30 Apr 08 Evening reading + house cleaning

Due to my previous comment issue and the theme I was using not being supported any more, I decided to redecorate. Plus, being that I am talking about online journalism and the “future” of the medium, I thought it fitting that I have a more streamlined, futuristic theme. I’m quite pleased with it actually, though there are still some minor tweaks to make.

Some reading for today:

• It seems Cablevision Systems Corps. is joining the bidding war for Newsday. Looks like this one might be bloody.
• The 7th Annual APMR Online Convergence Awards are open! Who will be the biggest innovator?
• The San Diego Union-Tribune has taken a bold step and launched its own social network.
• Mathew Ingram: According to report coming tomorrow, Facebook and Wikipedia are better in emergencies. If you were watching either during the VTech shooting you can see the validity of this study. Josh Catone weighs in as well.
• Tools: Paul Bradshaw on how journalists can master twitter and Shawn Smith gives a good primer on RSS feeds.
• Robert Niles over at OJR wants to know ‘Where you would like to work in an ideal world?’
• New tool: BlogRize. Will it be the Orkut (read: elitist) of the social bookmarking sites?

Related Links

Tags: links

24 Apr 08 Thursday afternoon readings

A quick rundown of some of today’s interesting articles:

• Editor & Publisher is reporting that only 11 top newspaper Web sites are reporting an increase in time spent.
• Mark Glaser of MediaShift interviews William Bastone, creator of ‘The Smoking Gun’.
• Philip M. Stone: “Let’s rename the newsroom the content room.”
• Ruth Hochberger of HuffPo thinks it “…it will be a sad day for journalism if Murdoch swallows Newsday.“
• NY Times allows ‘Welcome ads‘; How deep will the ad-rabbit hold go?
• Romenesko: Boston Globe accepts buyout applications from 23 staffers

Related Links

Tags: articles, links

23 Apr 08 ‘New Media Bytes’ is ridiculously informative

All right, that’s it, I’m packing it up. No need for me to be yammering away about online journalism stuff when people like Shawn Smith have everything covered over at New Media Bytes. Smith is a senior news producer at MLive.com, the online arm of Booth Newspapers in Michigan.

Honestly, his blog is the most comprehensive site I’ve seen covering topics such as, but are not limited to, Twitter and journalists, new media metrics and how to coerce your newsroom into accepting the online world. Some notable posts:

• Ultimate guide to Twitter tools for Journalists
• Best newspaper blogs for comments, community and readability
• Blogging basics for journalists
• 6 minimal-effort ways to jumpstart your newspaper staff’s excitement about the web

I’m kidding of course about packing it up, but good grief, Shawn has done a terrific job. Kudos to you sir!

Related Links

Tags: journalism, links, new media

23 Apr 08 Wednesday reading in the online world

(See second story)

My obligatory smattering of links for today:

• Chicago’s ‘RedEye’ is using Facebook to connect to readers, even so far as putting some of them in print.
• Nina Simon at Museum 2.0 talks about the cost of Web 2.0 ventures, not in dollars however, but in time spent.
• Election 2.0 = virtual debates.
• Two things that need to happen in order to save journalism, according to Sean Blanda.
• Performancing: Advice for bloggers, less is more!
• Rupert Murdoch is closing in on Newsday for the kill.
• Speaking of Murdoch, Jeff Jarvis weighs in on the matter.
• And Gawker publisher Nick Denton is also wondering why the old man is in such a hurry.

Enjoy your day.

Related Links

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22 Apr 08 Tuesday morning reading

Yeah, yeah, more readings.

• Mark Glaser over at Media Shift talks about Loyalty Index over page views. (More on this topic later)
• Jonathan Bailey at The Blog Herald gives some blogging lessons for, and from, journalists.
• Rupert Murdoch is reviving the old school, knock down, drag out newspaper war. “Bring it the bloody on Sulzberger!”
• The Raleigh Chronicle, an upstart competitor to the Raleigh News and Observer, is changing ownership. Here’s the catch, the Raleigh Chronicle is entirely online.
• NY Times: Online advertising is a lagging indicator of a recession.
• Cameras for the Mojo, Part II: The point-and-shoot edition.
• Former FOX anchor and Bush press secretary Tony Snow to join CNN just days after NY Times revealed how White House controlled pundit generals. In other news, universe to collapse under the weight of its own irony, film at 11.

Related Links

Tags: journalism, links, technology

21 Apr 08 Monday online journalism reads

Today in the world of online journalism (and beyond):

• The NY Times talks about the tension over sports blogging and how Mark Cuban tried to ban all bloggers from the Mavericks locker rooms.
• Wapo.com and Newsweek.com “airing” exclusive, live online Pennsylvania Primary specials.
• The Society of Professional Journalists is launching it’s ‘Citizen Media Academy’ with locations in Chicago, North Carolina and Los Angeles.
• Mindy McAdams talks about journalism’s next hurdle: Web data.
• Deviation: Today’s ‘Too Much Free Time Award’ goes to…this guy!
• David Carr in the NY Times talks about how the online media has changed the politics game and how now the gaffe has gone viral.

There you have it. Carry on.

Read anything interesting today?

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09 Apr 08 Evening reads

• Facebook Reportedly Near Accord Over Origin - Apparently Aaron Grennspan claims he created ‘The Facebook,’ soon to be associated with ‘The Huge Settlement.’ With the company worth an estimated $15 billion and rumor that it well sell public shares soon, I think they can afford to pay this thing under the rug.
• Cindy McCain is shopping a book - I’ve got to tell you, those McCains are some writing fools. McCain has put out (what seems) like two books during his presidential run. Hell, I think he even put one out while in that Vietnam POW camp. Now his wife is jumping on the wagon as well. McCain’s book are always big sellers too, not that Cindy needs the money.
• Yahoo/Google deal is anti-competitive: Microsoft - The ‘Search Wars’ continue, or do they? This bit in Wired claims that the Search Wars are over, and declared Google Inc. the victor. From my experience (which is limited) it seems that eliminating almost all competition in a market is just bad. We are taught in Econ 101 that competition is necessary to promote innovation. Now I don’t think Google would just stop being innovative if they were the only game in town, but it would certainly be easier for them to rest on their laurels a bit. However, I do have to admit I am a bit of a Google fanboy, I just love all of their apps and services.
• ‘USA Today’ Launches Instant Message News Alerts and Search Function - While no doubt useful, there is something weird about talking to robot services in AIM. A news service would no doubt be any less creepy. Gannett has really been stepping up its online game (even stealing the Sentinel’s Flash prodigy last month), so I’ve got to commend them for that.
• Study: Newspaper Web Sites Dominate Local Traditional Media, But Are Losing Share - Yay, job security! Well, sort of. To say that news Web sites are losing market share to Google and Yahoo! is to assume they ever really had a ton of it. Seems to me that is a winless battle, better to fight on your own turf and compete against other news Web sites. The key is to do things Google and Yahoo! can’t do or can’t make use of on their news sites.
• San Francisco torch route switch angers spectators - So the torch bearers, on their way to cast the fire into the mouth of Mount Doom, are forced to pump fake and pull the old switcheroo in order to stave off attacks from protesters and rabble rousers. I just woke up from a nap and apparently I am in the Twilight Zone.

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Tags: articles, links, news