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February 2005
News sites utilize online coupon service
2005-02-01By Sogole Honarvar: Hundreds of online newspapers, including small community sites, are embracing the ability to offer their readers valuable coupons, thanks to Consumer Networks' online coupon service, Boodle. Editor & Publisher Online reports that 275 papers subscribe to the Boodle service, many of them small papers like the Ventura County Star and the Buffalo Reflex. "Now, even the small to mid-size newspapers have the ability to distribute grocery coupons from some of the most recognized consumer brands," said Jeff Beliveau, vice president of newspaper relations at Consumer Networks. The company hopes Boodle will have a presence in the top 100 U.S. media markets by the end of 2005.
MSN Search officially launched
2005-02-01By Sogole Honarvar: MSN revealed the official version of its MSN Search service today, reports the BBC News. The site, launched in beta version in Nov. 2003, indexes five billion Web pages, provides direct answers to questions using Microsoft's Encarta service and uses tools such as graphic equalizers to adjust the relevance of search terms. MSN Search hopes its new features will provide stiff competition for other search engines, such as top-ranked Google, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves.
Sirius partners with Billboard.com to provide editorials
2005-02-01By Sogole Honarvar: Via I Want Media: Sirius Satellite Radio has signed a deal with Billboard Magazine and its online presence, Billboard.com, to provide editorials and music chart information to its subscribers. Dow Jones reports that the one-year contract is renewable yet undisclosed in financial terms.
Photographer 'Mark's the end of the World Press Photo 2004 exhibit
2005-02-01By Janine Kahn: Award-winning photographer Mary Ellen Mark shared a few hours of her time and talent with USC on Thursday night at the Annenberg Auditorium in an event that marked the end of the World Press Photo contest exhibit. The competition hails the world’s best in the photography arena every year, and a gallery of more than 290 winning photos was displayed at the Annenberg School from Jan. 10 to Jan. 29 to honor the awardees for 2004.
Larry Gross, director of the Annenberg School of Communication introduced Mark with pride, calling the event “a culmination and climax rather than merely the end (of the gallery-related lectures).” Mark, whose haunting portraits of twins from the Ohio Twins Day Festival recently won her first place in the arts and entertainment category, displayed a documentary on twins alongside an extensive slideshow of her work.
While working as a photographer for 30 years, Mark has captured every angle of humanity on film, and has also written 14 books and has been published in magazines such as LIFE and The New York Times Magazine. Though predominantly a documentary photographer, Mark’s work is true art. While Mark continues to defy digital photography by clinging to the world of black-and-white, scans of her prints can be viewed online in her digital library.
Media company to match news content and ads
2005-02-01By Aarthi Sivaraman: Espotting Media, a company that works with online news publishers such as Times Online, Trinity Mirror Group and Emap is set to provide sponsored listings on the Sun's Web site, according to a new deal last week, reports dotJournalism. Espotting uses keywords on a page to display relevant ads alongside. Consequently, Sun's sports, entertainment, movies and life sections will now carry ads that match the news content of the page.
MediaPost introduces new publication site
2005-02-02By Aarthi Sivaraman: MediaPost launched a new home page for its news, features and commentary articles, and will also be unveiling a new publication for online and interactive advertising. The site's design is easier to read and also provides better search capabilities and links to all MediaPost publications. Additionally, the site is set to organize all of the publisher's daily, weekly and monthly newsletters, feeds and magazines in a single online location. Links to pertinent news from other sources on the Internet will also be made available. While the new e-mail newsletter, Online Media Daily, will concentrate on online and interactive media industries related news, Media Daily News will continue to cover all media news relevant to media planners and buyers interested in all media.
University of Texas to host online journalism conference
2005-02-02By Sogole Honarvar: The University of Texas's 2005 International Symposium on Online Journalism Conference will take place April 8-9 in Austin, Texas. They are accepting research paper submissions for the event until Feb. 11. The first day will host panels from several online media outlets, while the second day will be devoted to presenting research projects. Those interested in submitting their academic papers for consideration should not submit one already published or presented at another conference; rather, the conference is looking for papers discussing original research in any area of online journalism and media. For more information, visit the conference Web site.
BBC offers live soccer video
2005-02-03By Karl-Erik Stromsta: From Media Guardian: Broadband users in the United Kingdom will be able to watch this weekend’s Six Nations international soccer tournament on the BBC's site. The live streaming video is part of a one-time trial running through mid-March, in response to the fact that there are now more than 5 million people with broadband connections in the UK. “We are finding increasingly that people want to have the option of watching sport via broadband and the BBC wants to be at the front of the curve,” said Andrew Thompson, BBC Sport’s head of development. The BBC did not have to pay extra for the online rights.
Vietnamese cyberdissidents released
2005-02-03By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Two Vietnamese cyberdissidents, Nguyen Dan Que and 73-year-old Nguyen Dinh Huy, have been released from prison, according to Reporters Without Borders. Dan Que spent nearly a year in prison in Thanh Hoa Province for releasing a statement condemning press restrictions in his country. He also spent 18 years in prison between 1980 and 1998. Dinh Huy spent more than 11 years in prison after requesting permission to hold a conference on democracy. He was originally sentenced to 15 years for attempting to “overthrow the people’s government.” Despite the releases, three cyberdissidents remain incarcerated, and the government has recently cracked down on the online press.
Times' coverage of Iraq the Model blog criticized
2005-02-03By Sarah Colombo: In response to a recent New York Times article regarding the controversy surrounding the pro-American blog, Iraq the Model, PressThink’s Jay Rosen proposes a larger theme: “Sarah Boxer’s article about Iraq the Model was really about the Net and how you can’t trust anyone or anything that originated on it.” Critics included Buzzmachine’s Jeff Jarvis, who called into question the thoroughness of Boxer’s reporting, as well as “astroturfing” allegations made about the blog. (See related brief.) New York Times Culture Editor Jonathan Landman defended Boxer’s article with a statement that included the following: “Sarah was trying to give a sense of the befuddling complexity of an Internet brouhaha, of layers of potential manipulation with what astroturfing and blogtrolling and invisible dueling backers.”
New York Times strikes deal with Topix
2005-02-03By Sarah Colombo: Via I Want Media: Is it the beginning of a lasting union or a fleeting trend? The New York Times is shelling out an undisclosed amount of cash to feature headlines through Topix.net, a start-up the complies news blurbs, reports AP on MercuryNews. Topix hopes other large news sites catch on. “This is significant because even if you are the biggest and best newspaper on the Web, you still want to increase your audience,” said Topix CEO Rich Skrenta.
Investigating the Pentagon's 'journalism'
2005-02-04By Karl-Erik Stromsta: The Pentagon inspector general will examine whether news Web sites run by the Defense Department cross the lines of propriety separating the government and the press, reports CNN. The examination comes in the wake of a revelation that the Bush administration paid journalist Armstrong Williams $250,000 to promote its No Child Left Behind education policy. The Defense Department currently runs two overseas news sites – one targeted at people in the Balkans, one for the Maghreb area of North Africa – but would like to set up more. Though the sites appear to be independent news sites, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said the sites must hire only journalists who “will not reflect discredit on the U.S. government.”
Web savvy sports fans
2005-02-04By Karl-Erik Stromsta: A new survey conducted in the U.K. shows that a whopping 79 percent of sports fans get their sports news from their favorite team’s official Web site, reports Digital Media Europe. In contrast, 61 percent get their news, results and information from newspaper sports pages, 46 percent from cable television, and just 37 from the radio. The survey also found that sports fans use the Internet at disproportionately high rates; 79 percent access the Web daily, and do so with faster Internet connections than non-sports fans. Furthermore, 46 percent of respondents agreed that “if a brand advertises on official Web sites then it must be trustworthy.”
Google leads the online advertising game
2005-02-04By Sogole Honarvar: Via I Want Media: The New York Times reports on the growing trend of keyword online search with such search engine giants as Google and Yahoo, and how it has affected the online advertising market. Google, the Web's top-rated engine, announced this week that it had sold over $1 billion worth of advertising during the last three months of 2004--a new record. While paid search isn't necessarily a novel idea, the influence it's pressing on the Web and online advertising is significant. "In the past, advertising has been hard to track and hard to make accountable," said Google vice president of advertising sales Tim Armstrong. "Now advertising has become a dialogue with the consumer." Other trends in online advertising include rich media ads that feature interactive audio and visual capabilities.
Fake tsunami site discovered
2005-02-04By Sogole Honarvar: A fake tsunami disaster relief site has been discovered and reported to British authorities, reports the BBC News. The site uses the old version of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Web site, therefore fooling people unaware of the hoax. The official DEC has claimed no connection to the site and has reported it to the police. The fake site has solicited donations through spam e-mails as well, and DEC spokeswoman Patricia Sanders says the DEC never solicits through e-mail. The fake site, found at www.decuk.org is similar to the official site's www.dec.uk.org. This is not the first tsunami-related Web hoax to take place, as other e-mail scams have also attempted to cash in on the tsunami disaster.
Deceased soldiers' e-mail accounts raise Internet privacy issues
2005-02-04By Diana Day: From washingtonpost.com: The parents of a soldier who was killed in Iraq will not be able to access their son’s e-mail account or his Web site’s data. While serving in Iraq, 20-year-old Marine Corps reservist Karl Linn sent e-mails and posted photos on his Web site. After Linn was killed last week his parents contacted e-mail and Web hosting company Mailbank.com Inc. in order to preserve their son’s digital legacy. But Mailbank.com will not provide access to passwords or to unpublished data stored on their servers, although they will help families retrieve data that is already public.
The Linns’ case is not unique. The Michigan family of another Marine who died in November in Iraq has hired a lawyer to work with Yahoo to gain access to their son’s e-mail account. And the Pennsylvania family of an Army soldier who died in January has thus far not gained access to their son’s LiveJournal.com blog.
Annenberg hosts speech on public diplomacy, war on terror
2005-02-04
By Eric Lindberg:
Students, faculty members and international relations officials gathered at the USC Annenberg School of Communication to discuss public diplomacy and its relationship with the war on terror on Feb. 3, 2005.
Dr. David Abshire, the President of the Center for the Study of the Presidency, addressed the foreign relations strategies the United States must implement to succeed in Iraq and the Middle East.
“If we can’t change minds, we can’t win,” Dr. Abshire said. “What we are putting into the Defense Department is wasted if we can’t get that core power. If we can’t change minds.”
Dr. Abshire suggested that there be a close advisor to the president, an overall strategist with a board of experts to advise the president on public diplomacy matters. Knowledge of the Middle East, its culture, language and customs, along with enhancing the role of Muslims in the Western world is also key, he said.
The United States must also adapt more civility and inclusiveness within its government, Dr. Abshire added.
“Extreme partisanship will cost us domestically and internationally,” he said.
In a discussion that followed Dr. Abshire’s speech, the Consul General of Canada, Alain Dudoit, emphasized a greater effort to work with other democratic nations and to make sure the objectives of the United States were international.
“The strategy to win the minds of the enemy must be a joint effort of all democratic nations,” Dudoit said. “Also, are we fighting for the American image or for world democracy?”
Yael Swerdlow, the Director of Media Relations for the Consulate General of Israel brought forth the issue of media and the focus of journalism on violence. In his response, Dr. Abshire said that news has become entertainment and the news leaders of the country must find a way to rise above that pervasiveness.
Dr. Abshire was the Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations in the early 1970s, Ambassador to NATO from 1983-87 and a Special Counselor to President Reagan.
Ask Jeeves acquires Bloglines
2005-02-06By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via CNet.com: Ask Jeeves may have acquired Bloglines, according to media blog Napsterization.org. Bloglines is a private venture that hosts a collection of personal Web sites. Heightening th epossibility of the deal is Ask Jeeves' Web site, which is pointing exclusively to Bloglines via several links for blogs. The acquisition comes at a time when most search engines are showing increased interest in blog publishing. For instance, in 2003, Google acquired Pyra Labs, creator of Blogger. Last year, Yahoo started leaning towards the use of RSS (Really Simple Syndication). A good move, as explained by a recent study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. In 2004, five percent of Internet users in the United States used syndication technologies like RSS to get their dose of daily news. Blog readership was up 58 percent and at least 8 million Americans have their own blogs.
Blogging may be hazardous for your day job
2005-02-06By Aarthi Sivaraman: Blogging while at work? That might just get you fired, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Even as the Society for Human Resource Management found recently that three percent of surveyed workplaces have disciplined employee bloggers, freelance journalist Curt Hopkins recorded more than 20 cases of bloggers who say they were fired because of their online presence. These ranged from an airhostess posting her pictures on her blog to a features writer for a North Carolina paper who got sacked for keeping an online journal, often recording details about her colleagues. The lack of specific laws on blog related termination of employees makes the situation obscure, but if "you've still got the itch to blog," then "to live your dream," said Lea VanderVelde, a professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. "But don't be surprised if you're fired."
New online research site searches deeper
2005-02-07By Sogole Honarvar: A new online research service, Pretrieve.com, is hoping to expand online journalists' research capabilities. The free service, according to executive Paul Bunting, "isn't just another "list of links" - it goes much deeper than that. Pretrieve categorizes all the relevant free links about the research subject and delivers them back to the user in an easy to follow menu format." The service hopes to have all free county court record sites nationwide incorporated into their library in eight weeks.
Hate groups sprout on Orkut.com
2005-02-07By Sogole Honarvar: Several hate groups have sprouted on Google's social networking site, Orkut.com, reports The New York Times. The hate groups include anti-Jewish, anti-Black and anti-gay groups, amongst many others. This poses a significant problem to Google, as it does not wish to be associated with such hate groups. Additionally, Orkut.com forbids this sort of behavior in its code of conduct agreement. In response to these hate groups, Google spokeswoman Eileen Rodriguez stated that when users "don't follow these terms and we are made aware of an issue, we take the necessary steps, which may include removing the content." However, it is unclear whether or not Google has taken such action as of yet.
Western Knight Center to host local, state govn't seminar
2005-02-08By Christine Huang: The Western Knight Center for Specialized Journalism in partnership with the Investigative Reporters and Editors at the Annenberg School of Communication will be hosting an expenses- paid seminar for 25 chosen applicants. The three-day seminar, April 20 to April 23, is designed to improve watch- dog skills for journalists covering local government agencies. Among the seminar topics: developing network of tipsters and whistle- lowers, understanding budgets, systems, contracts and campaign finance reports, computer assisted reporting, and property and taxes and the hidden government. The seminar also includes an admission to the Selden Ring Award luncheon on Apr. 22, 2005. Applicants should be reporters and assignment editors who specialize in local government coverage. Applications must be received by Friday, March 18, 2005.
The answer to all your online search queries
2005-02-08By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Forbes.com: Allow for a little excitement, for answers.com may really be the one stop shop for all your online queries. For with one click of the mouse, this 'search engine' lays out all relevant information on one single Web page neatly. Gone are days of sifting through scores of Web sites to gather all your information. This system is also capable of recognizing context in a block of text. For example, running one's mouse over the word 'Ford' in a paragraph will result in information on the actor, cars and movie directors. Up and running only for two weeks now, this system is still undergoing fixing, but promises to be Internet's next big thing.
The ever-elusive problem of relevance with online sites
2005-02-08By Aarthi Sivaraman: Ever wondered why your online search for one thing threw up links to something totally unrelated? Or even something that seemed to be the perfect match until you read the first four lines? Apparently relevance, especially on the Internet, is elusive, according to AlwaysOn. This is mostly because most online information like news articles often have more than just one theme. Headlines sometimes make this quite apparent. And it is at times when news have multiple thematic threads running through them that search engines fail to play their part efficiently. The solution? Only a linguistically informed software solution can provide the required levels of confidence in comprehensiveness, consistency, and ranking, according to the article.
Bloggers rate Super Bowl commercials
2005-02-08By Sogole Honarvar: Via I Want Media: The bloggers have spoken about the best and worst Super Bowl commercials, reports Ad Age. Market research company Intelliseek surveyed 40 blogs during Sunday's game in hopes of discovering consumers' favorites and their opinions on the ads. The bloggers chosen were "engaged consumers" with influence over their peers, according to Intelliseek marketing chief, Pete Blackshaw. The best ad was "Applause" by Anheuser-Busch, the ad featuring American soldiers and the worst, the infamous GoDaddy.com "wardrobe malfunction" spot. The survey speaks to the power that bloggers have in communicating with their peers, the media and the general public.
Podcasts are to radio what blogs are to print media
2005-02-09By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via KnoxNews: Remember when blogs started taking over the print media slowly? Imagine the same happening to radio news. And just to make sure it is real, search Google for 'podcasts.' At least 1.6 million hits will show up. Less than a year old, this technology enables anyone to record news and 'podcast' it online. The advantages? Here is online news of your choice that can be downloaded, fast forwarded, paused and heard several times over. There are podcasts for beer lovers and wine aficionados, even a few for astronomy buffs and for activities performed in the buff, according to the article. Even though podcasting may be the newest technology relatd to online media replacing conventional news sources, "there are still stumbling blocks," said Dannie Gregoire, the man who coined the word, podcast. On a positive note however, real radio stations seem to be noticing the phenomenon, with public radio's WGBH in Boston podcasting its weekly "American Stories" segment.
World 'Safer Internet Day' observed on Feb. 8
2005-02-09By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Sofia News Agency: Safer Internet day was observed on Feb. 8, as named by the European Commission-backed organization, Insafe. Bulgaria backed the campaign for the first time this year, which is supported by 30 countries in Europe and rest of the world. Safer Internet Day marks an effort to promote a safer Internet for all of its users, especially children. The special activities for the day included conferences, launch of Internet literacy programs in schools, media releases on radio and television and the launch of several new Safer Internet Web sites.
Former Washington Post Beijing Bureau Chief discusses Internet in China
2005-02-10By Leilani Wertens: John Pomfret, foreign correspondent and former Beijing Bureau Chief for The Washington Post, spoke recently about his experience reporting abroad at the “Journalists at Work Series” sponsored by USC’s Annenberg School of Communication.
Pomfret covered China from 1998-2003, and his in-depth pieces earned him the Osborn Elliott Prize for Excellence in Asian Journalism in 2004. The Oz Prize rewards journalists who are dedicated to “civic journalism” in honor of former Newsweek Editor, Osborn Elliot.
Although China continues to heavily censor its media outlets, Pomfret cited the Internet as one of the main sources of information for foreign reporters. Encrypted e-mail, along with SIM cards for cell phones ensure that reporters can exchange information without being detected by authorities.
“The explosion in communications has really helped our job in Beijing,” Pomfret said.
Native researchers employed by the reporters comb through blogs and chatrooms on a daily basis for information that can come via Hong Kong, but often through Chinese sites as “monitoring in China is not all 100 percent,” Pomfret said. “There are hundreds of Web sites that security blocks but there are many more that they haven’t blocked.”
Five hundred cities in China have their own Internet police. Although organizations exist to stem the flow of information, Pomfret said it’s “difficult to control such a wild thing,” and that police are “overwhelmed with information.”
The legislation behind the censorship includes a “self-discipline” agreement put forth by the Chinese Internet Association. It forbids major Chinese sites and foreign news media from disseminating information deemed harmful to the government or national security.
Although the government exerts control over the Internet, Pomfret describes the situation as “a double-edged sword,” becuase the government doesn’t want to limit the economy but “want(s) to have their thumb on pressure points.”
Bloggers reveal White House reporter's true identity
2005-02-10By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Liberal bloggers revealed that the White House gave press credentials to a man employing a fake name, reports Editor and Publisher. James D. Guckert, a reporter for the small, conservative Talon News, infiltrated press briefings and even managed to ask President Bush a softball question -- all using a fake name. Making the episode even more bizarre, bloggers also revealed that the man created a slew of gay pornography Web sites with possible links to prostitution. “It’s inconceivable to me that the White House, especially after 9/11, gives credentials to people without doing a background check,” said James Pinkerton, a media critic for Fox News.
USC Annenberg seminar to discuss restricted media in democratic society
2005-02-10By Christine Huang: New Media Musings: A seminar called “The Politics of Media, Technology, and Culture,” will be held at the Annenberg School of Communication on Feb. 15. The seminar will feature author, actor, and Lear Center senior fellow David Bollier, as well as Robert McChesney, a communications scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Bollier and McChesney will explain how even in a democratic society, the media faces constant scrutiny and restrictions. They will also answer the following question posed on New Media Musings: “Can an open, democratic culture survive the juggernaut of media consolidation, expansive intellectual property law and restrictive digital technologies that are now remaking the Internet, television and other media?”
Amazon joins the blogosphere
2005-02-10By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Via CNET: Amazon, the behemoth online retailer, has made its first foray into the blogosphere by investing in 43 Things, a blog dedicated to listing the goals and accomplishments of its members and connecting them to others with similar interests. Though the financial details of the deal are still murky, for now Amazon maintains that the two sites are completely separate. In the future, however, it will be easy for someone with “read more Kierkegaard” on their list of life goals to link to Kierkegaard’s canon on Amazon. Josh Peterson, who launched 43 Things on Jan. 1, was previously Amazon’s director of personalization.
Wikinews puts news consumers in the editor's chair
2005-02-10By Janine Kahn: From The New York Times: For anyone ever irked by a factual error or grammatical blunder on a web-published news article, Wikinews, the latest Wikimedia project, is a dream come true. Since its launching last December, Wikinews has taken nitpicky news consumers into account, allowing them to edit articles at will, bypassing the need to e-mail complaints to the site’s editorial staff.
Collaborative news sharing comes into play on Wikinews, which takes on a blog-like format, allowing for citizen journalism. Anyone can turn in a self-written article at any time, which in turn becomes subject to the scrutiny of the site’s viewers. The community sets its own standards in this regard, and communal criticism keeps news submitted by contributors accurate. Already, users across the world have taken the opportunity to shape online news delivery via Wikinews, with over 500 articles posted in the site’s two first months of operation.
Wikinews revolves around a commitment to neutrality according to Wikimedia Foundation president Jimmy Wales, and runs alongside the non-profit company’s driving principle: to cultivate free and open information resources written by its users.
Online video news ranks ahead of the pack
2005-02-11By Danielle Datu: From Poynter Online: News wins the popularity contest among online video topics, according to a study released Feb. 9 by Online Publishers Association, which polled the Internet users of its 25 member organizations’ sites for the study. News videos earned a popularity rating of 66%, followed by film clips or trailers with 49%, music videos with 29% and sports videos with 27%. The OPA study also noted that two-thirds of Internet users surveyed reported seeing a video advertisement online and that 44% of them “took some positive action as a result of seeing the ad,” such as clicking on a news story. However, as Poynter Online pointed out, “the study doesn't mention that 14 of the 25 OPA websites on which the users were polled are devoted to general news, business news, and sports news.”
Bloggers get 'dooced'
2005-02-11By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Via Washington Post: It has become so common for employees to get fired for disparaging their employers in blogs that the practice has developed a name – getting “dooced.” The phrase was coined when Heather Armstrong was fired from her Web design job for comments she made in her blog, dooce.com, in 2002. Much as workplace e-mail etiquette had no legal precedent 10 years ago, the ability of companies to punish workers based on their blogging activities has left many media and legal experts scratching their heads. Though employees see their blogs as therapeutic and harmless, some companies feel their reputation is being threatened. And for now, at least, “if an employee doesn’t like what you’re talking about, they can simply terminate you,” said labor lawyer Gregg M. Lemley.
Google to host Wikimedia information
2005-02-11By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via CNet News: Continuing to stay in the news, Wikimedia announced that Internet search favorite Google has offered to host some of Wiki Media Foundation’s information on its servers. The non-profit organization hosting the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, however, made it very clear that the move, even if approved, would not allow for Google to advertise on its Web site. Wikipedia is the collaborated effort of thousands of online volunteers to build a comprehensive information site. The group had earlier announced their intent to also start a Web sit that would allow people to share their own online news pages.
Slate likes Washington Post better than Microsoft
2005-02-12By Aarthi Sivaraman: Keep your employees happy, is the message you take away from Slate's sale to the Washington Post, according to MarketWatch. Apparently, the small but talented group of reporters at the online magazine that writes on pop culture and politics were unhappy about the way Microsoft was treating them. "As MSN got bigger, we were less relevant," Jacob Weisberg, Slate's editor-in-chief, said. The takeover by the Post, however, seems to have made those behind the online publication much happier. "The Washington Post appreciates outstanding journalism," said Cliff Sloan, Slate's publisher.
Winners announced in black college journalism contest
2005-02-13By Sogole Honarvar: The Historically Black Colleges and Universities association (HBCU) hosted its 2004 "Excellence in Journalism" student contest and just recently announced its winners, which include the new category of best online news site. Almost 12 news Web sites competed this year, with first place going to The Hilltop Online of Mars Hill College and second place to the A&T Register of North Carolina A&T State University. Sherry Howard, the executive online news editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, judged the online entries. According to the HBCU, the number of online newspapers at black colleges is on the rise. A complete list of winners can be found here.
Chinese Web cafes shut down
2005-02-14By Sogole Honarvar: Via Slashdot: The BBC News reports that the Chinese government shut down more than 12,500 Internet cafes in the last few months of 2004. These cafes apparently all violated a Chinese law regarding the legal proximity of Web cafes to schools. These laws, according to Chinese officials, are created to serve the best interests of children. China's Web censorship policies, according to Reporters Without Borders, are one of the most highly sophisticated in the world.
News exec resigns after feeling pressure from blogs
2005-02-14By Sogole Honarvar: From The New York Times: Bloggers have done it again. CNN's chief news executive Eason Jordan resigned Friday after allegations from the online blogging community that he made false statements about U.S. troops' handling of U.S. journalists in Iraq. Blogger Edward Morrissey echoed the sentiment of many bloggers when he said, "The moral of the story: the media can't just cover up the truth and expect to get away with it - and journalists can't just toss around allegations without substantiation and expect people to believe them anymore." Some question the power of blogs and how much influence they had over Jordan's resignation. Bloggers, however, feel confident in their abilities to keep the mainstream media accountable.
Blogzine for Nashville rock fans
2005-02-14By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via the Nashville City Paper: Sit back folks, for blogging may be taking on an entirely new form. Political and news blogs may be your regular cuppa, but how does indie rock blogging sound to you? Since March 2004, Nashvillezine.com has been a collaborative blog where local rock musicians and fans post information about shows and 'editorials' on performances around town. The site boasts witty and conversational pieces on music and while it allows more free flow of information than the print media, it also has a structure that regulates the news. “This looks as good as CNN or MSNBC with the graphics and the font,” Vanderbilt communications professor John Sloop said. The site is extremely popular among the youth of Nashville and plans are underway to revamp it to attract more visitors.
RSS readers threaten online news readership
2005-02-14By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via MediaPost: Newspapers already lost a considerable part of their readership to online news sites, even if it was to their own cyber counterparts. But now, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) aggregated news feeds seem to be threatening the future of conventional online news itself. No longer does one have to go to several different Web sites to gather news. Now RSS readers can continually pull in headlines and text. Users can hence create customized content from publishers, blogs, and search engines. Offer alerts, which bring everything from product releases, sports scores, and natural disasters will get users' immediate attention. Several newspapers have taken to hosting their own customized RSS readers, to quell fears of losing readership. The Los Angeles Times, Britain's Guardian and even CNet are examples of this phenomenon.
Reuters to offer video news online
2005-02-14By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Revolution Magazine: In an attempt to develop its consumer options, Reuters will offer an interactive television channel that will deliver video news stories online from its global news network. Viewers will now have access to complete business and market news packages, stories of human interest, entertainment and fashion and even raw footage of world events. "Our philosophy is to offer viewers the ability to choose the news that matters most to them, wherever and whenever it is breaking, and to see for themselves what’s really happening on the ground," said Chris Ahearn, president of Reuters Media.
Online journalists defended by Electronic Frontier Foundation
2005-02-14By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Linux Electrons: Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) requested a California Superior Court for a protective order to prevent Apple from forcing three online journalists to reveal their confidential sources. The journalists are argued to have the same privileges as print reporters. Previously, Apple had subpoenaed the journalists who had used anonyomous inside information from Apple about upcoming new products. Now, the company is trying to extract the IP address of PowerPage publisher Jason O'Grady to find out who released information about its product, code-named Asteroid. "If the court lets Apple get away with this... the public will lose a vital outlet for independent news, analysis, and commentary," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl. (see related article).
Real time updating now possible for blogs with new tool
2005-02-14By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via MacCentral: Five Across Inc. has introduced Bubbler, a blog-based tool that allows users to create and update Web pages in real-time. Users can drag and drop text, images, links, audio and video directly to the host site. The company will also offer "wiki-like collaboration" for users authorized by the Web page owner. The software is available for download now as a free Beta version.
Franz Ferdinand uses Web site to interact with fans
2005-02-15By Sogole Honarvar: Bands are becoming hip to the online game as more of them use Web sites to communicate with fans and garner support for their records. The Guardian reports that the latest, hot band out of the U.K., Franz Ferdinand, is using their Web site to interact with their fans and become an active part of the online dialogue surrounding their success. They have even hired an online editor to help manage their site and postings. "We know we can't compete with the fan sites in terms of the sheer amount of information on the band," said lead singer Alex Kapranos. "[The site management team does] that job very well. So we concentrated on things they can't do, like allowing fans to interact with the band."
Online political communications under revision
2005-02-15By Sogole Honarvar: Via The New York Times: CNET News reports that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has plans to review the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in terms of online political advertising. The act, passed in 2002, places regulations and restrictions upon political communication in traditional media such as broadcast or print outlets. Online communications are not mentioned anywhere in the act, thus allowing for online advertising funding not to count as campaign contributions. "The commission's exclusion of Internet communications from the coordinated communications regulation severely undermines" the law, according to U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. She is ordering that the FEC reform its rules.
3D audio to enhance sound quality in mobile phones
2005-02-16By Aarthi Sivaraman: Audio technology may be taking on an entirely new form, according to the BBC. Three dimensional sound effects may be a common feature in video games and TV but now British company Sonaptic is collaborating with Japanese mobile network NTT DoCoMo to set standards for 3D audio on mobile phones. News clips and headlines on a mobile phone can be accompanied by "true" sound now, making the news report seem more real. "If you want to get impact from media you are running - either a movie, a game or watching TV - if you want it to be more immersive then our technology can help," said David Montieth of Sonaptic.
Washingtonpost.com wins top prizes in annual contest
2005-02-16By Aarthi Sivaraman: Washingtonpost.com swept up 28 prizes in the White House News Photographers' Association annual contest. The news Web site won eight first places, six second places, six third places and seven honorable mentions, in addition to editor of the year, which went to John Poole, for his coverage of various subjects including gay marriage in Boston and 10 years of democracy in South Africa. Poole said the award was a testament to the quality of Post journalism and the strengths and dedication that the Web site has shown to visual media and visual storytelling. Washingtonpost.com was the only online contestant; others were mostly TV stations from the D.C. area.
WashingtonPost.com relaunches home page
2005-02-16By Sarah Colombo: WashingtonPost.com launched an upgraded version of its homepage Tuesday, complete with a top navigation bar and roll-down menus. The upgrade, which also allows for more news and multimedia content, was implemented in response to a survey that indicated users prefer a single nav bar. "The new design gives us the flexibility to provide more information upfront in a cleaner, more streamlined interface," Jim Brady, the site’s executive editor, said in a statement.
Murdoch refocuses on the Internet
2005-02-17By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Australian media magnate Rupert Murdoch has convened in New York with more than 50 of his News Corporation’s senior executives to discuss how best to harness the Internet in coming years, reports MediaGuardian. Recently, Murdoch circulated a memo asking News Corp operating companies about their approaches to the internet and new media. He has also expressed grave concerns about the ability of free Internet content to compete with his businesses. News Corp execs have shied away from crafting Internet-based business plans since the late ‘90s, when the company lost $2.25 billion in the tech stock bubble burst. “The future of the press will be determined by the Internet,” Murdoch told the Guardian in 1999.
Rosen: Eason Jordan shouldn't have resigned
2005-02-17By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Eason Jordan has done journalism a disservice by resigning as CNN’s chief news executive, opines media scholar Jay Rosen on his blog, PressThink. Jordan stepped down Feb. 11 over comments he made two weeks ago at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, saying he believed the U.S. military had intentionally targeted – and in some cases killed – journalists in Iraq. He later recanted, saying he’d misspoken. As a recent Wall Street Journal editorial discussing Jordan’s remarks put it: "This may have been dumb but it wasn’t a journalistic felony." The forum Jordan spoke at was supposedly 'off-the-record,' though since the advent of blogs, the very notion seems anachronistic, writes Rosen. Rosen asserts that rather than resign, Jordan should have engaged his critics in a dialectic, even granting interviews with some of the right-wing bloggers who seized so eagerly upon his faux pas. (See related brief.)
Google Launches A New Toolbar
2005-02-17By Christine Huang: From Micro Persuasion: Google recently launched a toolbar that Microsoft couldn’t a few years ago. Although Google’s new toolbar is similar to the Smart Tags feature Microsoft invented, the difference is Google's getting away with it. The toolbar, which became available to consumers on Feb. 16, features a new tool called Autolink. Autolink changes non-linked content on Web sites back to Google sites and properties. The new toolbar will also feature additional links for ISBNs, package tracking numbers, and vehicle identification numbers.
Meet the 'Mother of All Blog Rolls'
2005-02-17
By Danielle Datu:
From Political Gateway: Blog rolls-- lists of blog links advertised on Web sites-- can leave a blog feeling bogged down by the horde of others just like it competing to be perused. The Mother of All Blog Rolls, started by Bob Hoffman of Political Gateway and available in test form, intends to reduce a blog's time in limbo by offering viewers a peek at a blog’s content and not just its text link. MOAB displays the latest headlines and summaries of a blog on a Web site through XML/RSS feeds. Each caption links back to the blog's actual post, which will "allow a great blog to be found by many people." By "allowing a ‘taste’ of many blogs at once, (each) separated into categories, a viewer may pick and choose a place to go easily without getting burnt out by surfing to unknown blogs that are not what the (viewer) is looking for."
Online video advertising on the rise
2005-02-18By Danielle Datu: From Reuters: Jay Amato, Chief Executive of Viewpoint Corp., an Internet marketing company, has great expectations for the industry because of the expected rise of online video over the next three years. Amato anticipates securing more of the $60 billion plus invested in television ads as online video ads become increasingly competitive. “Advertisers might best place ads within Internet video that gives sought-after information, such as how-to demonstrations of cooking or home renovations, as well as news or entertainment.” In an effort to get advertisers to take advantage of this tailored commercial format, Viewpoint Corp. announced Thursday that it has joined forces with major sales companies for a study that will gauge the impact of online video ads against television ads. The study will run through early April.
Mainstream media finally 'gets' the Internet
2005-02-18
By Karl-Erik Stromsta:
Ten years ago, journalists who hitched their wagon to the Internet were considered lunatics, writes Jeff Pelline, editor of CNET. “Too risky, no credibility, and no brand loyalty,” were the feelings of many big daily newspapers regarding online news sites. Recently, however, many big daily newspapers have begun to view the Internet as a life raft in an increasingly turbulent sea of declining readership and pressure from Wall Street. To wit: The New York Times Co. announced Thursday it will buy online news portal
about.com for $410 million; in November, Dow Jones bought MarketWatch for $520 million; and in December, the Washington Post Co. agreed to buy online magazine Slate from Microsoft.
Award for uncovering sloppy journalism
2005-02-18
By Karl-Erik Stromsta:
The Medill School of Journalism encourages online journalists to submit entries to the
Paul Mongerson Prize for Investigative Reporting on News Coverage. It’s the only investigative reporting award recognizing journalists who strive to keep fellow members of their profession in line. Judges are looking for "stories that report on incorrect or misleading news coverage or that uncover media miscues in reporting. Judging criteria include how well the entry corrected the distortion, the story's impact, and its proximity in time to the original story," according to a statement released by Ellen Shearer, assistant dean and co-director of Medill News Service. First prize will be given $10,000, with other $1,000 prizes for entries of special distinction.
Yahoo trying to acquire Indiatimes news portal
2005-02-18By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via the BBC: Yahoo may be buying Indiatimes, one of the country's most popular news portals, according to Financial Times. The popular U.S. search engine has been negotiating with Bennett Coleman, the publisher of The Times of India and several other newspapers in India in an effort to develop its online presence. Both Yahoo and Bennett Coleman, however, declined to comment on the deal. The news site is listed separately in the stock market and gets more than a billion page hits every month.
Internet download of TV shows highest in the UK
2005-02-18By Aarthi Sivaraman: The UK leads the race in illegal downloads of TV shows, according to the BBC. Envisional, a Web tracking company, said 18% of all downloaders were from the UK and that downloads of TV programs had increased by 150% in the last year. Analysts say the Internet could be radically changing the way people get broadcast content. For example, the BBC itself provides audio and video content of news on its Web site. In the United States, National Public Radio allows users to listen to its programs and newscasts online. With more people turning to broadband connection, downloading these programs may soon be possible, allowing users to download and archive news in their homes.
Jordan blogged down. Who's next for the online firing squad?
2005-02-20By Janine Kahn: From the L.A. Times: Media columnist David Shaw frowns at the loss of 23-year CNN executive Eason Jordan, who resigned this month after a tornado of blog criticism ripped through some off-the-record comments he made at a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 27.
"He didn't publish or broadcast a dishonest story," said Shaw, comparing Jordan to the likes of Rather, Blair, Kelly and Glass. Yet, despite that, Jordan now pays a high price for a "stupid, inflammatory statement that unfairly besmirched the honor of the U.S. armed forces."
If Jordan did indeed imply that American troops intentionally targeted American journalists, "he should be ashamed of himself," said Shaw, "but he shouldn't have lost his job." Jordan's comments will be forever shrouded in obscurity, though, given that the organizers of the forum declined to release the taped coverage of the event.
"What I don't understand is why they — and he — caved in so quickly. I wish he'd asked — begged, demanded — that the organizers of the Davos forum release the videotape of his panel," said Shaw.
While bloggers were instrumental in taking down Rather, they seem to have taken it too far in Jordan's case, in Shaw's eyes. Some bloggers "are just self-important ranters" quipped Shaw, who questioned motives in their journalist head-hunting.
"Unfortunately, when these bloggers rise up in arms, grown men weep — and news executives cave in. That's much more alarming than anything Jordan said."
Journalism still ranks high in ethical professions
2005-02-21By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Boston Herald: A recently released study reveals that journalists are among the nation's most ethical professionals, trailing only philosophers, medical students and practicing physicians, even as several mainstream reporters have been under fire recently, in the recent years. The Dan Rather scandal, Eason Jordan's resignation and Jeff Gannon's ties to gay porn sites have established that media arrogance and the watchdog role that bloggers play significant roles in discrediting conventional media. The story of declining media credibility itself is a major news story, according to Timothy Karr, executive director of Mediachannel.org, a not-for-profit media issues group. The only ways for mainstream news to salvage any trust may be to understand that the public does appreciate serious news stories and to hold itself to a higher standard of performance, said Bob Zelnick, chairman of Boston University's journalism school.
Drudge-inspired Italian site gaining popularity
2005-02-21By Aarthi Sivaraman: Try Dagospia.com if you want to find out where the who's who of Italy turns to for their daily dose of gossip, or even to find out where Condoleezza Rice will be visiting this weekend, reports the International Herald Tribune. The site roped in more than 4.3 million page-views in January and about 168,000 in a single day last week. The Web site's owner, Roberto D'Agostino said the site derived inspiration from the Drudge Report, which he said had a similar mix of high and low gossip. D'Agostino , known for his witty and snappy style of prose, invites the highest form of gossip from well-positioned Italians with the lure of anonymity, a promise that he does not break.
French librarian rails Google for posting books online
2005-02-22By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Digital Media Asia: President of the National Library of France, Jean-Noel Jeanneney, has criticized Google's move to put all books from major universities and libraries online, a deal Google recently announced involving major libraries around the world. Jeanneney sees the search engine giant's attempt as propogating the dominance of American ideas and the English language. He envisions France's own online library program and Internet search engines in order to shield French and other European languages and culture from American influence.
Clampdown on Iranian online media continues
2005-02-22By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via the BBC: In a series of crackdowns on online journalism, the Iranian government recently jailed bloggers Arash Sigarchi and Mojtaba Saminejad for their their articles that criticized the clampdown on Iranian media. Sina Motallebi was another such blogger who resorted to writing in Persian to sidestep the goverment, but was arrested anyway, before he obtained bail and asylum in the Netherlands. He currently writes for the BBC's Persian service. Iranian authorities have been regularly censoring the print media, but lately, online media have come under fire too. "Freedom of expression is really at stake at the moment," says Julien Pain of the Internet Freedom Desk at Paris-based Reporters without Borders.
Animation magazine relaunches online
2005-02-22By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Animation Insider: After going strong for around 10 years as one of the most informative print magazines in the animation industry, Frames Per Second (fps) Magazine will relaunch completely online Tuesday. Frames Per Second is the only animation magazine that says it can find better living through animation, their features, in-depth interviews, reviews and news updates. The online version is free for all readers and is expected to do well.
Google faces criticism for launching Autolink
2005-02-22By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via the Times Online: Google has come under fire for introducing a service that modifies Web pages and directs users to particular sites. The search engine, Autolink, is programmed to include random links from Google-generated maps to books for sale on Amazon.com into regular Web pages. Bloggers and users worry that the feature might take over control of their desktop and work. However, "you can't argue that they are changing the Web site in any way and therefore messing with the author's right to link or not to link," Michael Gartenberg said in his blog. The venture is similar to Microsoft's Smart Tags, which was retracted from the cyber market amidst criticism from all levels, including The New York Times. Google's Autolink, however, is expected to lead to the relaunch of Smart Tags and other toolbars.
Net Dialogue launched
2005-02-22By Christine Huang: Net Dialogue, a mechanism that promotes and helps the public understand international Net governance, was launched on Monday. The site gives summaries of decisions made by international organizations to make information more clear and precise. Net Dialogue also has a discussion forum where comments and concerns can be posted about each initiative. The Web site is hoping to target those in businesses, the government, non-profit and international organizations as well as the media and the public. Net Dialogue was a joint project between Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society and Stanford’s Center for Internet and Society .
Media needs new 'giants' to uphold professional values
2005-02-22By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via Editor and Publisher Online: Media nowadays is devoting most of its time to "crap" and the profession needs some new "giants" who will stand up for traditional standards of truth-telling, said Eric Alterman, media commentator and historian in a lecture at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Alterman said important news stories were being sidelined and less deserving stories kept in the limelight for more time than they deserved. He also attributed failing journalism to reporters' ambitions to make more money as opposed to committing themselves to hard-hitting news gathering and reporting. The increasing popularity of blogs and community journalism online is also proving to be stiff competition for traditional news sources. In the wake of the blogosphere and cyber watch sites assuming the watchdog role for all news media, conventional journalists need to hold themselves to a higher standard to prove their credibility.
Video games cause of Chinese Internet cafe shutdowns
2005-02-22By Christine Huang: Via the Red Herring: Chinese parents concerned that their children may become video game addicts accounts for the shutdown of 12,575 Internet cafés in Beijing between last October and December. Some American critics are disturbed that Chinese parents are more concerned with video games than possible involvement from underground pro-democracy parties to keyword filtering to hacking onto blocked Web sites. Chinese authorities explained the mass exposure of video games would lead to bad grades, which they will not tolerate at the expense of several hours of entertainment.
Blogger uncovers Talon News reporter's plagiarism
2005-02-22By Eric Lindberg: From The Raw Story: A blogger documented examples that suggest a Talon News reporter copied phrases and sentences directly from New York Times, Fox News and Reuters articles. Ron Brynaert reported on Feb. 6 on his blog, "Why Are We Back in Iraq," that Talon News reporter Steve Roeder plagiarized passages from other media sources, but didn't receive much attention for his discovery. Brynaert also noticed cases in which Roeder gave passages taken from other sources a conservative slant and then used them in his own stories. The blogger discovered and documented about thirty examples of plagiarism in two articles by Roeder. Talon News is a conservative media outlet that often uses White House press releases to build stories, according to Media Matters for America, a media watchdog. Talon News has removed Roeder's articles from its site.
Blogosphere to mark global bloggers' day
2005-02-23By Aarthi Sivaraman: Make Tuesday "Free Mojtaba and Arash Day," appealed the month-old Committee to Protect Bloggers, according to the BBC. U.S. blogger Curt Hopkins and flight attendant Ellen Simonetti (who lost her job over a blog) started the blog. Following the arrest and imprisonment of the two Iranian bloggers, the blogosphere has been up in arms about freedom of expression. A global appeal has been sent out to all bloggers to support the cause of such cyber dissidents. See related brief.)
Iranian blogger sentenced to 14 years
2005-02-23By Eric Lindberg: From BBC News: Iranian authorities handed down a sentence of 14 years to an Iranian Weblogger charged with spying and helping foreign revolutionaries. Arash Sigarchi was detained for criticizing the arrests of other journalists in his own blog a month ago. Reporters Without Borders, a human rights watchdog, called the sentence "harsh" and said the Iranian government is "trying to make an example of him." Recently, authorities in Iran have attempted to restrict access to blogs and have arrested around 20 online journalists so far. Curt Hopkins, a member of the Committee to Protect Bloggers, said Sigarchi’s sentence will bring attention to the situation in Iran. "The mullahs won’t be able to make a move without it be spread across the blogosphere." Sigarchi’s lawyer called for a public retrial and Reporters Without Borders appealed to Iranian President Mohammed Khatami to release the blogger.
Google Movies: coming to a browser near you
2005-02-24By Janine Kahn: From Slashdot: A host of movie reviews and recommendations are now at your fingertips when you Google, announced Associate Product Manager Jess Lee on the famed search wizard's official blog today.
Key in "movie:" followed by a title of your choice, or key words pertaining to the movie if you can't remember its name, and you are taken to a list of review sites accompanied by a star rating based on review results.
The feature resembles Google News at a glance, but is still a long way from being up to par with sites like The Internet Movie Database. Still, other features include a movie schedule-finder based on one's zip code, as well as recommended films for a variety of genres. Keying-in everything from [movie: Tom Hanks talking to a volleyball] to [movie: good chick flick] will draw up results.
And hey, just in time for the Oscars too.
US online advertising ahead of the media pack
2005-02-24By Janine Kahn: From MediaGuardian: Online advertising spending is taking leaps and bounds over the amounts shelled out for the traditional media, with companies spending a record-setting $10 billion in 2004, an increase of nearly a third from the year previous. Company spending on online advertisements rose by 32%, close to six times faster than every avenue of the U.S. advertising market combined, which only grew by 5.6%. Internet ad value has grown steadily since the end of 2002, contrary to skeptics who bemoaned the nosedive online sales took early in the dotcom game. Online advertising has become so lucrative that it will overtake U.S. magazine advertising in 2007, or so predicts Jupiter Research in a recent survey.
Robert McCartney: Coordinating the Washington Post with its news site
2005-02-24By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Robert McCartney, assistant managing editor for continuous news at the Washington Post, recently sat down for an online Q-and-A session, discussing his job as liaison between the newspaper and washingtonpost.com. He admitted that at times the Web site holds back from breaking stories "to avoid tipping off competitors." As a safeguard, most exclusive enterprise or feature stories aren’t posted until the late evening, when competing newspapers have already started printing. Unlike the newspaper, washingtonpost.com readers are primarily from outside the D.C. area, he said, including a significant percent from abroad. Thus, "from midnight to 6 a.m. Washington time, when much of the international audience is awake and reading us, the site gives more prominence to (international stories)." He also said online readers are "more interested in technology and Internet news," and "a shade younger" than readers of the newspaper.
Dearth of Wall Street Journal articles on the Web
2005-02-24By Karl-Erik Stromsta: Via Wired News: Adam L. Penenberg of New York University writes that due to its unpopular, for-pay online model, “there is a meme that has begun to take hold that questions the (Wall Street Journal’s) long-term relevancy.” Bloggers wind up “passively boycotting” the WSJ to avoid paying the $7 a month fee to access both new and archived articles. As a personal test, Penenberg googled the words ‘Wall Street Journal’ and ‘Enron,’ and not one article appeared in the first 250 results. He opines that younger readers, who consume the news primarily online, are simply not being exposed to the WSJ. “With their habits being formed now, there is little chance the Journal will become part of their lives, either now or in the future.” The New York Times also charges readers to access archived articles.
New technology fuses advertising and the news
2005-02-25By Danielle Datu: From The New York Times: The New York Post's business articles on Wednesday featured IntelliTXT, a Vibrant Media product that reveals an ad each time a mouse cursor passes over a keyword highlighted in green. This ensures that a Web page is supplied with contextually relevant advertising. Journalists argue, however, that decoration of the printed word throughout a news story for a promotional end "could create the impression that advertising shaped the reporting." Aly Colon, ethics teacher at Poynter Institute, said journalists’ integrity relies on their work being presented in such a way that clarifies their position as "first and foremost about the news." The Post’s use of IntelliTXT was conducted only as a test, said spokesman Howard Rubenstein. Forbes.com limited its use of the product to non-news areas in December after its reporters expressed "unease" over the new technology.
Oscar producer dishes on blog
2005-02-25By Danielle Datu: From OSCAR.com: Gil Cates, producer for the 77th Annual Academy Awards, blogs about last minute preparations for Hollywood’s biggest night. Cates dishes insider information on yesterday’s rehearsals at the Kodak Theatre, about everything from meeting with more than 70 Oscar nominees to practice "the new ways to present Oscars in some categories" to perfecting "complicated camera moves." He also vents about his tasks as planning the event comes down to the wire. "As producer, I must answer an endless series of questions about everything from script revisions and talent issues to ticket requests (‘THERE ARE NO TICKETS AVAILABLE’) and concerns about what Chris Rock might say." Watch how everything comes together Sunday night on ABC.
Network execs turn to Web to increase ratings
2005-02-25By Sogole Honarvar: From the Los Angeles Times: Network executives are using online promotional tools such as Web sites, blogs and message boards to attract and retain high ratings. The trend started with reality TV shows featuring their outtakes online. Now, producers of prime-time TV shows are also delving into this phenomenon, hoping to not only increase ratings but also create more advertising revenue. While there is no concrete way to measure the success of such Web gimmicks, most turn to Web site traffic, ratings and message board activity to validate this new form of online marketing. "You want to create a circle," says vice president of interactive development for NBC Entertainment Stephen Andrade. "You see something on-air, you go online to learn more about it, and it sends you back onto the air."
Bloggers bring in the big bucks
2005-02-25By Sogole Honarvar: Bloggers are continuing to turn their online journals into a source of income, reports the Guardian. What started as a hobby has now turned into an online phenomenon, prompting famed bloggers to leverage their work for big bucks. Some of the most famous commercialized bloggers, such as Andrew Sullivan and Glenn Reynolds, have successfully turned their blogs into a source of income. With monthly subscription drives and offers to write professionally for well-respected publications, these bloggers are taking their work to a new, profitable level. Other bloggers, such as the anonymous Belle du Jour, have published books and signed TV show deals. However, the current market for bloggers and their work is limited and experts believe will soon reach the point of saturation, which would propel bloggers to think of new and creative ways to earn a living off their online adventures.
Digital Media Net announces speciality sites for Mac users
2005-02-28By Aarthi Sivaraman: Digital Media Net, an online publisher for the digital media industry, announced the launch of a new set of Web sites to help Macintosh creative professionals. The new sites will focus on the needs in five industry segments: audio, video, DVD, design and animation. The move takes up the count of the number of Web sites owned by the publisher to more than 50. "The depth of the information we provide is unparalleled in this space, from insightful and unique tutorials and comprehensive product reviews to features and informational pieces on issues critical to our readers," said Dave Nagel, DMN Executive Editor. The new Web sites are an example of speciality news that is offered online and invites a sizable audience.
Print media still remains a source of joy to some
2005-02-28By Aarthi Sivaraman: Via the Washington Post: "Nothing out there is going to supply you with the extraordinary daily content of The Post, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal or other fine newspapers," said Michael Getler of the Post, providing a different take on the stories on how the blogosphere is ousting conventional media. Getler said that there will always be a die-hard audience for print media, one that takes joy in picking up the newspaper each morning and turning pages to discover news and deeply analytical articles. Also, bloggers finding mistakes with what traditional reporters are doing is similar to the way print readers call in if they find errors in newspapers. However, the credibility of mainstream media is under fire as never before and it would take more than just new layouts or superficial changes, Getler said.
EC investigates online services funding
2005-02-28By Sogole Honarvar: The Guardian reports that the European Commission (EC) is taking action against European broadcasters and their right to provide online services. Prompted by the activities of two German public service broadcasters, ARD and ZDF, the EC is investigating potential 'unlawful state aid' to broadcasters' online services from member state governments. The list of targets includes the BBC, who has been said to have close ties with both the ARD and ZDF. EC commissioner Neelie Kroes claims this type of government funding of Internet services could be viewed as an illegal cross-subsidy.
Online editor launches Web mag for Rocky Mountains
2005-02-28By Sogole Honarvar: Via I Want Media: Online editor and founder of The Industry Standard magazine, Jonathan Weber, has launched a new online magazine. The Denver Post reports that the online publication, The New West, targets the technologically savvy, educated and active residents of the Rocky Mountain area. Weber, himself currently lives in Missoula, Mont. and noticed a gap in online services for the Rocky Mountain region. With correspondents in Missoula, Salt Lake and Boulder and sections such as "Growth & Public Policy" and "Citizen Journalism," Weber hopes The New West will succeed online and expand in print format in about a year. The Web site is currently funded strictly through online advertising and some venture capitalist funds.