A Puzzlement.

Driving around on Tuesday, I was listening to WSCR-AM, the Chicagoland sports talker.  Each time the hosts mentioned Twitter, they followed with "I mean a social network". The hosts indicated they would explain these corrections later.

source: Wikipedia

I also happened to be listening when the hosts cleared up the "Twitter, I mean social network" statement. CBS which owns WSCR-AM (among other outlets) sent out a memo directing on-air talent to not reference their Twitter handle. Quoting the memo, the hosts relayed "Twitter is the pipeline, our content is the product" or translated "Only reference the station website to avoid building any brand other than CBS and sponsors".

Ignoring the potential social media marketing disaster (experts can break that down better than me) I am still left with a question. I don't think corporations make decisions based on stupidity, I think corporations make decisions based on greed (I mean decisions based on maximizing shareholder wealth). Therefore, I don't understand the directive to not mention Twitter. What could make a corporation  happier than a cadre of on-air talent building the company brand even when the talent isn't on air? That's free labor, and corporations love free labor. So why the Twitter ban? I think either CBS is concerned about complaints from sponsors (why do we pay for advertising and Twitter doesn't) or CBS is scared the talent will build a loyal following that is portable. A portable and dedicated audience for the talent means the non-compete clause that keeps radio hosts off air between jobs means less. That transfers power (and $$$) to the hired help and corporations hate that.

So was the "no Twitter mentions" directive driven by sponsor complaints, management anxiety or my need for a topic? Have you encountered other examples of insecurity driving bad policy? How did that make you feel?

Disable Autosend.

I was out and about Monday afternoon to pick up my wife's Valentine's Day gift. While in the car I was listening to the Chicago sports talk station.  The topic was Jeremy Lin, or more specifically tweets about Jeremy Lin. In short order these tweets were shared and dissected:

source: Wikipedia

• Pat Fitzgerald (or someone representing Pat Fitzgerald), Northwestern U. football coach tweeted that at last there was someone in the NBA that plays hard and says the right thing.
• Floyd Mayweather tweeted that Lin was a good player but his success/publicity was because he wasn't black.
• Jason Whitlock tweeted a thinly veiled reference to penis size. Whitlock's tweet was meant to be humorous and Whitlock failed to be funny.

I have always found one of the best features of social media was the ability to review my thought before expressing myself by hitting send.  I wonder what Lin, a Harvard, graduates thinks about the tweets listed above?

Have you ever posted something online that didn't turn out the way you had intended? Do you find e-communication simpler or more complicated than "live" communication?

#DadFit in #Illinois.

Once in a great while a confluence of seemingly random minutia occurs, which in turn provides a solution of substance. Such was the case this Monday morning.

I was reviewing my Triberr home page and approving blog post tweets for inclusion in my Twitter stream. I happened upon a  post from John Willey of  "Daddy's in Charge". The post was about a new blog, DadFit. John explained the concept of making lasting healthy changes with the help of a supportive and open community. I immediately clicked on the icon conveniently located in the upper half of the right sidebar and liked the Dadfit Facebook Page.

During the morning I listen to WSCR the local (OK, Chicago) sportstalker. Mully and Hanley reviewed the guest list. Lo and behold, Governor Pat Quinn (a former reformer doing a mediocre job of cleaning up the pile of crap he was handed as Governor) was scheduled to be on the show. Since the Bears were out of (never in) the playoffs, the Governor would not be announcing one of those idiotic politician sport bets (Illinois sewage vs. Nevada nuclear waste?) that is so mindlessly prevalent these days. Governor Quinn would be discussing something else.

Candidate Pat Quinn walked the width of Illinois (167 miles) in 2001to call attention to the inadequacy of affordable health care. In order to perhaps lower health care costs for all, the Governor has issued a challenge: walk the width of Illinois over the course of the year. That's less than 1/2 a mile a day.

I signed up for the challenge and downloaded a pedometer app. Within an hour it was obvious I walked over 1/2 mile a day puttering around the house. For the challenge, I must walk an additional 167 miles over the year. That's less than 15 minutes a day and can easily be incorporated into my routine.

I have my 1st contribution to Dadfit. Any ideas on other changes to becoming and staying healthier?