28August
France: GammaAgency Facing Danger of Closing Down
Gamma, the renowned French photo agency is facing the danger of closing down as it can no longer pay its bills, according to it’s owners, the Eyedea Presse group. Eyedea Presse CEO Stephane Ledoux said the business of photojournalism is no longer viable as it has to adapt to globalisation and technical developments. Many French professionals and public figures signed a petition to save Gamma. On the same topic, the European Federation of Journalists is finalising a survey on press photographers in Europe that shows the difficulties faced by the profession: high competition with “citizen photographers”, clear drop of photo fees, cuts in media photo budget cuts and grab of authors’ rights by media employers. Press photographers are often freelancers who cannot survive on this sole activity and wo have to undertake other commercial jobs.
Italy:Government Launches Investigation into Google News’ Dominant Position
The Italian Competition Authority (ICA) began an investigation into Google news’ dominant position on the internet. According to local news reports, the ICA searched Google’s office in Milan following a complaint by the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers on the lack of transparency in how Google handles Google news.
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-google-news-italian-problem/
http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.com/2009/08/about-google-news-in-italy.html
UK: More Job Losses, Concerns Over Future of The Observer
- Northern & Shell to axe 70 journalists from Express and Star titles
Following the 80 job cuts at the Daily and Sunday Express last September, Northern & Shell, owners of Express Newspapers and OK! Magazine, has announced its plan to further axe 70 journalists’ posts. The company is also seeking voluntary redundancies from staff. According to the NUJ spokesman, the plan will affect staff at the Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star and Sunday Star. http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/535630.php
- GMG to Close the Observer?
The Guardian Media Group (GMG) is considering closing the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, the Observer, due to its mounting losses. The Scott Trust, owner of the GMG will meet some time in September or October to decide the closing of the Observer. It is estimated that around 80 journalists will lose their jobs if the Observer closes.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/535630.php
US: Seattle Times Partners with Local News Sites
The Seattle Times initiated the ‘networked journalism’ to partner with other four US newspapers and local news sites to gather and distribute news. This initiative is a part of the project on Interactive Journalism found by the American University to share news tips and news gathering information; linking to and promoting stories on partner sites “to avoid gaps in coverage”, and explore advertising opportunities across the sites.
http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/08/seattle_times_and_other_papers_to_partne.php
27 August
Global:
- MSN Goes Local to Provide Local News
As many local newspapers close down in the mist of recession, the media giant, MSN has introduced MSN Local to replace local newspapers. The concept of MSN Local is to use user-generated content from local ‘citizen correspondents’. Readers can search postcode-based news and aggregated news from local newspapers from MSN Local.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/5/articles/535604.php
- News Aggregator Tewspaper Collates News from Twitter
With many major news media having their twitter accounts, the news aggregator Twespaper collaborated with Twitter to introduce its ‘online newspaper without writers’. The concept of Tewspaper is to aggregates tweets from major news organizations and organized them in a newspaper format online. So far, the Twespaper is only available in five US cities. However, this initiative might ruffle some mainstream media feathers.
http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/08/new_aggregator_tewspaper_collates_news_f.php
http://www.prweb.com/releases/local-news/social-media/prweb2786724.htm
US: Newspaper Headquarter in LA to Become Library
Downsizing newspapers are beginning to give up their prime locations and moving to cheaper areas. The Daily Comet in Thibodeaux, LA, has sold its $2.3 million building to the Lafourche Parish Council to be converted into a public library. Following this, The Atlanta Journal-Constitutionhas just announced it would leave downtown for a smaller space in the suburbs.
26 August
UK
- Birmingham Post Editor Signaled to Go Weekly
As Trinity Mirror announced its plan to cut costs, its business-oriented daily, the Birmingham Post confirmed to go weekly. As many as 85 jobs could be lost as a result of this shake-up.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=44197&c=1
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=44194&c=1
-Guardian the Most Bookmarked Newspaper on 'delicious'
Guardian took the lead over its competitor as the most bookmarked newspaper on the social book-marking tool ‘delicious'. Guardian has 10,914 bookmarks compared to the 3, 994 bookmarks on Times Online and 3, 196 bookmarks on the Independence. Express had the least bookmarks as 197.
http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2009/08/26/uk-newspaper-delicious-bookmarks/
US: Print Newspapers Takes the Lead over Online News in Ads Sales
Print newspapers made 10 times more in advertising revenue than their online versions last year according to the Columbia Journalism Review. In 2008, printed newspapers had $34.7 billion of advertising revenue compared to the $3.1 billion made by the online versions. However, print newspapers only have 49 million subscribers compared to the average 67.3 million unique visitors to their online versions per month. This means that a print subscriber is worth more than 20 times the revenue of an online reader ($940 per print subscriber versus $46 per online reader).
http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/post_11.php
24 August
UK: MediaGuardian Advertises for Readers’ Club Manager
Guardian plans to offer a ‘welcome pack’ and ‘exclusive content’ to increase readership through its readers’ club. An advertisement, featured in the MediaGuardian’s print and web sections, says that the readers’ club “aims to move us decisively away from the traditional rather distant relationship that newspaper companies have had with their readers”.
http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/902412/general-manager-guardian-club/
22 August
Sweden: Public Broadcaster Opens its Doors to the Public
The Swedish television has recently launched an interactive and transparent news programme called Öppen Redaktion (open newsroom) to give viewers direct access to the decision making process involved in the news production. Following the success of the Swedish initiative , the US daily newspaper, the Spokesman Review, is currently undertaking a similar project ‘Transparent newsroom’.
http://www.sveriges-television.com/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=78062&lid=flashpuff_972433&lpos=section_0
http://www.ejo.ch/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1573&Itemid=169
20 August
UK:
- News International to Close Thelondonpaper
Rupert Murdoch’s News International is planning to close the loss-making free evening newspaper, thelondonpaper, thus making 40 people jobless. Thelondonpaper recorded a pre-tax loss of £12.9m in the year ending June 2008 on a turnover of £14.1m.
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=44179&c=1
- First User-generated Printed Newspaper to be Launched in September in London.
Theblogpaper, a website and printed paper compiled by an online community of writers will release its first edition in print on 25 September with an initial run of 5,000 copies to be distributed in selected areas of London as well as to bloggers, media and advertising agencies.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/2/articles/535569.php
18 August
US: Huffington Post Goes more Social with Facebook
The user generated Huffington Post has launched a new ‘social news’ in a joint venture with Facebook. The new ‘social news’ service allows Facebook users to connect to the Huffington Post news website and share their comments and news articles they read.
This Huffington Post is not the first media to integrate social networks since CNN already collaborated with Facebook to stream live video of Barack Obama’s inauguration and other traditional media like the New York Times and the Telegraph in the UK have built a similar service called TimesPeople and MyTelegraph.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2009/aug/17/huffington-post-blogging
17 August
First Step for Bloggers’ Accountability as Google is Forced to Reveal a Blogger's Identity?
Former Vogue Australia cover girl Liskula Cohen has won a landmark court battle to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger who called her a "skank" and an "old hag". On 17 August, Google's Blogger service was forced by Judge Joan Madden of the Manhattan Supreme Court to reveal the identity of the blogger, thus opening the way to a completely new legal approach over the accountability for user generated content on the Internet.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08182009/news/regionalnews/ho_no_you_didnt_185152.htm
15 July
Global: Website to Rank Credibility of Blogs and Non-Professional Media
A new website, Allvoice,s plans to sort news items from various non professional media by rating their popularity and their credibility, using algorithms similar to the ones of Google. It claims an average of more than 3 million unique users each month, one-third of whom are in the United States. Despite the effort to promote credibility of non-professional media, the question of accountablity of the authors or the verification of the sources is still not guaranteed in all the cases.
US: Business Week for Sale
The US business weekly, founded in 1929, lost 30 percent of its advertising revenue in the second quarter of 2009 as a result of the recession and competition from the Internet. Its owner, The McGraw-Hill Companies, has hired an investment bank to sell the magazine, according to Bloomberg press agency.
http://business.theatlantic.com/2009/07/businessweeks_sale_and_the_future_of_the_newsweekly.php
Italy: Bloggers Strike Against Government
Italian bloggers organised the first bloggers’ strike on 14 July against the government’s decision to regulate information on the Internet. The proposed legislation would allow anyone feeling defamed by a blog post, forum thread or status message on Facebook to request the author to rectify the post within 48 hours. If the author does not comply, a €10,000 fine would be imposed along with potential moral damages. The strike came a few days after a US Court had forced Google to reveal the identity of a blogger who insulted a former top-model.
http://dirittoallarete.ning.com/
7 July
India: Extension of Stimulus Package for the Print Media
The Indian government decided to extend its stimulus package for written press by another six months until 31 December. The package included a waiver of 15 per cent agency commission on directorate of advertising and visual publicity (DAVP) and the abolishment of fringe benefit tax (FBT) which would bring major relief to the media and entertainment sector.
http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k9/july/july60.php
Global: Advertising Market at its Lowest in Second Half of 2009
According to a report by the media group ZenithOptimedia, the global advertising recession will reach its worse point in the second half of this year and North America and western Europe are not expected to return to growth until 2011. However the report also points out that out of the 79 markets it covers, 25 are actually still in growth, in particular China.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/06/global-advertising-recession
3 July
US :
-Gannett Co. to Cut 1400 Jobs by end of Next Week
The President of Gannett Co., the largest U.S. newspaper owner, announced in an internal memo to the staff that the company will eliminate about 1,400 publishing jobs by July 9. Earlier in the year, Gannett already enforced two weeks of unpaid leave for most employees as advertising revenues decreased by 34 percent in the first quarter.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=akQlyUshJpjs
-Washington State Allows Tax Breaks for Newspapers
A new law of the Washington state gives newspaper printers and publishers a 40 percent cut in business taxes. “It is our way of saying to the newspapers that we do believe you're incredibly important to our state and our democracy,” said House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, the Democrat who sponsored the measure. The tax cut will cost the state about USD 1.3m a year.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003990307
UK: Daily Mail Goes “Hyperlocal”
The Daily Mail & General Trust launched a pilot experience of “grassroots online presence” with the first 50 hyperlocal community websites in the Southwest of England. The sites should cover areas with between 10,000 and 50,000 inhabitants. They will not focus on general news but are rather aimed at encouraging interaction between users with profiles, stories, images, forums and reviews. Each site will have a paid community publisher to oversee the site and advertising will be open to local businesses targeting the public via Google Maps.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/02/daily-mail-hyperlocal-websites
Germany: Bavarian State to Renew its Support to Local Television
In order to guarantee regional information and pluralism, the SPD (Social Democratic Party) of the Bavarian regional government pleaded for the continuation of the support for the local private TV via tax money. The SPD told the Bavarian Journalists' Federation on 1st July that 9 Million Euro per year has been earmarked from the regional budget for that purpose until 2013. The SPD wants to tie the support for the local TV in Bavaria to quality criteria in future.