links for 2009-05-08

  • The worsening advertising climate is forcing many publishers, facing only modest online gains after a decade of digital investment, to consider charging for content. News Corp is considering a strategy that may involve e-readers, GMG is mulling charging for MediaGuardian.co.uk and doubtless others are wondering how to finally start making real profits from online traffic. But there are risks and challenges – here’s a rundown… —You can’t charge for abundance: First thing’s first – there is still a healthy market for business-critical information. WSJ.com has steadfastly stuck to subscriptions, FT is profiting nicely and there are still dozens of B2B…

    Digital news, Media news, Google news, Apple news, Publishing news, Entertainment news, Microsoft news, Yahoo news, GE News, Amazon News, Business News, Technology News, M&A News, VC News, Social Media News, Advertising News, Internet News, Guardian News, UK News, London News, Europe News, BBC News

  • Kevin: David Griner writes a very good post on some of the pitfalls of using social media. The seven deadly sins are a nice conceit for some of the most common mistakes. David writes: "There are a million ways for businesses to use social media well, and only a handful of ways to do it horribly wrong. So why do companies keep falling into the same traps?

    The answer is easy: human nature. And as we all know, humans are constantly beset by malicious temptations."

  • Kevin: Paul Bradshaw highlights research about why people aren't using the internet (whether mobile or fixed line). There are still socio-economic and age disparities. What is amazing is how internet and computer skills correlate to economic opportunity, employment and confidence. Is the lack of confidence due to lack of computer skills or did the lack of confidence lead to a lack of skills with computers and the internet? The presentation is definitely worth viewing.
  • Kevin: Laurel Papworth brings together two points of view, looking at Rupert Murdoch's pledge to end the internet as we know it and start charging for content, and comparing that with Amber Smith at Save the Media writing about how newspapers should change based on Jeff Jarvis' views from his book 'What Would Google Do?' At the end of it, Laurel again returns to the idea that media need to reconsider their value-adding proposition. What value do they add, and if they don't add value that is probably why people view news as a commodity.