Here it is, 242008. With MicroYahoo just around the corner, I'm now waiting with bated breath to hear the "shocking" announcement of the Googlezon merger.
*wringing hands gleefully*
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Summary Of The World: Googlezon And The Newsmasters EPIC
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By the year 2014, what I call newsmasters will be the most sought-after and highly rewarded professional media creators the world has ever seen.
Newsmasters are an emerging group of news editors which utilize new tools and techniques to create unique content streams on specialized topics by tapping largely into the RSS content universe as well as in other openly reusable sources of news and information.
In the fascinating scenario explored in this story, newsmasters will be the key news directors and producers of the future. They will be able to connect, filter and prioritize information for every media-consumer on the planet, using a single source of media content that contains everything that anyone could possibly ever want to know about.
That single source is called EPIC: The 'Evolving Personalized Information Construct'.
The Museum of Media History has recently produced a short film which charts the evolution of media from 1984 up until 2014 and how newsmasters eventually claimed their professional crowns.
Transcribed from the mini-movie clip EPIC by Robin Sloan:
In the year 2014 people have access to a breadth and depth of information unimaginable in an earlier age.Everyone contributes in some way.
Everyone participates to create a living, breathing mediascape. However, the Press, as you know it, has ceased to exist. The Fourth Estate's fortunes have waned. 20th Century news organizations are an after-thought, a lonely remnant of a not too distant past.
The road to 2014 began in the mid-20th Century.
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, a computer scientist at the CERN particle physics laboratory in Switzerland, invents the World Wide Web.
1994 sees the founding of Amazon.com. Its young creator dreams of a store that sells everything. Amazon's model, which would come to set the standard for Internet sales, is built on automated personalized recommendations - a store that can make suggestions.
In 1998, two Stanford programmers create Google. Their algorithm echoes the language of Amazon, it treats links as recommendations, and from that foundation powers the world's most effective search engine.
In 1999, TiVo transforms television by unshackling it from the constraints of time - and commercials. Almost no one who tries it ever goes back.
That year, a dot-com start-up named Pyra Labs unveils Blogger, a personal publishing tool.
Friendster launches in 2002 and hundreds of thousands of young people rush to populate it with an incredibly detailed map of their lives, their interests and their social networks. Also in 2002, Google launches GoogleNews, a news portal. News organizations cry foul. GoogleNews is edited entirely by computers.
In 2003, Google buys Blogger. Google's plans are a mystery, but their interest in Blogger is not unreasonable.
2003 is the Year of the Blog.
2004 would be remembered as the year that everything began.
Reason Magazine sends subscribers an issue with a satellite photo of their houses on the cover and information custom-tailored to each subscriber inside.
Sony and Philips unveil the world's first mass-produced electronic paper.
Google unveils GMail, with a gigabyte of free space for every user.
Microsoft unveils Newsbot, a social news filter.
Amazon unveils A9, a search engine built on Google's technology that also incorporates Amazon's trademark recommendations.
And then, Google goes public.
Awash in new capital, the company makes a major acquisition. Google buys TiVo.
2005 - In response to Google's recent moves, Microsoft buys Friendster.
2006 - Google combines all of its services - TiVo, Blogger, GMail, GoogleNews and all of its searches into the Google Grid, a universal platform that provides a functionally limitless amount of storage space and bandwidth to store and share media of all kinds. Always online, accessible from anywhere. Each user selects her own level of privacy. She can store her content securely on the Google Grid, or publish it for all to see. It has never been easier for anyone, everyone to create as well as consume media.
2007 - Microsoft responds to Google's mounting challenge with Newsbotster, a social news network and participatory journalism platform. Newsbotster ranks and sorts news, based on what each user's friends and colleagues are reading and viewing and it allows everyone to comment on what they see.
Sony's ePaper is cheaper than real paper this year. It's the medium of choice for Newsbotster.
2008 sees the alliance that will challenge Microsoft's ambitions. Google and Amazon join forces to form Googlezon. Google supplies the Google Grid and unparalled search technology. Amazon supplies the social recommendation engine and its huge commercial infrastructure. Together, they use their detailed knowledge of every user's social network, demographics, consumption habits and interests to provide total customization of content - and advertising.
The News Wars of 2010 are notable for the fact that no actual news organizations take part.
Googlezon finally checkmates Microsoft with features the software giant cannot match. Using a new algorithm, Googlezon's computers construct news stories dynamically, stripping sentences and facts from all content sources and recombining them. The computer writes a news story for every user.
In 2011, the slumbering Fourth Estate awakes to make its first and final stand. The New York Times Company sues Googlezon, claiming that the company's fact-stripping robots are a violation of copyright law. The case goes all the way to the Supreme Court, which on August 4, 2011 decides in favour of Googlezon.
On Sunday, March 9 2014, Googlezon unleashes EPIC.
Welcome to our world.
The 'Evolving Personalized Information Construct' is the system by which our sprawling, chaotic mediascape is filtered, ordered and delivered. Everyone contributes now - from blog entries, to phone-cam images, to video reports, to full investigations. Many people get paid too - a tiny cut of Googlezon's immense advertising revenue, proportional to the popularity of their contributions.
EPIC produces a custom contents package for each user, using his choices, his consumption habits, his interests, his demographics, his social network - to shape the product.
A new generation of freelance editors has sprung up, people who sell their ability to connect, filter and prioritize the contents of EPIC.
We all subscribe to many Editors; EPIC allows us to mix and match their choices however we like. At its best, edited for the savviest readers, EPIC is a summary of the world - deeper, broader and more nuanced than anything ever available before.
...
Watch the mini-movie clip online at one of the supporting sites:
If you've got some bandwidth to share, give a shout to Robin Sloan -- robin at robinsloan dot com. The future needs your help!
Reference: Robin Sloan - Museum of Media History [ Read more ]
Readers' Comments
| 2008-02-04 07:34:06 |
| 2007-01-30 08:33:25 |
Still, the concept is very interesting. Currently Google/Youtube is starting by paying a fee to the uploaders of the most viewed film.
In my opion Google/Youtube or MSN, Yahoo (indeed) will bring us more and more customised (including automated random) information of "our interest" we will build our own "interesting information gathering".I hope we preserve the true, honest and real news distribution in the world. like the BBC is trying to jolon
| 2007-01-21 09:02:02 |
Why Google? Why not Yahoo? Why not MSN?
At one point in the future the Google will mature the same way as ones did MSN. Do not be so pessimistic.
| 2006-03-01 23:13:23 |
Are we supposed to be warned against ^this irrational wave or to get used to the idea, paving the path for an easier transition to the near future ?
| 2006-02-20 07:19:30 |
Did anyone notice:
Winston Smith!!!He's the main character in 1984!!
Way to go; that's hilarious.
I love this video!!
| 2006-01-13 22:18:26 |
I thought that the video was good.
I mean, c'mon kids.
It wasn't real.
It was the shizz.
| 2006-01-13 21:30:01 |
To be honest, I don’t believe in Google’s predictions. They claim that in the year 2008, Google and Amazon will join forces to create Googlezon. They also claim that on Sunday, March 9, 2014, EPIC will be released. How exactly do they know this? They are saying all this stuff and they aren’t even sure about it. “Googlezon finally checkmates Microsoft with features the software giant cannot match. Using a new algorithm, Googlezon’s computers construct news stories dynamically, stripping sentences and facts from all content sources and recombining them. The computer writes a news story for every user.” They have predicted these things and they aren’t sure of it. When they say “this computer writes a news story every user” doesn’t that mean that every user is going to get different information. I mean, let’s say that theres a school project and the students use Google. Won’t they end up having different information and facts? Well, come to think of it, that’s actually good…but still.
| 2006-01-13 21:25:34 |
DUDE! OK IF WE CAN DO EVERYTHING bY COMPUTERs POOR HISPANICS WOULDNT BE BUILDING HOUSES FOR PEOPLE THEY DONT EVEN KNO!! N COME ON I KNO U GUYS R NERDS BUT HOLY GEEZ WHO CARE I MEAN COME KON FOR REAL!!!!
| 2006-01-13 21:23:52 |
DUDE! OK IF WE CAN DO EVERYTHING Y COMPUTER POOR HISPANICS WOULDNT BE BUILDING HOUSES FOR PEOPLE THEY DONT EVEN KNO!! N COME ON I KNO U GUYS R NERDS BUT HOLY GEEZ WHO CARE I MEAN COME KON FOR REAL!!!!
| 2006-01-13 21:23:25 |
"The ‘Evolving Personalized Information Construct’ is the system by which our sprawling, chaotic mediascape is filtered, ordered and delivered. Everyone contributes now – from blog entries, to phone-cam images, to video reports, to full investigations. Many people get paid too – a tiny cut of Googlezon’s immense advertising revenue, proportional to the popularity of their contributions."---- Um...WHAT?!?!?!!? Do ya'll actualy understand this stuff b/c i don't. Freaks.
| 2006-01-13 21:16:44 |
I have a question:
Do you actually watch this movie and come to this website because ya'll want to or because ya'll are forced to (like me)?
| 2006-01-13 21:11:13 |
That movie was very intersting. (Not really) I can't wait to watch it again. (I'm lying) It is now my favorite movie ever. (um...NOT)I have one question:
Do people actually read this stuff because they want to, or because they are forced to (like me)?
| 2006-01-13 21:06:10 |
oook besides da fact that da video was STUPID! i have no idea wat it was talking about!! geez u nerds...
| 2006-01-13 21:05:33 |
That movie was very intersting. (Not really) I can't wait to watch it again. (I'm lying) It is now my favorite movie ever. (um...NOT)
| 2006-01-13 21:03:04 |
oook besides da fact that da video was STUPID! i have no idea wat it was talking about!! geez u nerds...
| 2006-01-13 21:01:31 |
That movie was very intersting. (Not really) I can't wait to watch it again. (I'm lying) It is now my favorite movie ever. (um...NOT)
| 2006-01-13 21:00:39 |
oook besides da fact that da video was STUPID! i have no idea wat it was talking about!! geez u nerds...
| 2006-01-13 20:59:04 |
That movie sucked. It was boring as H-E-double hockey stix!!!!!
| 2006-01-13 20:57:44 |
oook besides da fact that da video was STUPID! i have no idea wat it was talking about!! geez u nerds...
| 2006-01-13 20:56:17 |
That movie sucked. It was boring as H-E-double hockey stix!!!!!
| 2006-01-13 20:55:28 |
That movie sucked. It was boring as H-E-double hockey stix!!!!!
| 2005-12-29 05:17:40 |
This video was amazing ... thats it
| 2005-12-23 16:08:35 |
Interesting - A possible solution to information overload, or perhaps a possible next chapter of "Amusing Ourselves to Death".
| 2005-12-04 12:40:57 |
Vision, Religion or future music? It's a great illustration of what could happen in the TIME industry. However, we've learnd in the past that there was never a 100%-Replacing-Technology event at all. Just remember the car industry: No one could imagin today to drive his 5 years old Ford in 20 years. But driving a Ford T from 1915 is today very trendy. So my conclusion is: Yes, its is a possible scenario for the future, and it will enrich peoples life but will not exchange traditions. The experience of reading a newspaper in a cofee shop is for instance a task with a lot of freedom where no technology can help!
| 2005-12-04 12:38:08 |
Vision, Religion or future music? It's a great illustration of what could happen in the TIME industry. However, we've learnd in the past that there was never a 100%-Replacing-Technology event at all. Just remember the car industry: No one could imagin today to drive his 5 years old Ford in 20 years. But driving a Ford T from 1915 is today very trendy. So my conclusion is: Yes, its is a possible scenario for the future, and it will enrich peoples life but will not exchange traditions. The experience of reading a newspaper in a cofee shop is for instance a task with a lot of freedom where no technology can help!
| 2005-12-04 12:36:38 |
Vision, Religion or future music? It's a great illustration of what could happen in the TIME industry. However, we've learnd in the past that there was never a 100%-Replacing-Technology event at all. Just remember the car industry: No one could imagin today to drive his 5 years old Ford in 20 years. But driving a Ford T from 1915 is today very trendy. So my conclusion is: Yes, its is a possible scenario for the future, and it will enrich peoples life but will not exchange traditions. The experience of reading a newspaper in a cofee shop is for instance a task with a lot of freedom where not technology can help!
| 2005-11-14 06:31:26 |
And who will be responsible for authenticating all of the bits and pieces of news thrown at you from multiple sources? Newsmasters will have no credibility, they could distort user content and NYTimes could just hire their own newsmasters. I dont see the NYTimes going anywhere, they have more than enough money to adapt to the changing times. I think they wont disappear they will just be forced to evolve.
| 2005-11-14 06:28:45 |
And who will be responsible for authenticating all of the bits and pieces of news thrown at you from multiple sources? Newsmasters will have no credibility, they could distort user content and NYTimes could just hire their own newsmasters. I dont see the NYTimes going anywhere, they have more than enough money to adapt to the changing times. I think they wont disappear they will just be forced to evolve.
| 2005-07-21 00:55:49 |
It is called "tough love." It is the kind of love that Jesus had when he whipped the moneychangers out of the Temple. Today's "moneychangers" are the dishonest media elites like The New York Times and CBS who have made gazzillions while caring more about their socialist agenda than journalism itself and its fundamental principles of fairness, neutrality, and balance. Yes, emperor has no clothes and now it is time for the millions of citizen journalists and their blogs, who DO care more about the truth than money, to usher in the next information revolution. Maybe Jesus is coming. I don't know. I am not a Christian. I am a lover of truth. But democracy is coming to religion also. Islamic fundamentalist and abortion clinic bombers are being brought down too.
| 2005-07-10 22:12:24 |
Kevin, that wasn't very loving. Are you really a Christian?
| 2005-06-27 01:33:41 |
I just viewed the 8-minute Googlezon video and here are my comments:
The Googlezon video resembles a MoveOn.org "corporate-phobic" propoganda piece. I am tired of business-hating liberals who view capitalism as the enemy but feed at the corporate-trough themselves. They despise "Big Business" because they view all corporations as a bunch of fat-cats ripping off "the working people" (a euphemism for socialist labor unions) but don't realize that corporations are owned by stockholders: old ladies, retired people, any one who has a 401K or stock. The problem with the media in general is that rarely do you read or hear about free market economics and how competition and the principles of capitalism are good for society. Yes, greed is good. Everyone benefits from a democratic market where everyone has a shot at success - not just a handful of media elites.
So, if there are any socialists or liberals reading this right now, understand that it is socialism and anti-capitalist liberalism that is crumbling all over the world. The light of global democracy first began to shine in the political realm with the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, technology is bringing democracy to the media. I say, if The New York Times can't compete in the free democratic market, then good riddins. If The New York Times falls then it is the will of the people. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are not the threat here; that is, unless you feel threatened by stockholding grandparents. Democracy is entering every realm of human endeavor - in politics, in the media, and on college campuses. While kids in Japan are learning calculus and physics, American kids are learning how to put a condom on a banana. Kids all around the world are learning to be engineers and scientists. American kids are instead learning to be consumers -- burger-flippers who are indoctrinated to buy iPods, Macs, MTV, Starbucks, Nintendo, Hollywood, Ben & Jerrys, CBS, etc...
So Googlezon's assumption is false that the fall of The New York Times is a bad thing. Any organization whether political or corporate which cannot compete in the marketplace must be brought down. And this is exactly what we are witnessing right now with the Democratic Party because they decided to embrace the lunatic-fringe Michael Moore and George Soros lefties.
And blog technology is bringing democracy to the media. The Pravda-like media elite such as CBS and the New York Times are crumbling. They are finally facing competition and they cannot compete.
Sunlight is the best antiseptic when it comes to destroying bloodsucking leaches. Democracy and competition is the best antiseptic to a bloodsucking media elite that hates capitalism and competition.
| 2005-03-07 15:24:21 |
I blogged about this topic on March 7, 2005.
| 2005-02-18 22:14:05 |
It seems that many of us want to read what others are reading, because others are reading it. That's what accounts, psychology, for the non-random distribution curve of site popularity. I'm not sure people can survive in a world of info-individuality. Don't we need to know we're getting the same stuff as everyone else?
| 2005-02-14 22:47:24 |
This is somthing that really makes me think about future more profoundly.
Thanks to Matt and Robin!
| 2005-02-13 17:00:11 |
I cannot guess future. We might have all the time what we can't figure out or expect.Invisible thing might
happen beyond our best perspective.
But, even so 'epic tc..'gave me a great chance to think about human life condition, rules, direct democracy,electric brain, who is a director,
a society great changed after this. Thank you for this mention.
| 2005-02-12 22:39:56 |
Amazing thought provoking and so well portrayed!
| 2005-02-12 06:27:09 |
Amazing and quite a possibility..awesome flash..
| 2005-02-10 15:57:35 |
Not at all out of the realm of possibility. Oh, and nice nod to George Orwell's "1984" with the whole Winston Smith thing. Are you possibly implying that anyone who bucks the system is a "thought criminal"?
| 2005-02-10 14:27:50 |
Matt and Robin
Just amazing. Incredible history, overwhelming flash production.
Excelent job. Keep on it.
| 2005-02-07 17:02:32 |
Matt and Robin-
Robin and Matt-All the world
will be your enemy
oh, Prince(ss)
will a thousand enemies,
and when they catch you,
they will kill you.But first,
they must catch you.
;)Keep running.
Keep thinking.
Keep doing.Our world owes you
much gratitude.Job well done.
Q
| 2004-12-27 01:28:15 |
| 2004-12-23 16:29:34 |
Very good and thought provoking!
But this view makes one huge assumption: that there is (or will continue to be) a notion of an individual who knows what they want.
All these solutions are predicated on delivering what "they want" as though they were intelligent and independant from the information environment they are permeated with. What people want is a multiple choice of what is being offered to them, and their current tastes are derived from what they have been fed in the past. Our perception of reality is only based on what we have absorbed from perception (including the media).
So who cares who tells the news or delivers it, who actually manufactures the story to begin with ? That's where the real money is, just ask Karl Rove.
| 2004-12-22 22:59:45 |
Interesting view, but what about Wikipedia? :)
| 2004-12-22 06:07:38 |
Great stuff. Reminds me of the 'documentary footage' used in the anime Serial Experiments Lain.
| 2004-12-04 02:13:14 |
I've got three words for you:
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
| 2004-12-03 07:43:43 |
Thanks for the mention?
Thank YOU for this masterpiece, I am still impressed by creative effort, production approach and overall fine result you have obtained. This is absolutely outstanding work!
Rather, it would be wonderful to hear from live voice the story behind this production and how you and Matt have gone about making this become a reality.
How about an online interview?
| 2004-12-02 19:44:48 |
Thanks for the mention! Just to clarify, EPIC 2014 was co-authored -- and narrated! -- by Matt Thompson, now an online reporter at the Fresno Bee.
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