Red Bank TV

Posted by Tom at 05:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Did you know that an online reality show is being filmed, produced and distributed right here in Red Bank?  That’s right a web based 24/7 interactive reality show taking place in our little town.  I keep telling you readers that this Net Neutrality stuff is going to affect us right here in town and I think this is a great example of how.

I don’t know these guys and they don’t know me, all I know is that their company is based around the corner from my house, so without further ado here is some info about their show from their website:

OurPrisoner.com

Kieran Vogel will make Internet television history when he becomes the first person to give total control of his life to the Internet.  Kieran, age 35, lives at home with his elderly parents and his 54 year old half brother.  Kieran has never earned more than $10,000 a year working in pet stores while in pursuit in his lifelong dream of becoming a published writer and cartoonist.  Kieran has now decided that almost anyone could do a better job in making his decisions and he is willing to prove it.  OurPrisoner combines the best of prankish humor and the ultimate total life make over.  For 6 months he will be voluntarily confined to a suburban home where he will live under the watchful and controlling eye of the Internet.  Completely unscripted, every aspect of Kieran’s life will be streamed in real-time and unedited.

I say good luck to the guys at OurPrisoner.com, especially that Kieran guy, wouldn’t it be great if they hit it big, right here in our small town?

Now, how could Verizon’s plans affect the success of OurPrisoner.com?  Let’s say that these guys do hit it big and a year from now when it comes time for them to set up their second season Verizon announces that they are going to start their Access Tiering plans.  Verizon could say to the management of OurPrisoner.com that they will not be allowed onto the Verizon Private Network (Verizon’s new name for their top speed internet tier) because Verizon has struck a deal with Fox Reality and they are (hypothetically) going to produce their own version of OurPrisoner.com.  Our local Red Bank guys would be forced to compete at an arbitrary and artificial disadvantage to the Fox show. 

The OurPrisioner.com show may be better than the Fox show but since Verizon has struck a deal with Verizon then OurPrisoner.com viewers would not get a show that is as clear and interruption free as the Fox show.  Facing that kind of barrier to free competition would the OurPrisoner.com show survive?  What could be the potential financial impact for Red Bank?  Maybe OurPrisoner wouldn’t be able to hire the staff that they might have before, maybe they would have to shut down altogether and Red Bank would loose out on all that potential tax revenue.  I could think of plenty of adverse affects the loss of a popular show like OurPrisoner.com could have on our town.

 
I’m doing my best to get the word out about Net Neutrality and how it can affect people on a local level and stuff like this is a very clear example of how the future of the internet is in trouble and the local impact.

 
If any of the BigString or OurPrisioner guys are reading this then I urge you to contact our local town council and let them know that you are concerned about how Verizon’s plans may impact your future.

Posted by Tom at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Over the weekend I met with John from http://www.RedBankGreen.com for an article he is putting together about my adventures here on the blog.  John is a free lance writer, formally of the Star Ledger, who’s not been too happy with the quality of media coverage in our area.  Working with his graphic artist wife, John has big plans for Red Bank Green and from the looks of things he’s off to a great start.

Want to find out or discuss what’s going on in Red Bank? Stop by and check out the web site.  Have an idea for a story? From a simple block party to a big battle with a huge telco tell John about it and he’ll cover it.

Good luck John and thanks for getting involved locally. -- Tom

Posted by Tom at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)