Yet Another Expensive Device to Carry: Amazon’s Kindle

The blogosphere is excited about the launch of Amazon’s new ebook reader called Kindle. There are may pro’s and con’s to the device, but I think Rex Hammock has a pretty sober look at the idea. From a user experience perspective, I don’t quite understand the idea of compartmentalizing our media activities. Why would I… Continue reading Yet Another Expensive Device to Carry: Amazon’s Kindle

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Categorized as books

Google Finds Flaws in Traditional Magazine Publishing Model

Google has filed a patent for them to create print magazines that will include personalized content and highly targeted advertising. Michael Arrington notes a few elements of the patent application that shows where Google finds flaws in the traditional magazine publishing model: “Publishers often lack insight into the profiles of consumers who purchase their publications,… Continue reading Google Finds Flaws in Traditional Magazine Publishing Model

Veteran Journalists Launch Website to Compete with Newspapers

Last week, a new online-only news source launched: MinnPost. The Minneapolis-based site is run by former Star Tribune publisher Joel Kramer and “will rely on nearly 50 freelancers – including many former Pioneer Press and Star Tribune reporters – to produce most of its stories. Many are in or near retirement and can afford to… Continue reading Veteran Journalists Launch Website to Compete with Newspapers

Do Journalists Lack Faith in Their Audience?

Two journalists in Britain have each posted articles discussing whether “new media” is good for “traditional journalism.” David Lee starts us off with this statement: “…in the rush to embrace new media we risk destroying the soul of traditional reporting.” John Kelly responds: “There exists a certain lack of faith in the market when it… Continue reading Do Journalists Lack Faith in Their Audience?

News Websites Akin to “A Lot of Talking, But No Action”

Paul Bradshaw doesn’t think highly of news media that doesn’t interact with its community: “Have you ever been to one of those meetings where there is a lot of talking – but no action? That’s what most news websites and blogs are like at the moment. One endless meeting.” His solution is to ask 6… Continue reading News Websites Akin to “A Lot of Talking, But No Action”

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Categorized as journalism

Long Articles or Short? Depends on The Goals of Your Readers.

Jakob Nielsen has some mathematical formulas to determine whether long or short articles are better for your website. His conclusions: If you want many readers, focus on short and scannable content. This is a good strategy for advertising-driven sites or sites that sell impulse buys. If you want people who really need a solution, focus… Continue reading Long Articles or Short? Depends on The Goals of Your Readers.

When Media Acts Like Fans

Mahalo Daily is a new web-only news program that covers the tech industry, and things they love. Today they posted an interesting review of travel site Dopplr. It does a good job of explaining what it is, and how it works, and purposefully comes across as an infomercial, even though the Mahalo staff says they… Continue reading When Media Acts Like Fans

Journalists With No Sense of Community

Clyde Bentley is an associate professor of journalism at the University of Missouri, who helped start the MyMissourian grassroots journalism hub. He reflects on what he has learned in the past three years: “One of the hardest lessons that I have learned from the MyMissourian project is that traditionally trained journalists often have close to… Continue reading Journalists With No Sense of Community

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Categorized as journalists

The Death and Rebirth of the Entertainment Industry

Marc Andreessen takes a closer look at what the writers strike may mean for the future of the entertainment industry: “The writers’ strike, and the studios’ response to the strike, may radically accelerate a structural shift in the media industry — a shift of power from studios and conglomerates towards creators and talent… Scripted television… Continue reading The Death and Rebirth of the Entertainment Industry

Is Anyone Reading Those Long Articles in Print?

The New York Times looks at the print vs. web divide among video game magazines and their readers: “Noel Goodman subscribes to three video game magazines, but he wants information faster than the magazines can reach his mailbox. “I can find out on the Internet information that won’t be in magazines for another month…” “Magazine… Continue reading Is Anyone Reading Those Long Articles in Print?