(Not) The Last Post

My favourite quote (out of everything I've read on the web today):

Comma. You never want one of these anywhere near you [. . .] Every time you add a comma to the description of what you do, you suck a little bit more [. . .] Commas are for unfocused hacks.

The quote isn't quite so awesome in context – it's from an article about marketing, *ho-hum* – but what a line, huh? I dare you all to yell, "Commas are for unfocused hacks!" at a professional writer or editor, as soon as possible. Preferably during a job interview.

It's hard to believe this course is coming to an end already. I've been trying to think about what I should write about that would be fitting, in this final post, now that the course is almost over . . .

First, some trivia:

The most expensive word on Google is mesothelioma. If you want to buy a Google Ad that appears on searches for "mesothelioma", it'll cost you US$99.44 per click.

Secondly, Twitter:

It's a good and useful thing. Probably. I blogged about Twitter a while ago, but just yesterday I came across a really neat article about some ways that it might be worth your while. If you're curious about Twitter but still unsure (or if you're on Twitter already, but you have no idea what to do with it), try reading this.

Thirdly . . .

I like words. I like people. Blogging seems like a good compromise.

People often talk about the "dehumanising" effects of technology, but I don't really buy into that. I think the whole memesphere of the web is powered by people communicating with other people: it all feeds off the kick we get from exercising our empathy, from recognising differences and commonalities between ourselves and others. Jokes, stories, ideas. It's all good. (Mostly.)

Anyhow, I think it's something that we should feel good about. Sometimes people are awesome, and sometimes it's too easy to forget that.

(I think I read somewhere that happiness is "seven successful human interactions per day." I like that; it sounds achievable . . .)

Has this course changed the way you think about the internet? Have you enjoyed blogging?

I know I've enjoyed this blog. In fact, lately I've been neglecting my other blog to focus on this one instead (and to focus on my homework!) . . . but I'm looking forward to getting back to my old blog, soon. Blogging is fun and satisfying in a very unique way, I think.

When this course is over, will you keep blogging?

If you keep writing, I'll keep reading, I promise.

:)

–Tim

Rage of the Week

This is my second article for the class assignment (website feature portfolio). The website I've chosen to write for is Triple J, which is a large site covering a fairly broad range of music and entertainment topics.

Triple J web articles usually don't include many links, except to other ABC network webpages; external links seem to be discouraged, but not forbidden, under ABC editorial guidelines. However, I've included some relevant non-ABC links anyway – the assignment criteria seem to imply that "good use of links" is more important than strictly adhering to the website's existing practices).

Also, note that Triple J web articles have included YouTube videos before (e.g.). The videos below come from official sources that permit embedding.

This article is a music television review piece, such as might potentially be found via Triple J's music hub (a page which also links directly to Rage, the subject of this article). Intra-ABC cross-promotion is allowed (and certainly not discouraged) under ABC guidelines. This sort of article would probably also work as a regular category in their Reviews section.

Every week, Rage plays the best new music videos on TV. Here are our reviews of some you might have missed . . . and don't forget, you can also catch a selection of Rage music videos on demand here.

Liam Finn + Eliza Jane — "Long Way To Go"

Liam Finn has produced some impressive music lately. His band Betchadupa (currently "on hiatus") never made a huge impact, but I'll Be Lightning (2007) – Liam's melancholy solo album – was a more substantial success. Now that his musical partnership with Eliza-Jane Barnes (daughter of Jimmy Barnes) has moved to equal-billing status, there's a new enthusiasm to the music that's seriously punchy.

Both Finn and Barnes are multi-instrumentalists, and it's clear they have a passion for unusual musical arrangements. To construct this tune they've surrounded a glam bass riff with 1960s psych organ, 1970s synth bleeps and modern drums. It's an odd blend, and the central riff is very simple – you might even say, "old-fashioned" – but the arrangement overall is crafty and energetic. The guitar solo buzzes and twists like a drunk wasp, the organ chords generate great texture and tension (especially in the bridge – check out the way the organ plays against the background vocal harmonies), and the "sshhhpp!" percussion effects remind you to dance. It's great stuff.

The video shows Finn and Barnes flashing rapidly in and out of existence on their various instruments in the recording studio, showing off their simultaneous multi-instrumentalism. It's an interesting visual effect, but it's probably more uncomfortable to watch than it should be – the flashes are so rapid, it's surprising the video doesn't come with an epilepsy warning. Enjoy!

Jessica Says — "I'll Set The Night Upon You"

Lots of songs begin with only piano and voice; it's an elegant combination that flatters a nice voice, so singers tend to enjoy it. Jessica Says's new single starts with only piano and voice, but then it does something unusual: it refuses to add a single extra instrument as it goes along. (Listen carefully and you might notice occasional background vocals from New Buffalo's Sally Seltmann, but that's it.) One instrument, no overdubs – as far as pop ballads go, that sort of approach is practically punk! Luckily, the vocals are strong enough for the song to work well with piano alone, and it creates a wonderfully pure and clear, "live" sound.

It's tempting to compare Jessica Says (a.k.a. Jessica Venables) to Kate Bush – they share a similar songwriting taste for sweet-and-sour melodies, and there's even a vocal resemblance – but it'd be unfair to mark this as any kind of rip-off. Venables possesses a unique edge of her own, and this is simply a great song; the musical craft and spirit on show are undeniable.

The video is interesting, too. It looks like a homage to 1960s European art films (dubious sexual politics included); production-wise it's obviously cheap, but it's adequate. A song this good really deserves something better, but Jessica Says will hopefully be successful enough to demand a bigger music video budget next time. Looking forward to it!

2009 ARIA Awards: Nominees!

This is my first article for the class assignment (website feature portfolio). The website I've chosen to write for is Triple J, which is a large site covering a fairly broad range of music and entertainment topics.

Triple J web articles usually don't include many links, except to other ABC network webpages; external links seem to be discouraged, but not forbidden, under ABC editorial guidelines. However, I've included some relevant non-ABC links anyway – the assignment criteria seem to imply that "good use of links" is more important than strictly adhering to the website's existing practices.

This article is a blog piece, such as might be found on one of the Triple J blogs.

As shiny as the Oscars, as confusing as the Grammys, as lucrative as the Nobels? No, the ARIA Music Awards are something else – Australia's own. And the 2009 nominees have been announced! (Check out the full list here.)

In 2008, The Presets took home 6 ARIA awards. In 2009, they're nominated for "Highest Selling Australian Album" and "Best Dance Release". (AAP: Aletheia Casey, file photo)

However, I have some questions:

1. How can there be "nominees" for the "Highest Selling Australian Single/Album"?

This has always confused me. Shouldn't winning this award be about statistics, not nominations? It generates competitive interest and publicity, I know – but surely anyone could figure out the winners right now, just by looking at the sales figures?

(Moral of this story: music journalists cannot be bothered to look through sales figures.)

2. What does "Adult Contemporary" mean?

Nominees this year include Bob Evans, Josh Pyke, Little Birdy and Paul Dempsey – all indie mainstays, each one loved and supported by youth radio stations (especially Triple J). So has "Adult Contemporary" become a replacement for the abandoned "Alternative" category? The teenagers of the 1990s "alternative music" boom are getting into their thirties now, so maybe the ARIAs are growing up, too. (Either that, or Triple J is actually a station for contemporary adults. Hmm . . .)

3. How come 2009 includes AC/DC's first ever ARIA nomination, and not their 50th?

Because the ARIAs only began in 1987. And let's face it, AC/DC have released only two albums since 1987 that are arguably better than "adequate": Black Ice (this year's nominee) and The Razors Edge (1990). Razors Edge does include "Thunderstruck", one of their best hits, but it was disqualified due to the lack of apostrophe in the word "Razor(')s". You can't rock out without appropriate punctuation, and I commend the Australian Recording Industry Association for their strong and principled stance on this issue.

4. Do the ARIA nominations violate their own guidelines?

This year, C. W. Stoneking was nominated for "Breakthrough Artist – Album", despite being ineligible (because his previous album was nominated for a 2007 ARIA). He's since been stripped of this nomination – but he's still nominated for "Best Male Artist", "Best Independent Release" and "Best Blues and Roots Album", so he's doing all right.

Another odd nomination is Ladyhawke (Pip Brown), who's nominated in 6 categories despite being a New Zealander. (Not that we aren't happy to claim her as an honorary Aussie, of course.) ARIA fine print indicates that artists are eligible if they've lived in Australia for more than six months and applied for permanent residency, which may or may not be the case – we'll keep you posted . . .

5. How many nominees have an exclamation mark in their song or album title?

Answer: At least four!!!!

It's good to see a strong field this year – I don't think there are any "what the?!" nominees making up the numbers. Award ceremonies are often controversial (one way or another), but their real purpose is to celebrate the industry and create publicity for deserving nominees. On that count, the 2009 ARIAs are already a success.

What do you think about giving awards for high sales, "Adult Contemporary", AC/DC or Ladyhawke's fair dinkum kiwi-ness? Leave your own answers in the comments below!

Assignment 1 - Evaluating Web Writing

Imagine a topic, and there will be a website for it. (This is a corollary of the infamous Rule 34.) The more popular the topic, the more numerous the websites; with movies as popular as they are, it's no surprise the web teems with movie websites of all kinds.

One of the most popular movie websites is Ain't It Cool News (AICN), which has been around for more than a decade. Of all the popular sites to survive since dialup days, AICN is rare in that it actually shows its age: minor tweaks aside, the design of the website has barely changed in ten years. The colour scheme and font choices are so old-fashioned that they've gone past 'daggy' and out the other side; they might now seem simply idiosyncratic, or quaint. But beyond cheesy browns and thick capitals lie more serious design flaws.

AICN's articles are categorised into only a few different sections, but the general organisation is inconsistent and confusing. Following the blue bar which heads every page on the site, articles fall under one of three basic categories: Reviews, which are reviews by site founder and 'HeadGeek' Harry Knowles; Coaxial, which includes all TV-related news and DVD release information; and Cool News, which is everything else. Under the Cool News category are posted rumours, news, interviews, reviews by people who aren't Knowles (a team of regular contributors, plus anonymous reports), miscellaneous spoilers (promo images and set reports, both official and leaked), and competitions. The site also posts articles focusing on comics, tabletop role-playing games, cinema in Australia, and anime. These are categorised as Cool News, too.

AICN's categorisation and structure could easily be improved. Modern websites commonly tag their articles with multiple keywords, which efficiently streamlines organisation and search. AICN does not: its three header categories are all that is. However, the site's actual homepage also lists new articles under a confusingly different set of headings. 'Harry's Reviews' corresponds to the Reviews category, 'Coaxial' is Coaxial, and 'Latest News' includes all new articles that aren't Coaxial (including Reviews). Cool News articles are posted again under more specific headings, too: 'Contests', 'DVDs', 'Comics', and 'Animation'. And there's a 'Top Stories' heading, too, but it's hard to say what classifies any particular story as 'Top'. If all this sounds confusing, that's because it is.

The homepage headings are useful in principle, but they only show the most recent articles. The headings aren't tags, so if you want to search for articles under a particular heading you simply can't; if an article is older than a month or so, you can't find it except in the all-encompassing Cool News archive, or via Google. It's long been asserted that readers need efficient devices to help them skim pages (e.g.), and you could argue that AICN's homepage is an adequate way to present constantly-updated information in a skimmable format: it's all headlines, all concise, all large clear type. However, as a sensible archive it fails terribly.

AICN's clumsy design extends to articles, too. Although it's long been asserted that webpages should use 'multiple signs' and include appropriate graphics (e.g.), a typical AICN review is a simple block of text. Although relevant images and videos are often embedded in news or rumour articles, they are almost never included in reviews. And while an article may mention dozens of linkworthy items, there are usually few or no links (aside from the author's email and Twitter). News and rumour articles will link to their primary sources if possible, but that's about it.

Some designers and theorists are wary of links, worrying that they 'disrupt the flow of content . . . inviting the user to leave your site' and warning web writers to avoid excessive linking. But in general, most recognise that links are a good thing (e.g.): links are well-liked by readers and are a key element of web life. Given this, is AICN's continued success an argument against the modern design principles that it flouts (i.e. links, images, clear organisation)? Or does it simply prove that content is more important than style?

In contrast to AICN, movie website Cinematical has a far more professional sheen. Cinematical is part of the Weblogs, Inc. blog network, and it may be this tangible connection to a commercial overlord that motivates its design and architecture. Certainly, Cinematical is more blatantly commercial than AICN: where AICN advertisements are few and unobtrusive, Cinematical employs multiple images in a way that is sometimes distracting. Cinematical also devotes significant space to advertising its blog network partners (although mostly at the bottom of pages, where it is relatively unobtrusive).

Cinematical's most obvious advantage over AICN is its organisation. Articles are tagged by keyword and arranged into logical category headings on the homepage, so they are always easy to find; the inbuilt search bar has multiple options, too. Cinematical's abundance of information and advertisements could easily render the site incomprehensible, and it does look 'busier' than AICN at first. But once actually using the site, it's soon evident that Cinematical is much better for clarity and ease of use.

Compared to AICN, a typical Cinematical article is also far more web-optimised. Articles consistently provide more links, every post includes at least one image, and there is a reasonable amount of multimedia content. The authorial tone is typically less gonzo and more professional (or 'journalistic') than AICN, but it still reads more like a blog than a newspaper. There are playful articles like 'Our Favorite Montages: Rocky IV' – the kind of fannish geekery that once would have been unthinkable from a serious news outlet, but is the blogosphere's bread and butter.

Cinematical and AICN are both relatively large and comprehensive sites, but many movie websites operate on a smaller scale. In Film Australia began as a site covering all movies, presumably with ambitions to match the larger sites, but it recently relaunched to focus wholly on Australian cinema. This is not surprising: there are already plenty of sites covering the world of cinema, and it can be difficult for a new site to compete against the entire Internet. In fact, it's statistically inevitable that web traffic will cluster around only a few key sites. If a site like AICN is the undisputed king of movie news, why would a reader go anywhere else? What surfer would defy their own bookmark? (This may be the ultimate secret of AICN's continued success, despite its old-fashioned design and confusing architecture.)

With In Film's new focus on Australian cinema, there's an immediate difference to the site. Without any emphasis on breaking Hollywood news and rumours, the tone becomes immediately more sedate and intellectual (or at least, 'not populist'). This may also be a consequence of the Australian focus, given that so many Australian films possess an 'artsy' and quasi-academic (dare one say, 'not populist') feel. The increased prevalence of retrospective articles enhances this mood, too; unlike AICN, there's no sense of immediacy or obsession with what's coming next.

In Film's site follows the same basic blog structure as Cinematical, although simplified. Articles are tagged by keyword, but in In Film's case it's a tagging that seems to miss the point. Reviews are tagged as 'Reviews' and nothing else, but they also include the heading 'Review:' as part of their title. Other categories follow this redundant pattern. And despite this simplicity, I noticed that at least one article had been wrongly tagged. Nevertheless: it may not be a very sophisticated system of categorisation, but at least it's clear.

A typical In Film article looks as if it was written with print in mind. There are practically no links in text, although articles do feature occasional multimedia content. Oddly, this apparent focus on text might contribute to In Film presenting a more 'respectable' sheen than Cinematical or AICN. It certainly feels more thoughtful and literate, language-wise; on the other hand, the aura of intellectual respectability may be due to visual cues as much as anything else. Note the sedate earth tones, the comforting slabs of serif text, the moderately-sized type.

In Film's more detached, intellectual tone may be its downfall. Popular blogs usually have a strong personal voice, and it's difficult to feel that coming through at In Film. The question of 'voice' in web writing is a difficult one; as some have noted, what sounds 'perfectly normal' in a traditional press editorial may sound 'distant and pontifical' when used in a blog. This is especially important because websites, far more so than traditional press, rely on interactions and contributions from their readers to survive.

It is easy to see a correlation between authorial tone and reader participation. The resolutely informal AICN has a vibrant message board culture, and many AICN articles acquire hundreds of comments; Cinematical and In Film, more formal and less personal than AICN, average only a few comments per article. It seems obvious that 'an informal and personal style of writing . . . invites interaction and sharing, the most powerful features of the web'. By resisting an overly personal tone, In Film resists audience collaboration; whether intentionally or not, it reinforces a more traditional model of authorial authority.

In an attempt to provoke the 'interaction and sharing' of its readers, most movie news websites straddle a fuzzy divide between 'fan site' and professional news. AICN started out as the former and is resisting a transition to the latter, despite its increasing importance in the media landscape. Cinematical is undeniably commercial, but it still attempts to maintain a fannish sense of enthusiasm and (relative) independence. Meanwhile, In Film attempts another model altogether: the non-commercial niche blog, building an audience through quality and focus. As the web evolves, time will tell which models are most viable. But the promise of the Internet is that viability only matters if you want it to. As long as fans want to talk about movies, there will be plenty of sites to do just that.

REFERENCES
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