:: Future of Journalism

U.S. - It's neck and neck. Apple closes the smartphone gap on Android

nielsenwire :: According to the latest research from Nielsen, the high-profile launch of Apple’s iPhone 4S in the Fall had an enormous impact on the proportion of smartphone owners who chose an Apple iPhone. Among recent acquirers, meaning those who said they got a new device within the past three months, 44.5% of those surveyed in December said they chose an iPhone, compared to just 25.1% in October. Furthermore, 57 percent of new iPhone owners surveyed in December said they got an iPhone 4S.

Source: nielsenwire, More US Consumers Choosing Smartphones as Apple Closes the Gap on Android | Nielsen Wire, Jan 18th, 2012

Continue to read blog.nielsen.com

Why the Comcast-NBC merger validates the roles of nonprofit news orgs

In approving the merger of Comcast and NBC Universal on Tuesday, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has endorsed, at least in principle, a proposal to forge new partnerships between at least four NBC TV stations around the country and local nonprofit news outlets.

For Steve Myers, Poynter.org, Comcast's offer validates the news economy roles for the journalists working to build nonprofit news organizations around the country.

That sends a message to the entire broadcast industry that nonprofits like ours and Voice of San Diego should be taken seriously as a supplier of in-depth investigative reporting,” said Joe Bergantino, director of the New England Center for Investigative Reporting.

via www.poynter.org - Nonprofit news orgs see validation, new funding in Comcast-NBC merger

Neverending story - Apple, publishers and iPad magazine subscriptions

Apple and the publishing industry haven’t been able to come to terms over magazine app subscriptions through iTunes yet. Publishers want the ability to sell the subscriptions themselves, not willing to share 30% with Apple or at least the opportunity to hang on to subscribers’ personal data (Peter Kafka: their real hang-up is lack of access to credit card data). And Steve Jobs won’t let them.

So for now, they’re hoping to get what they want from Google's recent plans with Android.

Continue to read mediamemo.allthingsd.com - Apple, Publishers Still Miles Apart on iTunes Subscriptions by Peter Kafka

ABC News and Bloomberg partnership? - imaginable

Ben Sherwood, new president of ABC News, spoke to television reporters and critics at a news conference in Pasadena, California (US). Asked if he was thinking about a partnership with Bloomberg he answered:

Of course. How can you not think about partnering with an organization that has had the success Bloomberg has?

Continue to Bill Carter mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com - ABC News Chief Open to Bloomberg Partnership - NYTimes.com

Le Monde (France) - blueprint of a turnaround or extinction story

Le Monde is now owned by a triumvirate: Xavier Niel, a telecom entrepreneur, provided the bulk of the €110m ($130m) injected in the venture; Matthieu Pigasse, head of Lazard France, and Pierre Bergé, co-founder of Yves Saint-Laurent fashion house. Now, as the paper prepares to replace its editor, the new owners’ turnaround operation faces tough challenges.

Frédéric Filloux (Monday Notes) sees the "industrial problem as far more critical" for the paper:

 

In the next few months, management will make decisions likely to seal the paper’s fate. These decisions will pave the way to a new era, or lead to extinction.

 

Monday Notes: Quo Vadis Le Monde: www.mondaynote.com - Le Monde: a blueprint of a turnaround

Washington Post - we achieved our ad revenue goals

Romanesko (Poynter.org) published a post from Katharine Weymouth to her staff, saying that they achieved their ad revenue goal for the first time in several years.

I committed to [Post Co. chairman] Don [Graham] and to the Board that we would return to profitability by 2011. Excluding one-time costs, we returned to profitability in 2010 … That is no small feat. To some degree, our results are attributable to a better advertising climate. But in large part, it was due to strong performance on the expense side.

quote taken from Poynter.org

Weymouth, a granddaughter of the late Washington Post Co. chairman Katharine Graham, holds the position as chief executive of Washington Post Media, a division that oversees The Washington Post newspaper and washingtonpost.com.

More www.poynter.org - WP publisher: ‘We achieved our goals for ad revenue for the first time in several years’

Skype now accounts for 25% of international long-distance calls

Skype is one of my favourite tools for long distance calls and virtual meetings to set up or discuss international cooperation or simply for interviews.

New data from TeleGeography shows that growth in international call traffic has slumped while international traffic routed via Skype continues to accelerate (read also: ReadWriteWeb). Skype now accounts for about 25% of international call minutes.

International phone traffic grew an estimated 4% in 2010, to 413 billion minutes, down from 5% growth in 2009, and a far cry from the 15% average growth rate achieved during the previous two decades.

 

Clipped from: www.telegeography.com (share this clip)

 

 

More www.telegeography.com - International long-distance slumps, while Skype soars

More ReadWriteWeb - Report Finds Skype Now Accounts for About 25% of International Call Minutes

Firefox overtakes Internet Explorer in Europe

For all those who haven't heard of a major milestone for Firefox in Europe today.
As GlobalStats reports:

Firefox overtook Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) to become the number one browser in Europe in December 2010 according to StatCounter, the free website analytics company. The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats reports that in December, Firefox took 38.11% of European market share, compared to IE's 37.52%.

 

Clipped from: www.heise.de (share this clip)

 

 

More details gs.statcounter.com - Firefox overtakes Internet Explorer in Europe in browser wars

 

News Corp.'s Myspace Prepares to Cut Jobs - WSJ.com

News Corp.'s Myspace completed its redesign in October to emphasize its media asset. But all the efforts taken inclusive the staff reduction last summer of nearly 30% seem not to be as succesfull as they might have hoped. Also the deal with Google, which sells search and graphical ads on the site, does not generate the revenues needed.

As Wall Street Journal reports based on insider information it looks like that Myspace is preparing to disclose a dramatic downsizing of its business.

Full text and details online.wsj.com - News Corp.'s Myspace Prepares to Cut Jobs

What Reuters’ new American wire service means

Beginning of December 2010, Reuters announced a new American wire service. Rick Edmonds (Poynter) presents seven quick thoughts on what is in the deal for Reuters and its first client, Tribune Co., and what the new wire service may mean for readers and the rival Associated Press (AP).

The full article www.poynter.org - What Reuters’ new wire service means for Tribune, AP, journalism