Scott Karp has an interesting (as always) take on the Gray Lady's move to aggregate content not their own. NYTimes.com wasn’t the first traditional media brand to aggregate third-party content — and it certainly won’t be the last. But the New York Times, once considered the national newspaper of record, represented one of the last bastions of the traditional media approach to content, i.e. we produce it ALL …
Old School Ellen
Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan used to pitch their favorite cigarette midshow. Now Ellen's doing it. DeGeneres, on Friday pitched the hybrid gas/electric version of Toyota's Highlander SUV during her daytime television series, resurrecting a ritual from the golden age of television. In the 30-second retro "spot," she compared features of the 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid to elements of her own show. In addition to being …
Changing Perspectives At 10 M.P.H.
The film 10 MPH chronicles the story of two friends and aspiring filmmakers that ditch soul-sucking cubicle jobs to claim a more fulfilling life by making a film about a cross-country journey by Segway. The filmmakers--Josh Caldwell and Hunter Weeks--are DIY all the way. So it makes sense that they've decided to open up their distribution channel to the Radiohead "pay what you want" model. I just sent the pair $5.00 …
AOL Puts “The User” In Driver’s Seat
AOL has been busy remaking its brand through a series of new product launches and innovations. Today, the media company announced it will let consumers opt out of behaviorally targeted advertising. “We want to make the opt-out process as simple and transparent as possible,” said Jules Polonetsky, Chief Privacy Officer, AOL. “We urge the industry to join us in ensuring that users who take steps to minimize the data …
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Going Out Guide Spreads Its Wings
According to L.A. Times, Tribune- and Gannett-owned Metromix will expand to 40 cities next year. Currently, the media brand serves eight markets—Chicago, NYC, LA, Orlando, Baltimore, South Florida, Connecticut and Hampton Roads, VA. "We need national scale to be able to compete more effectively," Tribune Interactive President Tim Landon said. "In terms of accessing national dollars, you've got to have a good, …
The Dawning of Journalism Boutiques
The Wall Street Journal (paid sub. req.) is running an unassuming piece on the formation of ProPublica, a news room without all the baggage. A new venture backed by philanthropies will start publishing investigative journalism articles beginning next year, looking to fill a gap being left as newspapers cut costs amid weak advertising. The organization, to be called ProPublica, will be headed by Paul E. Steiger, who …
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Targeted Placement In Toronto
In what seems like an obvious move, The Toronto Star is planning a revamped approach to selling newspaper advertising, including a switch to modular ads and sectional pricing, starting Jan. 1, 2008. Sectional advertising means ads will run in sections selected by advertisers and a separate rate card will be developed for each section tied to readership and demographics. Fred Forster, president and chief pioneer of …
Why Are These Newsmen Laughing?
These newsmen are laughing because they don't work for a newspaper owned by Wall Street moneymongers. Rather, the St. Petersburg Times, Florida's largest circulation newspaper, is owned by Poynter Institute, a not for profit organization. “We don’t put out a newspaper to make money,” says Paul C. Tash, the chief executive of the Times Publishing Company, which oversees the paper. “We make money so we can put out a …