IS INTERNET TV NOW YOUR BEST OPTION?

All of you have probably watched a segment of or an entire episode of one of your favorite shows on Hulu.com or the networks own web site. You most likely have watched an on demand movie from Netflix or Blockbuster video If you are a sports fan you have watched some of your teams events and special coverage online. Why do you still pay for cable? Is it the convenience, habit, or not realizing there are options?

I've been researching the best ways to reduce my cable bill without losing the programming I care most about. It is not possible to do this via the cable company. I began speaking with friends and researching my options. I watched a segment of my local news that gave tips for eliminating the monthly cable bill and saving a significant amount of money annually. The video and tips the show offered is from http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2010/06/30/you-dont-have-to-pay-for-cable-tv/.

I spend an average of $1,768.00 with my cable company. That includes high-speed Internet, multiple-levels of cable channels, NHL Center Ice, and the HBO channels. I assure you that I do not come close to watching all of the channels and 75% I never watch but I am forced to pay for them to have the channels that I do desire. I believe cable should be like a menu. You order the channels you want to watch and do not pay for the ones you have no desire to watch. Money Talks News estimates the average annual US cable bill is $900.00 (not including Internet). I obviously pay much more above the national average. My Internet is $552.00 annually, leaving my cable bill at $1,216.00. If I can save the $1,216.00 and invest it in a Roth IRA or other compound interest earning vehicle it will provide for a nice retirement. The money will be much more valuable to me during my retirement then any shows I will watch.

Money Talks News recommends starting with an antenna to get your local stations directly on your television set. This is 100% free and will provide your local news and many of your favorite shows. You even get HD programming during prime time. If you read the article above you'll find useful information concerning how to best utilize an antenna.

AntennaWeb, a site provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), will show you exactly where to point your antenna for the best reception at your address. It will also let you see which stations are broadcasting over the air in your area. There may be more than you think.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

AntennaWeb, a site provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), will show you exactly where to point your antenna for the best reception at your address. It will also let you see which stations are broadcasting over the air in your area. There may be more than you think.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

AntennaWeb, a site provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), will show you exactly where to point your antenna for the best reception at your address. It will also let you see which stations are broadcasting over the air in your area. There may be more than you think.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

AntennaWeb, a site provided by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), will show you exactly where to point your antenna for the best reception at your address. It will also let you see which stations are broadcasting over the air in your area. There may be more than you think.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You’ll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.
HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it’s common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America’s Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You’ll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.
HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it’s common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America’s Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You’ll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.
HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it’s common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America’s Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You’ll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.
HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it’s common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America’s Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Over 99% of U.S. TV households can receive at least one local station over the air, while 89% can watch five or more. The picture is perfectly clear thanks to the switch to digital TV completed on June 12, 2009. You’ll either see a crisp, beautiful image or no image at all (static is a thing of the past). And the best part? All your favorite programming will still be in HD.
HDTV is more expensive for local stations to produce, so it’s common to see a station broadcast in regular standard definition during the day, but switch their signal to high definition for prime time. So while the local news may not be in HD, your favorite shows like Glee, America’s Got Talent, and The Bachelorette will be.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Your favorite shows that are not broadcast over the air for free can often be found on the networks web site in their entirety and at zero cost. You will need to watch a few commercials but the amount is less then you will be forced to watch on cable. I am not suggesting you watch all your television on your laptop. I do not want your entire family huddling around your laptop to watch your favorite shows. There are numerous methods to watch television over the Internet on you existing television set. Several models of televisions now come equipped exactly for this purpose but you do not need to run out and buy a new set (please do not try using this article as an excuse).

You can use your laptop or existing computer to accomplish this. There are instructions in the Money Talks News article. The Roku Digital player cost around $80.00-$100.00. Boxee is similar in cost and function but they will give you instructions on how to make a Boxee or install their free software to your existing computer. It will turn it into a high quality media player with an interface specially designed to show high-quality on your TV. Google TV, Sony, Logitech (highly recommended by the guys at Best Buy), Intel, Apple TV, X-Box, and Sony Play Station can also perform these functions.

You can watch most sports programs over the Internet now. You may need to pay for some. The NHL Center Ice package I get on cable is about $20.00 less on the Internet version. The NFL can be watched if you have a friend with a dish that doesn't mind giving you their mobile code. ESPN3 is growing daily and per Dan Schointuch, "provides college football, college basketball, NBA, MLB, UEFA Champions League Soccer, Masters & US Open Golf, All 4 Grand Slam tennis tournaments and more. Plus, you get a fully interactive experience with real time in-game stats, scoreboards, and live chat."

Many of the shows you watch on the premium channels (HB0, Starz,etc.) can be purchased online from Amazon or I-Tunes within days of it airing. The ones that do not will be released on DVD or be covered under your Netflix or Blockbuster membership). You can go visit a neighbor or loved one if you cannot wait.

Each year ESPN3 delivers thousands of live games and events like College Football and Basketball, NBA, MLB, UEFA Champions League Soccer, The Masters and US Open Golf, all 4 Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and more. Plus you get a fully interactive experience with real time in-game stats and scoreboards and live chat.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

Each year ESPN3 delivers thousands of live games and events like College Football and Basketball, NBA, MLB, UEFA Champions League Soccer, The Masters and US Open Golf, all 4 Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and more. Plus you get a fully interactive experience with real time in-game stats and scoreboards and live chat.

Source: Money Talks (http://s.tt/12mLO)

I am certain I will soon drop my cable for one of the above options, I know most of these shows will be viewed on demand but I am trying to research the best method to record what I watch on the Internet. I encourage you to exam these options and ask yourself, "When I am 94 years old am I going to feel positive if I paid cable TV all of these years or is there a better use of my money?"

Sign Only Quality!

My Father owned an apartment building when I was growing up. When he screened renters, checked their references, and selected quality people to rent to he rarely had any aggravation. He made money instead of losing money, he had little stress and the operation was enjoyable. He could focus on improving the apartments and enjoying his life. When he rented to people he was unsure of he almost always suffered negative effects and it usually cost him time and money.

I had learned from observing this over the years but I could only apply it to the part of my life that dealt with renting the extra room in my home. It took me a while to understand that selecting quality people to work with is vital to your success and happiness. The quality of your life is directly determined by who is in it! We've all heard some variation of that before right? When then do we often select poorly?

When I began my professional career I would often agree to sign any athlete, coach, or musician. Why? I am a very helpful person and I can see potential in many people. I am confident in my skills and abilities to help them, so I thought I could make them a success and benefit myself also. Was I correct? Heck ya, about once out of every 20 times I took a risk, would they have success worth of the time and energy I put into them. I would have enjoyed greater success and a lot less stress and aggravation had I bypassed some of these clients.

W.I.I.F.M. Principle (What's In It For Me), it sounds terrible right? I thought it sounded selfish when someone first explained it to me as a college student. "What a horrible way to operate in the world," I thought. It isn't a negative principle at all if applied properly, it is a very positive one. When presented with an opportunity, simply ask yourself, "is this worth it? Will the return on my involvement be positive for me? Will this create unnecessary stress and aggravation? What are the potential negatives? What are the potential liabilities to me? Can I lose money? Can my reputation be damaged?

Create a hard copy check list of what makes a client worth signing. This evaluation if done well, will save you time, energy, and money. It is tempting when business is slow or you are trying to build your client roster to sign everyone and anyone who is willing to sign with you but this is not the path to success. The path to success is to sign as many quality clients as you can. You must be able to handle the workload of all the clients you sing. When deciding to sign a new client you should ask yourself if you will need to hire additional staff to handle the workload. If the artist is a definite income earner then it is not a problem but if it is a client who may or may not make income for you is increasing your business cost a risk you are willing to take?

Here are some additional questions to answer when deciding to sign a new client:

1) Is this person a hard worker? Are they willing to do whatever it takes to succeed?

2) How close is this person to earning income for me?

3) What is the potential return-on-investment?

4) Will this client add cost?

5) How difficult or easy is this person to work with?

6) Does this person have a realistic set of expectations of themselves and what they expect from you?

7) Who does this person associate with? Is their entourage a positive or a negative?

8) Do you believe in this artist?

People are worth taking risks on, just not all of them, so choose wisely!

PRESS KITS THAT MAKE AN IMPACT!

If you are going to promote a band, a business, or product you need to have a press kit that benefits and  influences everyone who opens it. Here are keys to success.


Make it appealing to the eye from the first page to the last.
It is imperative to make your press kit dramatic and bold. It has to stand out from all the others! The cover should be eye catching and professional. The professionals you are sending this to need to be inspired to pick it up and read it, the first page needs to be impactful enough in its image and content to make them turn the next page and that page need to make them want to continue reading. High quality photos should be included as often as possible. If you have an artist that is less appealing to the eye substitute logos, stage shots from a distance, photos of fans reacting with enthusiasm etc..



Show how your artist or product is different from all others.
Is it the type of music they play, where they are from, their background stories, something your product does that makes it interesting and worth talking about. What can promoters use to market your band? Has your band won any awards or special recognition? Insert statistical data on album sales, radio play, tickets sold, shows played.



Make it easy for them to do their job.
Write the story for them. Make it so interesting and appealing that press, media, and promoters not only desire to do business with you but use the material that you have given them to do their job. This way you are controlling the message. They will be helping to spread the message you want out there about your product. It is vital to control the message, rather then having others do it for you. Allowing others to explain what you are about is a recipe to have your product hijacked for their cause or at the least lead to disappointment.


Give them what they need.
Provide full list of equipment needs if dealing with a musical press kit. This is an item-by-item list of every item, staff, and instrument needed for a successful show. It needs to be clear who is responsible for it, the venue or the band. Provide a stage plot. This is a detailed drawing of where every band member, their individual equipment, and monitors are to be placed on stage. Venue managers and promoters will be thrilled to find this information included in the press kit because they often have a hard time getting it from bands or never do.


The more you do their job for them the more likely they are do cooperate with you.
Provide them with every item they need from you (other then the personal rider) from the start and they will be so impressed they are more likely to want to work with you because they know you are professional. A professionally packaged press kit and artist is a rarity and one of the best ways to separate you from the pack. Will a promoter prefer to work with a professional group or one that sends bits and pieces of info and they have to chance them down for the rest?


The press kit must be kept current, available for download, and hard copy.
The press kit should be available for download on your web site. It should be available to be emailed and available by traditional mail. It is not enough to create it and not update it. The list of shows must be current, the equipment needs sometimes changes, etc. Plan to review it every month and updated as needed.


Biographies for each individual member and the story of the band.
You would be shocked how many press kits include neither. Do your best to make each story interesting. Provide threads a writer could use to create bigger stories. If playing a specific city like NY, create connections to the city. If a band member is from the city or has a memory there, if there are historic moments about the band there, or a historic venue the band is eager to play include it. A list of quotes about your band and from your band is critical. It is helpful to spread them out throughout your press kit, to help keep the interest alive. Include a page with all of the quotes. 


Include high-quality photos.
These are necessary for venues and press to market, promote, and present your product in the best possible fashion.


Include high-quality MP3's or CD:
These are used to sell and promote your band. This can also be provided online or on a thumb drive or other emerging technology.


Band contact information.
Full contact information for the bands booking director, press agent, road manager and management must be accurate and included.


Copies of Articles.
Included in the digital or hard copy press kit. All positive articles that highlight why someone should work with your band should be included.


Song Page:
If well-known act or up-and-coming artist include a list of songs that are in the arsenal. It will be presented differently between known and unknown artist. If a known artist then list the songs, chart positions, lyrics or anything else that sells it. If an unknown find something interesting and include the lyrics if interesting. Descriptions of energy levels or musical styles may be helpful for an unknown artist.


Make it interesting, make it powerful, and make it your best sales tool!