Archive for the 'News' Category

Old Media Attempts New Media: NY Times Reader and MSNBC Spectra

Published
by
Taylor
on June 24, 2008
in Business, Computing, News and Reading
. 0 Comments

Do two of something constitute a trend? Assuming that the two examples I’ve encountered are not the only instances of the “trend” that I’ll describe, let’s say that the answer is yes. Folks, we’re seeing a trend (that’s right, I said it) of old media giants (the NY Times and NBC News/MSNBC) attempting to capture some slice of the new media market by introducing what I’ll call “selective aggregator” software programs.

The examples I’ll write about in a moment are “selective” insofar as they focus a user’s attention EXCLUSIVELY on content produced by the respective news company. The programs are aggregators in that they function (theoretically) by responding to the information preferences and desires of users, aggregating information into a single interface. The two examples I’ve seen are NY Times Reader for Mac and MSNBC Spectra.

I read a number of blog posts a few weeks ago about the beta release of NY Times Reader for Mac (screenshot at right). It’s essentially an on- and off-line freestanding application that is intended to mimic the experience of reading an actual NY Times paper in a way that the NY Times website and RSS feeds do not. The program is a free download in beta phase, but will likely be a $14.95/month investment when it is released in full. From the Times site:

In building Times Reader for the Mac we’ve focused on providing the core set of features that have made the PC version popular. These include the easy-to-read paginated format, the ability to view the paper offline, a seven-day archive, text search, the ability to adjust the font size and access to Premium Crosswords.

Particularly in the near-term, a product like the reader application could* provide a nice entry point for more traditionally-minded readers who want their daily NY Times fix but are turned off by the (oftentimes overwhelming) NY Times homepage.  These same readers are unlikely to subscribe to feeds, so a freestanding application could hold a great deal of appeal.

As for geeks like me, it’s not a tool I would use–particularly not if I had to pay for it.  The same desire for one-stop reading that makes me VERY selective of which articles I’ll click through from the NY Times feed on Google Reader makes me loathe to open a separate application in order to access limited content.  This is in many ways a band-aid instead of a novel solution to lagging readership: the features are focused on the past, not the future.  Offline readibility is great, but if the Times offered full articles through their feed, we could view it offline in Google Reader just like most blogs.  Likewise, an advertisement-free interface is nice but (I would contend) less important to younger users who are accustomed to ignoring banner ads.

I found MSNBC Spectra through a simple one-line recommendation on DailyKos: “Woah, this is cool.” I felt the same way…for the first 20 seconds I used the application. Then I became nauseous and convinced that this is, in fact, the dumbest idea I’ve ever seen. Let me explain.

Continue reading ‘Old Media Attempts New Media: NY Times Reader and MSNBC Spectra’

CNN Shirts: The News Is Now For Sale

Published
by
Jarred
on May 7, 2008
in Business and News
. 5 Comments

So I opened CNN.com tonight to check out the primary returns and get the latest from Myanmar, and next to several of the headlines I saw a new icon. I’m used to seeing the little white camera button that drives readers to video coverage… but this time, there was also something that looked like a little t-shirt. And, of course, I clicked it.

What I was presented with was fairly disgusting to me. I was taken to the product page for a custom t-shirt with the headline in question in large letters on the front (in this case, “Obama: We’re close to the nomination”) accompanied by, in smaller letters, “I just saw it on CNN.com” and the date and time the story was published. It can be yours, for just $15.00!

Does anyone else think this is kinda sad? I mean, first of all, who’s going to buy this? Even if there is an earth-shattering or mildly amusing headline (another available slogan/headline is “Suspect leads cops on golf cart chase”)… should it really be CNN selling or promoting these? It reminds me a little too much of The Onion Store — and that’s fake news, people.

Is it a bad thing that news networks are turning their stories into commodotized sound bites that get slapped on t-shirts, mugs, etc.? Doesn’t this promote sensationalism and deemphasize good content? Even if it’s OK for CNN to do this… should the links be so prominent, on the same level as links to video news?

To me, this is just another sad sign of the media sinking lower and lower. But what do you think? Am I just overreacting?

Images unapologetically screen captured from CNN.

Round-Up: What’s So Special About Blogging?

Published
by
Jarred
on May 1, 2008
in Blogging, Culture, News and Web 2.0
. 1 Comment

The conversation started by Steven Hodson about how bloggers can most usefully fulfill their roles and obligations to their audiences has grown to proportions rivaling some of our other popular posts. I learned of Steven’s initial post through Corvida at SheGeeks, who had added her own thoughts to his original theory. I responded with a critique, which prompted Corvida to rebut and clarify. Along the way, readers of all three blogs have chimed in through comments as well as on FriendFeed and Twitter.

Steven, Corvida, and I have since reached common ground in the fact that bloggers are indeed similar to news anchors in that they highlight issues for their readers. We’ve also essentially agreed that bloggers can be more aptly described as “layers” to raw information rather than filters for it. Finally, we’ve also found consensus in the fact that the term “blogger” is to broad a category to attribute specific characterisitics to it.

This last point has really had me thinking about blogs and digital media in general. What’s the big deal?

Continue reading ‘Round-Up: What’s So Special About Blogging?’

“…and nothing but the truth, so help me Google” [Guest Post]

Published
by
a Guest
on March 18, 2008
in Facebook, Google, Legal Issues, News, Privacy, Social Networks and Web 2.0
. 1 Comment

It’s a pleasure for me to present a guest post submitted by Jarry Taylor, a partner with Maynard, Cooper & Gale PC — one of Alabama’s leading law firms located in scenic Birmingham.  And… he’s my dad!  Thanks to Jarry/Dad for contributing to Tropophilia!

The American Bar Association’s Litigation News reports on a recent phenomenon many of us law types have been talking about, namely the change in the way investigations are performed and how to get information about people involved in legal cases.  Forget the old style gum shoe black cloak, long-lens photographer investigator (although they do still come in handy sometimes).  We’re now talking about finding out all sorts of neat and interesting stuff from MySpace, Facebook and even Match.com.

Have a witness you’re about to depose in a case coming to trial next month?  Worried you might not know all there is to know about him?  Think you should fork out money for an investigator to dig up information about him?  Nah, it’s all right there on the internet and in the social networking world where nothing is sacred.

“They” tell you to be careful what you post as a student because colleges, grad schools and employers will check out those crazy photos you thought it would be fun to share with your buds.  But, those beyond those years or the witless still include information that, sometimes, can be very helpful to the inquiring lawyer on the other side of a case.  Courts are now having to deal with evidentiary questions, and report decisions on whether such information is admissible in court or not.  Even if it’s not substantive information relevant to your case, it can always go to the credibility of that witness.

“I solemly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me Google.”  Oh, and that applies to lawyers, too!

Watch What You Put Online… Even If You’re A Prostitute

Published
by
Jarred
on March 12, 2008
in News, Privacy, Social Networks and Web 2.0
. 3 Comments

myspace-kristen-edited.jpgThis has to be a first.

I’m sure most of you have at least seen the headlines by now: New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has been accused of engaging the services of a pricey prostitute service multiple times over the past year. More or less incriminating himself, Spitzer has announced his plans to resign effective this Monday.

More and more details have emerged from the ether over the past few days about the scandal, and tonight the New York Times revealed the identity of “Kristen” — the prostitute cited in the affidavit that mentioned Spitzer — to be 22-year-old Ashley Alexandra Dupré. There are three main sources used for the article: 1) a confirmation from someone “familiar” with the prostitution operation that Kristen and Dupré are one and the same person; 2) interviews with both Dupré and her mother; and 3) Dupré’s MySpace page.

Yes, that’s right. For a feature article that will no doubt be on the front page of the print edition tomorrow morning, the New York Times editors have allowed extensive quotations from a social networking profile. All three photos from the article were photos uploaded by Dupré to her MySpace page. There is a prominent link to her profile from the article. The journalists cite some of her listed musical influences, and even quote lyrics from some of the music that Dupré has recorded and uploaded.

Continue reading ‘Watch What You Put Online… Even If You’re A Prostitute’