by Betsy Richter on September 19, 2011
in Analysis
I’ll update this with more details in a day or two once I’ve thought it through a bit more. But after conversation with a few local PDX media-types, I think there’s still a role for what Redoing Media was attempting to do.
Will it take the form of a podcast? Not immediately, no.
Should the website continue to exist? Yeah, I think so.
You see, I still have a lot to say about where I think the media industry as a whole is going. And I have some thoughts about how we’ll consume media/content differently in the next couple of years.
So I’ll be saying it – in written form, anyway – here, for now.
And yep, it’s going to be a solo venture (I own the domain name, I host the site. The podcasts will remain for as long as Robert is gracious enough to host them on his server, where they’ve always been). Although I’d always welcome a guest post from my co-host and friend, RW…!
Looking for drama? Dirt? Innuendo and/or intrigue? Sorry, fresh out. Nothing to see. I’m just figuring out what’s next, is all.
…more later…
by Betsy Richter on September 12, 2011
in Flotsam
As usual, Twitter is *the* new ‘breaking news’ source for those in the know. And my co-host Robert Wagner showed no mercy (or did he?) just mere minutes ago:
(The truth of the matter? I egged him into canceling the show.)
Why? It’s a labor of love for me – and a huge time/resource/cost suck for him.
Because he’s a friend, he’s indulged me for far far too long.
And because I can be a complete stone cold bitch, I will HEAR NOT ONE WORD of negativity aimed at Robert for canceling the show.
(See above: forced him into doing so. Because I have that power, yo.)
For those of you who listened… commented… were guests… sent me email/Twitter DMs, etc: THANK YOU. I love each and every one of you, and appreciate you giving us your time, energy and attention. (Yes, even when you disagreed, or thought our topics sucked.)
And to Robert: Words can’t possibly express the depth of admiration I have for you, nor can they adequately convey the appreciation I owe you.
(I know, I know: you’d have preferred admiration expressed in Cold Hard Cash. Sorry, fresh out. I blame those teens of mine…)
by pdxfm on September 8, 2011
in Shows
Ah...the glare...
Well, then.
Betsy expected that kicking off the show with a Part Two of last week’s bombshell announcement about the imminent demise of All Things Critical (which generated some negative – albeit repetitive – feedback directed at Mr. Wagner himself, it should be noted) would take all of 5 minutes.
What more do you need to talk about a site that had been in existence for 20 days before it’s creator walked away from it?
Well, plenty, as it turns out – ’cause Robert was on a tear once Betsy started the airing of the grievances. (It’s a rant well worth listening to, FYI.)
So while Betsy and Robert touched on Felix Salmon’s new Counterparties (Betsy really likes it/him, FYI), hit the high points of the latest Yahoo stumble and talked AOL/TechCrunch in particular and tech blogging in general (as practiced on both a regional and national level) – well, they didn’t hit on 3/4th of the stories referenced in the posts below. Ah, well…
Well, that’s why Betsy puts those preliminary show notes together – so you can still follow up on your own!
Join us next week, won’t you? (Click that little ‘subscribe’ button while you’re at it…)
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by Betsy Richter on September 8, 2011
in Flotsam
I’ve tagged these links for possible show topics/background notes on September 8th:
- Reuters – Google buys Zagat to vie with OpenTable, Yelp – From the article: "Google Inc has bought Zagat, the popular dining recommendations and ratings authority, jumping into a niche Web market alongside the likes of OpenTable Inc, Yelp and Yahoo Inc.
…
The 32-year-old Zagat, which polls consumers and compiles reviews about restaurants around the world, will become a cornerstone of Google's "local offering" and work in tandem with its mapping services and core search engine, the Internet search and advertising leader said.
Buying Zagat should fill a hole for Google — which needs reviews and other content for its "Google Places" websites — and fend off criticism. It has been accused of using comments from review sites, essentially siphoning off their readers and, more importantly, their clicks."
- OregonLive.com – New school year brings cheaper Internet access for poor families, pilot iPad program in Portland schools – I *like* this! From Mike Rogoway's article: "To win federal approval for its acquisition of NBC-Universal early this year, Comcast agreed to provide discounted Internet access to low-income families across the country. Service is now available for $10 a month, $30 less than Comcast's standard price.
At the same time, Portland Public Schools will use tax revenue paid by Comcast to fund a pilot technology program at Roosevelt High School in North Portland.
The district will equip teachers with iPads this year, and will buy an iPad for all 850 students at Roosevelt next year."
- VentureBeat – Condé Nast spins off Reddit. “Nothing is off-limits,” says co-founder – I'm the first to admit that I'm not a Reddit user. But many of you are…so this should be of interest. From the article: "
Reddit had around 700,000 page views per day when it was first acquired, but it has since grown to more than a billion page views monthly. As part of the company’s new autonomy, it has started searching for a chief executive officer to run the company. There’s also a chance the company will now work on official mobile applications and other types of ways to view the site.
“Nothing is off-limits,” Ohanian said. “If it helps the user experience and helps spread Reddit, it’s fair game.” "
- Fortune: Carol Bartz exclusive: Yahoo "f—ed me over" – Here's how it went down "On Tuesday, Bartz was in New York, to speak at Citigroup's (C) technology conference the next day, when she was supposed to call Bostock at 6 p.m. "I called him at 6:06," she recalls. When he got on the line, she says, he started reading a lawyer's prepared statement to dismiss her.
"I said, 'Roy, I think that's a script,'" adding, "'Why don't you have the balls to tell me yourself?'"
When Bostock finished reading, Bartz didn't argue—"I got it. I got it," she told the Yahoo chairman. "I thought you were classier," she added."
And then Bartz followed up with this message to Yahoo staff…
You thought *I* was feisty? Bartz is my hero…!
