Marathoning News

What’s new in marathoning news, you ask? This post foregrounds a smattering of recent developments in technology, politics, and scholarship related to media marathoning. 1. Marathoning has become both easier and more challenging with new options from T-Mobile and Netflix. First, the good news. T-Mobile recently launched their Binge On™ plan that allows subscribers with 3GB or more…

How to Safely Binge-Watch

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on the possible book covers. “Book Houses” is the winner. I liked both for different reasons, but I’m very pleased with “Book Houses” in part because I describe marathoners as residents of their story worlds. Describing marathoners as residents of their story worlds may make it seem like they’ve…

Help Me Choose a Book Cover

I need to weigh in on a book cover design Monday morning, and I’d like to poll the audience. (I already used the “phone a husband” option and that didn’t give me a clear answer.) Even if you don’t know much about graphic design, give me your gut reaction if you are so inclined. You…

My Summer Vacation to Prison

The Media Marathoning blog was quiet in July as I finished up book manuscript revisions. Now that I’ve submitted those, I’m back to the blog to report on my summer television experiences. Summer’s release from the network and broadcast schedules opens many people up to a self-selected media infusion. Loads of us engage in what…

Help Me with a Fan #Shelfie?

I’ve written a book on media marathoning, which includes a section analyzing the proliferation of the fan shelfie. Before it goes to print, I’m looking for an interesting shelfie to put in the book. I could take a picture of my stuff, but I know the people in Twitter fan communities have better collections than…

How to Write a Book: Bandit Style

I recently announced signing a book contract for Media Marathoning: Immersions in Morality. This next blog post aims to help others tackle their daunting projects. I wanted to make the title of this post “How to Write a Book, as a Junior Faculty Member, at a Teaching School, with a Young Family: Bandit Style”–but that…

Media Marathoning Book Announcement

I’m delighted to announce that I signed a Lexington Books contract for Media Marathoning: Immersions and Morality. I’m currently revising in response to peer feedback. The book may even be in print by the end of this year. I look forward to kicking off a scholarly conversation about media marathoning. In 2013, the popular press exploded with…

The End of Paternalistic TV is Nigh

I rarely turn on the TV to watch TV any more. If not for upstate New York’s fickle weather, it is possible I would never watch “live TV.” When I’m not trying to figure out how to dress my kids for the day, streaming services, DVDs, and downloads, are my go-to content sources. Because of…

Post-Apocalyptic is Not Post-Racial

CNN’s “The Post-Racial Revolution Will Be Televised” was low-hanging fruit–but I had to pick it. In Media Ethics last week, my students and I discussed how we can enjoy a media text but not approve of all of its messages. The Walking Dead is one such dissonant text for me. I find it to be…

Binge on Love This Holiday Season

Holidays are a time to indulge–in decadent desserts, bacon-wrapped appetizers, mulled wines, and media. Articles in Slate and The New York Times have chastised those who over-indulge in media, giving these people the derisive label “binge viewers.” We know that the substance of those sugar cookies and pork bellies isn’t healthy, but what about the…