Affiliate Manager, Internet Broadcasting
Mendota Heights, MN
Read the full post November 28th, 2006
Archive for November, 2006
Those clickable CNN.com headlines
As web producers know, it’s all about the headlines. A great headline can double the clicks over a mediocre one. So I couldn’t help but notice how CNN.com was working overtime on Tuesday night in its main headline block with these gems:
X-Men illustrator dies in Superman pajamas
Clerk swings machete to stop porn theft
Mom charged with baby’s microwave death
Man paid $1,500 for camera, got sauce in box
6 comments November 28th, 2006
New jobs posted on Lost Remote
Seattle is about to set the all-time record for rain in a single month, with flooding, snow and ice, so I’ve been a little busy with my real job. (Last night I was stranded and stayed the night at a hotel next to the station). But I just updated the jobs section with a ton of Internet Broadcasting and FoxNews.com positions, among others. So take a look.
Add comment November 28th, 2006
Philly newspaper writers may publish online if strike hits
Staffers from the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News say they’re prepared to publish their work online, if a strike deadline passes Thursday. 900 members of the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia are certainly ready to walk the picket line - just check out the union’s website. At issue are matters of sick pay, a union pension cap, and the power of seniority in job security. Editor and Publisher reports that, should the job action happen, union leaders will produce their own online newspaper with striking staffers. The union has even bought a domain name, although it won’t say what that URL is. (Via Poynter)
3 comments November 28th, 2006
Pulitzers let door creak open to more online materials
The Pulitzer Prizes will now allow submissions from some more online efforts. Last year, you may remember, the Pulitzers started considering online work, but only still pics and written reports. A press release from the Pulitzer board says that “newspapers may now submit a full array of online material-such as databases, interactive graphics, and streaming video-in nearly all of its journalism categories.” The key word here is newspapers. The Pulitzer Prizes are still newspaper-centric, and that is only to their own detriment. They are missing out on “a full array of online material” that doesn’t originate in newspaper newsrooms. Also, Steve Yelvington notes of the rules, “…the online material “must depict its original publication on the Web, not its subsequent update or alteration.” That’s a distressingly static approach in an increasingly conversational world and locks out some great new approaches to doing serious journalism on the Web.”
Add comment November 28th, 2006
CBS: Viewer comfort with web lets us rest ‘Jericho’
CBS has put Jericho on hiatus and doesn’t plan on running new episodes until late February. (At the end of sweeps?) But here’s the spin: The Eye says it’s going to run original content and clips online to keep Jericho loyalists hooked. Execs say viewer comfort with the web was a big part of their decision. “This will be a really great experiment for us,” says CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler. I’ll give CBS this: it’s an interesting spin to give putting a show on hiatus. Usually they just say “we’re retooling.”
1 comment November 28th, 2006
MTV developing ‘hyper-programmed’ online verticals
This is exactly what programmers should be doing: MTV networks is going deep into niches by developing 20+ websites. Each site focuses on a different audience - and each will have its own URL. In addition to several different music sites, there will be sites that focus on games, dance, entertainment and personal development. Local stations can learn from this. Rather than making people come to a “master site” and dig around, you should be developing micro-sites that focus on niche markets. As long as they are using and sharing your content, what do you care what the URL is? Make the content fun, useful and easy to find. Says Brian Graden, president of entertainment for the MTV Networks Music Group, “The one thing that we do know is that these do not represent television on the Web… It’s all about aggregating as many impressions and page views as you can in any numbers of ways.”
8 comments November 28th, 2006
NBC News: situation in Iraq is ‘civil war’
NBC News has become the first network to make the editorial decision to call the battles between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims in Iraq a “civil war.” Today host Matt Lauer made the announcement Monday morning. The White House says the sectarian violence is certainly serious but is not a civil war. While some reporters at other networks have referred to the fighting as “civil war” there have been no formal announcements of editorial decisions to do so.
8 comments November 28th, 2006
YouTube service coming to VCast subscribers
Verizon Wireless customers who have the $15/month VCast service will soon have access to YouTube clips. The service is limited, however. Subscribers won’t be able to watch every YouTube clips - just an unspecified number of clips approved by YouTube and Verizon Wireless. I don’t see this as being an especially tempting offering - it goes against the free spirit attitude of YouTube. (NYT free sub. req.) NOTE: This corrects a previous entry that incorrectly wrote that the YouTube service itself would cost $15/month. It is bundled into the $15/month VCast service. Apologies for the error.
8 comments November 28th, 2006
Car dealers keep accelerating online ad spending
Pass this one along to your web sales department: nearly two thirds of car dealers are going to increase their online advertising next year. Cars.com polled dealers about plans for web ad spending in 2007. 20 percent are going to keep their budgets about where they are, meaning only 18 percent are cutting back. eMarketer says auto company online advertising spending will double from 2005 to 2007 - from $1.8 billion to $2.7 billion. Are you ready with the kinds of sections local auto dealers will want?
1 comment November 27th, 2006
Two promotions at NBC.com
NBC.com has promoted Stephen Andrade to SVP, Digital Development and General Manager of NBC.com. Andrade was appointed VP of Interactive Development in August 1999. And Carole Panick has been promoted to VP Digital Content and Development.
1 comment November 27th, 2006
Media coverage of election criticized, especially online
The Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism took a look at mainstream media coverage of the November 7th national elections and found use of the web seriously lacking. For newspaper websites “… finding the balance between speed and offering a rich narrative still has to be reconciled…They are still struggling with the possibilities and risks of real-time news, something television has more experience with.” Broadcast network viewers watched “programs still largely built on a model developed 40 years ago.” TV Sites did better: “While they varied in design and ease of use, the sites set up by some TV news operations represented some of the strongest destinations of the night, coupling speed, organization and depth.” The survey was unimpressed with blogs: “Bloggers were caught somewhat empty-handed by the relatively error-free election of 2006,” writes the survey. “Some, such as Wonkette, got downright cranky that no one was leaking examples of fraud and abuse. Others got nasty about who was winning and losing.”
3 comments November 27th, 2006
Handhelds coming for WiFi calls anywhere
We’ve long predicted the day when WiFi portable phones will either replace or compliment traditional cellphones. That day is starting to come. The NY Times reports on a few phones that let you make calls via the web on Skype and Vonage, taking advantage of the free or low-cost call plans. (NYT free sub. req.)
Add comment November 27th, 2006
Burger King debuts its own Xbox games
Yet another example of corporate America’s continued move into content. Burger King is selling its own Xbox titles: Pocketbike Racer, Big Bumpin and Sneak King. Each feature the BK mascot “The King” with Xbox Live functionality and a companion site, BKGamer.com that features high scores and downloadable content. Now, why would anyone want to buy one of these games? They’re available at Burger King restaurants for just $3.99 a pop, which must qualify for the cheapest Xbox games ever.
4 comments November 26th, 2006
Celebrate embedded Comedy Central vids with a ’sigh’
Lost Remote has encouraged the media sites to allow their videos to be shared easily on other blogs. The best way to do that is to follow the YouTube model by allowing bloggers to embed video, right on the page. So, to celebrate the ability to embed Comedy Central video, here’s a “Word” from the Colbert Report (and his highlight of the month): “Sigh.”
We have written before that we will embed video directly from the source when the source makes it as easy to share as YouTube. We’re happy to see Comedy Central jumping in to the pool.
5 comments November 25th, 2006
Figuring out what to look for in a digital CEO
The New York Times looks at all the recent internet exec shuffling at big media companies and asks whether there is an ideal profile yet for a candidate. (If there is nobody has figured it out, argues reporter Richard Siklos.) Funny lead to the article includes fictional “JOB DESCRIPTION: To take all the stuff we produce for other formats, like TV or print or film, and figure out how to shovel it onto the Internet in a way that makes money.”
1 comment November 25th, 2006
