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media notes 05.31.13

5/31/2013

Some media stores of note for Friday, May 31, 2013:

Jeff Jarvis, posting to Medium, argues the case against sponsored content. (The New York Times is reported considering more such content, Bloomberg reports.) Jarvis asserts that the trend in sponsored material diminishes the news brand, gives rise to conflicts of interest, and confuses the audience with inconsistency. He also argues that news organizations ought to focus on being in the relationship business, more so than the content business, and that marketers should recognize that sponsored content won't benefit from the sponsored content business, either.

The U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, met a handful of news organizations Thursday (another handful declined his invitation) and acknowledged mistakes had been made in spying on media that were evincing leaks from government. Politico reports that Holder told organizations he understood what had been done wrongly. Meantime, National Journal argues there were good reasons why journalists shouldn't have met Holder.

The largest media owner is Google. That is the finding of the ZenithOptimedia report. Press Gazette says the report suggests Google's holdings total 65 of all Internet searches and 82 per cent of all Internet paid search advertising. The value is an estimated $37.9 billion.

media notes 05.30.13

5/30/2013

Some media stories of note for Thursday, May 30, 2013:

A day-later catch-up on the release of the annual Internet trends report from respected media analyst Mary Meeker (embedded below), who issued a lengthy slideshow at the D11 conference. Among her more notable observations: people pick up their smartphones 150 times a day and there is a huge opportunity in monetizing advertising in mobile as a result. Liz Gannes of AllThingsDigital notes there is a steep growth in tablets and a steady growth in mobile as a portion of Internet use, and Andrew Beaujon of Poynter suggests that the erosion of print as a portion of the advertising pie should not be so worrisome (in that the declines are slight).

Bloomberg reports that Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer for Facebook, is acknowledging that the platform is facing formidable competition for teens now with Tumblr and Twitter. But she says we are a long way off from a zero-sum game and that Facebook still is growing among that demographic.

Regional and local British newspapers are accusing the BBC of being a "thug at the end of the street" in dealings with them. The Guardian reports their representatives told a conference that BBC does not credit stories it follows and that they are treated as competitors instead of potentially constructive allies. The effect is to undermine their businesses, they insist. They oppose recent BBC Trust suggestions that the broadcaster invest more heavily in online local coverage.

KPCB Internet Trends 2013 from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

media notes 05.29.13

5/29/2013

Some media stories of note for Wednesday, May 29, 2013:

Matthew Cooper, writing in The National Journal, argues that a new shield law for journalists in the U.S. is only a portion of what's needed. Unless prosecutors stop pursuing reporters, the law has little effect. This is one area where custom trumps statute, Cooper writes, and where prosecutors have options they simply don't use. Unless they desist, he says the shield law will prove ineffective at preventing journalistic chill.

Craig Silverman, writing for Poynter, identifies three key areas that would be useful for journalists (and the public) in the absence of a correction tool for Twitter. He says it's a good idea to develop an understanding of best practices and to widely distribute them. He believes there are tools to use for verification and to enable those best practices. And he argues that there is value in finding ground to cooperate in so-called breaking news.

Mashable reports (on an eMarketer report about a Brightroll study) that suggests advertising executives believe online videos are just as or even more effective than television advertising in reaching audiences. Those surveyed also believe video ads are more effective than other forms of online advertising. Research indicates that video advertising spending will grow substantially this year.

media notes 05.28.13

5/28/2013

Some media stories of note for Tuesday, May 28, 2013:

Meena Thiruvengadam, writing for Poynter, looks at the increasing value and presence of Instagram as a tool for newsrooms in engaging audiences, generating and curating content, and reporting. She looks at the work at the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and NBC News in developing new paths to markets using the instant photo delivery platform.

Financial Times reports (registration required for link) on a British study that suggests Britons are increasingly prepared to pay for digital content. It also finds declines in television viewing, social media use, and reading books. The study for KPMG's annual entertainment and media survey indicates online gaming and ebooks are the top sellers, driven by smartphone and tablet applications. On a related matter, early data from The Telegraph suggest a strong continuation of audience support for its metered paywall.

Gawker has reached its $200,000 crowdfunding goal to purchase a video allegedly depicting drug use by Toronto's mayor. The Globe and Mail notes the effort has stirred questions about the ethics of purchasing content, particularly from those allegedly involved in drug dealing. Naturally, all might be for naught, in that the source of the video (which Gawker and reporters from the Toronto Star have seen) has not been in contact for many days. Meantime, the Globe's public editor has weighed in on the paper's recent investigative story on the mayor's family's background, particularly its use of anonymous sources.

media notes 05.27.13

5/27/2013

Some media stories of note for Monday, May 27, 2013:

The New York Times reviews the reach and effort of the U.S. government in the investigation of disclosures of secretive information. It finds that, while the recent cases involving reporters garnered attention, the Obama administration has been exhaustively pursuing the sources of leaks.

Brian Morrisey, writing for Digiday, looks at the "bear hug" embrace of television by Twitter. He notes Twitter's understanding of the advertising and programming worlds, how it eases into the television experience as a companion platform, and the many deals that have emerged for highlights with channels.

The Pew Research Center has launched Fact Tank, a site that looks at "numbers, facts and trends shaping your world." It uses the Center's extensive polling to produce thematic stories. Its first few stories include a look at international disparity, veterans' attitudes, and drone strikes. The aim, says Center president Alan Murray, is to

media notes 05.24.13

5/24/2013

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Some media stories of note for Friday, May 24, 2013:

Controversy lingers for the Obama Administration over its surveillance of reporters and Alex Pareene, writing for Salon, wonders if the president will fire his attorney general in light of the revelations. The president yesterday reiterated concern that the press not be targeted or chilled, and that the real targets should be the leakers of secrets and not those who distribute them (although the attorney general will lead the probe into what amounted to his own activities).

Several media organizations carried vivid video and still images following the terror attack this week on a British soldier. Not surprisingly, there was public criticism. Also not surprisingly, media organizations are defending their decisions. Britain's Press Gazette looks at the controversy, the ethical considerations involved, and the implications of the move.

The controversial decision by Gawker to crowdfund the purchase of video allegedly depicting the mayor of Toronto smoking crack cocaine has hit a snag. The organization can't find the supposed drug dealer with the smartphone and the video. Gawker has raised more than $145,000 of its $200,000 target to buy the content (and finance the video owner's relocation), but it has suggested the fundraising may be for naught.

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media notes 05.23.13

5/23/2013

Some media stories of note for Thursday, May 23, 2013:

AdAge chronicles Twitter's recent forays into television advertising space through partnerships with broadcasters. It notes that the deals add content and offer advertising opportunities to reach users, but uses technology to match those users with conversations. In some cases it involves highlights of programs, particularly sports, but in others it involves Twitter while programs are airing.

Twitter, concerned by many recent hacks into high-profile media accounts, has started to offer two-step verification to reduce the threat. It sends a PIN code to a user's phone via text to authenticate identity when passwords are changed. Jeff John Roberts, writing for GigaOm, says the two-factor authentication would have thwarted the recent hacking.

J-Source compiles a series of stories involving the journalistic ethics of reporting on allegations of crack cocaine use by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. It features stories on the ethics of raising funds to purchase the video at the centre of the controversy, the conduct of the press and its obligations, and on the overall relationship between the mayor and the press.

media notes 05.22.13

5/22/2013

Some media stories of note for Wednesday, May 22, 2013:

Jonathan Stray, writing for Nieman Journalism Lab, examines the slow evolution of journalism from "just-the-facts" to "what it means" reportage. He cites academic research on content and concludes that prominent work today is more regularly contextual. He attributes this to the shift away from the pursuit of objectivity to one of analysis, backgrounding and connecting the dots.

Anthony de Rosa, posting on Soup, decries the duplication in today's journalism. He doesn't cite particular outlets but notes that so many stories are simply matched by those who do not advance the material. He thinks it's time to relent and devote precious resources to original content. The medium no longer requires matching, he argues.

Dana Milbank, political columnist for the Washington Post, devotes attention to the Obama Administration's surveillance and seizure of journalists' records and concludes this is a serious matter deserving of much wider attention because of its collision with constitutional rights of freedom of expression. Milbank says the administration needs to address the recent series of episodes involving organizations or else its "ominous" precedent is bound to be followed by later leaders without a real dedication to the First Amendment.

media notes 05.21.13

5/21/2013

Some media stories of note for Tuesday, May 21, 2013:

Taylor Miller Thomas, writing for Poynter, looks at how news organizations use Tumblr, the platform purchased by Yahoo this week for $1.1 billion. Thomas identifies the techniques of media and Tumblr to connect and interact with audiences, in particular to answer questions.

Jack Shafer, writing for Reuters, argues that the problems James Rosen of FOX News (accused in a Justice Department affidavit as a "co-conspirator" in breaching government secrecy) have encountered are in part of his own making. Namely, Shafer suggests that Rosen wasn't all that intrepid in covering his tracks and ensuring his source could do the same. It's a contrarian take on what has largely been journalism concerned with the plight of the craft under surveillance.

AdWeek examines how The New York Times is applying its ingenuity to rework the online banner ad. The innovation largely associated with its editorial department is alive in its R & D Lab to generate advertising campaigns that are more interactive and effective. It has potential applications elsewhere with news organizations looking for more avid use of its online advertising.

media notes 05.20.13

5/20/2013

Some media stories of note for Monday, May 20, 2013:

The New Yorker examines the ethical challenge of what a media organization does with a sponsor who might be aggrieved. Jane Mayer looks at how PBS dealt with David Koch, the conservative billionaire/philanthropist who was featured in a critical documentary it was about to broadcast.

Mark Thompson, the CEO of The New York TImes Company, spoke last week to Columbia Business School graduates and suggested the decision to institute an online paywall was among the shrewdest moves the organization has ever made. His commencement address did not note, as Jeff John Roberts did in paidContent, that the Times' subscription base may have reached a plateau.

The BBC Trust has given a general seal of approval to the BBC websites, but found that its local news services aren't as strong as they ought to be. The Guardian reports the Trust identified some weaknesses in quality and the ability of users to personalize content locally.

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