#online video conference platforms

[kddicorporations]

Video Conferencing in Hybrid Work Environment: Top Benefits and Need of VC Collaboration Explained Top platforms offer smart online video conferencing solution to offices that help create a hybrid work environment. Cisco Webex, Zoom Meetings, and MS Teams are some of the best video conferencing solutions.

[meelapindia]

Video Conferencing Service Providers in India: Enhancing Remote Collaboration

https://www.bloglovin.com/@harrietdavis7/video-conferencing-service-providers-in-india

A video conferencing service provider in India is a company or platform that offers video conferencing solutions to individuals, businesses, educational institutions, or organizations located in India. These service providers typically offer software or platforms that enable users to conduct virtual meetings, webinars, or online conferences with features such as high-quality video and audio, screen sharing and security measures.

[theaipromoter]

Unleashing the Future of Virtual Communication: O-Connect by ONPASSIVE

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, virtual communication has become an integral part of our daily lives. With the advancement of technology, businesses and individuals alike are constantly seeking innovative ways to connect and engage with others remotely. One such groundbreaking solution that is revolutionizing the way we communicate is O-Connect by ONPASSIVE. In this article, we…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Privacy first

The internet is embroiled in a vicious polycrisis: child safety, surveillance, discrimination, disinformation, polarization, monopoly, journalism collapse – not only have we failed to agree on what to do about these, there's not even a consensus that all of these are problems.

But in a new whitepaper, my EFF colleagues Corynne McSherry, Mario Trujillo, Cindy Cohn and Thorin Klosowski advance an exciting proposal that slices cleanly through this Gordian knot, which they call "Privacy First":

https://www.eff.org/wp/privacy-first-better-way-address-online-harms

Here's the "Privacy First" pitch: whatever is going on with all of the problems of the internet, all of these problems are made worse by commercial surveillance.

Worried your kid is being made miserable through targeted ads? No surveillance, no targeting.

Worried your uncle was turned into a Qanon by targeted disinformation? No surveillance, no targeting. Worried that racialized people are being targeted for discriminatory hiring or lending by algorithms? No surveillance, no targeting.

Worried that nation-state actors are exploiting surveillance data to attack elections, politicians, or civil servants? No surveillance, no surveillance data.

Worried that AI is being trained on your personal data? No surveillance, no training data.

Worried that the news is being killed by monopolists who exploit the advantage conferred by surveillance ads to cream 51% off every ad-dollar? No surveillance, no surveillance ads.

Worried that social media giants maintain their monopolies by filling up commercial moats with surveillance data? No surveillance, no surveillance moat.

The fact that commercial surveillance hurts so many groups of people in so many ways is terrible, of course, but it's also an amazing opportunity. Thus far, the individual constituencies for, say, saving the news or protecting kids have not been sufficient to change the way these big platforms work. But when you add up all the groups whose most urgent cause would be significantly improved by comprehensive federal privacy law, vigorously enforced, you get an unstoppable coalition.

America is decades behind on privacy. The last really big, broadly applicable privacy law we passed was a law banning video-store clerks from leaking your porn-rental habits to the press (Congress was worried about their own rental histories after a Supreme Court nominee's movie habits were published in the Washington City Paper):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Privacy_Protection_Act

In the decades since, we've gotten laws that poke around the edges of privacy, like HIPAA (for health) and COPPA (data on under-13s). Both laws are riddled with loopholes and neither is vigorously enforced:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/09/how-to-make-a-child-safe-tiktok/

Privacy First starts with the idea of passing a fit-for-purpose, 21st century privacy law with real enforcement teeth (a private right of action, which lets contingency lawyers sue on your behalf for a share of the winnings):

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/07/americans-deserve-more-current-american-data-privacy-protection-act

Here's what should be in that law:

A ban on surveillance advertising:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/03/ban-online-behavioral-advertising

Data minimization: a prohibition on collecting or processing your data beyond what is strictly necessary to deliver the service you're seeking.

Strong opt-in: None of the consent theater click-throughs we suffer through today. If you don't give informed, voluntary, specific opt-in consent, the service can't collect your data. Ignoring a cookie click-through is not consent, so you can just bypass popups and know you won't be spied on.

No preemption. The commercial surveillance industry hates strong state privacy laws like the Illinois biometrics law, and they are hoping that a federal law will pre-empt all those state laws. Federal privacy law should be the floor on privacy nationwide – not the ceiling:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/07/federal-preemption-state-privacy-law-hurts-everyone

No arbitration. Your right to sue for violations of your privacy shouldn't be waivable in a clickthrough agreement:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/04/stop-forced-arbitration-data-privacy-legislation

No "pay for privacy." Privacy is not a luxury good. Everyone deserves privacy, and the people who can least afford to buy private alternatives are most vulnerable to privacy abuses:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/10/why-getting-paid-your-data-bad-deal

No tricks. Getting "consent" with confusing UIs and tiny fine print doesn't count:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/02/designing-welcome-mats-invite-user-privacy-0

A Privacy First approach doesn't merely help all the people harmed by surveillance, it also prevents the collateral damage that today's leading proposals create. For example, laws requiring services to force their users to prove their age ("to protect the kids") are a privacy nightmare. They're also unconstitutional and keep getting struck down.

A better way to improve the kid safety of the internet is to ban surveillance. A surveillance ban doesn't have the foreseeable abuses of a law like KOSA (the Kids Online Safety Act), like bans on information about trans healthcare, medication abortions, or banned books:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/05/kids-online-safety-act-still-huge-danger-our-rights-online

When it comes to the news, banning surveillance advertising would pave the way for a shift to contextual ads (ads based on what you're looking at, not who you are). That switch would change the balance of power between news organizations and tech platforms – no media company will ever know as much about their readers as Google or Facebook do, but no tech company will ever know as much about a news outlet's content as the publisher does:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/05/save-news-we-must-ban-surveillance-advertising

This is a much better approach than the profit-sharing arrangements that are being trialed in Australia, Canada and France (these are sometimes called "News Bargaining Codes" or "Link Taxes"). Funding the news by guaranteeing it a share of Big Tech's profits makes the news into partisans for that profit – not the Big Tech watchdogs we need them to be. When Torstar, Canada's largest news publisher, struck a profit-sharing deal with Google, they killed their longrunning, excellent investigative "Defanging Big Tech" series.

A privacy law would also protect access to healthcare, especially in the post-Roe era, when Big Tech surveillance data is being used to target people who visit abortion clinics or secure medication abortions. It would end the practice of employers forcing workers to wear health-monitoring gadget. This is characterized as a "voluntary" way to get a "discount" on health insurance – but in practice, it's a way of punishing workers who refuse to let their bosses know about their sleep, fertility, and movements.

A privacy law would protect marginalized people from all kinds of digital discrimination, from unfair hiring to unfair lending to unfair renting. The commercial surveillance industry shovels endless quantities of our personal information into the furnaces that fuel these practices. A privacy law shuts off the fuel supply:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/04/digital-privacy-legislation-civil-rights-legislation

There are plenty of ways that AI will make our lives worse, but copyright won't fix it. For issues of labor exploitation (especially by creative workers), the answer lies in labor law:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/01/how-the-writers-guild-sunk-ais-ship/

And for many of AI's other harms, a muscular privacy law would starve AI of some of its most potentially toxic training data:

https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-updated-terms-to-use-customer-data-to-train-ai-2023-9

Meanwhile, if you're worried about foreign governments targeting Americans – officials, military, or just plain folks – a privacy law would cut off one of their most prolific and damaging source of information. All those lawmakers trying to ban Tiktok because it's a surveillance tool? What about banning surveillance, instead?

Monopolies and surveillance go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Some of the biggest tech empires were built on mountains of nonconsensually harvested private data – and they use that data to defend their monopolies. Legal privacy guarantees are a necessary precursor to data portability and interoperability:

https://www.eff.org/wp/interoperability-and-privacy

Once we are guaranteed a right to privacy, lawmakers and regulators can order tech giants to tear down their walled gardens, rather than relying on tech companies to (selectively) defend our privacy:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

The point here isn't that privacy fixes all the internet's woes. The policy is "privacy first," not "just privacy." When it comes to making a new, good internet, there's plenty of room for labor law, civil rights legislation, antitrust, and other legal regimes. But privacy has the biggest constituency, gets us the most bang for the buck, and has the fewest harmful side-effects. It's a policy we can all agree on, even if we don't agree on much else. It's a coalition in potentia that would be unstoppable in reality. Privacy first! Then – everything else!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/06/privacy-first/#but-not-just-privacy

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[mariacallous]

On the same day that former president Donald Trump said vice president Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black,” Harris was at a Black sorority conference in Texas.

“As a proud member of the Divine 9, when I look out at everyone here, I see family,” said Harris, speaking on July 31 at Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s 60th Biennial Boule in Houston, Texas. Sound bites from Harris’ speech and high-pitched “EE-yips,” the call associated with Sigma Gamma Rho, echoed through countless videos that circulated on Instagram.

The Divine 9, or D9, refers to the nine historically African American sororities and fraternities that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority—the first African American sorority. Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded at Harris’ alma mater, Howard University, in 1908.

"Generation after generation, the members of this sorority have shown that greater service brings greater progress,” Harris continued. “And in 2020, you continued your leadership when, during the height of a pandemic, you helped elect Joe Biden president of the United States and me as the first woman vice president of the United States.”

This appearance wasn’t a coincidence. Across the United States, members of Divine 9 organizations are uniting around a singular mission: increasing voter turnout in the US election this year. From sharing videos like the Harris event to posting voter registration links on their large Instagram accounts and developing voter turnout initiatives in secret group chats, members are using their Black Greek networks and social networks to bring more people to the polls.

While Divine 9 organizations do not officially endorse candidates, historically, Divine 9 organizations have made voter turnout and registration a pillar in their service initiatives, like with Alpha Phi Alpha’s “A Voteless People Is a Hopeless People” national program, Zeta Phi Beta’s “Get Engaged” initiative, and Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Social Justice initiative. Already, outreach on social media is working. One post of the Harris event from Watch the Yard, a leading social media platform for Black college culture and Greek life, racked up more than 122,000 plays.

Watch the Yard features original news stories on Black Greek life and HBCU college students across the country. The page shares Black Greek memes, like encouraging their Black Greek followers to tag their favorite non-members, but also call-to-action posts like reminding followers to get their vaccinations. And now, during the election season, the platform is turning its attention to voter turnout.

"We’re using the Divine 9 as the glue that connects Black students at HBCUs and [predominately white institutions], and using their network to disseminate information,” says Watch the Yard founder Jonathan Rabb, who added that because National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations are service-based, members and prospective members are already active within their own community. “There are very few networks in the United States like that for the African American community. Right under the Black church would probably be the D9.”

The Watch the Yard platform has 2 million followers, and Rabb says its content reaches around 13 million people per month. Because Divine 9 sorority and fraternity membership is encouraged to continue after college ends, Rabb also notes that their audience is intergenerational, with Gen-Zers and boomers actively engaging with each other in the comment sections. “We can reach students in swing states. We can reach a student in the Pacific Northwest. Because there’s D9 there. If I can reach that AKA in Oregon, I can reach her peers.”

On July 30, Watch the Yard announced its official partnership with Michelle Obama’s When We All Vote. Launched in 2018, the nonpartisan nonprofit seeks to help increase participation in every election. On Watch the Yard’s Instagram, followers can simply click the link in their bio to quickly see their registration status.

“As Black people fought for our rights to vote, the Divine 9 has been constantly connected to democracy and pushing people to vote,” says Rabb. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the second oldest African American sorority, was at the helm of the suffrage movement as the group’s first public act of service in 1913, he notes. “When it comes to the election, this is just a continuation of the work [the Divine 9] has already been doing.”

Black Greek organizations are not only organizing online publicly but privately as well. WIRED confirmed that over 8,000 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have created an unofficial secret GroupMe with the purpose of increasing voter turnout throughout their communities. The privacy of the group allows members to share information on key campaign platforms for both candidates, create strategic planning for voter registration in underserved communities, and share opinions on candidates without the pressure of maintaining official protocols.

While the Divine 9 as organizations are not authorized to support specific candidates, alumni from HBCUs like Howard University are campaigning. The Howard University Bison PAC, a project within the Collective PAC, a political action committee working to elect more Black officials for political equity, has brought together alumni to raise money for the Harris-Walz ticket.

Even though the PAC isn't associated with any D9 organization, many of the PAC members are also members of the D9. According to an internal email viewed by WIRED, the first “HU Bison For Kamala” Zoom call on July 25 hosted over 4,000 attendees and raised more than $151,000 for the Harris campaign. “Within the next two weeks,” the email reads, “we’ll start our Bison PAC phone/text messaging ‘zoom parties’ to encourage Black voters in swing states to support Kamala Harris for President.”

The email to PAC members also linked to a social media best practices guide crafted by Cameron Trimble, a Howard University alum and founder of the Hip-Politics platform. The guide is titled “Ways to Be Helpful in the Digital and Social Media Landscape” and includes tips such as sharing and engaging with only positive Kamala content, not engaging in negative comments and content to avoid spiking it in the algorithm, and creating your own WhatsApp or internal group chats to share verified information for quick responses.

“We want to raise as much money as we can for Kamala. We want to make sure all Bisons [Howard students and alumni] are registered to vote, and we want to equip people with factual information to disseminate in their communities,” says Stefanie Brown James, the cofounder and senior adviser of the Collective PAC. “Long term, we want to make Bison PAC a stand-alone organization to support other Howard alumni who are running for office across the country … We want to be involved in our political process, and want to make sure we have a role in choosing who our leaders are.”

[literaticat]

Since I’m hearing that most author marketing doesn’t significantly move the needle on book sales - is it ok then for an author to not market their book?

I don’t mean not talk about it; I mean skipping out on doing book tours, launches, interviews, presentations, cringe videos with one’s pet to try to game the algo…

Authors "not significantly moving the needle on book sales" all on their own is probably true in most cases. However, authors WITH PUBLISHER SUPPORT can for sure move the needle.

I would suggest that you do everything the publisher wants you to do in terms of marketing, etc. That IS them trying to move the needle, and you need to help as much as you can.

Beyond that, on your own, it's nice for you to do what is in your power to boost your own work without sinking a ton of money or all your energy into it. Your being game and positive may well inspire the publisher to give you more support, and look, there goes that needle again.

Appearances: If your publisher is sending you to a conference, book festival, on a book tour or similar (ie, paying for the travel, setting it up, etc) - DO IT! This is marketing that not every book automatically gets, your publisher WANTS you to do this, they are PAYING for you to do this, yes, you should absolutely do this.

If you're talking about setting up your OWN book tour, or paying to travel out of state to some conference on your OWN dime -- well, if you really want to do that and can afford to do that, sure, but I wouldn't go out of my way to pay for that kind of thing.

School Visits - if it is something where the publisher is setting it up and they are considering it part of a tour or a marketing opportunity - DO IT! IF you want to do your own as a money-making venture (where you charge the schools) -- by all means! It's a good source of income for a lot of kid's authors! But if that's just not something you enjoy or have the bandwidth for, you can skip it.

Interviews and whatnot -- again, if it is something that the publisher is setting up, with a well-regarded magazine, review outlet, blogger with big reach, online influencer, fancy TV show or big podcast or something like that where it's not easy to get that kind of coverage -- DO IT! Do you need to hustle all over NYC to try and set up your own Vanity Fair article or Good Morning America appearance or whatever? Absolutely not.

Social Media -- THIS IS IN YOUR POWER, and is free. Yes, please. You don't have to GO OFF or anything - but some social media presence, ONE platform at least, would be helpful. I have written extensively about how to start social media stuff if you don't feel adept at it, look at the FAQ. No, you don't have to make "cringe videos with your pet" -- but yeah, you should do *something* if at all possible, if only so that librarians and whatnot can write to you and you can post starred reviews of your books or whatever.

Website -- This is in your power, and costs little, and is important. YES PLEASE. Keep it updated. Have a press kit on there. PLEASE.

Other things you can and should absolutely do: Have a local launch party to celebrate with your friends and family -- introduce yourself to local booksellers and offer to sign stock -- direct people to that bookstore to buy autographed books via your social media, website and/or newsletter. Be nice to people. ETC.

Anything beyond that is gravy -- fine if you want gravy, but if you don't like it, and it costs $$ -- it is not necessary.

[adbros]

30 ways to make real; money from home

Making money online from the comfort of your home has become increasingly accessible with the growth of the internet and digital technologies. In 2023, there are numerous realistic ways to earn money online. Here are 30 ideas to get you started:

1. Freelance Writing: Offer your writing skills on platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to create blog posts, articles, or website content.

2. Content Creation: Start a YouTube channel, podcast, or blog to share your expertise or passion and monetize through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

3. Online Surveys and Market Research: Participate in online surveys and market research studies with platforms like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.

4. Remote Customer Service: Work as a remote customer service representative for companies like Amazon or Apple.

5. Online Tutoring: Teach subjects you're knowledgeable in on platforms like VIPKid or Chegg Tutors.

6. E-commerce: Start an online store using platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or eBay to sell products.

7. Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services on your blog or social media and earn commissions for sales made through your referral links.

8. Online Courses: Create and sell online courses on platforms like Udemy or Teachable.

9. Remote Data Entry: Find remote data entry jobs on websites like Clickworker or Remote.co.

10. Virtual Assistance: Offer administrative support services to businesses as a virtual assistant.

11. Graphic Design: Use your graphic design skills to create logos, graphics, or websites for clients on platforms like Fiverr.

12. Stock Photography: Sell your photos on stock photography websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock.

13. App Development: Develop and sell mobile apps or offer app development services.

14. Social Media Management: Manage social media accounts for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.

15. Dropshipping: Start an e-commerce business without holding inventory by dropshipping products.

16. Online Consultations: Offer consulting services in your area of expertise through video calls.

17. Online Surplus Sales: Sell unused items or collectibles on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

18. Online Fitness Coaching: Become an online fitness coach and offer workout plans and guidance.

19. Virtual Events: Host webinars, workshops, or conferences on topics you're knowledgeable about.

20. Podcast Production: Offer podcast editing, production, or consulting services.

21. Remote Transcription: Transcribe audio and video files for clients.

22. Online Translation: Offer translation services if you're proficient in multiple languages.

23. Affiliate Blogging: Create a niche blog with affiliate marketing as the primary revenue source.

24. Online Art Sales: Sell your artwork, crafts, or digital art on platforms like Etsy or Redbubble.

25. Remote Bookkeeping: Offer bookkeeping services for small businesses from home.

26. Digital Marketing: Provide digital marketing services like SEO, PPC, or social media management.

27. Online Gaming: Stream your gaming sessions on platforms like Twitch and monetize through ads and donations.

28. Virtual Assistant Coaching: If you have experience as a VA, offer coaching services to aspiring virtual assistants.

29. Online Research: Conduct research for businesses or individuals in need of specific information.

30. Online Real Estate: Invest in virtual real estate, such as domain names or digital properties, and sell them for a profit.

Remember that success in making money online often requires dedication, patience, and the ability to adapt to changing trends. It's essential to research and choose the opportunities that align with your skills, interests, and long-term goals.

[faizan2f]

Virtual Classroom Solutions

Set up a Best Smart Virtual Classroom Solutions with PeopleLink

The need for smart classrooms in schools, colleges, universities and online tutorials is increasing day by day. It is increasingly important for the technical departments of Schools, Universities, and Colleges to understand how to set up the best smart classroom solution for their organization.

An ideal smart and virtual classroom solution not only should provide a seamless classroom environment for the students and teachers but should be easy to set up and use and Affordable to implement. PeopleLink offers smart classroom solutions that transform every traditional classroom to a boundary-less virtual space where students and teachers can interact in a face to face real life like session very easily. This on-demand learning helps students to have a better learning curve wherever they are – either on-campus or off-campus.

With PeopleLink’s complete online classroom package that operates on a unified communications platform, All you need is a moderate bandwidth network coverage in your school or college or any online teaching institute to get the maximum user experience. With innovative and meaningful use of technology, PeopleLink is transforming the way teachers teach and students learn in schools.

Smart classroom technology is a success as visually attractive methods of teaching engage the audio-visual senses and are proven to be more appealing to the students.

Let us understand the main basic requirements to set up a successful Smart Virtual Classroom Solution with PeopleLink.

Desktop , Laptop, Tab or Mobile with Internet Connectivity

The use of familiar technology like desktop or laptop makes students feel more comfortable and confident. Students can connect from their home or distant location to the teacher using the device of their choice as a desktop, laptop or mobile.

Digital Podium (at Teacher’s location)

Digital Podiums are the modern version of the classic podiums with inbuilt touch screen monitor and laptop interface. This e-podium’s laptop interface is just like any other laptop, enabling you to connect to the internet with video, audio, USB ports, etc. These new-gen podiums are ideal for any smart online classroom and pave way for smarter lectures, seminars, and presentations. These smart podiums come with microphones and digital signal processor which produces HD quality audio.

The lecturer/instructor can operate the whiteboard from the podium using the touch screen monitor, which eradicates the visibility issues among the audience. Proper engaging with the students/attendees can be done. These seamless designs give your smart class room’s or auditorium’s rostrum a great advantage. PeopleLink provides a wide variety of digital podiums.

Auto Speaker Tracking Camera – The teacher can move around freely without the need of an additional person to manage the camera.

The PeopleLink’s speaker tracking camera as the name suggests works with audio positioning and face detection technology. With 12x optical zoom, and 72.5 ° field of view the camera precisely tracks your speaker. This audio-visual tracking camera has inbuilt meeting algorithms that switch between zoom in the speaker and the panoramic view of the enter online classroom as programmed.

This smart camera is exclusively designed for video conferencing, video chats, streaming, recordings from virtual classrooms, auditoriums, etc. The H.264/H.265 video compression and 1080p resolution with 60 fps make every video call or recordings crystal clear giving face-to-face like user experience. This teacher tracking camera has HDMI output, audio output and audio inputs highly compatible with your existing video conferencing system.

Student Tracking Camera – Keep track of all Students connected from different locations

PeopleLink’s student tracking camera is a smart PTZ camera that auto-tracks, and captures the audience in online classrooms, auditoriums or any conference rooms. Auto-tracking and auto-zoom in and zoom out (up to 20x optical zoom) are possible with the embedded image processing and analysis algorithms. Users can configure these cameras very easily with just a few steps. These auto-tracking video conferencing cameras can record high-quality videos (1080p with H.264 video compression) and stores in a local storage module. It also has a static wide-angle camera to capture the classroom at a wider angle.

Where to use this?

Consider that your math teacher has not come to your class due to personal reasons. But has informed that he will connect from home as he knows that yours is a online smart classroom. In such a scenario, the student tracking camera relays the picture-perfect video to the remote location where the lecturer is located.

Document Visualizer – Project Your Documents on Large Screen

Document Visualizers is one of the key players in a smart classroom, meeting room, or training room as it helps every student participant to view the shared documents on screen at full HD resolution. PeopleLink offers you industry best document visualizer named PeopleLink iVision Beta. The smart camera of this device allows you to magnify the document up to 32x optical zoom and 16x digital zoom making the document easily readable. The camera can be rotated at an angle of 350 degrees both horizontally and vertically so that you can get improved coverage of the document.

This camera document scanner’s output can be connected not only to a projector but also to Desktop PC, Laptop, and RGB display out. You could also use the HDMI Port to transmit both high definition video and audio output at the same time.

This makes the document visualizer highly versatile and compatible. The document visualizer’s peripheral also helps to connect to a mic, two audio inputs (from PC and laptop) and audio out enabling the device to send audio along with the shared documents.

Its’ portable design, the camera cover, the intuitive control panel and the left/right fill lights on top of the document tray are added advantages of this document camera visualizer.

Audio DSP and Ceiling Microphones – Hear every Participant Clearly

Are you are looking for a complete and integrated solution for high-quality audio communication for your training rooms, virtual classrooms or any conferencing rooms? Try our PeopleLink DSP CM Pro, you will know why it is the best choice. Our Voice Collaboration DSPs are configured with echo cancellation, noise suppression, and high SNR.

Our Digital Signal Processors supports the wireless mic and has the best mixer which does intelligent sound mixing and recording. The audio processing is basically done with the 3rd Generation of Auctopus Audio Processing Algorithm. Along with this DSP CM Pro, PeopleLink offers Spherical ceiling microphones, which is capable of picking up HD audio up to 10 meters.

This digital audio processor has six 3.81 phoenix interface and bus structure for transferring data. It also has a b-type USB port. This Digital single processor with ceiling microphones is highly compatible with your audio and video software. On the whole, you can present your virtual classroom with streamlined audio using this Audio DSP and ceiling microphones.

Interactive Display – Touch sensitive Display for interactive learning

The ultimate aim of online smart classrooms is to present the students with intuitive sessions having more scope for interactions. Peoplelink’s interactive displays work hand in hand with you to provide the best virtual classroom experience for both on-campus and remote students. One such notable recommendation is PeopleLink Interactive Display T86, a 86 inch display with 16:09 aspect ratio and 3840 x 2160 pixels 4k ultra HD resolution.

With these interactive flat panel, you can write using your finger and also with an interactive pen. This stunning display provides up to 10 touchpoints, that is, you can write with your 10 fingers at the same time. Isn’t that great?! Yes, when installed on a virtual classroom, you could call up to 10 students at a time and make them write on the screen.

This interactive touch display operates both on Windows and Android operating systems, which opens the horizon of embedding interactive tools, exclusive editing tools, and various learning software. The lecturer can plan for fun engaging activities with all the student participants and easily connect to any mobile device like Chromebook, laptops, tablets, ipads which is welcome to be used in schools and universities worldwide.

With the lightweight and slim design and minimal bezel design makes it easy for installation on walls and does not protrude much from the wall.

This modern and wide interactive screen plays a vital role in the smart classroom and also in training rooms easily bringing all the participants in unison. Try our PeopleLink Interactive Display T86.

MultiLocation Video Conferencing for Education that works even at Low Bandwidth

When it comes to remote teaching or learning, PeopleLink’s Omnipresence is an apt multi-location video conferencing solution for conducting virtual smart classroom sessions.Omnipresence FeaturesBenefits/UsesVideosGet Ultra HD 4K videosEasy integrationConnects with any remote system with easy integration. Also, deploy at reasonable installation and operational costSmart touch-enabled controllerPeopleLink Insta Controller, a smart portable gadget that controls the entire conferencing system in just a single touch – session initiation, virtual classroom AV control, lighting control of the classroom.Supports up to 16 screens (single or multiple) in houseIn your classroom, you can have up to 16 screens showing remote participants and also supports 16 camera inputsGet uncompromised video audio quality even at low bandwidthNot all remote students may have access to the high-speed internet; sometimes students would also want to take sessions while travelling. Having this in mind, PeopleLink has designed this solution to work even in low bandwidth internet.Share data easilyYou could share rich contextual media or data to all your student participants. By this way, you can make them understand the concepts what you are arriving at very easily. Teaching and learning process is quick here.Transmits multiple video feeds to remote connectorsThe students at remote locations can view the perfect video streaming and transmits multiple videos to the students connected from different part of the world.

All these products and solutions by PeopleLink, serve a great purpose in a smart classroom helping not only the students physically present in the classroom but also those who have connected remotely. PeopleLink’s smart classroom solutions are of great support to the technology-embraced educational systems.

[kddicorporations]

What Does a Good Video Conferencing Solution Offers? The best video conferencing solution that caters to various online video conference platforms ensures this set of versatile features. It empowers productive collaboration and makes remote communication efficient and effective.

[theaipromoter]

ONPASSIVE Products’ O-Connect Review: The Best Way to Manage Online Meetings

ONPASSIVE Products’ O-Connect is a cutting-edge online meeting management platform that allows individuals and businesses to host and manage virtual meetings with ease. O-Connect is part of the OnPassive suite of products, which is designed to provide a comprehensive solution to all of your online business neOnPassive Products’ O-Connect is an excellent online meeting management platform that…

[info-4]

#Talentserve #Blendedlearning

Blended learning

Blended learning, the fusion of traditional face-to-face instruction with online learning elements, has emerged as a transformative approach in education. This pedagogical model combines the best of both worlds, offering students the flexibility of online learning while retaining the benefits of in-person interaction. With its emphasis on personalized learning experiences and adaptable delivery methods, blended learning has gained traction across educational institutions worldwide. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the intricacies of blended learning, its components, benefits, challenges, implementation strategies, and future prospects.

Understanding Blended Learning Blended learning encompasses a spectrum of instructional methods that integrate traditional classroom teaching with digital tools and resources. At its core, it seeks to optimize learning outcomes by leveraging technology to complement and enhance face-to-face instruction. This hybrid approach allows students to engage with course materials, collaborate with peers, and receive feedback through both online platforms and in-person interactions with educators.

Components of Blended Learning Blended learning models vary in structure and implementation, but they typically consist of the following components:

Face-to-Face Instruction: Traditional classroom sessions where teachers deliver lectures, facilitate discussions, and conduct hands-on activities. Online Learning: Virtual learning environments hosted on learning management systems (LMS) or educational platforms, providing access to course materials, multimedia resources, interactive modules, and communication tools. Asynchronous Activities: Self-paced online assignments, readings, quizzes, and multimedia content that students can access and complete independently. Synchronous Activities: Real-time online sessions, such as webinars, video conferences, or virtual classrooms, where students interact with instructors and peers in a live setting. Assessment and Feedback: Continuous evaluation through online assessments, quizzes, discussion forums, and timely feedback from instructors to monitor student progress and comprehension. Benefits of Blended Learning Blended learning offers numerous advantages for both educators and learners:

Flexibility and Accessibility: Students can access course materials anytime, anywhere, allowing for personalized learning experiences that accommodate diverse schedules, learning styles, and abilities. Increased Engagement: The integration of multimedia resources, interactive activities, and online discussions promotes active learning, collaboration, and student participation. Enhanced Learning Outcomes: Blended learning caters to individual learning needs by offering personalized instruction, adaptive feedback, and opportunities for self-directed learning, leading to improved academic performance and knowledge retention. Cost-Efficiency: By leveraging digital resources and reducing the need for physical infrastructure, blended learning can lower educational costs associated with travel, accommodation, and classroom maintenance. Preparation for the Digital Age: By integrating technology into the learning process, blended learning equips students with essential digital literacy skills, critical thinking abilities, and adaptability to thrive in the digital workforce. Challenges of Blended Learning Despite its potential benefits, blended learning also presents several challenges that educators and institutions must address:

Technological Barriers: Unequal access to technology, limited internet connectivity, and technical difficulties can hinder students' ability to fully engage with online learning resources. Pedagogical Integration: Effective integration of digital tools and online activities into the curriculum requires careful planning, training, and ongoing support for educators to ensure alignment with learning objectives and instructional practices. Assessment Validity: Ensuring the validity and reliability of online assessments and evaluations poses challenges related to plagiarism, cheating, and the authenticity of student work in virtual environments. Time and Resource Constraints: Designing, implementing, and managing blended learning initiatives require substantial time, resources, and expertise in instructional design, technology integration, and curriculum development. Student Motivation and Engagement: Maintaining student motivation and engagement in online learning environments can be challenging, particularly for self-paced activities or asynchronous discussions that lack the immediacy of face-to-face interactions. Strategies for Implementing Blended Learning Successful implementation of blended learning requires careful planning, collaboration, and ongoing evaluation. Here are some key strategies:

Needs Assessment: Conduct a thorough analysis of students' needs, learning preferences, and technological readiness to inform the design and delivery of blended learning experiences. Clear Learning Objectives: Establish clear learning objectives and outcomes aligned with curriculum standards, instructional goals, and assessment criteria to guide the development of blended learning activities. Technology Integration: Select appropriate digital tools, learning management systems, and online resources that support active learning, collaboration, and engagement while addressing accessibility and usability concerns. Pedagogical Training: Provide professional development opportunities, training workshops, and ongoing support for educators to enhance their digital literacy skills, instructional strategies, and ability to facilitate blended learning environments effectively. Feedback and Iteration: Solicit feedback from students, educators, and stakeholders through surveys, focus groups, and formative assessments to identify strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement in the blended learning experience. Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by revising, refining, and adapting blended learning initiatives based on evidence-based practices, student feedback, and emerging technologies. Future Trends and Prospects As technology continues to evolve and reshape the educational landscape, blended learning is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of learning. Several trends and developments are likely to influence the evolution of blended learning in the years to come:

Personalized Learning: Advances in adaptive learning technologies, artificial intelligence, and data analytics will enable personalized learning experiences tailored to individual student needs, preferences, and learning trajectories. Immersive Technologies: The integration of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) into blended learning environments will offer immersive, interactive experiences that enhance student engagement and comprehension. Global Collaboration: Blended learning will facilitate cross-cultural collaboration, global networking, and international exchanges, allowing students to connect with peers, experts, and resources from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographical locations. Hybrid Learning Models: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of hybrid learning models that combine in-person instruction with online elements, providing flexibility, resilience, and continuity in times of crisis or disruption. Lifelong Learning: Blended learning will support lifelong learning initiatives, professional development programs, and continuing education opportunities for learners of all ages, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and skill development in the digital age. Conclusion In conclusion, blended learning represents a dynamic, innovative approach to education that harnesses the power of technology to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. By integrating traditional pedagogical methods with digital tools and online resources, blended learning offers flexibility, accessibility, and personalized learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs of students in the 21st century. While challenges such as technological barriers, pedagogical integration, and assessment validity remain, strategic implementation strategies, ongoing professional development, and a commitment to continuous improvement can maximize the benefits of blended learning and prepare students for success in an ever-changing world. As we navigate the complexities of education in the digital age, blended learning stands as a beacon of innovation and opportunity, empowering learners to thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

[brostateexam]

Shallow, fake, showy, and performative—these are a few of the adjectives used to describe BookTok, the corner of TikTok where young women share and discuss books on camera, by drive-by tourists to a culture they don’t understand.

I’m no BookTok tourist. I’ve lived here for nine months. As a chronically online millennial, I’ve become a translator between the readers on BookTok and the literary community that looks down upon them. On TikTok, I post a video about Mary Ruefle that gets forty thousand views and yields comments like: “this just gave a whole new perspective on my entire existence.”

In a banquet room in South Carolina, I’m giving the keynote speech at a writing conference. To inspire the audience, I tell the Cinderella story of Colleen Hoover, the bestselling author in America. Three days before my speech, her novel It Starts with Us sold 800,000 copies on release day. There are 120 writers in the room; only one has heard of Hoover.

[mariacallous]

On the evening of May 12, Keith Gill posted an image to his X account, depicting a man sitting forward in his chair. It’s a popular meme, used to say something like It’s time to get serious. Shortly after the New York Stock Exchange opened for trading the following morning, the stock for video game retailer GameStop was up by more than 50 percent. It was no coincidence. Nor was it when the stock plunged today, following lackluster earnings reported by GameStop and a rambling YouTube livestream in which Gill declared his continued faith in the company.

Widely known by the alias Roaring Kitty, Gill was one of the architects of the meme-stock craze of 2021, when amateur investors on the social platform Reddit worked together to drive up the price of GameStop and other out-of-favor stocks. The aim was to get one over on the investment funds that had bet against GameStop, one of which ended up losing billions of dollars. In this period, Gill became something of a pied piper for amateur stock investors, who chased him into the stocks he endorsed. The tweet on May 12, though cryptic, was interpreted by Gill’s hundreds of thousands of followers as a call to buy, sending the price of GameStop stock skyward again.

The tweet was Gill’s first in almost three years. But it was followed by a stream of memes and other shitposts, some of which made reference to GameStop. On June 2, Gill posted a screenshot to Reddit that appeared to indicate he holds $115.7 million in GameStop stock, as well as call options—contracts that confer the right to buy stock at a certain price on a certain date—worth $65.7 million. Despite today's stock price setback, he's still in the money.

Gill did not respond to a request for comment, but the livestream—his first in three years—offered some explanation for his sudden return. Appearing on camera, dressed inexplicably in a fake head bandage and Band-Aids, with his arm in a sling, Gill confirmed he was responsible for the content posted to his social accounts and that the positions detailed in his Reddit posts are genuine, before entering into a sermon on his GameStop investment thesis. “What can I say about GameStop?” he said. “I have a lot of the same feelings. I wanted to reiterate a lot of my viewpoints that I had previously.”

While demonstrating enthusiasm for a stock (or posting in a way that could be interpreted that way) is not itself illegal, Gill is playing a dangerous game now that his holdings are public. “You can’t trade and tweet. You just can’t,” says Lisa Bragança, and attorney at Bragança Law and the former branch chief at the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US regulatory agency tasked with protecting investors. “You are just inviting an investigation.”

In 2021, Gill was hauled in front of a congressional committee to account for his alleged role in stoking the meme-stock rally. In his testimony, he denied deliberately juicing the price of GameStop stock for personal gain. “The idea that I used social media to promote GameStop stock to unwitting investors is preposterous,” said Gill.

Gill did not face charges then, but this time could be different. The securities regulator for the state of Massachusetts has confirmed it is looking into Gill’s recent conduct, without providing specifics. It would appear that Gill is aware of the risk of provoking an SEC investigation. On May 16 he posted a clip of a CNBC interview in which Jay Clayton, former SEC chair, expressed the view that his conduct should not be tolerated. The SEC declined to comment on the existence of an investigation.

At the start of Gill’s YouTube livestream, a long disclaimer scrolled up the screen like the Star Wars opening crawl. “You should not treat any opinion expressed on this Youtube [sic] channel as a specific inducement to make a particular investment or follow a particular strategy,” it read. As Gill bantered with his YouTube viewers—all 600,000 of them—the price of GameStop stock briefly rose. “Shit, look at this. It’s going up,” he said. “Do I have to be careful what I say here? I don’t really know.”

It might seem self-evident that Gill’s posts, cryptic as they may be, have caused a rise in the price of GameStop stock from which he stands to profit, as a stockholder. But absent a full history of his trading, it is difficult to assess whether he has violated securities laws, says Richard Schulman, partner at law firm Adler & Stachenfeld. “It’s never entirely clear until the facts are fully formed,” he says.

But Gill has given regulators plenty to dig into. “Was his purpose to influence the movement of stock price? Did he, in fact, affect demand for the stock? Will he profit from these activities? These are the kinds of issues a regulator will want to investigate,” says Schulman. The answers could determine whether Gill faces a formal investigation.

Specifically, Gill could find himself in trouble when his call options expire on June 21, leaving him with a decision: Should he sell his options at a profit, if the stock price remains high, or take delivery of the GameStop shares they represent? Having made his position public, says Bragança, Gill is required under a little-understood facet of securities law to provide his audience with advance warning of any sales, even if doing so would jeopardize profits. “The problem is when you change your position,” says Bragança. “Before you sell, you’d better tell the marketplace. Most people on social media don’t think that way. The initial [social] posts are not the thing that is going to get him in trouble—it’s the stuff we can’t see.”

Gill may question how his conduct differs from any other pundit who offers stock tips or chief executive who talks up their company. And he could have a point. There is an extent to which Gill is flirting with gray areas in the securities rulebook, devised long before someone imagined an influencer in a position to swing the market with a single tweet.

But the SEC has typically contended that the rules are sufficiently malleable to allow for mutations of age-old violations to be dealt with. “Market manipulation is not necessarily a rigid concept,” says Schulman. “The SEC is not unused to trying to apply concepts to new situations in the world that has developed.”

The SEC has not made public its thinking, but former chair Clayton, in the interview with CNBC, implied that the agency will be eager to prevent further volatility in the price of GameStop, which risks imposing large-scale losses on investors. One way to do that would be to bring cases against an individual that it considers has wielded social influence in an illegal way, with the aim of deterring others from doing the same. “It’s like Aesop’s fables,” says Bragança. “We’re telling a story. You should take a moral from it.”

[mysticalpiratekryptonite-blog]

Mastering SEO: Tips and Tricks for Online Success

In today's digital age, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become a cornerstone of online success. Whether you're a small business owner, a content creator, or a marketer, understanding SEO tips and tricks is essential for improving your website's visibility and driving organic traffic. In this article, we'll delve into some expert tips and tricks to help you master SEO and boost your online presence.

Keyword Research and Optimization Start by conducting thorough keyword research to identify the terms and phrases your target audience is searching for. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover relevant keywords with decent search volumes and low competition. Incorporate these keywords strategically into your website's content, including titles, headings, meta descriptions, and throughout the body text. However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact user experience and lead to penalties from search engines.

Create High-Quality, Relevant Content Focus on creating valuable, engaging, and informative content that addresses your audience's needs and interests. Use a variety of content formats such as articles, videos, infographics, podcasts, and interactive elements to cater to different preferences. Regularly update your content to ensure it remains fresh and relevant, as search engines favor recent and up-to-date information.

Optimize Website Structure and Navigation Ensure your website has a clear and intuitive structure that allows both users and search engines to navigate easily. Use descriptive and SEO-friendly URLs, organize content into categories and subcategories, and implement breadcrumbs for enhanced navigation. Optimize your website's loading speed by compressing images, using caching techniques, and minimizing unnecessary scripts and plugins.

Mobile-Friendly Design With the increasing use of mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for SEO success. Use responsive design principles to ensure your website looks and functions seamlessly across various screen sizes and devices. Test your website's mobile-friendliness using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool and make necessary optimizations.

Optimize Meta Tags and Descriptions Craft compelling and descriptive meta titles and meta descriptions that accurately represent your content and entice users to click. Include relevant keywords naturally in your meta tags but avoid over-optimization. Use schema markup to provide additional context to search engines and improve the visibility of rich snippets in search results.

Earn Quality Backlinks Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant websites in your industry or niche. Create shareable content that naturally attracts backlinks, such as comprehensive guides, case studies, original research, or unique insights. Participate in guest blogging, collaborate with influencers, and leverage social media platforms to amplify your content and attract backlinks organically.

Monitor and Analyze Performance Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and third-party SEO platforms to track your website's performance, traffic sources, keyword rankings, and user behavior. Analyze data regularly to identify areas for improvement, capitalize on successful strategies, and adapt to algorithm changes and market trends.

Stay Updated and Adapt

SEO is constantly evolving, with search engines updating their algorithms and ranking factors regularly. Stay informed about industry trends, algorithm updates, and best practices through reputable SEO blogs, forums, webinars, and conferences. Continuously adapt your SEO strategies and tactics to align with current best practices and ensure long-term success.

By implementing these SEO tips and tricks, you can enhance your website's visibility, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately achieve your online goals. Remember that SEO is an ongoing process that requires dedication, monitoring, and adaptation, but the rewards in terms of improved search rankings and increased visibility are well worth the effort.

[mitaliroy]

The Role of Technology in Modern Education: Enhancing Learning Experiences

Technology has provided us with various tools and platforms that help in collaborative learning. Whether it is a video conference, an online forum, or a social media platform, these tools allow teachers and students to engage in discussions, share ideas, and collaborate on projects from anywhere. For instance, middle school near Harinavi have implemented online platforms that enable their students to interact with each other and engage in project-based learning activities. KNOW MORE>> https://bestcbseschoolnearme.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-role-of-technology-in-modern-education-enhancing-learning-experiences.html

[oral-history]

WHY AUDIO NEVER GOES VIRAL Is This Thing On? (One of the Best Pieces Ever)

Stan Alcorn

· Jan 15, 2014

With a community of creators uncomfortable with the value of virality, an audience content to watch grainy dashcam videos, and platforms that discourage sharing, is a hit-machine for audio possible? And is it something anyone even wants?

Skip Dolphin Hursh

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Last October, several dozen audiophiles gathered in a basement auditorium for an all-day conference about “the future of radio in a digital age.” Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian finished a talk he’s been giving to college campuses about the Internet and the transformative power it can unleash when it mobilizes a mass of people around an idea, a video, a website, a tweet. When he took questions, I asked: Why does the Internet so rarely mobilize around audio? What would it take to put audio on the Reddit front page?

Ohanian leaned back, contemplating the question, apparently for the first time. “That’s interesting,” he said. “I’m thinking of a lot of the viral content.” You could practically see the memes and GIFs pass across his brain. He started to point out that most viral videos are under three minutes, while the best audio storytelling was usually longer, but interrupted himself with a story about Upworthy.

When the founders pitched him on their plan — to make “socially good content” “go viral” — Ohanian invested “out of passion,” not because he thought it would work. Now Upworthy is one of the fastest growing media properties on the Internet. Sure, sound may not go viral today, but Ohanian is optimistic. “Probably someone here in the audience is going to show us all wrong,” he said, “and a year from now we’re going to look at the Upworthy for audio."

“So go make it.”

Easier said than done.

Cat Video Vs. The Cat’s Meow

Bianca Giaever has always been obsessed with radio. As a child, while she biked her newspaper delivery route, she listened to an iPod loaded exclusively with episodes of WBEZ’s “This American Life.” At Middlebury College, she stalked her classmates, dragging them to her dorm room to record interviews she edited into stories for the college station and smaller audiences online. “I was fully planning on working in radio,” she says. “My whole life.” That is until, the day after graduation, she became a viral video star.

When she painstakingly crafted moving audio narratives, her parents and brother listened. When she added video to her final college project, “The Scared is Scared” — a 6-year-old’s dream movie brought to life — “It just. Blew. Up.”

“At first I was like, ‘Wow. A lot of people are sharing this on Facebook,’” she recalls thinking, “‘I have such nice friends!’” Then it was friends of friends. Then strangers. By the time websites like Mashable and CBS News picked it up, she could only picture the audience as a number. Waiting on the tarmac for her post-grad vacation to begin, she watched on her phone as that number spiked into the thousands, then hundreds of thousands, seemingly crashing the site that hosted it. “These French people were yelling — because I had my phone on as we were taking off — that I was going to kill them,” she recalls. “They were like, ‘Is whatever you’re doing worth our possible death?’ And I was like, ‘Maybe? This is the biggest thing that’s happened in my life!’”

Of the 100 most-shared news articles on Facebook, three were from NPR, but none included audio. Two of these were reblogs of YouTube videos.

I’m a public radio reporter and this doesn’t happen in my milieu. There is no Google Sound, no BuzzFeed for audio, no obvious equivalent of Gangnam Style, Grumpy Cat or Doge. If you define “viral” as popularity achieved through social sharing, and audio as sound other than music, even radio stations’ most viral content isn’t audio — it’s video. A 17-minute video interview with Miley Cyrus at Hot 97 has nearly 2 million views. An off-the-rails BBC Radio 1 video interview with Mila Kunis: more than 12 million. In June 2013, the list of the 100 most-shared news articles on Facebook included three from NPR, but none included audio. Two of these stories were reblogs of YouTube videos (this one and this one), found on Gawker and Reddit.

“Audio never goes viral,” writes radio and podcast producer Nate DiMeo. “If you posted the most incredible story — literally, the most incredible story that has ever been told since people have had the ability to tell stories, it will never, ever get as many hits as a video of a cat with a moustache.”

It’s hardly a fair fight, audio vs. cat video, but it’s the one that’s fought on Facebook every day. DiMeo’s glum conclusion is an exaggeration of what Giaever reads as the moral of her own story: “People will watch a bad video more than [they will listen to] good audio,” she says.

Those in the Internet audio business tend to give two explanations for this disparity. “The greatest reason is structural,” says Jesse Thorn, who hosts a public radio show called “Bullseye” and runs a podcast network called Maximum Fun. “Audio usage takes place while you’re doing something else.” You can listen while you drive or do the dishes, an insuperable competitive advantage over text or video, which transforms into a disadvantage when it comes to sharing the listening experience with anyone out of earshot. “When you’re driving a car, you’re not going to share anything,” says Thorn.

The second explanation is that you can’t skim sound. An instant of video is a still, a window into the action that you can drag through time at will. An instant of audio, on the other hand, is nothing. “If I send someone an article, if they see the headline and read a few things, they know what I want them to know,” a sound artist and radio producer told me. “If I send someone audio, they have to, like… listen to it.” It’s a lot to ask of an Internet audience.

For some radio makers, social media incompatibility is a sign of countercultural vitality. Thorn has called his own work “anti-viral,” and believes that entertaining his niche audience is “still so much better than making things that convince aunts to forward them to each other.”

“That’s A-U-N-T-S,” he clarifies.

But when I suggest the situation doesn’t seem to concern him, he interrupts, “To say that it doesn’t concern me — it concerns me profoundly. I think about it all the time.” In his view, social media warps our consumption patterns, and not for the better. “It’s a serious problem in my life. And not just in my media-making life, in my day-to-day life.”

After Giaever’s video went viral, she turned down an internship at “This American Life” — “my dream since I was nine” — to become a “filmmaker in residence” for Adobe. She gets paid to make her own movies, which she still approaches as radio stories with added visuals. It’s the proven way to get people on the Internet to listen. “The entire concept of what I’m doing seems problematic to me,” she says. “What’s so beautiful about radio is you can’t compete with what people are imagining in their heads, right? And yet I still continue to do it.”

Because audio doesn’t go viral.

Except that sometimes, it does.

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Most viral audio wasn’t intended for the Internet. Recordings made for some other purpose are excerpted and uploaded: voicemails, speeches, and calls to 911 and customer service hotlines.

One category of viral audio is the document, bits of audio that serve as evidence in a news story. It’s easy to imagine text transcripts being distributed in audio’s absence: Bradley Manning’s testimony, the 911 calls of the Trayvon Martin case, Obama’s oft-quoted “clinging to guns and religion.” The primary advantage of audio over text is that it lets the listener confirm a quote with her own ears and determine if meaning is altered by nuances of emphasis or emotion.

Another category of viral audio is the rant or comic diatribe, where emphasis and emotion are the entire point. For instance, an irate San Francisco Chronicle reader chewing out the editor for referring to a “pilotless drone,” or a voicemail becomes an increasingly laugh-filled narration of the aftermath of a car crash. A transcript of these would be like lyrics without a melody.

Somewhere in between these two is a subcategory that could be called “celebrities gone wild”: Alec Baldwin cursing out his 11-year-old daughter, Christian Bale cursing out his director of photography, Mel Gibson cursing out his ex-girlfriend, etc.

These brief, emotional, sometimes-newsworthy clips of people speaking have cousins in viral video. In fact, the two are sometimes difficult to distinguish. Mitt Romney’s infamous “47% comment” was captured and distributed as a video featuring blurry donors’ backs. A recent viral “video” titled, “Potty Talk! [Original] 3 year old contemplates the effects of his diet on the toilet” is merely a shaky shot of a bathroom door. When documenting a primarily auditory event from the vantage point of a single recording device, adding a video camera to the microphone gives slightly more information, and the advantage of keeping the eyes occupied.

But these amateur, one-shot videos are a small and shrinking section of the viral video pool. “We’re seeing a lot more professional work in [the viral video] space, and I don’t just mean advertisers,” says YouTube trends manager Kevin Allocca. The “top trending videos” of 2013 were all intentionally shot and edited for an Internet audience: music videos (“What Does The Fox Say?”) and ads (Volvo’s “epic split” with Jean-Claude Van Damme) but also low-budget productions like the Norwegian army’s “Harlem Shake.” They all have had over 90 million views.

Analogous audio — deliberately constructed and virally distributed — is a rarer and more recent phenomenon.

Ask a public radio journalist for an example of viral audio, and one piece comes up again and again: “Two Little Girls Explain The Worst Haircut Ever.” It’s two minutes and fifty seven seconds of cute, as five-year-old Sadie and three-year-old Eva tell the story of an ill-advised haircut to their patient interviewer and father, WNPR reporter Jeff Cohen. For public radio, Cohen has covered gangs, unemployment, and the aftermath of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school. He won a magazine writing award for a story in the Hartford Courant about Connecticut’s first Iraq war widow.

“I’ve done a lot of work as a reporter that I’m pretty proud of,” he says. “I will never be recognized for anything for the rest of my life, except for this.”

It, too, resembles a viral video: it’s short, self-contained and driven by cute children. But not only does it lack any images of said children, it isn’t a straightforward record of what unfolded in front of the microphone. Cohen recorded two interviews, one with each daughter, and then carefully edited them into a fast-paced, seamless whole. Unlike Alec Baldwin’s voicemail, “Two Little Girls” is a showcase of audio’s power to create what appears to be an unedited version of reality, but is in fact a tightly constructed story, with a beginning, middle and end.

To explain why millions of people have listened to “Two Little Girls” — and why this is still so exceptional — you have to look at its convoluted path to fame.

What We Mean When We Talk About ‘Viral’

Taken literally, “viral” brings to mind an infectious agent bumping around inside its host, spreading accidentally by breath or touch. When “viral marketing” emerged in the 1990s, the medical referent was apt. The disease vector typically took the form of email and “virals” — as such ads were then called — that lived in the inbox. Invisible to the wider world, they spread from individual to individual, as when Hotmail stuck a sign-up ad beneath its users’ signatures. Or when the movie “American Psycho” sent compulsively forwardable emails from its psychotic main character, Patrick Bateman.

Today, those seeking to “go viral” have the same essential goal — to increase their audience by reaching the audience’s audience (and their audience, ad infinitum) — but the web has changed beyond the dynamics of disease transmission. Instead of invisible, one-to-one emails, today’s Internet infections spread by a cascade of publicly visible, one-to-many “likes,” “shares,” “tweets,” and “reblogs,” accelerated and amplified by an expanding web publishing industry. “Sharing” implies a deliberate effort, but social media sharing skews toward a mix of self-representation and what Tumblr creative technologist Max Sebela refers to as “speaking in content”: You might share Rebecca Black’s “Friday,” not because you want people to watch the video, but to make a joke about the fact that today is Friday.

“How does it happen,” YouTube’s Kevin Allocca asked in a 2011 speech called “Why Videos Go Viral.” “Three things: tastemakers, communities of participation, and unexpectedness.”

Tastemakers are like virus broadcasters, picking up outstanding, or “unexpected,” Internet phenomena that might otherwise never spread beyond their initial communities, and spraying their spores onto larger followings.

For Cohen’s “Two Little Girls,” the key tastemaker, without whom it may well have languished in Internet obscurity, was Gawker’s Neetzan Zimmerman. (Note: I spoke with Zimmerman before he announced his plans to leave Gawker to become editor-in-chief of a social network startup called Whisper.)

Zimmerman is the closest thing to a one-man embodiment of what he calls “the viral industry.” When Gawker hired him in early 2012, his boss A.J. Daulerio approvingly called him, “a total freak” for his ability to methodically scour the corners of the Internet for the video, memes, and Internet ephemera that would grow to popularity after being seeded with Gawker’s audience. “Before I used to do basically 20 hours a day,” Zimmerman says. “Now there’s a night shift, so I don’t have to worry as much.” In the last three months of 2013, his posts were responsible for more than half of Gawker’s pageviews and two thirds of the site’s unique visitors — nearly 40 million in total — according to Gawker’s public stats. For comparison, that’s more than 1/3 of the traffic of the entire the New York Times website.

Zimmerman’s work is a more extreme version of the new, upside-down dynamic of web publishing. Instead of the publisher’s megaphone guaranteeing its articles an audience, the publisher only has an audience insofar as the articles “go viral.” Tens of thousands of readers see most of the dozen items Zimmerman posts each day, but millions see his blockbusters.

For those hits, the content and the clickbait headline are as important as the timing. He describes “going viral” like surfing: boarding a wave at the earliest possible point. “You don’t want to wait too long because you’ll miss that initial cresting,” he says. “It’s a race against everyone else.”

Zimmerman chooses what to cover by scanning for signs of that wave rather than looking deeply at the constituent molecules of content. “The way the system works is I keep a mental note of instances of occurrence on a certain tier of sites,” he says. This lets him identify “viral momentum,” even when his personal judgment might suggest otherwise. “The purpose of the system is to override my biases and to override whatever personal feelings I have.”

Sometimes this lets Zimmerman not only beat the competition, but also popularize something that might otherwise never bubble into the mainstream from a less-trafficked corner of the Internet. But the system — Zimmerman’s and that of the “viral industry” more generally — has an obvious bias of its own toward content that is already being shared on the Internet.

For Bianca Giaever’s “Scared” video, first college and radio friends shared it on Facebook, then Vimeo made it a “staff pick,” then major media websites like CBS News, BuzzFeed, Jezebel and Mashable blogged about it. Within three days, hundreds of thousands were watching.

For Cohen, it took four months, and a lot of luck.

‘Invisible As the Radio Waves Themselves’

Jeff Cohen had interviewed his daughters many times, in the same way other fathers shoot home videos. “I’m sappy that way,” he says. But he thought enough of the haircut piece to play it for colleagues at the radio station. “It was about five minutes long, and my boss and friends said, ‘Cut it down to three minutes and put it on PRX.’”

PRX is the Public Radio Exchange, and as the name suggests, its website is a marketplace where station managers shop for stories. After Cohen uploaded his new, tighter version of “Two Little Girls” in February of 2012, it was discovered and licensed by a handful of local stations: KOSU in central Oklahoma, KUT in west Texas, KSJD in southwest Colorado.

But to the Internet, all this was invisible as the radio waves themselves. “PRX is designed as a business-to-business marketplace,” says PRX CEO Jake Shapiro. “We’re not designed for listeners… yet.”

The circuitous route that “Two Little Girls” took to Gawker didn’t start with PRX, but at a monthly event called “Ear Cave” hosted by one of Cohen’s colleagues at a coffee shop in Hartford, Connecticut. “I call it BYOB, BYOE,” says the event’s creator Catie Talarski. “Bring Your Own Beer, Bring Your Own Ear.” She dims the lights, sets up chairs, and projects a photograph of an old radio, so the audience has something to look at while a chosen curator presses play on a laptop. That April, “Two Little Girls” was the grand finale.

“It was just a huge hit,” recalls Adam Prizio, an insurance auditor who was in the audience that night. Two months later, Prizio, with the voices of Eva and Sadie bouncing around his head, decided to google it. Finding the audio on PRX, he posted a link to community blog MetaFilter, with no description other than a mysterious quote (“It happens three times in every life. Or twice. Or once.”) and the categorization “SLAudio,” a riff on “SLYT” (Single Link YouTube).

Overnight, the comments swelled. “Amazing.” “Adorable.” “Better than the Car Guys.” “OH MY GOD THIS IS FUCKING BALLER.” There were fewer comments than a link published ten minutes later — “Fundamentalist Christian schools in Louisiana will soon be citing the existence of the Loch Ness monster as proof that evolution is a myth” — but they were comments of single-minded delight. The next morning, Zimmerman saw the thread in his morning Internet regimen, and within an hour had put up his own post that would go on to gather some 1.3 million views entitled, “Public Radio Reporter Interviews His Two Little Girls After One Gives the Other the ‘Worst Haircut Ever.’”

“It didn’t really matter that it was audio,” says Zimmerman. “It was more about how it was being received online.”

In one sense, it followed the same trajectory as all viral content, or what YouTube’s Kevin Allocca has defined as a combination of “community participation” and “tastemakers.” Something becomes popular in a niche community, whose public enthusiasm attracts the notice of a tastemaker, who then repackages it to suit a larger audience, where the entire process repeats on a larger scale.

But really “Two Little Girls” succeeded in spite of its immediate community. Cohen first had to be convinced to put it online at all, and even then it was on a website searched only by public radio station managers. While Cohen says it made the rounds of his Facebook friends, it only took off after audio enthusiasts heard it at a coffee shop.

Compared to other media, even young, tech-savvy audiophiles are less likely to share audio on a weekly basis, and when they do, they’re more likely to use email instead of social media.

The barriers that nearly blocked “Two Little Girls” from finding a larger audience are a mix of culture and technology. While home videos make the leap to YouTube all the time, audio makers tend to keep their scraps to themselves. When I took an unscientific poll (n=60), it backed up what I heard anecdotally: Compared to other media, even young, tech-savvy audiophiles are less likely to share audio on a weekly basis, and when they do, they’re more likely to use email instead of social media.

Several echoed the sentiment of occasional radio producer Laura Griffin, who said, “I tend to assume that most people don’t have the same patience and appreciation for audio that I do, so I am selective about what audio I share and with whom.”

Others pointed to technological limitations. The files themselves are large and often forbid downloading. Audio-hosting websites employ an inconsistent potpourri of players, many of which disallow the embedding that has helped make online video ubiquitous. (Some PRX audio can be embedded, but Gawker had enough trouble with its player that they uploaded the audio into their own.) “I often don’t share NPR audio because their player isn’t embeddable and requires going to another website to listen,” notes multimedia producer Will Coley.

There is one standard format for distributing digital audio, but rather than resolving these barriers to sharing, it may be their most perfect expression: the podcast.

The Podcast Problem

If you don’t know what a podcast is, you’re in the majority.

Technically, it’s an RSS feed containing links to files (“podcast” typically implies an audio file). Using podcast-listening (formerly “podcatching”) software, you can “subscribe,” setting your computer or smartphone to automatically download the new and get rid of the old.

It’s hard to appreciate in 2013 the enthusiasm with which this simple idea was met by the mid-2000s media.

“I haven’t seen this much buzz around a single word since the Internet,” computer programmer Carl Franklin told the New York Times in 2004.

By letting everyone become broadcasters (or really “podcasters”), it was supposed to disrupt radio in a way that was predicted to parallel that other online media format with a horrible portmanteau name: blogging. In fact, the name “podcast” was tossed off by the Guardian's Ben Hammersley between the alternatives “audioblogging” and “GuerillaMedia.”

It wasn’t all hype. Anyone can start a podcast, just as anyone can blog. The podcast did close the loop, in its clunky way, between where people download and where they typically listen. And aficionados can point to a long list of programs, especially covering technology and — more recently — comedy, which never would have existed otherwise.

12% of Americans listened to a podcast in the last month, the same percentage as three years ago.

But while much of online publishing now takes the form of the blog, interest in podcasting seems to have flatlined. According to Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron), 12% of Americans listened to a podcast in the last month, the same percentage as three years ago. It is a substantial niche, but smaller than the percentage of people who create online videos, and less than a sixth the number who watch them.

“There was a huge wave of initial excitement around podcasting changing and disrupting and turning upside-down radio seven years ago, or longer,” says PRX’s Jake Shapiro. “And then it kind of just petered out.”

While the number of podcasts has proliferated, the vast majority of episodes have audiences in the double or triple digits, judging from the experience of podcast hosting giant Libsyn. “If you want to do the average, our mean podcast? Now you’re looking at like 200, 250 downloads per episode,” Libsyn’s Rob Walch told NextMarket Insights's Michael Wolf. The majority of top podcasts, far from being grassroots disruptors, are major public radio shows: “This American Life,” “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” and “Radiolab.” It’s the dominant way of finding an on-demand audio audience on the Internet, but it’s more Hulu than YouTube.

The absence of disruption is, in part, baked into the technology. “It’s clearly the number one barrier to wider listenership,” says Jesse Thorn. Apple gave the format a big boost when it brought it into the iTunes store in 2005, but that walled garden of a market has come to delimit the podcast’s reach. To watch a YouTube video, you click play, wherever it exists on the web. With another click you can immediately share it by putting a player in the feed of your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or even LinkedIn accounts.

To listen to a podcast, however, you have to search for it on an app or in the iTunes store, sign up for it, wait for it to download. (Of course there are other ways to download podcasts, but the majority of podcast downloads occur through Apple.) Click “share” on Apple’s podcasting app, and you’ll be prompted to post an RSS feed, which is a bit like trying to share a new Tom Junod article and instead passing on a password that readers can use to subscribe to Esquire.

These hurdles don’t hamper podcasts that are already well known. Thorn’s podcast audience has been growing steadily by approximately 50% each year. “Radiolab” and “This American Life” — public radio shows that are among the most popular podcasts and the aesthetic guiding lights for young public radio producers — are both approaching a million digital listens for each new episode. For these shows, the occasional episode will get shared more than others, but that “viral” bump is on the order of 10 to 20 percent, and even that seems driven less by social media than old-fashioned word of mouth. “Google is a much bigger referrer to any given episode [than Facebook],” says WNYC’s Jennifer Houlihan Roussel. In other words, podcasts don’t go viral. Nor are they designed to.

As the Guardian’s technology editor, Charles Arthur, points out in the Independent back in 2005, “Podcasts take content and put it into a form that can’t be indexed by search engines or be speed-read, and which you can’t hyperlink to (or from). A podcast sits proud of the flat expanse of the Internet like a poppy in a field. Until we get really good automatic speech-to-text converters, such content will remain outside the useful, indexable web.”

A Cloud Atlas?

If there is any company attempting to create a modern web alternative to the podcast, it’s SoundCloud.

“Podcasting: It’s a fairly old school method of distribution,” says its co-founder and CTO Eric Wahlforss. “We are certainly of the opinion that SoundCloud is the superior way of broadcasting your show across the web.”

If you’ve played audio from Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr, you’ve likely seen it: the slow crawl of orange across a gray waveform. This omnipresent, embeddable player is what has most clearly attracted the moniker “YouTube for audio.” Hoping to make sound as sharable as video, SoundCloud delivers this content via a streaming player instead of a dressed-up file download.

In a Facebook message, data scientist Lada Adamic told me: “Soundcloud does seem to have a lot of sharing activity (everything is dwarfed by YouTube but soundcloud is holding its own) [sic].” SoundCloud was the 11th most commonly submitted domain on Reddit as of March 27, 2013, according to Reddit data scientist Chad Birch, above the Huffington Post, the Guardian and Vimeo. The number of YouTube domains submitted was almost 22 times as high.

But the SoundCloud content accumulating most on social media isn’t what the company calls “audio.” “In our world, in terms of viral content, the real viral content is actually music,” Wahlforss says.

For non-music “audio,” SoundCloud lets broadcasters and podcasters have it both ways, encouraging them to make their shows available on SoundCloud’s platform, while also creating a podcast-ready RSS feed. “We are trying to blur that distinction a little bit,” says Wahlforss.

“We’re on SoundCloud because they have a nice player for sharing on Facebook and Twitter,” says Seth Lind of “This American Life.” But the total plays of their hour-long episodes on SoundCloud peak at roughly 3% of its digital listenership, and are usually under 1%, hovering around 5,000. A look at SoundCloud’s “trending audio” page presents a similar picture: podcast episodes and radio shows, with listenership in the hundreds or low thousands.

Clearly, technology alone doesn’t ensure the virality of an hour-long show with a headline designed for consistency rather than clickability (e.g.: “#513: 129 Cars” from “This American Life”). “It’s probably not going to be as popular as a Gangnam Style,” Lind notes, dryly. The audio that has gone viral takes a different tact: short, tailored specifically for SoundCloud, and providing a near-immediate pay-off that fulfills the headline’s promise.

Much of it is some mix of rant and newsworthy document, like AOL’s Tim Armstrong firing Patch’s creative director, or Charles Ramsey’s 911 call after he helped rescue three kidnapped women in Cleveland.

But the most heard, and most truly social example of SoundCloud’s viral audio is a New Zealand radio host’s dramatic reading of a series of text messages from a one-night stand gone unhinged: “This Is What Crazy Looks Like Via Text Messaging.” “Fletch & Vaughan” host Vaughan Smith found the texts on BuzzFeed and performed them as part of a four hour-long drive-time show. He then uploaded it to SoundCloud and shared it on Facebook to appease callers who wanted to hear the skit — but only that one skit — again.

“At the end of the weekend it hit a million plays,” says Smith. “It was mental.” With more than six million plays to date, more people have heard the version from “Fletch & Vaughan” than have read the BuzzFeed article it was adapted from — a triumph of sound over text.

It couldn’t have gone viral without a player as sharable as SoundCloud, but perhaps more importantly, it couldn’t have gone viral without the active unearthing of comedic gold buried within a longer broadcast. “In public radio, only within the last few years has there been a big value seen in disaggregating content from shows,” says PRX managing director John Barth. “And there’s still a pretty big debate about that.” These concerns echo the now-largely-obsolete resistance of other media to the Internet. They want listeners to experience the whole enchilada, not take the ingredients and re-contextualize them.

As for creating a whole new audio cuisine — work cooked up specifically for a SoundCloud audience — the successful examples are elusive. “We mostly use it as a promotional tool really,” says Smith. “We use it to promote the podcast.”

The Message Is The Medium

Last October, Reddit's Alexis Ohanian told a basement full of audiophiles to go make "the Upworthy for audio," but in a sense, we already have the Upworthy for audio: Upworthy. With its scientifically-selected, clickbait headlines, it  is the reason nearly two million people have heard the future president of Ireland Michael Higgins dress down rightwing talk show host Michael Graham (“A Tea Partier Decided To Pick A Fight With A Foreign President. It Didn’t Go So Well.”) It’s the reason hundreds of thousands have heard Geoffrey Gevalt tell a small poignant story, set to music, about his daughter (“A Toddler Gets Totally Profound In a Way Most Adults Don’t”) and Summer Puente about her father (“Every Night This Dad Falls Asleep in Front of the TV. There’s a Beautiful Reason Why.”)

The Upworthy sector of the Internet economy isn’t just healthy, it’s insatiable and omnivorous in its appetite for content it can coax people into clicking and sharing. “Whether it’s audio, whether it’s video, whether it’s still images, whether it’s text: my system remains pretty much the same,” says Neetzan Zimmerman. “For me it doesn’t really matter.”

The viral industry can help solve audio’s skimming problem, but only if it can find the content in the first place. “Radio doesn’t do a very good job of marketing itself to the viral industry, for whatever reason,” says Zimmerman. “Maybe it thinks too highly of itself, or thinks of ‘viral’ as a cheapening of its content. I really disagree with that. I think there’s a lot there to be mined, and a lot that gets ignored.”

“Marketing” makes it sound like radio makers simply need to do a better job of drawing attention to their work. And it’s true: active, public sharing directed at non-audiophiles is how Zimmerman found “Two Little Girls.” If there were a website that showed what audio was “trending” in some smaller community, Zimmerman says it would become part of his system. “One hundred percent. No doubt about it.”

There are also plenty of short podcasts and single-serving radio stories that are poorly labeled on obscure web pages or presented in unembeddable players. “Nobody that I’ve seen, even the best of them, spends time thinking about how to create the metadata or the descriptions: the things that might actually catch your attention,” says PRX’s Jake Shapiro.

More fundamental than marketing is the question of where audio makers see a market. “So far nobody is producing audio, really, for an audience that might be scanning for things to enjoy,” says Shapiro.

“It’s somewhat of a chicken and egg thing,” he says, “Until producers have any kind of confidence that there’s an audience or some money to be made — or preferably both — they’re not really targeting it.”

“If it can’t be used for pornography it’s never going to be the most popular thing.”

Perhaps Facebook will tweak its algorithms to favor audio. Perhaps SoundCloud or PRX or Apple will make a social alternative to podcasting. “It’s possible that someone will make this app that’s all about sharing audio that will be the next Snapchat,” suggests Seth Lind. “That’s obviously not going to happen,” he quickly adds, to make sure I know he’s joking. “If it can’t be used for pornography it’s never going to be the most popular thing.”

But Jeff Cohen and “Fletch & Vaughan” demonstrate that audio makers don’t have to wait for a deep shift in technology to court a viral audience. They would, however, have to create audio not for already-dedicated radio and podcast listeners, but for the distracted, impatient crowd that is the web. Audio enthusiasts would have to evangelize on that work’s behalf, not just in coffee shops or emails to each other, but online, loudly, with the same manipulative, click-chasing techniques wielded by the rest of the web.

The day “Two Little Girls” went viral, Jeff Cohen tweeted: “I fear I may disappoint new Twitter followers once they realize that I mostly write on Hartford, government, and healthcare. Not my kids…” That is still more or less his beat, though he does also have a children’s book (“Eva and Sadie and the Worst Haircut EVER!”) due out this summer.

“I don’t know anything about the Internet, really,” Jeff Cohen says. But the way he sees it, although he got lucky, he also made his own luck.

“I didn’t cut anybody’s hair. But when you see an opportunity, you take advantage of it.”

Stan Alcorn is a print, radio and video journalist based in New York City. He regularly reports for WNYC, Marketplace and NPR and is a staff writer for Fast Company's Co.Exist.

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