The current state of the media business was roughly predicted fifteen years ago by a Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. In an article entitled "Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave," Christensen described how small companies, even those with laughably bad products, were … [Read more...] about Why Mainstream Media Is Being Eaten Alive (And What to Do About It)
The Five Traits of Successful Digital Products
Everett M. Rogers, author of "The Diffusion of Innovations," studied the adoption of new technologies and attempted to identify why people choose to use new products. According to Rogers, any product that lacks all of the traits will find significant difficulty in attracting users. Advantage: Your … [Read more...] about The Five Traits of Successful Digital Products
CJR’s Explanation of Why High-Quality Journalism is (Nearly) Doomed
In May's "The Story So Far" (also available as a downloadable pdf), the Columbia School of Journalism's Bill Grueskin, Ava Seave and Lucas Graves all but conclude there is not a sustainable business model to support top-quality journalism at current levels. They see at least three main factors … [Read more...] about CJR’s Explanation of Why High-Quality Journalism is (Nearly) Doomed
Definition: “Opportunity Cost”
The thing that you team didn't do with the time they spent on Project X. Or the thing your company didn't buy with the money they spent on Project X. … [Read more...] about Definition: “Opportunity Cost”
How to Write for Gawker
Stumbled across an old but interesting memo from Gawker Media writer Paul Boutin to managing editor Noah Robischon (which was immediately leaked to New York Magazine's Vulture site). Valleywag (a Gawker sister site) then reported on the leak, linking to NYMag and running the piece themselves. Here … [Read more...] about How to Write for Gawker
Bloggers in History: Georges Simenon
Paris, 1927. For 100,000 francs, author Georges Simenon agrees to write a novel while suspended in a glass cage outside the Moulin Rouge. Passersby would contribute subject, characters and title. A newspaper backs the stunt and pays Simenon a 25,000 franc advance. For a moment, it was the talk … [Read more...] about Bloggers in History: Georges Simenon
ex-HuffPo CEO Betsy Morgan’s “Rule of Thirds” Content Strategy
In conversation with Ken Doctor, author of "Newsonomics," Betsy Morgan explained how her baseline content strategy was divided evenly into thirds: one-third original, professional journalism, one-third opinion, and one-third curation. On the financial side, Huffo paid virtually nothing for curated … [Read more...] about ex-HuffPo CEO Betsy Morgan’s “Rule of Thirds” Content Strategy
What I Think I Know About Journalism — Jay Rosen
Veteran journalism professor Jay Rosen on four things he's learned after 25 years of teaching: The more people who participate in the press the stronger it will be. The profession of journalism went awry when it began to adopt the View from Nowhere. The news system will improve when it is made … [Read more...] about What I Think I Know About Journalism — Jay Rosen