Web Tv Unleashes New 'Folk' Culture
Little know African-American folk poet and storyteller from Arkansas embraces new media. Digital prophets predict renaissance of art and entertainment by the people, for the people.
North Little Rock, AR (PRWEB) October 29, 2009 -- No one will ever confuse "The Neckbone News" with a CNN, Fox, or MSNBC news broadcast. There is no sleek set with professional lighting. There is no well-dressed host with impeccable hair and makeup. Instead, there is a guy, a webcam and a lamp in a garage office. Welcome to the future.
"I think what I am doing is so nuts that old media can't deal with it," says Mike Lofton. "But there's room for everything on the Internet."
Lofton, 44, uses "The Neckbone News" to showcase the unique Southern-styled, Black storytelling tradition which still dominates African-American conversations.
"I had what you might call a revelation a while back," says Lofton. "And that is this...what is really poetic is how people talk everyday when they don't think anyone's really listening...how they tell stories on the church parking lot or swap stories in the break room at work. To me that is the real art of our culture...coming straight from people's guts."
"The Neckbone News " kicked off on October 27,2009 with an episode (webisode for geeks) coming in at just under four minutes. Anyone can watch the series at theneckbonenews.blip.tv
"I'll put one out every week," says Lofton, "I've got tons of ideas."
Episode #1, entitled "The Airport" concerns the adventure of the fictional Gloria Baker. Mike tells us why Gloria refuses to take her shoes off at the airport and details 'the ugliness which follows'.
In recent years bestselling books have examined the impact of new technology on the evolution of popular culture. Authors such as Tom Friedman (The World is Flat) and Chris Anderson (The Long Tail) have predicted that more unique, niche expressions of art and entertainment will find an audience. Old Media will not disappear but will share its audience with a dizzying array of new voices.
"It's kind of crazy to think about," says Lofton, "but I'm just a guy in the middle of Arkansas. And I can push a few buttons on a computer and go global. Just like that. I may be on somebody's computer screen in Africa or India right now. It's nuts."
Compared to the traditonal methods of entertainment distribution the new media possess striking advantages. For example, recording and printing a movie on film is extremely expensive, to say nothing of moving that film to hundreds or thousands of theatres ( and convincing the theatres to show them).
Recording content digitally is cheap, making it available worldwide is cheap, and accessing it is cheap. So some of the power to shape culture shifts from those who could afford the old way to the masses who can play the new game.
"I don't feel like I'm competing with Hollywood or New York," says Lofton. "I think I'm doing something they can't do. Being me."
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/VGhpci1TcXVhLVpldGEtWmV0YS1Qcm9mLUNvdXAtWmVybw==
Bookmark -
Del.icio.us |
Furl It |
Technorati |
Ask |
MyWeb |
Propeller |
Live Bookmarks |
Newsvine |
TailRank |
Reddit |
Slashdot |
Digg |
Stumbleupon |
Google Bookmarks |
Sphere |
Blink It |
Spurl
|
