Mediagazer: A public-relations rookie's handling of the TBD launch (Steve Buttry/The Buttry Diary)

2:40 PM ET, August 23, 2010

Top News:

The Sofa Wars: Plenty to Watch Online, but Viewers Prefer to Pay for Cable — It is a fantasy shared by many Americans: dropping cable television and its fat monthly bills and turning instead to the wide-open frontier of Internet video. — Some are finding that the reality is not that simple.

Discussion: NewTeeVee, CNET News, LocalNewser, Silicon Alley Insider, Darren Herman, Gizmodo, DSLreports and Company Town

Claire Atkinson / New York Post:

While you're watching, TiVo watches you — As Hollywood and Madison Avenue debate how best to measure traditional TV and online viewing, TiVo plans to roll out new research that combines both. — Next month TiVo will begin tracking how much time users spend watching Web content …

Discussion: Hollywood Reporter, MediaPost, Multichannel and Media Buyer Planner

Brian Stelter / New York Times:

Dish Network Is Joining Other Carriers in Offering Its Content for Online Viewing — The Dish Network this week will begin offering a video portal called DishOnline.com, becoming the latest distributor to provide online benefits to paying subscribers. — All the major cable and satellite carriers …

Discussion: WebNewser, Neowin.net, FierceIPTV, The Toybox Blog, NewTeeVee, Media Decoder and Engadget

Jenna Wortham / New York Times:

Crowded Field for Bringing Web Video to TVs — If you want to watch Internet video on most televisions, you need a gadget that pulls it in. And a growing number of technology companies want to sell it to you. — Start-ups and tech giants alike are offering what they say are easy ways …

Kevin Rose:

Why Apple's iTV Will Change Everything — The rumor: Apple will be releasing a revamped/renamed version of their ‘Apple TV’ set-top box, called ‘iTV’. The box will run the Apple iOS (same as the iPhone/iPad), and be priced around $99. — Why will this change everything?

Discussion: Silicon Alley Insider, Neowin.net, Inc.com, Fast Company, TUAW, Fortune and Conversion Rater, more at Techmeme »

David Carr / New York Times:
The Media Equation: Time Warner Puts Faith in Its Cross-Platform ‘TV Everywhere’

Discussion: NewTeeVee and Wired.co.uk

Brooks Barnes / New York Times:
Sony's Bet on Sticking With Web Shows

Discussion: paidContent and WebNewser

Leo / LOL: The Life of Leo:

Buzz Kill — Something happened tonight that made me question everything I've done with social media since I first joined Twitter in late 2006. — You know me - I'm a complete web whore. I sign up for every site, try every web app, use every service I can find. It's my job, but I also love doing it.

Discussion: The Atlantic Wire, The Raw Feed, everwas, The Next Web, Andy Beard, Collaboration 2.0 Blog, LiveSide.net, Stowe Boyd, jasonhiner.com, Snarkmarket, TomsTechBlog.com, Howard Owens and smays.com, more at Techmeme »

Paul Carr / TechCrunch:

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs: The Rise Of Microblogging, The Death Of Posterity — A little over a week ago, I closed down all of my social media accounts, with the exception of Twitter, which I locked. The explanation I gave was that, in an age when everyone and their dog is sharing every aspect of their life …

Discussion: The Next Web, more at Techmeme »

Russell Adams / Wall Street Journal:

Harman Ready to Become ‘Institution Builder’ at Newsweek — As founder of the stereo-equipment company that bears his name, Sidney Harman turned a $5,000 investment into what is now a $3-billion-a-year business. Now, at 92 years old, he is attempting what may be an even more difficult feat: reviving Newsweek.

Discussion: Romenesko, MarketWatch, New York Magazine and The Atlantic Online

Howard Kurtz / Washington Post:

Press and punditry stampede tramples good judgment, and often the facts, too — When the New York Times published a story last December about plans for a Muslim prayer space near the World Trade Center site, there was little reaction. — After all, the imam in charge was quoted as saying …

Discussion: TVNewser and Editors Weblog

Damon Kiesow / Poynter Online:

How The Seattle Times Is Using Mobile Video, Twitter to Report News Fast — As consumers migrate from the desktop Web and toward mobile apps and devices, media organizations are rushing to figure out what these new tools mean for their operations. — The Seattle Times has been experimenting …

Discussion: Lost Remote

Steve Buttry / The Buttry Diary:

A public-relations rookie's handling of the TBD launch — In the days of my callow youth, I remember referring to journalists who ventured into public relations as having “sold out.” — Never mind that many in PR toiled for pay as low as many journalists. Never mind that PR ethics also insist on getting the facts right.

Scripting News:

Proposal: A new kind of blog comment system — I'm almost 100 percent sure that scripting.com was the first blog to have comments. And I'm equally sure that it was the first to have its comments flame out. The flameout was a good thing, although it didn't feel like it at the time, because it created the first wave of blogs.

Peter Kafka / MediaMemo:

Exclusive: Viacom Digital Boss Greg Clayman Headed to Rupert Murdoch's iPad Newspaper — Rupert Murdoch's iPad-friendly digital newspaper doesn't have a launch date or a name yet, but it is hiring. News Corp. has tapped Greg Clayman, who runs digital distribution for Viacom (VIA) …

Discussion: Shaping the Future …, The Wrap, paidContent, Media Buyer Planner, Romenesko, Poynter Online, Guardian, Electronista and The Digital Reader

Nat Ives / AdAge:

The Ad/Edit Wall Worn Down to a Warning Track — Two Sides Quit Bickering and Seek Ways to Navigate New Reality — NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — What wall? The question for print has become less about whether to cross the boundary between editorial and sales and more about how best to do it.

David Kaplan / paidContent:

Federated Media Acquires Semantic Technology From TextDigger — Federated Media Publishing has acquired the core technology belonging to semantic search provider TextDigger. The sum was not disclosed. As part of the deal, FM will absorb TextDigger's technology and will bring on several of its staffers, including CEO Tim Musgrove.

Discussion: VentureBeat, eMedia Vitals, TechCrunch, FM Blog and All Things Digital

Dylan Stableford / The Wrap:

Exclusive: Caroline Little Out as CEO of Guardian Media North America — Caroline Little confirmed to TheWrap late Sunday that she was stepping down as chief executive of Guardian Media, and was “not sure” who her replacement would be. — “I have nothing but good things to say about the Guardian,” Little said in an interview.

Discussion: Guardian