Archive for December 20th, 2007
The deal is officially done, and Sam Zell is already taking action at the newly private Tribune Co. He shuffled the board, named two new executives and promised more changes to come. “We have a tremendous opportunity to take the great brands of Tribune Company, and the enormous talent within the company, to a new level,” Zell said in a prepared statement. “Tribune, along with the newspaper industry, has been mired in its monopolistic origins, and we intend to create a fresh, entrepreneurial culture that is fast and nimble, and which rewards innovation.” One of the moves is naming Randy Michaels to head Tribune Co.’s internet and broadcast operations. Meanwhile, Zell will oversee Tribune’s newspapers. “You call it CEO and I’ll call it owner,” he said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
December 20th, 2007
Broadcast Interactive Media (BIM) has relaunched nine Granite TV sites with new designs and the YouNewsTV platform. Up until now, Granite had handled all their sites internally. “Within 30 days of site launch, BIM helped us grow our internet revenue with projects such as Your Health Matters and the YouNewsTV platform,” said Mark DeSantis, WEEK TV General Manager. “WEEK.com alone saw over a 400% return on investment with these sponsorships, as our advertisers just loved the programs.” YouNewsTV allows users to submit video and photos, and all the content is moderated before appearing. WEEK.com’s YouNewsTV section:
Press release follows below…
Read the full post December 20th, 2007
In a Harris survey, 65% of adults say they’ve watched a YouTube video, compared to 42% the year before. Meanwhile, 43% said they have watched a video on a TV network site, followed by 35% on news sites.
December 20th, 2007
My first news director, Bill Bauman, is retiring as general manager of WESH in Orlando. Back in the early 90s, I worked for Bill at powerhouse KCRA, and his commitment to coverage was reflected in the station’s slogan, “Where the News Comes First.” Bill also brought serious news coverage to WESH. “To be recognized for providing superior coverage is what this business is all about,” Bauman said. “Our brand of news is something I’m very proud of.” Such a dedication to quality in local TV news is becoming less popular these days. We need more people like Bill to bring it back.
December 20th, 2007
MTV has recruited 51 teens and young adults to cover the 2008 elections throughout the country. Their blogs, photos and video will appear on Think.MTV.com and a new MTV mobile site. Also, their video will be posted on the AP’s Online Video Network, which by extension would appear on more than 1,800 affiliate sites. The MTV street teams will be geared up with laptops, video cameras and mobile phones — and it’s partially funded by a $700,000 grant from the Knight Foundation’s Knight News Challenge. Great idea!
Think.MTV.com users can set up profiles that outline issues that are important to them. They can also join groups and highlight organizations they support.
December 20th, 2007
