OWN’d

Local news has taken another big blow to the head, this time it may be the knockout punch. Oprah Winfrey is primed to debut her own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), at the beginning of this new year, and for many local channels the repercussion could be severe. According to the New York Times, the network will officially launch January 1, 2011.

 Oprah’s current talk show has long been an excellent run-up to the evening news at five, something local news has thrived off of. Now that her show is moving to her network local news will need to find a new run-in. But will they find one that brought them the same success Oprah did? Probably not.

What does this mean for local news? This move won’t be the direct cause of its downfall, but it may play a very big part. The continuing decline of television news means that one day, possibly in the near future, the concept of local news may be nothing more than that: A concept.

2010
12/09
CATEGORY
News
Television
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ESPN W

ESPN is making a splash with its recently launched website. This past Monday, the company launched a site specifically catered to one demographic: Women. The site is espnW.com and its success will determine whether or not it survives.

According to BusinessInsider.com, the site will be in the format of a running blog, covering all spectrums of the sporting-world and tips for running and fitness training.

This experiment appears to be a sign of the times. The internet age has brought with it a new business model, one that tailors itself to the appeals of its consumers. But how successful can a site like this really be? With about 76 percent of ESPN’s followers being male, it would seem a female inspired  website wouldn’t have much of an impact on revenue. However, should it be a success, look for competitors to follow suit.

2010
12/09
CATEGORY
Internet
Sports
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…And You’re Done.

According to Bloomberg News, Google is again making a splash in a new business venture. The company is reportedly preparing an online book store, to be released in 2011 in the U.S. and internationally.

The move pits Google in direct competition with the current e-book leader, Amazon.com, which in the early parts of this year  controlled around 90 percent of the e-book market.

Analysts estimate that over the next five years, that dominance in sales will decrease to around 35 percent of the market, a sharp decline.  

A decline of that magnitude could be catastrophic for Amazon, and it appears the based solely off of Google’s popularity, the proposed concept will be a major success.

It appears yet again, that Google is flexing its muscle and moving in on enemy territory with the goal of competing with Apple and its increasingly popular iPad.

What does this mean for competition? Has Google taken control of yet another medium, perhaps dooming print and online competitors once its bookstore launches? Or, will the announcement spur a change in the business, prompting Amazon to make changes or leave its fate in the grips of Google.

2010
12/03
CATEGORY
Internet
Technology
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Google Attempting to Revamp YouTube?

Is it possible that YouTube may re-style itself in the near-future? It might be. Google is in talks with Filmyard Holdings, the company purchasing Miramax from Disney, in a potential deal to gain digital rights to content.

According to the New York Post, nothing is close to being finalized yet since Filmyard’s purchase hasn’t even gone through because of financial tie-ups.

Google’s interest in the film rights suggest that perhaps they would like to recreate YouTube as a site featuring much longer content than currently available.

The question is: If movies will be able to be viewed on YouTube and longer content will be loadable, what’s next? Will the live-stream service go hand-in-hand with this content extension? Could it be that television will soon be replaced by YouTube, news and all?

2010
11/22
CATEGORY
Internet
Technology
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News Corp. and Apple to Introduce “Digital Newspaper”

The beginning of the end for print news seems to be upon us. At the end of this month Apple and News Corp. plan to unveil a digital newspaper called the Daily, according to reports from US Media and Guardian.co.uk.

After several months of secret collaboration the two companies are promising to present the world with a paper specifically designed to run on tablets.

Behind the idea is Rupert Murdoch, owner of almost everything in the world and then some. Murdoch plans to have his hand in the post-print news era and this venture will likely allow him to do so.

I don’t know whether to be excited or nervous about a newspaper run by Murdoch and Apple’s Steve Jobs, but either way this announcement will revolutionize the way people get their news for years to come.

2010
11/22
CATEGORY
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TVGuide.com Teams Up with Facebook

According to a report from Bloomberg.com, yet another broadcast oriented company is jumping on the social network bandwagon: TVGuide.com

 The site, owned by a Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., now allows users to create personal lists of prefered programming and share it with the world through, you guessed it, Facebook. Users will be able to tell friends what they are watching and post comments on their Facebook accounts.

Exposure is the goal behind the platform. Companies are realizing the magnitude of sites like Facebook, and rather than competing they’re using the site to their advantage.

With over 12.9 users registered on TVGuide.com it would make sense that Facebook would only enhance the viewership of shows and the site itself. This is obviously another example of just how personalized the Internet has made almost every aspect of the media. Companies are enlisting unsuspecting people to promote their products for free using social media, and it’s working wonderfully.

Bravo big business, bravo. You win again.

2010
11/22
CATEGORY
Internet
Television
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Google Fashion

Beware of the ever-extending reach of the all-mighty Google. Today, the company will launch its fashion-based website, according to a report from Guardian.co.uk. The site will not directly sell merchandise, but will refer users to designers and manufacturers, and allow designers to create virtual shops within the site.

 The hope is that users will create profiles focusing on their specific tastes, making it easier for advertising to reach them, and for Google to make more money.  Google is also enlisting the help of household Hollywood names such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Katie Holmes to create personalized shops as well.

This latest venture by Google is interesting. Could it be an indirect attack to fashion magazines or sections in print news? Will the two be able to coexist? The answer remains to be seen whether or not Google’s model will be a major success, but if it is perhaps print should take note and be ready to adapt. Is anything safe from the grasp of
Google?

2010
11/17
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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JohnDoe@facebook.com?

Google and Yahoo both feature e-mail and chat features. Add Facebook to that list after their Monday announcement at the Web2.0 convention in San Francisco. According to a report from SFGate.com, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced a new messaging system for the social networking giant.

 The next-generation “modern messaging system” will incorporate e-mail, instant messages and text messaging. With over 500 million users and counting this can only bring good things for Facebook. Google and Amazon are the only two sites ahead of Facebook in terms of power on the Web, and adding a revamped messaging system will only attract more users.

The real question for Facebook is:What’s next? With the continuing growth in popularity, how else will Facebook connect its users with the rest of the world? Could they in fact follow the Google model, with a Facebook TV next in line, or some sort of news service? It’s not likely at this time, but who knows what the future holds.

2010
11/15
CATEGORY
Internet
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Cloudy With a Chance of Music…

According to multiple sources, tomorrow Apple Inc. will once again revolutionize the technology industry. The company’s homepage features a message that leaves many to speculate just how big this announcement will be: “Tomorrow is just another day. That you’ll never forget.”

MercuryNews.com reports that the announcement may have something to do with the popular iTunes service. Apple may be getting ready to unveil a “cloud computing” system for the popular music service. With this step Apple will continue its dominance over a tech-industry in which it seems to set the standards.

Could it be that the iTunes “cloud” is just a stepping-stone for a bigger plan Apple has? Will they be able to revolutionize information gathering and storage by integrating this feature into the iPad?  Perhaps this innovation will spillover into the news media industry, further signaling an end to print news. Continue reading →

2010
11/15
CATEGORY
Internet
Technology
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Orange You Glad He’s Back?

I’m sure most of you have heard by now that Conan O’Brien is back on TV. This past Monday the late-night personality debuted on his new show “Conan” on TBS. After an eight month ban from television as part of his buyout contract with NBC, Conan is back, and better than ever. Ratings from the first episode indicate that he passed both Jay Leno and David Letterman with 4.2 million viewers. Even more impressive was the 18-49 demographic tuned in to watch, nearly 3.3 million of them to be exact.

So how did he do it? Well, according to an article from Fastcompany.com the Internet played a major role in his success. Conan has nearly 2 million loyal Twitter followers, and the steady stream of support mixed with brilliant digital campaigning  were a major reason he did so well on Monday.

Will Conan’s successful use of social media go unnoticed by the major network powers? Or, is this the start of nonstop self-promotion by any and all TV personalities. It worked marvelously for Conan, but that’s because he’s Conan, king of everything that is good.

2010
11/10
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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