that they wouldn't have enough cars on the grid to maintain their contract minimums so Tony George offered a merger deal with IRL buying all of Champ Car's assets basically. They kept racing under the IRL banner until 2011.

In 2012 it was rebranded as INDYCAR and that is when they dug out the Astor Cup from the depths of IMS and reunification was complete.

That turned into a much longer essay than I planned. Please, any clarification questions (or just general questions) are so welcome. I love talking about this stuff and no question is stupid, I want people to know and understand motorsport history so please feel free!! I cannot stress that enough lol

#indycar #the split #reunification of the split #motorsport history

[harrison-abbott]

A Post-Internet World

I was watching The X-Files earlier. Season 1, which aired in 1993. It’s a fun show; and as a 90s boy (me being born in 1992), it took me back to that hazy world, where the music was different, the haircuts different, even the colour of the streets seemingly different.

The characters step into phone booths to make calls. They still have those televisions which are massive black boxes which flash with those black & white dots when not hooked on to a channel. They still read broadsheet newspapers. I’ll admit a nostalgia for the 1990s and TV shows from that pre-Sopranos age.

But it got me thinking about the main thing missing from the daily lives of people back then.

The internet. They don’t use the internet; it’s just not there … Which is surreal when you compare it to 2023, when all of us are constantly wired to the internet.

So it got me thinking about just how much the world wide web has altered the planet, since the era I mentioned above, when I was a child.

1993 is a convenient year, because this is when the first proper web browser was released to the public. Amazon and eBay were invented in 1995, and Google in 1998. Wikipedia was born in 2001. In 1993, 1% of information fed through global telecommunications networks was performed via the internet. In 2023, it is 100%.

What about TV shows? Well – you remember Blockbuster, right? The video store. That’s what you’d do on a Friday night, go and rent a VHS out to watch the X-Files. Well, Blockbuster declined heavily after the explosion of the internet, and closed its last store in Alaska in 2018.

The internet also killed Toys R Us, RadioShack, Virgin Megastores (in terms of high street shops, in the West), the Discovery Channel Store, Borders book shop, Hastings Entertainment, Dixons entertainment, Woolworths, Sears (which was once the world’s largest retailer) and GameStop, to name a few.

Furthermore, there are whole industries which have had to adapt to the WWW. Pre-internet, and up until the new millennium, almost all books were sold in bookstores, as physical copies. Today, 80% of books are sold online. Specific types of books are no longer bought on demand; such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, travel guides or maps – all of which are easier to access online.

Landlines … for your phone in your house. In the 1990s 9 in 10 of households used their landline phone as a main way of communication. Today it’s 9 in 10 with cellphones.

Journalism. From 2005 to 2021, over 2200 American print newspapers closed in the US; and from 2008 to 2020, the number of American newspaper journalists were cut by half. Similarly, in the UK, around 300 newspapers died away between 2009 and 2019.

The music industry. Is an obvious one, and among those most severely struck. Whilst the net made it far easier to pirate music, platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify removed the need for illegal listeners. The industry itself was among the most profitable in the 1990s. Within the last 20 years its revenue has been reduced by 50%, when taking all sources into account. CD sales reached their peak in the year 2000 in America (a figure of around 900 million). Since then sales have dropped 95%.

And, on a grander scale, we can’t ignore how the internet has altered how we socialise. We spend more time on the internet in our daily lives that we do via communicating with other people face to face.

It’s changed the way we read, and the amount that we read. People are far more likely to skim read articles on a screen and not read beyond the initial three or four paragraphs, especially if this requires clicking ‘next page’ to read on. Writers on the internet now write shorter sentences in order to hold reader attention span.

The internet has changed crime. Through cybercrime, as people find it easier to steal money from long distance locations whilst hiding their identities. It is estimated that over $600 billion is lost (or robbed) each year via cyber criminals.

It’s changed the way people date. People who use dating apps are more likely to have sex sooner in a relationship than those who meet in the ‘traditional’ way; and are more likely to date several people at once before choosing a specific individual. Moreover, it has made people less likely to commit, because with internet dating, they have far more options.

Most of this essay has been negative. One can’t deny that the internet has many positive sides to it too. With Healthcare, for instance: as people are able to communicate with their doctors without having to physically attend a GP, thus making it faster. And in terms of education – one can basically look up any information they please at any point. Rather than having to head to a library or school.

I use the internet all the time as well. Am no different. I suppose it just felt odd, watching the X-Files earlier, as it gave me that dose of what it was like in boyhood. There was Twin Peaks, as well, and Friends, you know, all of those classic 90s shows. I used to watch them on one of those gigantic televisions, which only had four channels.

In 1993, around 15 million people used the internet. Nowadays, over 4.66 billion people are online. That’s less than 1% of the world population in 93, to around 60% of the world population now.

I miss the 1990s. It was a great decade for things like television, and film, and music. Culture in general. The irony is that I no longer own a VHS player. And I was using a streaming site to watch the X-Files earlier. I should feel lucky to have experienced that last-decade-before-the-internet. To belong to the millennials generation.

What I do still have is a retro TV (with the black & white scrambly dots), and a Nintendo 64 and Playstation, oh – and a great collection of CDs. And they’re never getting chucked out, ever. Will keep them, always.

#writeblr #essays #history of the internet #history of communications #x files #1990s tv #classic tv #blockbuster #how the internet has changed the world #history of culture #cinema #journalism #music industry

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The sex industry isn't technophilic

The sex industry has pioneered every new communications tool since the printing press: in my own lifetime, I’ve watched it take the lead in VCRs, desktop publishing, BBSes, digital text, digital images, digital videos, live streaming services, cryptocurrency, and VR. It would be easy to conclude that being interested in sex is somehow correlated with being fascinated by technology.

But that’s wrong. While there are lots of sex workers and sex industry participants who have an innate fascination with technology, there’s no reason to think that being into sex is a predictor of being into tech. And yet, sex workers are the vanguard of every technological revolution. What gives?

Well, think about the other groups that make up that vanguard — who else is an habitual early adopter? At least four other groups also take the lead on new tech: political radicals, kids, drug users, and terrorists. There’s some overlap among members of these groups, but their most salient shared trait isn’t personnel, it’s exclusion.

Kids, drug users, political radicals, sex workers and terrorists are all unwelcome in mainstream society. They struggle to use its money, its communications tools, and its media channels. Any attempt to do so comes at a high price: personal risk, plus a high likelihood that some or all of their interactions and transactions will be interdicted — their work seized and destroyed or blocked or deleted.

Using a new technology comes at a cost. If it’s 1979 and you’re Walt Disney Pictures, you’ve got no reason to explore the VCR. The existing system works great for you — and it works great for your audience. You can always find a movie theater willing to show your movies, your audience is happy to be seen entering that cinema, and the bank gladly accepts ticket revenues as deposits.

But if you’re into smutty movies, none of that is true. Just mailing your 8mm films across state lines is risky — maybe it gets seized and incinerated, maybe a postal inspector shows up at your door with a search warrant. Most theaters won’t show your movies, and most people don’t want to be seen in the ones that will.

Given all those structural barriers, it makes sense that the technophiles who also happen to be involved in the sex trade will get a hearing from their colleagues — unlike the traditional media execs whose endorsement of the VCR made them persona non grata within their companies. That is, technophilia is a deficit if you’re doing something socially acceptable, and an asset if you’re doing something that’s socially disfavored.

Which is why technophiles are leading figures among terrorists and kids and sex workers and drug users and political radicals. The kids who left Facebook for Instagram weren’t looking for the Next Big Thing; they were looking for a social media service that their parents and teachers didn’t use. The kids who were technophiles discovered Instagram and the others followed their lead. They endured the hassle of learning a new service and re-establishing social connections, because that hassle was less than the hassle of staying on Facebook, subject to scrutiny by the adult authorities in your life.

One corollary of this phenomenon is that technophile circles have disproportionate numbers of socially disfavored people. If you’re a normie who just likes new tech, the services and systems you seek out will have higher-than-baseline numbers of people into sex, as well as radicals, kids, druggies and terrorists.

Another corollary of this phenomenon is that the founders of new technologies will always start out by courting these marginal groups — they are the vanguard, after all — and then, eventually, turn on them.

Sex workers know this story well. Sex workers’ content and transactions turned companies from Tumblr to Instagram, Paypal to Twitch into multi-billion-dollar enterprises, whereupon these companies turned on sex workers and kicked them off the platform, seizing their money and destroying their creative work in the process.

No one knows this story better than Susie Bright, a pioneering sex-positive, high-tech feminist author, critic, educator and performer. Bright helped found the seminal lesbian magazine On Our Backs, practically invented serious film criticism for pornographic videos, edited many classic erotic books, and has used the courts to win justice for many sex-positive causes.

Bright is also a technophile. I met her on The WELL, an early online service, in the early 1990s. She was already a desktop publishing pioneer by then (On Our Backs was the first magazine to be laid out in Pagemaker). Since then, Bright has been at the forefront of every technological development and human rights struggle for sex workers.

Earlier this spring, Bright and colleagues presented a lecture series called “Radical Desire: Making On Our Backs Magazine” for Cornell Library:

https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/radicaldesire/events.php

As it does with other open access educational material, Cornell uploaded these lectures — presented by fully clothed lecturers — to Youtube. In response, Youtube deleted Cornell Library’s entire channel — all of it: “lectures on higher mathematics and plate tectonics, fashion design and human ecology, Classical Greek and MBA best practices.”

https://susiebright.substack.com/p/terminated

This is par for the course: Facebook banned Bright simply for posting an announcement of the upcoming lecture series.

As Bright notes, “this banning/terminating/deleting troll crap has been going on since I first got my modem in 1986.” She says that tech companies are vulnerable to blue-nosed prudes who seek out sex-positive material and mass-report it to hosting companies and other intermediaries.

Bright doesn’t take this lying down (ahem): she’s litigated questions of sex-positivity in the public sphere all the way to the Supreme Court.

Despite having been kicked off of “Apple, Amazon, FB, Twitter, Microsoft, AOL,” at one time or another, Bright still has a big platform, and she used it to get Cornell Library’s Youtube channel reinstated.

But Bright’s story is instructive to consider in this moment. When we allow a small number of companies to dominate our digital lives, their choices about who is allowed to speak takes on outsized importance. Their bad choices affect millions or even billions of users.

What’s more, people who blithely insist that Youtube’s lack of pornography is proof that other platforms could remove other sorts of “bad content” — harassment, conspiratorialism, etc — fail to appreciate that sex workers and other margnizalized users are the dolphins in content-moderation’s tuna nets. The reason Youtube is porn-free is because it’s willing to tolerate accidentally removing an Ivy League university’s entire public archive of academic materials as acceptable collateral damage in the sex wars.

Now, as Bright’s story shows, it’s possible for public pressure to change the content moderation policies of big companies, but this is unreliable. The most popular alternative to this right now is legal proposals forcing big companies to carry material they want to remove (this is a favorite proposition of the right, who view it as a way to get Trump and Alex Jones back onto Big Tech’s platforms).

This is a terrible idea. The Big Tech platforms definitely wield the censor’s pen. The pedantic excuse that “it’s only censorship when the government does it” ignores the impact on speech that comes from government inaction — when the government allows a couple of companies to corner the market on speech forums, their private action affects our public discourse as surely as if the state were to ban or require certain speech.

https://locusmag.com/2020/01/cory-doctorow-inaction-is-a-form-of-action/

There is lots of room for improvement in how the platforms govern our speech. Important documents like the Santa Clara Principles set out actionable demands for improvement on that score:

https://santaclaraprinciples.org/

But making the Big Tech platforms work better will only get us so far. More important is to make them fail better — to ensure that no one wields the kind of unaccountable power over speech that the platforms have gathered into their hands through campaigns of anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/07/right-or-left-you-should-be-worried-about-big-tech-censorship

The tech companies who court and then betray sex workers deserve public shaming, but sex workers shouldn’t have to rely on tech bros’ largely nonexistent sense of shame in order to continue to transact and communicate. For that, we need lots of platforms, not just better ones.

Image: Come As You Are Co-operative https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Susie_Bright_at_Come_As_You_Are_Co-operative.jpg

CC BY 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[Image ID: Susie Bright at Come As You Are Co-operative 493 Queen Street West (Spadina) Toronto ON M5V 2B4 Canada.]

#pluralistic

[gacmediadaily]

Great American Family‘s biggest time of the year is here. The network, run by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott, is leaning in to the holiday season big time, after seeing a year of massive growth.

According to the year-over-year data, GAF is up 150% in total viewers in 2023 compared to 2022, and the success can be credited to multiple factors, Abbott tells Variety.

“One of the biggest parts of our growth has been our talent, and the fact that we have such recognizable stars in our stable of talent — and that they are relentless in promoting Great American Family,” he says. “That, in and of itself, has created the awareness necessary to grow like we have.”

Candace Cameron Bure, Trevor Donovan, Jen Lilley, Danica McKellar and Jessica Lowndes all have exclusive deals with GAF, while their Christmas movie lineup also includes Matthew Morrison, Chad Michael Murray, Lori Loughlin, Jill Wagner and James Tupper.

“The list goes on and on and ultimately, the big one was Candace Cameron Bure. Having her profile, the popularity she has and the impact of social media — all those things are huge,” says Abbott.

Of course, that also came with criticism aimed at the network, after Bure’s stated that the network wouldn’t be featuring same-sex couples but instead focus on “traditional marriage.”

Below, Abbott speaks exclusively to Variety about the cable channel’s recent growth, this year’s holiday lineup, the backlash around Bure’s recent comments and the changes he plans to make down the line.

Let’s start at the top. You guys launched Great American Christmas a week ahead of the originally planned release. Why?

A couple of reasons: One is viewer feedback was that they can’t get enough Christmas content. Secondly, with what’s going on world, it’s so dark and so discouraging and depressing that we felt that people could use the early positivity of the Christmas season. The third reason is our library has expanded so much in the past two years that now we have the ability to really go 24/7 without running into content that is repeated over and over and over. It’s taken a while to get to this point. We’ve worked really hard to do that.

The network has seen immense growth. To what do you credit that success?

First and foremost, it was awareness and growing the brand. It doesn’t happen overnight. And so it’s taken a long time to just make people aware that we’re even in business. It’s also about being really consistent with our schedule, really focusing on the day-to-day. We’re an advertiser-supported model, so we have to generate our revenue that way. That means that we keep our content premiering on linear and then move into streaming, where a lot of channels have gone the other way — focusing on streaming. We have a commitment to the linear model; linear still has a long runway and we’re pleased with the results and the appetite. Then I think it’s the family-friendly content. There was not a lot of it out there. The family-friendly piece of it is essential to our success.

Another one of the biggest parts of our growth has been our talent, and the fact that we have such recognizable stars in our stable of talent — and that they are relentless in promoting Great American Family. That, in and of itself, has created the awareness necessary to grow like we have.

Jill Wagner and Paul Greene star in Great American Family’s “Bringing Christmas Home”

One of your biggest challenges was just getting viewership on a new linear network, which isn’t easy in today’s landscape. Would you still consider that your biggest challenge?

I think that the awareness of finding us is a challenge. I don’t know if it’s the biggest, because the streaming model, as we all know, is so challenging in and of itself — creating enough original content to keep subscribers satisfied, and feeling good about paying your monthly fee. Those are all big questions that the biggest companies in the business are struggling with. So over the long term, certainly I think that’s the biggest challenge. I think we’ve made a lot of progress on the linear side. The brand still has a long way to go, and a long runway to grow, but I think at the end of the day, streaming is still everyone’s holy grail and the biggest challenge the industry faces.

This year’s Great American Christmas lineup includes some talent who are on other networks, and others who are exclusive to GAF. From a business standpoint, is it important for you to have exclusive contracts?

It is, because of their fervent passion for what we’re doing and their desire to promote what we’re doing consistently. Especially for us, I think if you’ve been in the space long enough, you don’t need the credibility, quite frankly, that these people bring to the party. Danica McKellar is not going to be part of a movie that’s not high quality. She demands a certain standard, a certain budget level, a certain costar level and a certain overall presence that immediately states that this channel is committing to quality content, and not just trying to acquire a bunch of stuff and put it on the air. It really does make a big difference.

Let’s talk about Candace Cameron Bure’s role as Chief Content Officer. What does that consist of?

We are absolutely blown away by Candace’s taste, judgment and ability. Her overall knowledge is way beyond what our expectations were, and we always knew that she would contribute to what we were doing in many ways, but never at the level that she does. She works harder than any human being on the planet. She’s watching content, she’s reading scripts, she’s weighing in on cast, and she has contacts, quite frankly, that some of us don’t. Given her length of time in the business and her experience, she’s been just absolutely spectacular. She’s been better arguably for us organizationally, behind the camera, than she is even in front of the camera, to give you an idea of how good she is. She’s really special, and not many people can be in front of the screen and function in that role and do it in a very honest, genuine way that is really just well-intentioned and for the team.

With PureFlix, [our streaming partner,] she’s just a natural for the faith-based space. She’s our secret weapon. I’d put her executive ability up against anybody, including mine.

In terms of holidays, you told me last year you were starting with Christmas and going from there. Faith is obviously a main theme in all Great American Media brands — does that still mean only Christian holidays?

You want to grow your audience as much as possible. Right now, at the point of our evolution, consistency is really important, churning out as much quality content as you can. I don’t want to make the linear business sound like it’s formulaic, because it’s far from formulaic, and it’s got a bad reputation for being formulaic. Really, it’s not, but at the same time, there is a consistent thread that at the start, it’s important to tie together, and as we get bigger, certainly we’ll consider a lot of things. Right now, it’s getting the core audience, and driving home the messaging that we think is going to be the most successful.

Lori Loughlin, Bill Abbott and Candace Cameron BureGetty Images

You’ve mentioned in most of our conversations through the years that diversity and inclusivity are important to you. On your holiday slate, only one of 20 movies has Black leads. What kind of changes you are working on?

We have a long way to go in that regard, and we have made a lot of progress. We’ve got a series with the working title “County Rescue” with Percy Bell and Stacey Patino. For us, it’s a bit of a departure. Because the business is changing so much and the linear challenges are so great, we think about the business very differently than we once did. “County Rescue” is a hard drama that deals with some serious issues, and these two individuals just really shine throughout the entire series.

But certainly, it’s a challenge that we are addressing head-on, and will be better next Christmas. We’re going to look very different in 2024 than we did this year, and we’ll look even more different in 2025. I think it’s important to note that behind the camera, from just the point of view of development and production and how we are thinking about the entire picture of inclusivity, I think we’ve done well there. There’s a strong family of talent on the PureFlix side. But we’ve recognized that we have a ways to go, certainly, in that area.

Going back to Candace. She recently stated that the network will not feature LGBTQ+ storylines, and will instead focus on “traditional marriage.” Do you agree with that?

I wouldn’t say whether it’s a matter of agreeing or not. Candace is chief content officer and has a point of view, and she is leading the way in the areas I mentioned before in such a skilled way that we definitely rely on her judgment and what she thinks is going to resonate best. Certainly, we support her in every way that I can. I think that when it comes down to all of our own personal feelings on this topic and how we see the world, we try and separate that as much as possible from the business point of view. Candace is great and leading the way in the business part of it. So we support her in that.

OK, but is she a spokesperson for the company? She does have very specific views, which is a personal choice, but when she voices those publicly as the CCO, should she be viewed as a mouthpiece for Great American Family?

We’re proud to have her here, and she works so well with the team alongside me, and we have a really talented and dedicated team that’s committed to high-quality faith and family content. In terms of her personal views, it’s like the disclaimer you see at the end of a movie or a series that says, “The views reflected here are not necessarily those of the company.” Candace has such a high profile that when she speaks, she’ll speak on a lot of topics, and she has a wonderful podcast that is fantastic. But when she speaks on that, she’s not speaking on behalf of Great American Media.

Because of her title, it’s easy to assume that when she is speaking, it’s on behalf of the network. There was no statement released after that interview, so things get murky with people wondering — if these are her views, that’s one thing, but if these are the network’s views, that’s another.

And that’s tricky. We had a lot of conversations about that when she struck a deal with us. We talked a lot about title, we talked a lot about where she fits organizationally. We talked a lot about our other ventures and her other businesses, and we should have talked about this topic, but we didn’t. Candace speaks for her own brand when she is talking to the world at large. For me, all I do — all I live, breathe and sleep — is Great American Media. So when I talk about something, it’s very different, because I’m representing the company and only the company. When Candace talks about something, obviously she has a lot of other audiences and platforms.

Candace Cameron Bure and Gabriel Hogan will star in this year’s “A Christmas Hero.”Great American Family

OK, so I’m going to ask you, as the voice of the company: When it comes to featuring same-sex couples in films, is that something you guys want to do or plan to do?

I think that’s a very good and fair question. I don’t think when we set out to do any type of movie we cast it first. The first thing we think about is a great storyline or great characters or an emotional journey. We’re not seeking to do anything or not do anything, and we take every day as it comes. This business is so challenged across the entire industry right now — with the streaming model and with the linear decline and all the other pieces — that we’re just looking to celebrate great stories. We don’t have an agenda either way. It’s not in the faith-and-family playbook to have agendas that are either pro or anti. We want to entertain and inspire and be uplifting and consistently provide an experience that is high quality — that is our most important objective.

OK. You’ve talked a lot about growing the audience, but by not including that community, a large part of the country is alienated. Is that something you guys have thought about?

Certainly, it will be something to think about. I think right now, we’re just so focused on profitability, being successful, doing the right thing for our shareholders, making sure we’re integrating PureFlix within our family. We have so many things on our agenda that we need to stay focused on the core part of the business right now and then down the road, as our world grows and changes and becomes different, then we’ll see.

Is there a specific audience you are targeting?

We want to attract as many people who are underserved, and feel like faith and family is important to them. It’s about telling great stories that inspire, and that people can watch together with their families and will watch together as part of their faith communities or join a book club or do anything that really is considered to be in that faith-and-family genre. So, there’s no demo. I wish it were that easy!

Over the last year, there was a lot of backlash surrounding Great American Family, with some talent criticizing Candace’s comments. What do you think are the biggest misconceptions or misinformation out there?

Well, I think it’s twofold. One is that family-friendly content is milk toast and is not entertaining, and that it is very formulaic. We can put that in the box over here, and I think other places continue to prove that and do it well. I think also that we are for all people. We are for just a sense of love and peace in the world, and we are deeply committed to inspiring and uplifting. Life is hard enough. We don’t need more divisive conversations, or to create more barriers.

We just want all people to embrace the experience of Great American Media and feel entertained by the content that they see, the talent that they see on screen and the amount of commitment that we have toward raising the bar in this space, and making it high quality.

#great american christmas #great american family #candace cameron bure #bill abbott

[youtubethumbnailchecker]

Topic :- What Is YouTube Thumbnails and How to download thumbnails free

Introduction

YouTube has evolved into much more than just a video-sharing platform. It's a world of endless possibilities, and creating a successful channel has become a dream for many. While content quality is crucial, there's one often underestimated factor that can significantly boost your channel's success - YouTube thumbnails.

Welcome to our YouTube Thumbnail Downloader, your one-stop destination for quickly and effortlessly downloading YouTube thumbnails. With our user-friendly tool, you can access thumbnails in various qualities and resolutions, including 1080p HD, 720p, or 480p, all without the need for registration or any cost. Your security is our priority, and you can trust that your downloads are safe and secure. So, whether you're a content creator looking to enhance your videos or simply want to explore intriguing thumbnails, our website has you covered.

The Power of First Impressions

Imagine you're walking into a bookstore, and the book covers catch your eye. The same concept applies to YouTube. Your video's thumbnail is the first thing viewers see, and it's the book cover of your content. A well-designed and intriguing thumbnail can make a potential viewer stop scrolling and click on your video.

The Art of Creating Click-Worthy Thumbnails

The Dos and Don'ts

Let's dive into the dos and don'ts of creating captivating YouTube thumbnails:

Do:

Use high-resolution images that clearly represent your video's content.

Incorporate vibrant colors and contrasting elements to make the thumbnail pop.

Add text that teases the content and sparks curiosity.

Don't:

Overcrowd the thumbnail with too much text or clutter.

Mislead viewers with misleading thumbnails. Honesty is key for long-term success.

The Impact on Click-Through Rate

Your Click-Through Rate (CTR) is a vital metric for your channel's growth. CTR represents the percentage of people who clicked on your video after seeing the thumbnail. A higher CTR means more viewers, which can lead to increased subscribers and revenue.

So, how does the right thumbnail affect your CTR? It's simple. An enticing thumbnail grabs attention and entices viewers to take action. It's like the cover of a mystery novel that makes you want to read the first chapter.

The YouTube Algorithm and Thumbnails

YouTube's algorithm is smart. It doesn't just analyze video content; it also considers the performance of your thumbnails. If your thumbnails result in more clicks and longer watch times, the algorithm will favor your videos, ultimately leading to more exposure.

But remember, the algorithm also penalizes clickbait and misleading thumbnails. So, always maintain transparency and relevancy.

Crafting Thumbnails for Different Content

Different types of content require distinct thumbnail strategies. For tutorials, you might want to show the end result, while for vlogs, a candid image can be more appealing. The key is to align your thumbnail with the viewer's expectation.

Storytime Thumbnails

When telling a story, use thumbnails that capture the essence of the story. For instance, if your video is about a hiking adventure, a thumbnail showing you atop a mountain with a breathtaking view will draw viewers in.

The Mobile-Friendly Factor

With the majority of YouTube views coming from mobile devices, it's crucial to ensure that your thumbnails look great on smaller screens. Test your thumbnails on various devices to make sure they're visually appealing and informative.

Conclusion

In the vast YouTube universe, your video is a needle in a haystack. Your thumbnail is the magnet that attracts the viewer's attention. A great thumbnail can be your ticket to success, with increased views, subscribers, and engagement.

So, put effort into crafting those eye-catching YouTube thumbnails, and watch your channel soar to new heights!

FAQs

1. What's the ideal resolution for YouTube thumbnails?

The ideal resolution is 1280x720 pixels. This ensures your thumbnail looks crisp and professional.

2. Can I change a video's thumbnail after uploading it?

Yes, you can. YouTube allows you to change your video's thumbnail even after it's been published.

3. How can I track the Click-Through Rate (CTR) of my videos?

You can find your video's CTR in YouTube Analytics, which provides detailed statistics about your channel's performance.

4. What tools can I use to design eye-catching thumbnails?

Popular tools for creating thumbnails include Adobe Photoshop, Canva, and Snappa. You can also find free online thumbnail makers.

5. Are there any best practices for adding text to thumbnails?

Keep text concise, use readable fonts, and ensure it's large enough to be legible on small screens.

#youtube thumbnail #youtube #youtube video #thumbnail

[goldenpinof]

First of all I agree with you about how every time they've given up a little control its gone a bit sideways. The other example I can think of is the rize liveshows during II which were literally awful, but they had to do because rize sponsored the tour.

With the britcrew thing. So im not the biggest expert on this, this is just sort of knowledge ive gained over the years so if anyone knows more, feel free to correct me, but my understanding is that around about 2014 when the british youtube scene started popping off, the big channels including zoella, alfie deyes, louise, joe sugg, casper lee, and all the others that I cant remember the names of rn, were all offered contracts under this one company (whose name I cant find), an MCN (multichannel network) that basically said you give us some control over your content + a percentage of your revenue and we can guarantee you a lot of veiws for a long time.

At this time YouTube was very much still a new concept so the idea of big companies being interested in channels and treating them more like mainstream media was a big thing. The members of the britcrew, as far as Im aware, were all contracted under the same MCN. In terms of content this meant that they were all constantly collabing, going to the same events etc, and basically building up that image of a big group of best friends even more. And obviously it worked for a time, because thats exactly how they were seen.

Dan and phil did not get contracted under the MCN and they have both said that they never wanted to give over that kind of comtrol to anyone, but as they have also both admitted, that it did mean they were much more isolated from the britcrew scene. Now i do think that this worked out well for them anyway, because I dont think they would have enjoyed, or looked like they are enjoying constantly being content for other people.

By 2017ish (i might have the timeline a little off) everything started going sideways because the MCNs were trying to turn youtube in to too much of a mainstream media copy, making bad business decisions, plus they were screwing over creators left right and center, so people were ending their contracts, veiwers stopped watching etc. In the end the MCNs tanked and went bankrupt, which meant that a lot of the channels that had been relying on them went with it. That coupled with all of the controversy that happened with various people meant that the brit crew sort of ended by 2018, where as dnp, who never joined any sort of management company in the first place, were still going strong, even years later.

Basically dnp have a) never let anyone else hold control over their image and b) never gotten themselves involved in big controversies, which has meant that even though their channels are naturally declining (which considering phils been doing yt for nearly 2 decades is really impressive), they still have tons of options for their careers in future and at no point did they become at risk of losing the phouse.

okay, with Rize that i also forgot about there are quite a few things they let go the control of. also the super amazing project like @foreverjustanemokidatheart mentioned.

when you said about contracts for the britcrew i 1st thought you were talking about Gleam Futures (and our infamous gleam team). but they still exist somehow and it's not an MCN, so i also don't know. very interesting things with %. i find it quite naive since collaborations could be done without a third party involved. i would love to know what kind of work that MCN was providing :) for me, it felt like the britcrew started falling out after Hello World. i couldn't find who was organizing it and how much Gleam Futures got involved. but the majority of creators were Gleam's clients so, it's not a surprise that people started leaving (Tanya is still with them, what a plot twist).

Dan and Phil had their controversies followed by Dan deleting some of his videos in 2018. interesting how it never blew up like a lot of this stuff does. also their friendship with f*lix. i remember people leaving the phandom after that Emma Blackberry's bday. rightfully so. and despite Dan distancing himself from that person, looks like we're going backwards.

with us investing in forever home for years, they just can't lose it.

#and that alone raises lots of questions #answered #i'm not here to discuss it right now. i just don't feel strong enough to write essays. but i know where i stand. #and i will never support f*lix and his besties #youtube