Terry Heaton's PoMo Blog
| Is the audience really THAT stupid? Wayne Friedman writes today of the conflict of interest in “sponsored” newscasts. The target is MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. The show is now sponsored by Starbucks, and even though there may not be a conflict of interest, Wayne writes that the appearance of one is |
| Data is the new “content” The role of the ad agency in the Media 2. 0 world is evolving, and like media companies themselves, ad agencies face an uncertain future. The problem for agencies is that they exist as middlemen between advertisers and media, and the uncomfortable reality is that the Web tends to route |
| No one saw this coming? Right. On the problems of local television companies, broadcast vet Tony Cassarra tells Harry Jessell at TVNewsday. com that “a lot of people did a lot of borrowing money and no one foresaw this cliff that we were all going over. ” Bullshit. From “2005: A Year of Trouble for Broadcasters,” |
| AP clarifies copyright threat Thanks to Ars Technica for probing AP news editor Ted Bridis on what the cooperative plans to do to stop theft of its copyrights. Technology soon to be deployed will search for entire stories that thieves have lifted and presented without a license. “The guidelines are coming,” Bridis promised. “AP’s |
| The cart before the horse Simon Dumenco goes after the selection of Arianna Huffington for the Fred Dressler Lifetime Achievement Award by Syracuse University’s S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in a biting AdAge commentary. Dumenco writes that a school that teaches budding journalists “should know better than to honor a woman who thinks |
MediaReinvent
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Killing them with clutter
December 22, 2008
It has been a great year for local Websites, at least visually. For two years now, Terry and I have been calling for local media sites to clean up their acts. Many have done so. The local media sites look less like a jumble of Legos and more like a consistent, professional display of news and information. Many still have a way to go. Those with the cleanest look have proven that you don’t need a ton of tiles to make money. It’s not the volume of spaces — it’s the quality.
It’s no surprise that a... more »
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My Top 10-ish predictions for 2009
December 18, 2008
Prediction lists are silly. I like to tell people who ask for my predictions that “The predictions are free, it’s the advice that I charge for.” Why are we so interested in predictions? Who would have predicted what happened in 2008? Most prediction lists are based upon what happened the previous year anyway. It’s like going to the track — people pick horses based upon what the horse did in the previous few races. Not bad, but nobody sees the new, untested horse out of nowhere.
Any why 10, anyway? It’s the industry standard. Do we owe it to David Letterman?... more »
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Pulitzers still think prize-worthy journalism is newspaper-only
December 13, 2008
You’ve always had to have a “dead trees” edition of a newspaper to win a Pulitzer. If your news was distributed via the Web only, no prize for you. (”Brought down the government, you say? I’m sorry, we didn’t see it in newsprint.”) It was only as of 2006 that you could get a Pulitzer for your online work - and that was only if you were “attached” to a regular newspaper.
Well hand it to the Pulitzers for getting hip with the times. No - you still can’t win a prize for simply doing good journalism. But you can win... more »
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The Leno Move: Why not experiment?
December 10, 2008
I have said to the network affiliates for years that there will be no such thing as a lead-in anymore. People watch shows, they don't watch networks. But with NBC's Leno experiment, I'm willing to amend my theory for the time being. There are plenty of predictions out there. I'm not going to add mine. Instead, I think this move is about the only choice NBC had - to keep the concept of a lead-in going.
People don't generally TiVo talk shows, and the Leno audience is older, more news-focused. Mind you, I still think the lead-in concept is... more »
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60-Second-Case Study: NY Times Facebook ad campaign
December 4, 2008
We’ve suggested before about the power of advertising on social media networks. Here’s some proof why.
On the day after the election, The New York Times purchased ad space on the front of Facebook, along with an interactive question (”What should Barack Obama do as his first post-inauguration action?”). In addition, Facebookers could “gift” each other a virtual copy of the Times’ front page from November 5th, with the headline “Obama Wins.”
Was it a success? An internal memo from New York Times President Scott Heekin-Canedy positively gushes:
“From our perspective, the... more »8534 Views | No Comments
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Be the place for local job networking
December 2, 2008
Lots of local sites make the mistake of trying to get into the “help wanted” business by trying to become the local Monster.com. This is usually a bad idea. There are some limited success stories, but for the most part, Monster is still - well - the monster in the room. On the other hand, you can offer what Monster doesn’t offer - a chance for great local networking, blogs and advice.
Right now, what employment-seekers need is to network. Yes - they’re looking for job leads. In October, the time spent on job search sites jumped 13% from the same... more »
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Holiday Classic: The WKRP Turkey Drop
November 26, 2008
I post this every year, going back to my time at Lost Remote. It's kind of like how the old holiday classic shows come on every season. This should be on every media site and blog every year at Thanksgiving. It's a wonderful send-up of broadcast promotions, and a warm tribute to that station that exists only in our dreams now - WKRP: Where all the DJs are real people, where they spin the music they choose, where the boss is a pushover and where Loni Anderson takes their messages.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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Interactive advertising still growing
November 21, 2008
How about some good news for a change? The Interactive Advertising Bureau says that online ad spending grew 11% in Q3 compared to the same quarter of 2007. That's nearly six billion bucks being spent online now. How much is that? It represents the second highest quarter since 2000, according to Editor & Publisher.
Quarterly $ Revenue Growth Comparison – 2000-2008 YTD
Source: PwC/IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report
Now, that's not the same rocketing growth we've been seeing, but given the economic climate we're in, that's not bad. And the forecast is still... more »
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Despite downturn, the venture investments keep coming
November 20, 2008
Because of the utter panic in the markets, everyone has frozen their money and has stopped investing in media, right? Wrong. The venture capital money is still there, and the VCs are still churning out business plans. Are they just throwing money out the window? Or are they following that time honored maxim: “Buy low, sell high.”
A quick perusal of the excellent website paidContent.org shows us some of the recent investments:
- Digital media browser Boxee gets $4 million in first round of funding
- Social network multiply.com gets $5 million, with option for... more »8119 Views | No Comments
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Heavy Web users are heavy TV users
November 18, 2008
If you needed proof that we are Multi-Tasker nation, here it is: almost one-third of in-home Internet use happens while people are watching TV. That’s one of the findings from The Nielsen TV/Internet Convergence Panel, and the study’s results should challenge our notions about media consumption.
For years, the big myth of “cannibalism” kept TV stations and newspapers from putting breaking news (and finished reports) on their sites. There’s still this superstition that “if we put it on our site, people won’t watch us.” There’s also a fear that putting news on your... more »
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Mix Hope with your Doom and Gloom
February 17, 2009
The economy is awful. I get it! That's what I am being told by informal focus groups of local TV news viewers as I criss-cross the country.
And those viewers - from cab drivers to hotel clerks to the lady who cuts my hair to my neighbors - all say the same thing. They are watching less local TV news because of the daily overdose of bad news about the economy. Now, I know I have been pressing for months for local TV news to make the economy a priority in your daily content - but there is a caveat.
Your viewers want... more »
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A lesson from Denny's
February 5, 2009
I'm sure you saw the great promotional idea by Denny's restuarants this week. But did you see a lesson for your newscasts in their success story?
There is an excellent parallel between Denny's free meals and getting people to sample your newscasts. It is all about knowing when your product is ready to be tasted by a couple million people.
For years I have espoused the idea that you cannot promote what you "aspire to be." Too many of my clients want to roll out a big campaign to promote their new and better news product - when it is not yet... more »
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Road Warrior Intel #4
January 29, 2009
This is the fourth in a series of observations and ideas gleaned from my weekly travels across the country. I don't usually write this type of blog back-to-back but there is an interesting number of things going on this week.
Sharing News Gathering. I have written before in support of developing a partnership in your market to share news resources for non-competitive stories (news conferences, perp walks etc.). Again I urge you to head in this direction - especially as your resources continue to shrink in this difficult economy. In Denver, KUSA and KMGH (owned by seperate companies) will be sharing a... more »
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Road Warrior Intel #3
January 20, 2009
This is the third in a series of observations and ideas gleaned from my weekly travels across the country...
DTV rush to save a dark-rumped petrel. If you read my previous blog you know that the state of Hawaii had a successful transition to DTV last week. I didn't know until today that the rush to be first for the 50th state was prompted by an endangered Hawaiian bird - the dark-rumped petrel. It is a bird that lives in volcanoes and the petrel's nesting season is fast approaching. So, Hawaii took the digital plunge early so there would be time... more »
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Delay DTV switch? Not in the Aloha State!
January 17, 2009
Broadcasters in Hawaii have taken the plunge - not into the pristine blue waters of the Pacific Ocean - but into the world of DTV. They turned off their analog signals this week.
While Congress and the president-elect wrangle over delaying the DTV switch until June, the changeover in Hawaii apparently went off pretty painlessly. There were some viewer concerns, but it seems the Hawaiian broadcasters had covered all the bases to make it as smooth a transition as possible.
KGMB9 news director Chris Archer described the switch this way, "Since we're the Severe Weather Station, I thought I'd make a weather analogy. ... more »
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2009: Resolve to Lead and Win
December 30, 2008
Most every broadcaster is dreading 2009. It will be difficult, but with everyone around you severely distracted you must resolve to be a strong leader and take advantage of the situation. You see, opportunity to gain market share abounds in 2009 if you focus on winning, not whining.
So, while others may be distracted and depressed by budget cuts and a difficult revenue situation, make it your New Year's resolution to be a strong leader with a plan and the resolve to push it forward. Here are 7 steps to do just that in 2009:
- Be A Leader. I have written about... more »
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Installing a News Brand = Heavy Lifting
December 9, 2008
It takes a lot of heavy lifting on a daily basis to install a news brand at your TV station. You have to recognize all the sub-cultures at play in the newsroom. Make no mistake - this process goes far beyond holding one newsroom meeting and expecting everyone to go forth and brand your newscast in a unique and valued style.
You must obtain buy-in - and understanding - from many factions that populate your newsroom. Here's a look at the ones I have seen during this branding process over the years:
The Old Timers: This is the "we've always done it this... more »
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Manager? or Leader?
November 25, 2008
Are you a manager or a leader? As we slog through this unprecedented tsunami in the broadcast business, it is time to ask yourself that question.
I believe, now more than ever, it is time for leadership not management. Managers keep things running, set schedules, and do all those mechanical tasks at a TV station.
Leaders inspire, constantly communicate, and make everyone on the staff feel like "insiders." I have never seen so many nervous employees as I have in the past month. Every day there are stories of layoffs and buy-outs, made worse by a roller-coaster stock market wreaking havoc with your... more »
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Pool Video? Great Idea!
November 14, 2008
I'm sure that the news today that NBC and Fox have agreed to create an entity to shoot pool video in several markets has sent shockwaves through newsrooms across the country. But I say take a deep breath, step back a bit and take a global view - and you'll agree with me that this is a great idea.
Is it really necessary for every station in a market to send a videographer to shoot the mayor's ribbon cutting ceremony? How does this give you a strategic advantage? How does this set you apart from the competition?
more » 7990 Views | No Comments
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Road Warrior Intel #2
November 10, 2008
This is the second in a series of observations and ideas gleaned from my weekly travels across the country...
Economy, Economy, Economy. I have been ranting about the need to focus on economic news in your newscasts for months. I am happy to see that most every station in every market I visit has now put a laser focus on helping viewers survive the tough economic times. It is clear that giving positive ideas in this "economic tsunami" will help drive ratings for your newscasts.
Money 9-1-1. WFLA in Tampa has put together a strong series of reports... more »
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