Metblogs asks for help, would consider selling
Metroblogging launched in Los Angeles in late 2003, and it’s now the world’s largest network of city-focused blogs with nearly 60 sites. In an admittedly unorthodox blog post, co-founder Sean Bonner said they’re looking for help to take the company to the next level. “(We’re) looking for the right people or organizations to keep Metblogs [...]
Foursquare inks deal with Bravo TV
The popular local mobile app Foursquare has inked an unusual promotional deal with Bravo TV. Viewers can “check in” at over 500 real-life locations tied to the cable network’s shows — like “The Real Housewives” and “Top Chef” — to win special badges and prizes. And many of the network’s talent and contestants will be [...]
Local TV must reinvent, despite political windfall
A story in AdAge today urges local television stations not to be lulled into complacency by an improving economic picture and a promising Supreme Court ruling for political ad spending. “It belies a potential danger: lulling stations into avoiding the necessary reinvestment and reinvention their business model requires,” writes Brian Steinberg, who quotes Forrester Research’s [...]
The social world plays its own games
This past week has been “Doppelganger Week.” What – you’ve missed it? You obviously weren’t on Facebook. People replaced their profile pictures with photos of celebrities they supposedly look like. It has worked to varying degrees – some people are dead ringers, others are wildly optimistic – but it has been a fun little game [...]
Notes: Geek Squad, disaster porn, WSJ and wine
Noted: Some remaindered items we’ve missed along the way. The founder of the Geek Squad says, if he were starting it today, he’d make it a mobile development company and not a computer repair company. (Video) Salon criticizes “disaster porn.” Ad Age looks at the time-honored (OK, Since-Wednesday-Honored) question: “Is the IPad Publishing’s Savior?“ WSJ [...]
Suddenly, my top Google result is my Twitter feed
Oh, stop it. You Google yourself, too. I check in occasionally to see where I am in the “Steve Safran” standings. (There’s a professor, an opthalmologist, a realtor and even a Sheriff Steve. Clearly, I have woefully underachieved.) For as long as I can remember, my top Google result has been my Lost Remtoe bio [...]
Facebook exploring local check-in feature
Silicon Alley Insider reports that a source told them Facebook is thinking about adding a Foursquare-like “check-in” feature that would broadcast the user’s location to friends. This is very preliminary, but Foursquare cofounder Dennis Crowley says he expects the check-in feature will be a “commodity by the end of the year.” Stay tuned…
GlobalPost: One year later, MediaShift revisits
It has now been one year since GlobalPost launched online with the mission to bring back the nearly-lost art of international reporting for the American audience. Career newsman Phil Balboni launched the site along with Charlie Sennott, a longtime reporter for the Boston Globe. (Disclosure: I worked for Phil at NECN in the 1990s and [...]
Facebook connects news sites
While Twitter seems to generate more buzz from media professionals these days, don’t forget Facebook, still the king of connection, when planning your social media strategy. More than 3.5 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook each week, according to the company, and much of that consists of news articles and current events shared [...]
Find local media jobs on Twitter
In a surge of economic optimism, we’ve relaunched our local media jobs board here at Lost Remote. And in a new feature, you can track new positions on Twitter — just follow our new account, @LostRemoteJobs to be alerted when new positions are posted. Believe it or not, Lost Remote job postings are free — [...]
Charting the emerging local news ecosystem
Rumors that AOL’s hyperlocal franchise, Patch.com, will be expanding in a very big way continue to swirl. Meanwhile, Yahoo, Datasphere, Allvoices, OurTown and a handful of others are looking to compete on the local level in a national way, too. So what does the competitive landscape look like? Apart from the local newspaper and TV [...]
Parody: How to make a TV news story
This is perfect for a Friday funny. And maybe it should make its way into some introduction to news broadcasting courses. (Warning: contains one expletive.) Safran Adds: This is the best satire, bar none, of any news method I have ever seen. It should be shown in J-School as an example of the cliches of [...]
CitySearch debuts social directories of local businesses
Last month, CitySearch announced it was integrating Twitter into its platform, encouraging businesses to add their Twitter accounts to their profiles. And now CitySearch is unveiling directories of local businesses on Twitter and Facebook. While a few local sites and blogs have similar lists, especially on Twitter itself, CitySearch says it’s “the first resource to [...]
CitySearch opens up local listings for all
With Google and Yelp aggressively growing their local presence, CitySearch is expanding its footprint by opening up its local listings for just about any website or mobile app that wants to display them. Called CityGrid, the set of free APIs allows you to surface CitySearch content on your own site, from business profiles to reviews [...]
Notes: iPad & publishers, USC in LA Times deal
Noted, while freezing in DC: IAB: Why the iPad could be bad for publishers. (CyberJournalist) USC students to write for LA Times blog (editors weblog) Survey finds bans on cell phone use while driving don’t reduce crashes (cellular-news) Giving mobile ads a makeover. (WSJ) RTDNA gives us some love, running a piece by me on [...]
Google debuts click-to-call on mobile ads
As promised, Google has rolled out the capability for Adwords advertisers to include clickable phone numbers in their ads on iPhones, Android phones and other mobile devices with full browsers. Click the number, and it initiates a call. Since the ads are served based on your physical location — assuming you’ve activated it — the [...]
AOL seeking 2,000 paid stringers for SXSW
There are 2,000 bands playing at this year’s SXSW in March. You couldn’t possibly assign your entertainment reporter to cover them all. So AOL (sponsor of SXSW) is hiring a stringer to cover each band. AOL is paying $50 per writer to report on a given band, according to paidContent. This is part of AOL’s [...]
Gowalla lets users create custom trips
The social location app Gowalla has introduced a new feature that lets users create custom “trips” for others to explore. Up until now, Gowalla trips have been created by the staff — like the Fremont Freak Walk in Seattle (below), which combines six stops. Users who check-in at each stop complete the trip and win [...]
