What we're listening to. Dylan, 'Street Legal'.

Now let's be clear. We're not Dylan fans...at all. But two albums make the grade in our view. 'Desire' (1976) which we've already posted here and this one, 'Street Legal'. Another, 'At the Budokan' (1978 too) might just sneek in but generally when someone here puts on Dylan, there's a groan.

'Street Legal' though is well worth a listen. Well worth.

1978 and the 18th Dylan Album (he's actually, really, Robert Zimmerman), he's 75 this year of Lithuanian Jewish parents.

'Baby (please), stop crying' is the best known single from the Album but, 'Is you love in vain?' is a classic. Add to that 'Changing of the Guard', 'Senor', 'True love tends to forget' and 'New Pony' and it all works brilliantly.

At the time it was well slated and largely because of the Production, which quite frankly, we don't really understand. But that seems to us fairly mute, when you've some exceptional songs all on one Album - even if we're not "fans". 

But this is very well worth it.

What's amazing too, is the few Dylan songs on YouTube? Still, here's one to enjoy from this Album.

Previous 'listen to's'.......Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan Aja; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill, Jackson Browne Love is Strange.

Reaching out to Mums? It's all about Content, all about Video.

Interesting blog from mykidstime.com about how content reaches out to Mums, not Ads.

They're saying that content helps to 'humanise' a brand and therefore that, more online video is needed rather than Ads which 'sell to'. We agree!

They also see a daily decline in banner Ads click-thrus and basically that Mums aren't interested in them. Particularly too, they note the prevalence of Ad blocking as a consequence - if we don't like the banner ads, let's not have them kinda' thing.

Mums too they find, are 'on the go' and therefore moving away from desktop onto mobile and other devices which makes sense. Note too that mobile formats for general advertising (not Video) are poor. About 30% of mobile ads are clicked by mistake anyway.

The last point is that of course, video content can be shared and Mums like to share. So if you are reaching out to Mums, here's an experienced site owner saying that you need to move to video and content. 

You can read the blog here;

http://www.mykidstime.com/business/why-content-not-ads-will-win-the-battle-for-mums-hearts/#%2EVo5A9mcI63Y%2Elinkedin

And some quotes from it.

"Mums would like to see more content and particularly video content (Mykidstime Userneeds Survey 2015 of 1228 respondents)".

"A content article on Mykidstime can achieve 5.37% CTR – compared to 0.04% CTR on Banners."

"Between 60-70% of Mykidstime parents use phones or devices to access content. 91% of Mykidstime tablet users are female, 90% of Mykidstime mobile users are female compared to 81% desktop."

Making a Murderer. Stunning, like Netflix.

It's full credit to Netflix, that they're showing the way to TV broadcasters as to what can be achieved online. The latest release, 'Making a Murderer' is the most talked about show at the minute. And really, it's another stunner.

But it follows 'House of Cards', 'Orange is the new Black', the superb 'Narco' and of course, 'Breaking Bad'. Add to that, the ideal follow-upper to 'Making a Murderer' which is 'The Jinx'.

Whilst not all of these were 'made' or commissioned by Netflix ('The Jinx' is HBO), it is Netflix that's making the audiences by releasing the series same day and broadcasting with quality at a time that suits you. In fact, lending itself to that 'bingeing' (watching many programmes one after the other) which can't be done on traditional TV.

In fact, 'Netflix & Chill' has now become common parlance for a eh, good (?) night in.

Those that Netflix have made, they've thrown money at and have done so in a first class way. 'House of Cards' a real example of quality TV film making.

So their audience just keeps growing.

Given that CEO Reed Hastings, who takes his famed 6 weeks holiday and was "the most hated CEO" by the stock market 4 years ago, it's been a pretty stunning achievement.

They simply deserve it all because they put the work in and make broadcasting rich entertainment again. Even making a real niche like Documentaries, cool again.

And if you haven't seen 'Making a Murderer' or 'The Jinx' just go and do it. 'Making a Murderer' takes one or two episodes to get going (it was filmed over 10 years) but then it's an incredible story.

Like Netflix.

Turner may spell the end of TV Commercials replacing them with long digital video. Wow!

Fairly amazing story coming out of Turner Broadcasting in the US which could/should change the face of traditional broadcasting advertising.

They're going to announce that they will be turning their TV network into one big native advertising platform. Channels include CNN, Cartoon Network, TNT and others (it's a big cable player) but what they're doing is actually to change commercial breaks.

Instead of your standard 30 or 60 second commercial, they'll replace it with digital video that will tell a brand story in a native way. Perhaps 2/3 minutes long, instead of say, 5 x 30 second commercials, and put them on TV breaks. Not unlike what they've done on CNN with Subaru creating 'CNN Heroes'. 

It's actually far better for viewers who get to see long form engaging content, albeit sponsored and branded, rather than just Ads. And it's better for the broadcaster as they'll scoop up that digital video which Streamabout is so familiar with and creates.

It's the re-imagining of TV advertising and perhaps spells the end of TV commercials as we know them. Given that they're such a big player, it's hard for other traditional TV broadcasters not to take note. 

It's also a very right move for a traditional TV broadcaster in the digital age and for once, we applaud TV. 

Good thinking at Turner.