Sometimes I am guilty of thinking about actors as the roles they became famous for. It was hard not to think Archie Bunker when Carroll O’Conner showed up on screen. Same with Jim Nabors on Gomer Pyle, Michael Richards as Kramer, or James Gandolfini who simply was Tony Soprano.
And for Ashton Kutcher, I suppose I’ll always see Michael Kelso from That ‘70s Show, the good-looking neighbor moron kid who always got by on his looks.
Well, that’s not what Ashton Kutcher is all about, as we’ve learned during the days since Eric, Hyde, Donna, and Fez passed unseen joints around in the Forman basement.
Kutcher’s creation of MTV’s Punk’d was the first indicator that this guy had an understanding of television beyond that sitcom, and his mastery of Twitter became apparent when he was the first to reach the 1,000,000 follower pinnacle.
But Kutcher’s newest accomplishment is heading up one of the 100 YouTube channels that will be creating content, all kinds of content. His production company, Katalyst, is the force behind Thrash Lab (already causing controversy). Google (owner of YouTube) is writing checks for $100 million to incubate content for these channels.
This video from Bloomberg gets very thought-provoking at the 2:00 mark where Kutcher warns traditional media of the competitive challenge brought about by digital media fragmentation.
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The money line:
“If you don’t cannibalize yourself, somebody else will cannibalize you.”
At a time when some broadcaster CEOs are still musing about whether they’re getting enough ROI on streaming, a guy like Kutcher is out there redefining media. As he suggests, some of these YouTube channels are going to become mainstream – and given the viral impact of the web – it could happen faster than we think. Just ask the broadcast TV networks how they perceived Discovery, HGTV, and the Food Network just a decade ago.
Kutcher is emblematic of the new breed of content creators. He takes risks, he invests, he leads. Broadcast radio companies – by and large – have assets, personalities, shows, franchises, and viable brands. Sitting tight, hoping for billing to pick up, playing it safe in PPM, and counting on election dollars isn’t going to change the greater forces around us.
Dude, that Kelso guy is much smarter than he looks.
Thanks, Mike Anthony, for the inspiration.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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