The Long Tail of the Internet-Finally, Something That's Good for the Jews (And All of God's Children) - Michael Kassan - MediaBizBloggers

I39m glad the Jewish New Year is here because do I have something to say to GodNaturally I39ll ask for forgivenessthat39s always a lively discussionand to be written in the Book of Life for another year And as always I39ll be thankful for the many blessings I enjoyAnd this Rosh Hashanah I39m also thankful for Johnny Mathis singing quotKolNidrequotAnd the Temptations singing quotFiddler on the RoofquotAnd Billie Holliday belting out quotMy Yiddishe MommaquotNo I39m not imagining things I39m talking abouttradition21st Century styleIn any other time Yiddish culture that most marvelous of Jewish traditions that includes musical theater Catskills comedy and other storytelling forms would probably be extinct by now But the infinite well of content that is the digital space has room for any niche and bestows upon any passion no matter how marginal endless life There39s plenty of room for this wonderful but rapidly disappearing part of JewishAmerican history unknown to Generation LOL no doubt but a personal passion of mineFittingly this all sprang from a recent breakfast meeting at Nate 39N Al39s with Courtney Holt president of MySpace Music He told me about a venture he39s involved in that hit my sweet spot better even than the deli39s famous matzo brie It39s called Black Sabbath and no it has nothing to do with burntout heavy metal musicians on a crazy trainBut it is about music The official title is quotBlack Sabbath The Secret Musical History of Black Jewish Relationsquot and it is a treasure trove of tunes from the many AfricanAmerican singers who covered Jewish songs in the 20th Century a phenomenon and quotrarely told American storyquot as NPR described it on Sunday known as Black Sabbath It39s a multiplatform happening including a CD and a box set released this week that39s already climbing up the Amazon sales chart an exhibition at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco and most delightfully a mobile appIt39s easy to criticize our breathless pursuit of electronic pixie dust how we race after every new online phenomenon dive headlong and often without anywhere near enough due diligence into every emergent channel But you know what Some kid somewhere is going to stumble upon Courtney39s little venture He or she will listen rapt as legendary singers stray far far outside their comfort zone And he or she may learn to love Yiddish culture just like I doOkay that won39t usher in world peace or solve the economic crisis But Black Sabbath is a fascinating sliver of American history So it couldn39t hurtBlack Sabbath like any online or mobile offering that caters to cherished but relatively tiny interests is a demonstration of the power of the Long Tail A vivid reminder that digital media39s nichebuilding impact so obsessively pursued by marketers and agencies and enthusiastically activated by users all over the world is indeed all that and a bag of bagelsAs my grandmother might have said quotSuch a nice appquotMichael E Kassan is Chairman and CEO of MediaLink LLC a leading Los Angeles and New York Citybased advisory and business development firm that provides critical counsel and direction on issues of marketing advertising media entertainment and digital technology Michael can be reached at michaelmedialinkllccomRead all Michael39s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at Michael Kassan MediaBizBloggersCheck us out on Facebook at MediaBizBloggerscomFollow our Twitter updates MediaBizBlogger

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The Long Tail of the Internet-Finally, Something That's Good for the Jews (And All of God's Children) - Michael Kassan - MediaBizBloggers

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The Long Tail of the Internet-Finally, Something That's Good for the Jews (And All of God's Children) - Michael Kassan - MediaBizBloggers

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