Portable Media

This blog goes into my insight into
how blogs, podcasts and portable media are becoming a new culture
what this means to the new small businesses, like Celtic Ways,
and how the majority, who are still not in this culture,
can simple find themselves part of it, and loving it.

The New Culture

In the old days, and many people still do it today, many people started their day reading a newspaper. For many, reading something is a great wake up tool. Some people even think they plan their day with their newspaper.

For several years, I have started my day on the computer with links to news media. Today that has been replaced by my "My Yahoo" reader where I read the latest posts from blog feeds from news web sites, weather web sites, archeology web sites, spiritual web sites, boating web sites, music web sites etc. ..... just like some of you are using your favourite readers to read my latest waffle as it is published.

What I like is that I receive info I can use and feel good about and not be drowned by the macabre of newspapers. You also get to read about so much that would never appear in newspapers too.

When I go to Dublin by myself, and I am not carrying much, I prefer to take the train rather than drive. A few years ago many train travellers used to be wired to portable music. Now I see that many use this time to go through blogs and podcasts on all kinds of portable devices such as wide screen mobile phones, blackberries, iPods, palm phones and so forth, far less cumbersome than laptops and newspapers.

This morning two unrelated blog posts got my attention and when I put them together created an interesting story of where we are today in media information and entertainment. The first was a report from Reuters about music sales this year. It talked about how digital downloaded music is fast increasing its percentage against all music sold. In South Korea this is a staggering 51%, USA 18%, Japan 11%, Italy 9% and UK 8%. All except for South Korea, that can't, is expected to double within the next 12 months and double again the year after.

Within 3 - 4 years 75% - 90% of the world's media purchases could be digitally downloaded and discs then regarded as excellent back-up media. Today, I place and play my music in digital form so my CDs keep nice and unscratched. I think discs will be around for a long time because with nice booklets and cases will always make nice meaningful gifts and souveniers.

The other blog was from a frustrated music fan yearning for a return to olden days where he heard all kinds of interesting music on mainstream radio and then went to his local music shop full of interesting music with choices beyond what his money could buy. Today, he says, he find it hard to find anything to spend money on.

The reality, in my opinion, is that music quality and choices today are far more superior than they have ever been, but it will not be found in the old places like mainstream FM radio and chain record stores just like information and news that suits our interest is unlikely to be found in newspapers very often.

The best music, media and news today, that suits our personal interests, faiths and culture are to be found from independent producers and resources around the globe. The internet now allows us to find these people grouped together in genres within social networks like Yahoo, MySpace, and now Google is getting there after buying uTube. iTunes I'm sure will soon turn into a major social network as I can imagine Amazon, Ebay and other mega networks doing the same.

Our choices are not only downloadable music and video tracks but also supporting audio and video pods along with background info blogs.

The New Shop Keepers

For me, at Celtic Ways, this new portable media culture is all an incredible boost.

In 2000 I was receiving over 100 new email newsletter subscriptions a day and each newsletter released encouraged some people to look at new things on my web site and caused some people to unsubscribe to clear their email clutter.

Today, I only get around 10 new email newsletter subscriptions a day, despite my web site getting 100 times more visitors than in 2000.

However, what I am getting is well over 100 people a day adding this blog to their readers like My Yahoo, Blog Lines etc., and they are clicking from my blogs to my web site much more than they ever did with newsletters.

I'm currently wading through my 100s of hours of audio and video archives on sacred sites, ancient cultures and ancient music so I may do the same with audio and video pods as I am currently doing with these text blogs.

These I will make available through my blog, web site and social web sites around the globe for entertainment and the sale of products so I can stay alive, sheltered and pay for my utilities and services to keep producing this stuff.

The New Confused

Despite the hype on blogs and pods only a minority of the world even know what they are, let alone use readers and media players to access and use this new Portable Media culture. As Celtic Ways expands its entry, variety and choices within the new Portable Media culture I and others will provide the information and support so that you can be part of it and thoroughly enjoy it.

Portable Media is one of those things like cars and pcs that in a few years time folks will look back and say "how did I get by without this?" Of course that's nonsense because without a car and computer we could still survive well but with less ease and accomplish less.

Portable Media is simply one more step towards accomplishing more and enjoying more.

With Celtic Ways, its our opportunity to introduce you to things that add spark to your life and interests that you may have otherwise missed or not even knew existed.

You'll hear a lot more about Portable Media from Celtic Ways.

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