Bruce's Blog
A 1981 graduate of the Boston University College of Communication, Bruce A. Johnson got his first job in broadcast television at WFTV, an ABC affiliate in Orlando, FL. While there, he rose through the ranks from teleprompter operator to videographer, editor, producer and director of many different types of programming. It was in the early 1980's that he bought his first computer - a Timex/Sinclair 1000 - a device he hated so much, he promptly exchanged it for an Atari 400. But the bug had bitten hard. In 1987, Johnson joined Wisconsin Public Te...
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Adventures in Indie Filmmaking
By Bruce A Johnson | August 25, 2008
It's said that the best lessons are the hardest learned, and this lesson is a doozy.
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Populist or corporate tool? You make the call.
By Bruce A Johnson | August 21, 2008
Does it seem strange that the same guy that let XM and Sirius Satellite Radio merge - creating a de facto monopoly - is now trying to single-handedly create nationwide wireless broadband? Rings strange to me.USA Today is reporting that the FCC commissioner is pitching the idea of selling a block of frequencies coveted by cell-phone carriers with the proviso that a chunk of it be reserved for nationwide wireless broadband. Oh, and did I mention that this access might be free?From the article:"There's a social obligation in making sure everybody can participate in the next generation of broadband services because, increasingly, that's what people want," said Martin.Of course, corporations like Verizon, AT&T and others that users pay for that kind of access are unimpressed. (In fact, it seems that T-Mobile might actually already be encroaching on the offered frequencies where they shouldn't be.) You can understand the corporate consternation, since Martin has been reliably in their pocket throughout his 3-year tenure as Chairman. Even prior to his ascension to the Chairmanship, Martin was a reliable Republican vote on such matters as media consolidation - a subject that, when public comment was counted, was 99-1 against expansion of ownership limits. This sudden populist turn has me concerned, frankly. He must not be feeling well.What's next? Low-power FM radio freedom? Heaven forfend! LATE ADD: Check THIS out - Martin says the lack of cable ala carte pricing is the "single biggest problem" facing consumers these days! What, even more than $4 gasoline?! The Washington Times has the scoop. I have to add that on cable ala carte, Martin has seemed to buck the corporate view, but that's pretty easy to do when there is essentially zero chance he can actually do anything about it. Looks good on the resume', though. Wonder who he'll end up lobbying for in a few months.
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HDTV Ownership Is "De Rigueur"
By Bruce A Johnson | August 20, 2008
Pardon me if I channel Dan Rather at his worst, but: put the cat out, Martha, roll up the streets and poke the fire.
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The numbers don't say so...
By Bruce A Johnson | August 19, 2008
Every time I hear people saying "broadcast television is dead!", I like to think of weeks like this. Weeks when tens of millions of viewers all tune in to one event at the same time.
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A Lotta Backpack For A Hundred Bucks
By Bruce A Johnson | July 23, 2008
Flying with equipment in the 1980's was a piece of cake. We used to pull up to the curb at the airport with eleven cases of gear, and when the skycaps came running we'd give $50 to the man in charge and say, "Make sure it gets on the plane." And it always did.
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By Bruce A Johnson | July 10, 2008
Forgive me for more jabberings about the excellent HBO series "John Adams," but I recently bought the 3-DVD set. And what a set it is!
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By Bruce A Johnson | June 29, 2008
While I tend to be a pretty conservative editor, the time comes for all of us when we need some flashy effects to grab a viewer. Light blasts, aggressive color effects, blur transitions and the like can be powerful tools when used in the right places. Problem is, few editing applications come with these effects pre-programmed, and the software used to create the eye candy often carries a steep learning curve and a price point to match. Luckily, a German software company called proDad has come to the rescue with an application called Vitascene.
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I think Chris Meyer got this one wrong...
By Bruce A Johnson | June 21, 2008
I really like reading Chris & Trish Meyer's stuff. I certainly wish I had a list of credits as long as theirs. And they are nice folks to boot. But in my humble opinion, Chris' post on this page, entitled "A Retro View Of The Future," misses the mark by a long shot.
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It's all in the users...
By Bruce A Johnson | June 17, 2008
Skeptics begone! Naysayers away! The RED ONE has been adopted by a major studio! And that studio is...
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By Bruce A Johnson | June 12, 2008
OK, what do you imagine when you read this headline?LifeSize HD video systems turns any room into a telepresence room
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...when a lake disappears.
By Bruce A Johnson | June 11, 2008
It started out as just another day. I was at my desk, fixing some broken links on a DVD I'm authoring. Then, the phone rang.
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Plasma? LCD? RPTV? Tube?
By Bruce A Johnson | May 28, 2008
An interesting article from TVTechnology.com shows that in the US, LCD flat-screens are selling at a rate that buries the competition by an eight-to-one ratio.
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Well, at least to me.
By Bruce A Johnson | April 29, 2008
Archiving - now that's cocktail-party conversation! But something may be on the horizon that could make it sexy.
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By Bruce A Johnson | April 29, 2008
I've spent the last week digesting everything I saw at this year's NAB show, from products great, like full-tilt video production trailers, to small, like AVCHD camcorders that record to SD flash memory. But one of the truly remarkable products I saw isn't even specifically a video product - it's a utility lifesaver.
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...at least to me.
By Bruce A Johnson | April 18, 2008
If you have HBO, you should be watching the amazing miniseries "John Adams." It's wonderful to see important American history re-created in such a dynamic manner. And, as with so much in life, what you see is only about 10% of the story.
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By Bruce A Johnson | April 18, 2008
Last year at NAB there were two products that I felt could really change the biz - but sadly, neither actually came out last year. Apparently, that's changed.
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There's more than gear to consider.
By Bruce A Johnson | April 16, 2008
First thing to know about NAB: Las Vegas is probably one of the last cities in the world where you can routinely expect to pay exorbitant money for Internet service in your hotel room. However, at McCarran Airport, wifi is free. That probably explains why I'm posting this now, as I wait to board my flight home.
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Andy Rooney on Broadcast Obscenity
By Bruce A Johnson | April 02, 2008
Swearing: It's something we all do. OK, not all of us, but a hell of a lot of us (oops, I apologize if the "hell" in the last sentence offends. I'll try to do better, dammit.)
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DBA Createasphere