Author: Dan Blank

The Value of the Editor in a Social Media World

Time magazine is making some changes. Time’s publisher, Edward R. McCarrick descibes the moves this way: “We’re doing something really bold and direct, which is throwing down the gauntlet.” Jeff Jarvis is, of course, not enthusiastic about these changes at the magazine. He states: “I think that general-interest magazines may well be fated to fade… Continue reading The Value of the Editor in a Social Media World

Everyone is Your Competition

How does that headline feel? If you work for a media company, it’s sad but true. As information overload invades our culture, and your audience become more time-crunched, competition for their time becomes overwhelming. While it is convenient to view your competitors as only those who work within your industry, it overlooks the full picture… Continue reading Everyone is Your Competition

Why the Internet is Good for Traditional Media

BusinessWeek has a message for traditional media companies: “…we believe Internet companies that enable and promote revenue generation from their content should be viewed as critical allies of, not necessarily competitors to, traditional media companies.” Om Malik shows us the sheer size of social networks, with MySpace alone generating 38 billion page views last month… Continue reading Why the Internet is Good for Traditional Media

Traditional Media in Trouble – Innovation Injection Needed

Editor & Publisher looks at how newspapers dropped the ball (and Google picked it up): “…as newspapers cede a portion of their ad revenue for Google to act as a middleman, there should be a lesson learned: whatever the “next thing” is, newspaper companies should figure it out and get on it right now, before… Continue reading Traditional Media in Trouble – Innovation Injection Needed

If You Love Journalism, Set It Free

Time has names YouTube the invention of the year. “…even though they built it, they didn’t really understand it…. the minute people saw YouTube they did its creators a huge favor: they hijacked it.” The article concludes: “Consumers are impatient with the mainstream media. The idea of a top-down culture, in which talking heads spoon-feed… Continue reading If You Love Journalism, Set It Free

Print’s Downfall “One of the Best Opportunities in Business Today”

Jason Calacanis shares some words about the state of the newspaper industry: “…the fact that folks can’t figure out the obvious place for print in this world is just shocking… This is one of the best opportunities in business today…” His only hint at what the solution might be… “it’s the message NOT the medium… Continue reading Print’s Downfall “One of the Best Opportunities in Business Today”

Google to Sell Ads in Newspapers

Google is expanding its ad sales into print newspapers. It is a curious opportunity, but not without risks, even if successful: “…publishers can get much-needed revenue but in doing so they may well make Google — which is already the biggest seller of online advertising — even stronger.” At the core of the Google plan… Continue reading Google to Sell Ads in Newspapers

Business 2.0 Launches Blog After Blog After Blog

Business 2.0 is quickly rolling out its new strategy, launching 17 blogs: “What we are doing is essentially launching a mini-network of blogs all written by B2 staffers (including reporters, editors, and even our art director and a photography editor), and collecting all the posts on B2 Beta.” Editor-at-Large Erick Schonfeld goes on to explain:… Continue reading Business 2.0 Launches Blog After Blog After Blog

Newspaper Restructuring in Four Easy Steps

Wired reports on massive changes within Gannett, as they restructure their newsrooms. Their four goals: Prioritize local news over national news Publish more user-generated content Cecome 24-7 news operations, in which the newspapers do less and the websites do much more Use crowdsourcing methods to put readers to work as watchdogs, whistle-blowers and researchers in… Continue reading Newspaper Restructuring in Four Easy Steps