1999-2010

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Tabloid TV pioneers revolutionize the Internet

Twenty years ago, they helped create a phenomenon in television that forever changed television programming, television news, the stories that are covered on television, places in America that are shown on television and what's allowed to be said on television, while leading to the eventual dissolution of world communism and the grip of the Big Three network news elite that’s now led by youngsters and perky Katie Couric.

We’re talking about A Current Affair. (Read all about it here.)

While we at Tabloid Baby have led the tabloid television generation onto the Internet, two of A Current Affair's founders have taken new leaps with a couple of innovative and exciting Web experiences.

Joachim ”JB” Blunck, the man who came up with the distinct A Current Affair design-- including its trademark ”Ka-chung” sound effect-- is in L.A., running digital content at Bunim-Murray Productions, the team behind shows like The Real World and The Simple Life.

JB’s M Theory Entertainment is developing lots of fresh Internet content and half a dozen websites, including the Hams.TV online talent competition. It started as a jokefest. Now it’s expanded to include extreme sports, music videos, pet tricks and more. You send in the clips. You can win prizes.

Once again, JB is on the cutting edge. Check out HAMS.TV.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, VIDOCITY.COM comes from John Tomlin, an original producer of A Current Affair who was in on the show’s creation and helped develop and lead the show’s 2005 revival (the plug of which was unceremoniously and prematurely pulled by interest-conflicted Roger Ailes, who runs Fox News, the Fox Television stations and Geraldo).

Vidocity is an “Internet-based television show” that explores the best destinations in and around New York City. It’s on the Web now, with three brand-new episodes available each morning at nine eastern time, Monday through Friday, giving instant access to the NYC entertainment and pop culture, covering nightclubs, restaurants, theater, boutiques and music venues. And some very pretty young people are your reporters and guides.

Check out these groundbreaking projects that once again point the way to the future. And stay tuned for Tabloid Baby’s expansion of its Goodstory web group into a full-fledged Internet broadcast. Coming soon…

No comments: