I know the word “Infotainment” isn’t new, it’s been around for 30 years or so but the other day Maeve reminded me of it and got me thinking about the Hop Cast and other internet programming. Hop Cast is infotainment right? Ken and I try to provide information and at the same time attempt to entertain. But the word infotainment get’s a bad rap. Mainly because it’s associated with the de-evolution of news programming, often applying to the lowest common denominator. These type of stories are often focused on celebrity, puff pieces, or sensationalized instead of fact based and serious. Really this is just soft news or tabloid news. 

Does infotainment have to apply to news? 

To answer my own question I don’t think so, but I believe we need a new word. We have talk radio for well radio shows, but we need something that can be applied to video media and podcasts that aren’t strictly news. Media that is informative and also entertaining. Or can we take back the word infotainment and have it mean something good? 

Cause we produce some damn fine infotainment! 

With every project I work on I try to make sure there is something that is reel worthy but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Maybe the client killed that one awesome piece or perhaps the subject matter of the video just wasn’t something I was that into. No matter how much I want to show every project I work on there are a few that I tend to just sweep under the rug. I’m not ashamed of them but they perhaps just weren’t my best work or not the work I want to be doing. We all have a few of those jobs from time to time and it’s alright, they all can’t be winners. Don’t feel like you need to be showing off everything you’re working on just to show something. A bad or sub-par piece of work is going to hurt your portfolio and brand more than posting nothing.  

I’ve had a few clients over the years who every time they emailed or called I would hate responding. I knew I was in for trouble with whatever they needed no matter what small task they might have. I knew the projects would be painful and I was never sure why I put myself through it. After a few of those you learn your lesson to get rid of those types of clients. Life is too short to work and deal with people who are rude or only out for themselves. I have no interest in working with people like that. The best part about having your own business or being a freelancer is that if you’re doing quality work there is a good chance you have clients banging down your door and you can afford to turn down the bad ones. Save yourself the headache and say no to people you don’t like to work with.

Lately I’ve noticed that a lot of people using social media are being relativity positive. I’m not saying everyone is, some use Twitter and Facebook as an outlet to vent. Sometimes it just feels easier to be negative and complain. But I personally see a lot more positive tweets and updates in my stream. I guess it comes back to the if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all. Do you think anyone really wants to follow or be around you if you are always miserable or taking out your problems on the world? Uh, no. I wonder if there is a way to take the positive attitude we all put forward online and move it to our everyday life?

Yesterday when I was riding my bike I hit a pot hole and got a flat tire at the same time someone drove passed me in their car and yelled something about bikers. My day was not off to a great start. I started to tweet something like “Not a fun way to start your day… hit a potholed and got a flat tire. #FML.” Instead I spun it and said “First flat on the new bike. Looks like I’ll be switching these to armadillos when I make it over to the bike shop.” Although I had to walk a few blocks, I decided to take the positive and not have that event mess up my entire day. The day turned out to be a pretty good one and it was very productive. Don’t think it would have been that way if I had complained publicly.

If you handle what life throws at you with a more optimistic and cheery outlook, positive people are going to want to be around you, all the time. Wouldn’t that be a lot more fun to be around then someone complaining all the time and being negative about their lives. If you’re being positive online take it offline and enjoy life that much more.