How many reporting jobs have new online news organizations created?
Pew Research Center has tried to put a number on it: 5,000.
The center's annual State of the News Media report, released on Wednesday, includes a first-of-its-kind tally of jobs at 30 big websites, like Buzzfeed and The Huffington Post, and 438 smaller startups.
"In a significant shift in the editorial ecosystem, most of these jobs have been created in the past half dozen years, and many have materialized within the last year alone," write the authors of the 2014 report, who credit the startups with bringing "a level of energy to the news industry not seen for a long time."
To read the entire article, click here.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
New Christian Women's Magazine Launches
New Christian Women’s Magazine Launch
A team of AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) members under the banner of Right to the Heart Ministries, has launched a new online magazine for Christian women called Leading Hearts. The magazine launched online to an audience of 60,000 and has been met with excitement and praise from women around the globe, garnering thousands of hits in the first few days of its release.
Best-selling Baker Revell prayer author Linda Evans Shepherd, the magazine’s publisher explains, “I’m delighted by the response. This magazine meets a real need because it reaches out with Godly advice as it encourages women who lead hearts at home, church, work, and community.”
The magazine’s pages are filled with articles from bestselling Christian authors including Pam Farrel, Lisa Troyer, Karen Whiting, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Dr. Edna Ellison, Andrea Breidenbach, Rebekah Montgomery, Kathy Collard Miller, Sharon Elliott, Michelle Cox, and Rhonda Rhea who write on the topics of mentoring, marriage, mothering, community, ministry, time management, health, book and music reviews, bible study and prayer.
Amber Weigand-Buckley, an award-winning magazine editor, serves as editor for the publication. In addition, several CBA publishers are acting sponsors including Baker Revell, New Hope, Leafwood Publishers and Bold Vision Press. The magazine is free and is available to read on PC, Mac, iPad and Android.
For more information about the magazine, sponsorships, or to view it online, go to: www.LeadingHearts.com
A team of AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) members under the banner of Right to the Heart Ministries, has launched a new online magazine for Christian women called Leading Hearts. The magazine launched online to an audience of 60,000 and has been met with excitement and praise from women around the globe, garnering thousands of hits in the first few days of its release.
Best-selling Baker Revell prayer author Linda Evans Shepherd, the magazine’s publisher explains, “I’m delighted by the response. This magazine meets a real need because it reaches out with Godly advice as it encourages women who lead hearts at home, church, work, and community.”
The magazine’s pages are filled with articles from bestselling Christian authors including Pam Farrel, Lisa Troyer, Karen Whiting, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Dr. Edna Ellison, Andrea Breidenbach, Rebekah Montgomery, Kathy Collard Miller, Sharon Elliott, Michelle Cox, and Rhonda Rhea who write on the topics of mentoring, marriage, mothering, community, ministry, time management, health, book and music reviews, bible study and prayer.
Amber Weigand-Buckley, an award-winning magazine editor, serves as editor for the publication. In addition, several CBA publishers are acting sponsors including Baker Revell, New Hope, Leafwood Publishers and Bold Vision Press. The magazine is free and is available to read on PC, Mac, iPad and Android.
For more information about the magazine, sponsorships, or to view it online, go to: www.LeadingHearts.com
What's Behind the Plateau in e-book Sales?
BISG members respond to the "e-book sales plateau"
As part of BISG’s single-question surveys, members responded to "What is behind the plateau in e-book sales?"
• 20% -- "E-books have found their level; the market is saturated for now"
• 25% -- "Current e-readers are too limited in terms of rendering design and illustrations"
• 55% -- "E-reader acquisition has slowed as the market has matured, so the customer base for e-books has slowed as well"
• 20% - "What plateau?"
As part of BISG’s single-question surveys, members responded to "What is behind the plateau in e-book sales?"
• 20% -- "E-books have found their level; the market is saturated for now"
• 25% -- "Current e-readers are too limited in terms of rendering design and illustrations"
• 55% -- "E-reader acquisition has slowed as the market has matured, so the customer base for e-books has slowed as well"
• 20% - "What plateau?"
Money is the Bug That Crashes Hyperlocal News Sites
The story behind why boutique and hyperlocal digital journalism efforts fail is simple: The money is never enough, and it runs out.
That's what happened to DeadlineDetroit.com, which announced last week it would lay off its entire staff April 4 as it seeks new investors — a development that comes on the heels of Patch.com in January idling most of its staff around the country.
To read the entire article, click here.
That's what happened to DeadlineDetroit.com, which announced last week it would lay off its entire staff April 4 as it seeks new investors — a development that comes on the heels of Patch.com in January idling most of its staff around the country.
To read the entire article, click here.
Monday, March 17, 2014
What's "Explanatory Journalism?"
From Digiday:
Explaining what’s behind the sudden allure of explanatory journalism
John McDermott | March 17, 2014
You might have been hearing a lot about the increasing popularity of explanatory journalism in the digital publishing industry. But, ironically, there is a dearth of good explanations as to what exactly explanatory journalism is all about. After all, isn’t all journalism about explaining stuff?
Here, then, is the Digiday explainer for explanatory journalism.
What it is
Explanatory journalism is a form of reporting that attempts to present nuanced, ongoing news stories in a more accessible manner. Many high-profile news events — such as the Edward Snowden leaks about the U.S. government’s surveillance apparatus, or the current showdown between Ukraine and Russia — develop over the course of weeks, months or, sometimes, even years. An article about the latest incremental development in such a situation may thus be inscrutable to readers who haven’t been following the issue from the beginning. Explanatory journalism aims to demystify those complex topics by providing that context. A good example is what you’re reading right now. Also, this, this and this entire series.
The players
The New York Times announced on Thursday it will soon be launching an explanatory journalism vertical called The Upshot, and it published this article on Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell as an example of what to expect. Bloomberg launched a similar section last October called QuickTake. QuickTake has published 78 stories to date, according to its editor Jonathan Landman, including recent explainers on Bitcoin, legalized marijuana and the Russia-Ukraine showdown. BuzzFeed publishes numerous explanatory stories a day. Slate has the aptly titled vertical The Explainer. Nate Silver came to fame by taking a data-driven approach to explanatory journalism with 538, an election blog that will soon launch as its own digital media property. And, of course, Ezra Klein left The Washington Post to start explanatory journalism site Vox, whose tagline is simply “understand the news.”
The history
Explanatory journalism may be having a moment, but it’s certainly nothing new. Magazines and newspapers have long used an array of photos, sidebars, charts, graphs and bullet points to make otherwise sprawling stories easier to digest. Explanatory journalism was a Pulitzer Prize category from 1985 to 1997. Since 1998, there has been a Pulitzer given out each year for excellence in explanatory reporting. Publications are now applying these content-packaging techniques to the Web, the latest instance of digital media’s maturation.
Why now?
The resurgence is driven by the Internet, albeit for two seemingly contradictory reasons. One of the many seismic changes the Web has unleashed on the written word is a fundamental change in tone. Whereas print media was decidedly authoritative, the Internet is a more colloquial medium. “For a long time, there was a notion that a conversational tone was inappropriate for serious subjects,” Upshot editor David Leonhardt said. “That’s certainly changed in the last decade.”
But the newfound interest in Web-based explanatory journalism is also aimed at making the Web more authoritative. The Internet has given rise to numerous digital publications and, for better or worse, voice to anyone with a dial-up and a keyboard. The downside of the Web’s democratic design is it allows for the quick dissemination of misinformation. Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing, for instance, members of link-sharing site reddit wrongly accused several people of having committed the crime. Reddit general manager Erik Martin apologized for the “online witch hunts.” These new efforts in explanatory reporting aim to take advantage of the Web’s wealth of information while being reliable. Landman called it a “reaction to the shattering of the package that the Internet has caused. What you get now is a kind of machine-gun barrage of news. It’s harder to find the context.”
The audience
Explanatory reporting is meant to appeal to more casual news consumers. The stories are written for people who have heard about Bitcoin, but might be unfamiliar with the name Satoshi Nakamoto. “I think this kind of journalism can appeal to experts,” Leonhardt said. “But we don’t want to appeal only to current Times readers. We want to write about health policy for teachers, Wall Street policy for carpenters, education policy for doctors and housing issues for people on Wall Street.”
The commercial promise
“It’s a fairly difficult category to monetize,” Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter, said. “The reader who’s seeking out perspective may not be as dedicated and motivated to come back time after time.” The Times is still evaluating how Upshot stories will work within its paywall.
The optimistis view is that the inherently broad appeal of explanatory stories will translate into real traffic (and thus ad impressions). Whether or not there’s a large enough audience to sate the business needs of all these sites remains to be seen. Edmonds said the market will likely play out like any other; some will succeed, others won’t. Leonhardt, however, is optimistic not just for The Times but for the entire category. “There’s a huge pent-up or latent demand for this,” he said. It’s completely rational to think that they can help grow the overall audience for this kind of work. I can guarantee you you will find frequent links on our site to 538 and to Vox.”
Explaining what’s behind the sudden allure of explanatory journalism
John McDermott | March 17, 2014
You might have been hearing a lot about the increasing popularity of explanatory journalism in the digital publishing industry. But, ironically, there is a dearth of good explanations as to what exactly explanatory journalism is all about. After all, isn’t all journalism about explaining stuff?
Here, then, is the Digiday explainer for explanatory journalism.
What it is
Explanatory journalism is a form of reporting that attempts to present nuanced, ongoing news stories in a more accessible manner. Many high-profile news events — such as the Edward Snowden leaks about the U.S. government’s surveillance apparatus, or the current showdown between Ukraine and Russia — develop over the course of weeks, months or, sometimes, even years. An article about the latest incremental development in such a situation may thus be inscrutable to readers who haven’t been following the issue from the beginning. Explanatory journalism aims to demystify those complex topics by providing that context. A good example is what you’re reading right now. Also, this, this and this entire series.
The players
The New York Times announced on Thursday it will soon be launching an explanatory journalism vertical called The Upshot, and it published this article on Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell as an example of what to expect. Bloomberg launched a similar section last October called QuickTake. QuickTake has published 78 stories to date, according to its editor Jonathan Landman, including recent explainers on Bitcoin, legalized marijuana and the Russia-Ukraine showdown. BuzzFeed publishes numerous explanatory stories a day. Slate has the aptly titled vertical The Explainer. Nate Silver came to fame by taking a data-driven approach to explanatory journalism with 538, an election blog that will soon launch as its own digital media property. And, of course, Ezra Klein left The Washington Post to start explanatory journalism site Vox, whose tagline is simply “understand the news.”
The history
Explanatory journalism may be having a moment, but it’s certainly nothing new. Magazines and newspapers have long used an array of photos, sidebars, charts, graphs and bullet points to make otherwise sprawling stories easier to digest. Explanatory journalism was a Pulitzer Prize category from 1985 to 1997. Since 1998, there has been a Pulitzer given out each year for excellence in explanatory reporting. Publications are now applying these content-packaging techniques to the Web, the latest instance of digital media’s maturation.
Why now?
The resurgence is driven by the Internet, albeit for two seemingly contradictory reasons. One of the many seismic changes the Web has unleashed on the written word is a fundamental change in tone. Whereas print media was decidedly authoritative, the Internet is a more colloquial medium. “For a long time, there was a notion that a conversational tone was inappropriate for serious subjects,” Upshot editor David Leonhardt said. “That’s certainly changed in the last decade.”
But the newfound interest in Web-based explanatory journalism is also aimed at making the Web more authoritative. The Internet has given rise to numerous digital publications and, for better or worse, voice to anyone with a dial-up and a keyboard. The downside of the Web’s democratic design is it allows for the quick dissemination of misinformation. Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing, for instance, members of link-sharing site reddit wrongly accused several people of having committed the crime. Reddit general manager Erik Martin apologized for the “online witch hunts.” These new efforts in explanatory reporting aim to take advantage of the Web’s wealth of information while being reliable. Landman called it a “reaction to the shattering of the package that the Internet has caused. What you get now is a kind of machine-gun barrage of news. It’s harder to find the context.”
The audience
Explanatory reporting is meant to appeal to more casual news consumers. The stories are written for people who have heard about Bitcoin, but might be unfamiliar with the name Satoshi Nakamoto. “I think this kind of journalism can appeal to experts,” Leonhardt said. “But we don’t want to appeal only to current Times readers. We want to write about health policy for teachers, Wall Street policy for carpenters, education policy for doctors and housing issues for people on Wall Street.”
The commercial promise
“It’s a fairly difficult category to monetize,” Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter, said. “The reader who’s seeking out perspective may not be as dedicated and motivated to come back time after time.” The Times is still evaluating how Upshot stories will work within its paywall.
The optimistis view is that the inherently broad appeal of explanatory stories will translate into real traffic (and thus ad impressions). Whether or not there’s a large enough audience to sate the business needs of all these sites remains to be seen. Edmonds said the market will likely play out like any other; some will succeed, others won’t. Leonhardt, however, is optimistic not just for The Times but for the entire category. “There’s a huge pent-up or latent demand for this,” he said. It’s completely rational to think that they can help grow the overall audience for this kind of work. I can guarantee you you will find frequent links on our site to 538 and to Vox.”
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Free Train Rides for Writers
(CNN) -- Tweet it and it may come true.
In the world of travel, anyway.
Sending under-appreciated scribes into a frenzy of ecstasy across the United States, Amtrak is launching an official residency program for writers on its long-distance routes.
The best part?
It's free.
That minor earthquake you just felt was the rumble of several million freelancers scrambling for their computers.
Writers are now able to submit applications to drop everything in their lives to focus on their writing while getting gratis rides on Amtrak's most scenic routes.
All thanks to a playful tweet from a freelance writer.
Brilliant move
It's the most positive wave of publicity Amtrak has had at least since Joe Biden's last railroad rhapsody.
The residency ball began rolling when New York-based writer Jessica Gross tweeted a quote from Pen America's interview with novelist Alexander Chee.
The writer said he'd written his novels on trains and enjoyed doing so.
"I wish Amtrak had residencies for writers," Chee said.
Gross and a friend promptly tweeted the quote at Amtrak.
In a shocking plot turn, Amtrak tweeted back: "We'd need a test run. You two up for a trip to Chicago and back?"
The stunned Gross quickly agreed and Amtrak soon arranged a free writing trip for her from New York to Chicago and back.
Writers nearly broke their keyboards with excitement once the news hit social media after Gross tweeted out about the ride at Amtrak's request.
Who knew so many writers did their best work on trains?
Or like free trips?
In the world of travel, anyway.
Sending under-appreciated scribes into a frenzy of ecstasy across the United States, Amtrak is launching an official residency program for writers on its long-distance routes.
The best part?
It's free.
That minor earthquake you just felt was the rumble of several million freelancers scrambling for their computers.
Writers are now able to submit applications to drop everything in their lives to focus on their writing while getting gratis rides on Amtrak's most scenic routes.
All thanks to a playful tweet from a freelance writer.
Brilliant move
It's the most positive wave of publicity Amtrak has had at least since Joe Biden's last railroad rhapsody.
The residency ball began rolling when New York-based writer Jessica Gross tweeted a quote from Pen America's interview with novelist Alexander Chee.
The writer said he'd written his novels on trains and enjoyed doing so.
"I wish Amtrak had residencies for writers," Chee said.
Gross and a friend promptly tweeted the quote at Amtrak.
In a shocking plot turn, Amtrak tweeted back: "We'd need a test run. You two up for a trip to Chicago and back?"
The stunned Gross quickly agreed and Amtrak soon arranged a free writing trip for her from New York to Chicago and back.
Writers nearly broke their keyboards with excitement once the news hit social media after Gross tweeted out about the ride at Amtrak's request.
Who knew so many writers did their best work on trains?
Or like free trips?
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Hope for Women Magazine
Erica Campbell Covers Hope for Women Magazine's 'Fresh Start' Issue
Hope for Women Magazine Gives Readers What They Need
Magazine Celebrates Eighth Year with Stellar and Grammy- Recording Artist and Reality TV Star Erica Campbell
Contact: Chama St. Louis, 309-340-0054,chama@homeforwomenmag.com
MUNCIE, Ind., March 4, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The new issue of Hope for Women magazine with Erica Campbell will be available in print beginning the first week of March.
CEO and Publisher Angelia White has worked diligently with her editorial staff and the many contributors who have come together to make this print issue "Fresh Start" literally a fresh start for the New Year with engaging content and a brand new HOPE logo. This also includes full-color photos and interviews with Erica Campbell of the Gospel Duo Mary Mary, and Alfre Woodard from the new movie "12 Years a Slave" sharing their inspiring messages with Hope readers. Our cover feature Erica Campbell shares over a four-page spread how she balances her music, with a release of a new CD on March 25, 2014, being the mother of five, and the role of faith in her marriage
The upcoming issue also includes:
Interviews with Cynda Williams Plummer, who has enjoyed a career in the film industry for over 20 years, 3 features, one of Alexis Bellino of The Real Housewives of Orange County, who shares how she maintains living, looking, and being a fabulous mom, an article entitled "The Long Awakening" by author Lindsey O'Connor, and an article by Dr. Cindy Trim, entitled "Fresh Start." Also included are tips on natural beauty and maintaining a "Fresh Face" with a product guide to radiant skin, the latest in winter fashion with how you can "Kick Start Winter with Sassy Boots." Motivational speaker Christen Cashen gives tips on how you can reach your goals and be happier in 2014.
We're giving you a "Fresh Start" in 2014, whether you enjoy stories about people, fashion, health, or financial advice -- this winter issue has it all!
This issue will be available at Barnes & Noble, Book World and MARSH Supermarkets throughout the United States. They are also available to users who subscribe online. Subscribe now by visitinghopeforwomenmag.com and don't miss our Fresh Start Spring 2014 issue!
About Hope for Women magazine: Hope for Women magazine was created to exemplify the fellowship of women. They aim to inspire and support women through the experiences of other women, news and innovation, industry, faith, and opportunities through providing an engaging, educational, and uplifting format where women learn, grow and prosper.
For interview requests or more information contact Chama St. Louis chama@homeforwomenmag.com
Hope for Women Magazine Gives Readers What They Need
Magazine Celebrates Eighth Year with Stellar and Grammy- Recording Artist and Reality TV Star Erica Campbell
Contact: Chama St. Louis, 309-340-0054,chama@homeforwomenmag.com
MUNCIE, Ind., March 4, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The new issue of Hope for Women magazine with Erica Campbell will be available in print beginning the first week of March.
CEO and Publisher Angelia White has worked diligently with her editorial staff and the many contributors who have come together to make this print issue "Fresh Start" literally a fresh start for the New Year with engaging content and a brand new HOPE logo. This also includes full-color photos and interviews with Erica Campbell of the Gospel Duo Mary Mary, and Alfre Woodard from the new movie "12 Years a Slave" sharing their inspiring messages with Hope readers. Our cover feature Erica Campbell shares over a four-page spread how she balances her music, with a release of a new CD on March 25, 2014, being the mother of five, and the role of faith in her marriage
The upcoming issue also includes:
Interviews with Cynda Williams Plummer, who has enjoyed a career in the film industry for over 20 years, 3 features, one of Alexis Bellino of The Real Housewives of Orange County, who shares how she maintains living, looking, and being a fabulous mom, an article entitled "The Long Awakening" by author Lindsey O'Connor, and an article by Dr. Cindy Trim, entitled "Fresh Start." Also included are tips on natural beauty and maintaining a "Fresh Face" with a product guide to radiant skin, the latest in winter fashion with how you can "Kick Start Winter with Sassy Boots." Motivational speaker Christen Cashen gives tips on how you can reach your goals and be happier in 2014.
We're giving you a "Fresh Start" in 2014, whether you enjoy stories about people, fashion, health, or financial advice -- this winter issue has it all!
This issue will be available at Barnes & Noble, Book World and MARSH Supermarkets throughout the United States. They are also available to users who subscribe online. Subscribe now by visitinghopeforwomenmag.com and don't miss our Fresh Start Spring 2014 issue!
About Hope for Women magazine: Hope for Women magazine was created to exemplify the fellowship of women. They aim to inspire and support women through the experiences of other women, news and innovation, industry, faith, and opportunities through providing an engaging, educational, and uplifting format where women learn, grow and prosper.
For interview requests or more information contact Chama St. Louis chama@homeforwomenmag.com
Monday, March 3, 2014
Newsweek is Back From the Dead!
Tiny Digital Publisher to Put Newsweek Back in Print
By LESLIE KAUFMANMARCH 2, 2014
The Graham family, longtime newspaper publishers, gave up and sold it for a dollar. The media mogul Barry Diller spent tens of millions trying to revive it, only to throw in the towel. Even Mr. Diller’s star editor, Tina Brown, could not stop it from going out of print.
But where giants failed, IBT Media, a small digital publishing company, sees a growth path for Newsweek, the struggling newsweekly magazine it bought for a pittance last summer.
Etienne Uzac, 30, and Johnathan Davis, 31, founders of IBT Media, believed they could recreate Newsweek as a vibrant and profitable web-only magazine. But now, having tripled Newsweek’s online traffic, they plan to punctuate the magazine’s comeback by turning on the printing presses again. Hard copies are expected to hit newsstands on Friday.
Break out the banner headline: Newsweek Is Back From the Dead!
to read the rest of the article, click here.
By LESLIE KAUFMANMARCH 2, 2014
The Graham family, longtime newspaper publishers, gave up and sold it for a dollar. The media mogul Barry Diller spent tens of millions trying to revive it, only to throw in the towel. Even Mr. Diller’s star editor, Tina Brown, could not stop it from going out of print.
But where giants failed, IBT Media, a small digital publishing company, sees a growth path for Newsweek, the struggling newsweekly magazine it bought for a pittance last summer.
Etienne Uzac, 30, and Johnathan Davis, 31, founders of IBT Media, believed they could recreate Newsweek as a vibrant and profitable web-only magazine. But now, having tripled Newsweek’s online traffic, they plan to punctuate the magazine’s comeback by turning on the printing presses again. Hard copies are expected to hit newsstands on Friday.
Break out the banner headline: Newsweek Is Back From the Dead!
to read the rest of the article, click here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
