New Media — AEJMC Hot Topics

Facebook has added a new fanpage specifically for journalists. The page launched on April 5 and was set up as to assist reporters in using Facebook as a resource for their reporting.

A poll on the page suggests that many journalists are looking to learn how other journalists are already using Facebook as a tool. The page already has several video interviews with journalists to get their take on how Facebook can help the journalism field. The videos include interviews with NPR, WSJ and CNET reporters, as well as Arianna Huffington and Nicholas Kristof.

You can read more about the fanpage here or view the page here.

Do you think Facebook can be used as an effective journalism tool? Leave your comment below.

From Jim Louderback on AdAdge, April 1 -

It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
–REM

Lots of attention has been lavished on Time Warner Cable’s attempt to stream TV networks over its IP network, and the subsequent backlash from those TV networks. But that’s just one recent development that will lead to the end of the multichannel TV bundle as we know it today. Two other developments — Adobe’s new TV Everywhere authentication scheme and Comcast’s drive towards non-system network licensing — spell the beginning of a scorched-earth phase that will unfold over the next year or so. And when it’s done, the media landscape will look entirely different. Let’s take a look at each of these individually, and then wrap up what it all means. Read full article

A study published by media research company knowDigital says that real iPad users find the content of The Daily to be lacking when compared to alternative sources of news available for free.

The report found that the people studied fell into two groups, ones who were tech savvy and very interested in the news and those who were less technological and less interested in news.

The report said that:

“iPad users in both camps were generally unwilling to commit to purchasing subscriptions to The Daily for a number of reasons, including some based on their specific perceptions of The Daily and some based on the idea of paying for an app on a recurring charge basis.”

Your can read the full report here.

The social magazine app Zite, which compiles stories that a user may be interested in based on their browsing & searching history, Twitter account and other habits, was sent a cease and desit letter from AP, Time, Washington Post and some other major media companies.

The letter says that Zite is using their intellectual property and needs to stop immediately (you can view the letter below). Zite launched just a few weeks ago and this marks a rough beginning for the app. You can read more about this here.

Here’s a promo video put out by Zite:

Here’s the official cease and desist letter:

Cease & Desist Letter to Zite –

Ken Doctor wrote this article about the economics of the newspaper industry and the discussion of what business model will work for the industry. He says that newspapers were covering a lot stories of their own demise until they realized that may not have been a smart move.

After speaking with some people in the industry, he found that although newspaper companies may not know what the next step is, they know that following the same path they’ve been on in the past is not the way to go. Venturing out into uncharted territories means trying things like paywall content, digital readers, etc.

“It has been 20 quarters since the U.S. newspaper industry experienced a quarter’s performance that was better than that same quarter a year earlier. It was way back in the second quarter of 2006 that the industry last experienced growth.”

Read the article here

Peter Barron, Google executive and former BBC journalist, said in a recent post that journalism’s woes were not due to Google and its news page. He says that the problems facing journalism would exist whether or not Google existed and says that Google isn’t stealing advertising away from journalism. You can read his blog post here.

PaidContent has compiled a list of the 50 most successful digital companies in the United States. You can view the full list here. The list is based of off digital sales, and by admission of PaidContent, some intelligent guesswork when data wasn’t available. Their definition of a digital company was a company that makes money directly from sales of online content or online advertising.

Check out their list and let us know if you agree with it. Read More

Recently Amanda Hocking, the self-publisher who sold millions of copies of her books through Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites, signed a deal with St. Martins for her next series of books (you can read the short NYT article about it here). The bigger story in this though is whether or not self-publishing is just astepping stone to signing book deals with major media companies, or is self-publishing a viable alternative to the big companies?

Hocking said she’ll benefit from the deal by not having to manage herself (hiring an editor, running the business aspect of things) and be able to focus on her writing. She’s probably right, and only she knows what she can handle. But for all those out there trying to get their work published, do you think self-publishing is the way to go, are traditional publishers still necessary, or like Hocking is a mix of both the best avenue?

From the Editors at CJR in March/April 2011 issue - Washington beckons as a land of opportunity for journalists today, at least in the realm of high-cost subscription news. We’re cheering, but wary, too. A new unit of Bloomberg News is hiring 150 editorial staffers, essentially doubling the size of its DC bureau, to provide detailed coverage of federal legislation, regulation, and government spending. Politico has hired another forty or so journalists for its new “pro” brand, a high-priced news service that will write fast and furiously about every major and minor happening in energy, health care, and technology policy and politics. National Journal last April offered buyouts to all of its hundred-plus editorial employees, but has been on a hiring spree since then to bring on nearly fifty new journalists. Meanwhile, CQ Roll Call, moving beyond the staff shakeout that followed the combination of the two Washington policy stalwarts in their September 2009 merger, is also launching new services and hiring fresh talent. Read More

In an AP story published earlier today, Michael Liedtke wrote that USA Today is revamping its paper to try to keep pace with the Internet. Although this is nowhere near a new idea in the newspaper industry, USA Today has taken multiple steps in the last few years to innovate the paper and boost earnings.

One thing Liedtke’s story says is that the content of the paper will focus on topics that attract more advertising such as tech reviews, financial advice, travel and lifestyle tips, and sports features. USA Today’s published believes the changes will increase revenue.

Do you think this is a good idea? How will changes in content like this impact the journalism community overall (if at all)? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Read the full story

The End of TV As We Know It

iPad Users Find Content from ‘The Daily’ Lacking

Is Self-Publishing Just a Stepping Stone?

High-Cost Subscription Journalism

USA Today Revamps Strategy to Keep Pace with Internet