Users Generate Content, Top Websites Cash In

Nick Carr comments on a recent report about the increasing reach of the top 10 websites. “Despite the explosion of web content, spurred in large part by the reduction in the cost of producing and consuming that content, web traffic appears to be growing more concentrated in a few sites, not less.” “What’s being concentrated,… Continue reading Users Generate Content, Top Websites Cash In

As Media Companies Evolve, Conflicts Arise

Hugo E. Martin points us to John Battelle’s “Packaged Goods Media vs. Conversational Media,” where he posits: “Major media companies are realizing that their digital assets are far more valuable than they initially thought, and they are reacting by putting folks in charge of those assets who they believe will protect the company. Not the… Continue reading As Media Companies Evolve, Conflicts Arise

Yahoo and Reuters Ask You to Become a Photojournalist

Some user-generated media and citizen journalist news: “Hoping to turn the millions of people with digital cameras and camera phones into photojournalists, Yahoo and Reuters are introducing a new effort to showcase photographs and video of news events submitted by the public.” The offer also seems to apply to video, and includes a print component:… Continue reading Yahoo and Reuters Ask You to Become a Photojournalist

The Value of Aggregation and User-generated Media

PaidContent points us to a presentation from a BearStearns analysis on the value of aggregation and user generation media. The 5 key findings from the presentation: Demand for video is likely to increase due to more choice and convenience. Niche and user generated content will find an audience because everybody’s tastes diverge from the mainstream… Continue reading The Value of Aggregation and User-generated Media

The Fallacy of User-Generated Content

Scott Karp looks deeply into the concept of “user-generated content,” concluding that much of this on the web is simply people re-publishing other people’s content. “What’s radical about the new digital reality is that I can publish anything that I made — and I can publish anything that anybody else made.” While sites like MySpace… Continue reading The Fallacy of User-Generated Content

Journalists Confront News Aggregation

A recent conference brought journalists face to face with the man behind Google News – the aggregation service that has sent chills through the media industry. There are two perspectives on this matter. The first: “For some publishers — watching covetously as Google earns billions from contextual advertising — the search engine’s success rests on… Continue reading Journalists Confront News Aggregation

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

Stock Photography Under Fire from User Generated Media

Other media businesses are coming under attack due to the proliferation of user generated content online: stock photography. Thomas Hawk has the scoop from an interview inside Getty with Jonathan Klein, Getty Images Co-Founder and CEO: “I asked Klein if he saw room between the $1.85 iStockPhoto image and the high end Getty images and… Continue reading Stock Photography Under Fire from User Generated Media