 | Ypulse Daily Update 07.13.09
Directory and more at Ypulse.com | |  | Quick Links Ypulse Essentials: Teen Intern Sparks 'Sensation' With Media Report, Zombies Are The New Vampires, Surf Industry Weathers The Storm Posted by meredith  Everything Wall Street wanted to know about teen media habits (but was afraid to ask. 15-year-old Morgan Stanley intern Matthew Robson explains it all -- from teens love of texting and Wii, to their lack of interest in newspapers and Twitter -- in a report that's rapidly becoming a "sensation". Check out ReadWrite Web for a break down of the findings. Also IT Pro considers teens' Twitter defection. And Strange Attractor questions the methodology [literally just a teen and his friends] Plus Gawker snarkily says what we were thinking: "it's basically full of common sense") (Financial Times)
- A decade of 'Spongebob' (and the show's unique brand of absurd, wholesome humor is profiled in the New York Times. Also Ad Age, reg. required, takes a look back at how Squarepants and company grew into an $8 billion franchise. Plus PBS turns up the voltage on the new "Electric Company" expanding the weekly series to a daily slot on weekdays) (Variety)
- Image consultants for teen girls (are apparently thriving, in spite of the recession. Why? Peer pressure and makeover shows, according to this Washington Post piece. Not sure if that makes an expensive stylist the answer. Meanwhile Australian teens turn away from consumerism, in favor of more traditional values)
- Are zombies the new Vampires? (Yes, according to Publisher's Weekly. And here I thought it was supposed to be werewolves. Also how the Harry Potter franchise will live on with video games and a theme park. And "Hills" star turned YA author Lauren Conrad makes the New York Times' Best Seller list causing some to prematurely ask if LC will be the next Stephenie Meyer) MTV News) (E! Online)
- ALA panel on teens and privacy (spells out the myths and realities of different teens' online habits and opens a discussion on where to go from here policy-wise. The recap is definitely worth a look. As is this preso from panelist and high school librarian Frances Jacobson Harris) (SLJ)
- More on Staples' 'Do Something 101' (campaign on Facebook in the New York Times, reg. required)
- Surf industry stays afloat (on the passion of a young, dedicated following. Plus highlights from Michael Wood's preso at SIMA [Surf Industry Manufacturers Association] Boot Camp on how to connect with millennials) (Surf-Eat-Shop)
- Webosaurs (the most recent addition to the dinosaur-themed worlds. Also tween retailer Justice announces an exclusive partnership with My Secret Circle, the closed social network for tween girls, we mentioned last week) (Virtual World News)
- Texting teen falls into an open manhole (and her parents respond by suing. Oy. Also what teenagers' mobile mania means for the news industry) (GizModo) (Wired) (Christian Science Monitor)
- 'HSM2' in Dubai (meets a warm reception. Plus a Canadian take on bridging the generation gap between older and younger co-workers) (Emirates Business Journal (Canada.com)
Posted in: Ypulse Essentials Life Is But A Stream Posted by anastasia Coincidentally, I'm listening to Pandora as I write this post. According to new research coming out from the UK teens ages 14 to 18 are downloading less illegal music and streaming more. From the Guardian article:
The survey of 1,000 fans also shows that many 14 to 18 year olds are now streaming music regularly online using services such as YouTube and Spotify.
At the same time less than a third of teenagers are now illegally downloading music, the survey suggests. In January this year 26% of 14 to 18 year olds admitted filesharing at least once a month compared with 42% in December 2007.
The research revealed that many teenagers (65%) are streaming music regularly, with more 14 to 18 year olds (31%) listening to streamed music on their computer every day compared with music fans overall (18%).
This backs up the recent NPD report that also talked about an increase in teens streaming music. While I don't think teens are using Pandora specifically (which is more popular with twentysomethings on up), it's interesting to speculate on why there has been the shift from downloading to streaming.
Instant gratification with little risk
Just as it's easier and faster to watch shows on Hulu without downloading them illegally, it's less risky and faster to just stream music while you surf. Not to mention that it takes up less space/bandwidth on your computer or MP3 player.
More teen PDA adoption and mobile streaming apps
As more teens get iPhones, iPod Touches or other PDAs with internet access, streaming music on the go has gotten a lot easier to do.
Try before you buy (or "rip")
Internet radio or streaming services are a great way to learn about new music, especially those that have a social media aspect to them like Imeem or Last FM. While teens' real-life friends are still their primary source for music recommendations, I can see teen music fans being open to trying new music being suggested based on their existing tastes/preferences. If teens really like a track, they might buy it digitally, but more likely will find a way to rip the mp3 from a site in spite of the sub par quality or get it from a friend who has it.
Finally, as the NPD Group argues, many teens may have the bulk of their music collections already downloaded (most likely illegally) on their MP3 players. What stood out to me in the story about the UK research was the acknowledgment by those in the industry that teen streaming isn't necessarily leading to teens paying for music online, but that it is giving these companies an opportunity to mine data for musical tastes and offer teens related products like t-shirts or concert tickets. A sign that the industry may finally be moving on to a new music model.Posted in: Ypulse Essentials | Music | Web Rooting For Scooter And The 'Bruno' Soundtrack Posted by meredith Today's Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from Michael Hayball, a techno fan who explains his love of the "Bruno" soundtrack and hope for its mainstream exposure. As always, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment below.
Rooting For Scooter And The 'Bruno' Soundtrack
 "Bruno" looks like it might just be the comedy hit of the summer, which should come as no surprise to anyone who liked "Borat." What may be surprising is the potential breakout success of its soundtrack, dominated by hardcore techno and dance music. I was very excited about the inclusion of one of my favorite bands, Scooter, who has the first song on the soundtrack, "Nessaja." Since you may not know Scooter like I know Scooter, I would like to introduce you to them with a little history lesson.
Scooter is known internationally as one of the biggest techno groups, churning out constant top ten hits in Germany and abroad. Their most recent album, Jumping All Over The World, went to number one on the UK charts, knocking off Madonna of all people from the top 10. The title refers to the "Jumpstyle" of music and dance that is popular among European youth.
Along with providing the first song in the film, Scooter is also featured in the commercial for "Bruno" with their song "Maria (I Like It Hard)," or as some gamers might know it as, "The Dub Dub Song." The Chorus of "Dub Dub" was used in a popular Flash animation game from earlier in the decade called, you guessed it, DubDub. The game went something like this: you press a button, the browser window shakes, and a snippet of the song plays, and that's all there is to it. The same part of the song is used in a TV spot for "Bruno," when he's at the airport and slams into a wall.
Scooter has released 13 studio albums during their career, 40 singles, only one of which was ever released in America: "Fire" from 1997's "Age Of Love," which went to 30 on the U.S. Dance Chart. No other singles or albums have been released in America. In fact, it seems that the only way to buy any of their music in a physical format in the United States is off of the "Mortal Kombat Annihilation" soundtrack, which included "Fire." I'm hoping that the release of "Bruno" will generate enough sales of Scooter to get them to release their albums in America, since I know there are a lot of fans of all ages who would love to buy them.
About Michael
 Michael lives a simple life in Allen Park, MI. When he is not attending Henry Ford Community College for his Associates, he can be seen chatting and socializing around campus and the local coffee shop. He enjoys a good iced caramel cappuccino, or a regular coca-cola. Michael loves what he calls "The Blog Music," and he was and still is raised on a steady diet of electronic music and old-school hip hop. Michael hopes to work for Spin magazine one day, and screams like a little girl every time a new issue comes to the local coffee shop. Posted in: Ypulse Essentials | Music | Web | Movies | Music | Youth Advisory Board Ypulse Author Spotlight: 'Psych Major Syndrome' By Alicia Thompson Posted by meredith Today's Ypulse Author Spotlight is on Alicia Thompson and her debut novel Psych Major Syndrome, the story of Leigh Nolan, a -- you guessed it -- psychology major navigating though her first year of college. Prone to overanalyzing everything (read: parents, boyfriends, professors etc.) both inside and outside the classroom, Leigh taps into that universal freshman fear of taking an irreversible wrong first step.
Psych Major Syndrome comes out in August, but we're giving away two advance copies to the first two commenters who share what they wished they knew before their first year of college. Winners will also have the chance to submit a review, that will be considered for Alicia's website, as well as a signed copy of the book after its official release.
 Ypulse: How much of Leigh's story was drawn from your own experience as a psych major? Did you have a similar dynamic with your parents and/or friends?
Alicia Thompson: I went to a liberal arts school (population 700) where the psych department was small and we were treated like grad students (just like Leigh), and I wrote the book while I was working on my senior thesis and going to weekly study groups for the Psych GRE. I was flipping through the GRE study guide and doing my usual thing where I'm a quasi-perfectionist and a quasi-slacker – making obsessively color coded flash cards about every term, then staying up all night the night before the test playing poker for M&M's instead of studying. So I started thinking about the kind of girl who would use a GRE study guide like it was her life map, instead of just a tool for rote memorization to get you through a test.
My dynamic with both my college roommates was very similar to Leigh's with Ami. They were both art or art history majors, very creative, and very good about being there for me whenever we needed to make a Dippin' Dots run or make fun of romance novels or analyze what we were going to do with the rest of our lives. One was a bridesmaid in my wedding, and one took my wedding pictures (and my author photo!) so we're still close.
My dynamic with my parents is totally different. My mom is a lawyer and my dad is a computer programmer, so pretty much the complete OPPOSITE of Leigh's. We're very close, but they're not at all mystical or new age-y (although my dad does wear a lot of tie-dye on his days off). I was scared to write parents that seemed too close to my own in case they were weirded out by that, so I think I overcompensated by making Leigh's parents on the other end of the spectrum.
YP: Do you see a difference between how teens overanalyze/stress out now than in the past? What are they?
AT: I have an 18-year-old sister and a 16-year-old brother, and their experiences seem to be pretty close to mine at those ages – worrying about life after high school, wondering if so-and-so likes them, fighting with best friends and then making up again. I think what you really learn from reading classic YA like Judy Blume and then contemporary YA like Meg Cabot is that adolescence is a time when everyone is going to freak out a little. Psychologist (awesome alliterative name alert) Erik Erikson said that adolescence was the time when we all struggle to find our identity, and I think that's definitely truer today than it's ever been before.
YP: What do you wish you had known your first year of college? Is there a message you hope teens take away from Leigh's story?
AT: There are two things I wish I had known about college when I started: One, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. I wish I had researched on one professor who's really cool or interesting and dynamic and taken his or her class, no matter what the subject was, just to see if maybe that professor could ignite a passion for learning a topic I hadn't previously studied.
Two, now that I actually teach first-year college students at USF: go to your professor's office hours! When I was in my first year of college, I took an electronic music class because I thought it sounded fun and I wanted to know what my now-husband was talking about when he referenced compression or dynamic microphones. But it was way more advanced than I'd expected, and I ended up dropping it. My professor later told me that I had been doing fine, and it was just my perception that I was so far behind. If I'd been brave enough to meet with him BEFORE I dropped the class, I would've known that before it was too late. Now that I'm on the other side, I always wish students would come talk to me rather than suffer in silence.
Those both relate to the main thing I hope teens take away from my book. Sometimes you have to tell your brain to take a break and follow your heart. And you could spend your whole life analyzing every tiny thing, but then you might miss out on the big picture which is actually kind of awesome.
YP: How has studying psychology had an impact on your writing?
AT: It's a chicken-egg situation, but I'm all about characters. I'm fascinated by people – their quirks, stories, catastrophes, dreams . . . My favorite thing in my psych classes was whenever we got a case study and would analyze it to figure out what that individual's diagnosis would be. It's the same process as writing a character – what matters to this person? What events have added up to make this person who he or she is? I always think of my main character before I even come up with the plot. It's like I have to meet the character, spend a few hours on the therapy couch together hashing out personal histories and pet peeves and secret goals, and then figure out what story that character wants to tell.
YP: What comes next for you?
AT: I'm actually working on another novel that is very psychology-based, but in a different way. It's about a girl struggling with an eating disorder, which is really just her way of dealing with everything else in her life – an absent father, failing grades in school, the distance she's feeling from her best friend. She doesn't know how to express herself any other way than to hurt herself, and she can't heal until she realizes that she's not the only one hurting.
I'm also writing a middle-grade series about four elite gymnasts with a former Olympic gold medalist. Which pretty much means that I watch gymnastics clips on YouTube and tune in to "Make It or Break It" every week and call it research.
For more coverage of YA books and publishing, check out the Ypulse Books Channel sponsored by Pick a Poppy – the home of today's hottest fiction. Posted in: Ypulse Essentials | Music | Web | Movies | Music | Youth Advisory Board | Author Spotlight | Books
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