Archive for the ‘new media’ Category

2 Big Myths that are Killing Newspapers

Posted by tom.altman on February 24th, 2010
newspapers (Tehrān)

From a post I found over at SimsBlog with some really good thoughts:

…is how journalists “spent nearly a century denying responsibility and involvement in business decisions”.

…

The result of this siloed newsroom is that a large chunk of the organization has no real understanding of how the business works.

That is a very real idea.  In fact, I think they are still running from the business end today.

But let’s not let the advertising department off the hook!

The Big Advertising Department Myth: We sell eyeballs

Not really.

Eyeballs are about mass and placement in the form reader demographics, circulation numbers, lines, columns, colour and position requests.

What advertising departments actually sell is connection and context that lead to sales results.

The article has more interesting information, but it really talking about as newspapers are making excuses and fussing…it’s time to take some responsibility.

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Pepsi kicks Super Bowl and goes social

Posted by tom.altman on January 12th, 2010
Photo of a Pepsi can. I like the lettering, bu...
Image via Wikipedia

When I first read this – I did at least one double take.  Say what – like when was the last time Pepsi told the Super Bowl – “we’ll pass, but thanks”

“will bypass the big game for the first time in 23 years”
PBT Consulting

Well – will this be a great move or great blunder?  It sounds like they are going social – via  project called the pepsi refresh project, and it looks to be a very interesting move.

The idea (from the Pepsi site) is absolutely awesome.  In fact, I proposed a similar project to the company I work for a year ago, on a much smaller scale.  They are basically going to take the super bowl ad money and let people use the money for grants and projects and then let people also vote on them.

OK – who doesn’t think this is the best idea ever.  We all watch these million dollar ads and think – wow, what would I do with the money if I had that – surely not spend it on one of these ads.  Now you have that voice.

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Zuckerberg wants to publish all your little secrets.

Posted by tom.altman on January 11th, 2010
Image representing Mark Zuckerberg as depicted...
Image via CrunchBase

Read Write Web has a great post on Facebook and Zuckberg:

Zuckerberg spent 60 seconds talking about Facebook’s privacy policies. His statements were of major importance for the world’s largest social network – and his arguments in favor of an about-face on privacy deserve close scrutiny.

Wow, I know the “younger generations” are more forgiving with private information – but seriously – they are not stupid.

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Classified by any other name

Posted by tom.altman on December 28th, 2009

Along with keeping the day-to-day rolling in webdev this week, my task is to test out a couple of web classified apps.  We’re looking to test drive two methods – one called geodesic and then drop a couple of WordPress themes too.

The hard part will be figuring out how much is “enough” to get us to the next step in the game.  We get a lot of heat in WebDev for not building out entire sites as requested.  The hard part is trying to convince our internal clients they don’t need the Cadillac quite yet and we have a nice Honda ready and waiting.

So this will be a good test for both WebDev and our internal clients to see if we can meet in the middle.

Challenges:

  • Getting a “good enough” solution together.
  • Make-up lost ground to sites like eBay and Craigslist locally.
  • Allow customers to place ads and get more “instant” satisfaction and results.

Suggestions:

  • Love to hear them…please give them now!

Oops! We could not locate your form.

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The million dollar idea

Posted by tom.altman on December 21st, 2009

It’s funny, the newspaper I work for is trying hard – but spinning its tires a lot.  We’ve gone from build a “super blog” network, to atomizing all content into a distribution engine to looking for the “million dollar idea”.  It’s crazy, but it is possible to make a million with a blog.

Here is a quote from a post which outlines the process:

that blog is read by over 3 million readers a month and is quickly paying my mortgage – in fact in November it generated more than $100,000, most of that in a week

WOW.  Unreal?  Not really.  But here is what I left out:

Today, 3 and a half years later, that blog is read by over 3 million readers a month and is quickly paying my mortgage – in fact in November it generated more than $100,000, most of that in a week after launching a Portrait Photography Tips E-book.

See, it’s not the fact that a million dollar idea/or blog is not possible.  It’s the how to do it part we miss.

We need good content, we need to nuture the people who come, we need to let those people become a part of the site and you have to hustle.

Check out the full article.

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Why paywalls won't help most big newspapers

Posted by tom.altman on December 3rd, 2009
Talking To A Brick Wall
Image by Joriel “Joz” Jimenez via Flickr

The paywall discussion is in full force at my job (Gazette Communications) and my buddy and I were discussing the idea of adding a paywall to our electronic edition yesterday at lunch.  Funny – as the exact same thing we were talking about was pointed to in this Boing-Boing post:

The critical point here is that advertising is still what makes money for news, even when there’s a cover charge. Paywalls aren’t just sold to readers. They must be sold to advertisers. Paid walls make the eyeballs behind them much more valuable.

It will just be very interesting to see how long the paywall phenomenon lasts – i may well be a short term solution, but the problem is a super long term one.

To succeed with paywalls, then, publishers need not only an established monopoly on something valuable (local news, scoops, reporting quality) but also a plan to translate that into advertiser interest. Paywalls alone, unless they are ridiculously expensive, just won’t be enough.

Either way – I’m sure we’ll do it.  I wish we wouldn’t, I’m not sure we’ve looked at the complete array of options objectively yet.  Wish us well.  :)

Why paywalls won’t help most big newspapers

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The new divide: Walled v. open

Posted by tom.altman on December 1st, 2009
The walled garden at the demolished Bellfield ...
Image via Wikipedia

I have not been paying a lot of attention to Jeff Jarvis lately – but his recent post hit home.  Maybe it was the friendly objection via a co-workers tweet to my re-tweet, but either way – this is a good read.

Here are a few of the better quotes IMO:

The momentum is toward including ever more data. But now come Murdoch and Microsoft, threatening to take their balls and go home.

But I would hate to see walls go up just as we are tearing them down.

Rusbridger reminds us that advertising freed newspapers from ownership and control by political parties and special interests who exercised that control via patronage. Advertising gave journalism independence. Advertising also subsidized news and reduced its cost so more people could get it.

There are many more – check it out, and good news.  It’s free to read and free to be commented on!  :)

The new divide: Walled v. open

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i = Future Of Newspapers = Think, Know, Understand, and Feel – /Message

Posted by tom.altman on November 24th, 2009

Interesting concept:

The paper’s team worked with media consultancy Innovation to come up with a new way to organise the product. “Our feeling was,” said Figueiredo, who came on board at an early stage, moving from Diário Económico, “that people were not concerned about traditional sections any more.

i = Future Of Newspapers = Think, Know, Understand, and Feel – /Message.

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Charging for Hulu? Newspapers better watch this one.

Posted by tom.altman on October 26th, 2009
Image representing Jonathan Miller as depicted...
Image via CrunchBase

After all the buzz around the ‘net about Hulu and charging for content in 2010 – this may be the show newspapers are waiting for.

The big question, of course, will it stick.  Hulu has some very impressive numbers going into 2010.  But what will that look like if they put up a pay gate?

…Jonathan Miller, News Corp.’s newly-installed chief digital officer, said he envisions a future where at least some of the TV shows and movies on Hulu…are available only to subscribers.

The big question is – How much?, What shows are protected? and Who will pay?

I personally have loved Hulu from the beta days and find it to be a great alternative to cable.  If, for a low fee – under $5, could get access to the shows they have now and a few more…may go for it.  But, I don’t want to wait a week for content.  I don’t want to see that content disappear in 4 episodes and I want more.

I think newspaper people will be eagerly watching too:

Miller also talked about what he thinks newspapers will have to do to convince readers to pay for articles that they’re used to getting free on the web.

So grab a seat.  Let’s see wat happens when they flip the switch.  More to come.

Source:  dailyfinance.com

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Howard Stern 3.0: The future of entertainment « BuzzMachine

Posted by tom.altman on October 25th, 2009

I’ve spoken about the importance of podcasting/tv for awhile.  Jeff reiterates the fact with a comment Howard Stern made on his show.

Media can change – but we have to be willing to try something new.  We have to let a few groups do some things and try and fail.  We can do it.

Howard Stern 3.0: The future of entertainment « BuzzMachine.

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