Comments on: Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in Media http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/ Jim Long blogs at the intersection of old and new media Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:34:00 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jackson West http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-2150 Jackson West Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:45:27 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-2150 In a conversation with the folks at Buzznet back in January, Marc Brown broached the idea of "meta-celebrity" -- certainly, new media is dominated itself by celebrity culture, from Gawker Media's celebrity obsession to the fact that Perez Hilton is reportedly the number one "blog" out there. Even Chris Crocker, while already fairly well known in the YouTube community, didn't go "mainstream" until the Britney incident.<br><br>I've got a whole theory about the interplay of celebrity and new religious movements, especially within the context of Hollywood, and I'm not sure that I'd be so quick to disregard cults of personality, since those are very much older than any media. It's just the new celebrities (and cult leaders) will live and die by their mastery of the new tools for promotion and attraction. In a conversation with the folks at Buzznet back in January, Marc Brown broached the idea of “meta-celebrity” — certainly, new media is dominated itself by celebrity culture, from Gawker Media's celebrity obsession to the fact that Perez Hilton is reportedly the number one “blog” out there. Even Chris Crocker, while already fairly well known in the YouTube community, didn't go “mainstream” until the Britney incident.

I've got a whole theory about the interplay of celebrity and new religious movements, especially within the context of Hollywood, and I'm not sure that I'd be so quick to disregard cults of personality, since those are very much older than any media. It's just the new celebrities (and cult leaders) will live and die by their mastery of the new tools for promotion and attraction.

]]> By: Alfreda Barlow http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-2052 Alfreda Barlow Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:26:18 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-2052 dn403ylridkjxaop dn403ylridkjxaop

]]> By: what is the theory of diminishing value?: Web Search Results from Answers.com http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-1989 what is the theory of diminishing value?: Web Search Results from Answers.com Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:58:18 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-1989 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] cost-of-production theory of value ...www.answers.com/topic/ law-of-diminishing-marginal-utilityAmanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity ...Sep 26, 2007 ... Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in .... I’ve [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] cost-of-production theory of value …www.answers.com/topic/ law-of-diminishing-marginal-utilityAmanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity …Sep 26, 2007 … Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in …. I’ve [...]

]]> By: PRX Releases » Blog Archive » The first scripted webisode to stream live on the Internet is now a featured podcast on iTunes http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-1963 PRX Releases » Blog Archive » The first scripted webisode to stream live on the Internet is now a featured podcast on iTunes Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:24:33 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-1963 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in Media | Verge New Media [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in Media | Verge New Media [...]

]]> By: Live Blogging at the DMAW: Part 2.5 » The Buzz Bin http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-887 Live Blogging at the DMAW: Part 2.5 » The Buzz Bin Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:08:36 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-887 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in Media | Verge New Media Says: [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> Kramer auto Pingback[...] Amanda Congon, Katie Couric and The Diminishing Value of Celebrity in Media | Verge New Media Says: [...]

]]> By: Dayngr http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-809 Dayngr Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:42:47 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-809 <i>"...treat your community, your audience as a valuable partner in your media and youll likely have a winner. Celebrity in and of itself is of limited value."</i> That says it all. So very true! “…treat your community, your audience as a valuable partner in your media and youll likely have a winner. Celebrity in and of itself is of limited value.”

That says it all. So very true!

]]> By: Jim Long http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-806 Jim Long Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:31:37 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-806 Jan, wonderful, thoughtful remarks. Jan, wonderful, thoughtful remarks.

]]> By: Justin Kownacki http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-801 Justin Kownacki Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:21:24 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-801 The gap between "normal" people and celebrities is always shrinking. Pop culture, like religion, is built upon a concept that there's an ideal lifestyle to aspire to. But when someone can ride a wave of democratized YouTube success toward even a fraction of the power that "real" (industry-created) celebrities have, that shakes the paradigm. You're right to say content is swiftly becoming the magnet, not celebrity. Enter: the death of net neutrality. (We can't have the people choosing their media without corporate oversight indefinitely, now, can we?) The gap between “normal” people and celebrities is always shrinking. Pop culture, like religion, is built upon a concept that there’s an ideal lifestyle to aspire to. But when someone can ride a wave of democratized YouTube success toward even a fraction of the power that “real” (industry-created) celebrities have, that shakes the paradigm.

You’re right to say content is swiftly becoming the magnet, not celebrity. Enter: the death of net neutrality. (We can’t have the people choosing their media without corporate oversight indefinitely, now, can we?)

]]> By: Thursday 9-27 links | News Videographer http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-800 Thursday 9-27 links | News Videographer Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:17:24 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-800 [...] Maybe people don’t care any more whether it’s a celebrity that gives them the news. Just give them the news. Powered by Gregarious (42) Share This [...] [...] Maybe people don’t care any more whether it’s a celebrity that gives them the news. Just give them the news. Powered by Gregarious (42) Share This [...]

]]> By: Jan / The Faux Press http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/comment-page-1/#comment-799 Jan / The Faux Press Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:50:19 +0000 http://vergenewmedia.com/2007/09/26/amanda-congon-katie-couric-and-the-diminishing-value-of-celebrity-in-media/#comment-799 It's easy to allow your eyes and mind to follow that which easily grabs and holds your attention: the olympically beautiful or well done, the car wreck, the female breast or leg. Work is required to focus on other things - things arguably more human, more evolved. While researching MSM's online television scene, I get hooked on various network lineups of 'death porn' (crime scene / forensics teams featuring women in low-cut blouses posing rumps up over cadavers). I have to giggle at NCIS' full-frontal, naked corpses' blurred genitalia. Watching those shows isolates, alienates, and creates in me an atmosphere of distrust and fear. On the other hand, when I watch media created by folks I know from the vlogosphere - folks with whom I've stayed or have stayed with me, folks who've inspired, or extended hands in kindness - I am further inspired, and my soul is filled with things like hope and warmth, rather than diminished. Celebrity? I hang out with lots of media celebs. Real ones (from work), and the ones I've created. The 'real' stars have rarely inspired anything in me but fear and trembling (with a few notable exceptions). The celebs I created make me warm, fuzzy and creatively hot. I've breathed the same air they breathe, broken bread with them, celebrated their successes and vulnerabilities. The idea that you will never hang out with the actor you admire over a meal is one that by its nature diminishes your place in the world. Turn that idea on its head. "I can have lunch with whomever I please," is an idea I played around with for years. It's now a reality. I regularly hang out with folks I find totally amazing, and life is rich as a result. Now THAT's star power. It’s easy to allow your eyes and mind to follow that which easily grabs and holds your attention: the olympically beautiful or well done, the car wreck, the female breast or leg. Work is required to focus on other things – things arguably more human, more evolved.

While researching MSM’s online television scene, I get hooked on various network lineups of ‘death porn’ (crime scene / forensics teams featuring women in low-cut blouses posing rumps up over cadavers). I have to giggle at NCIS’ full-frontal, naked corpses’ blurred genitalia.

Watching those shows isolates, alienates, and creates in me an atmosphere of distrust and fear.

On the other hand, when I watch media created by folks I know from the vlogosphere – folks with whom I’ve stayed or have stayed with me, folks who’ve inspired, or extended hands in kindness – I am further inspired, and my soul is filled with things like hope and warmth, rather than diminished.

Celebrity? I hang out with lots of media celebs. Real ones (from work), and the ones I’ve created. The ‘real’ stars have rarely inspired anything in me but fear and trembling (with a few notable exceptions). The celebs I created make me warm, fuzzy and creatively hot. I’ve breathed the same air they breathe, broken bread with them, celebrated their successes and vulnerabilities.

The idea that you will never hang out with the actor you admire over a meal is one that by its nature diminishes your place in the world. Turn that idea on its head. “I can have lunch with whomever I please,” is an idea I played around with for years. It’s now a reality. I regularly hang out with folks I find totally amazing, and life is rich as a result.

Now THAT’s star power.

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