Many Web Users Actively Contributing, Not Just Surfing By

Beth Snyder Bulik, AdAge.com

"Blogosphere" may not be a pretty name for it,
but it is a pretty attractive destination — for women at least, and
maybe for marketers courting them, too.

According to a recent study by BlogHer and Compass Partners,
more than one-third (35%) of all women in the U.S. aged 18 to 75
participate in the blogosphere at least once a week. And that number
increases if less-frequent visits are factored in. Of those women who
are online any amount of time, 53% read blogs, 37% post comments to
blogs and 28% write or update blogs, according to the study.

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by Craig Wilson

Media Hunter ventured down to Sydney last night to meet and talk with Tim Ferriss, author of the 4-Hour Work Week, as he does a short publicity tour Down Under.

Why is Media Hunter taking an interest in an American author of a "lifestyle design" book? Well, apart from being an interesting person, famous for his contrarian thinking, radical work-life philosophy, Tim has also become a social media phenomenon.

I asked Tim to explain how much social media has contributed to his success. He felt it had been a major factor in driving the 4-Hour Work Week up the bestseller ranks where it eventually hit number one on Wall St Journal, New York Times and Amazon lists.

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I am not usually one to blow my own trumpet, but I am proud to announce that Media Hunter is
Australia’s No.1 Media News blog.

How and why can I say this? Well its all actually about strategic positioning. I have recently launched a sister site called Sticky Branding. Sticky Branding discusses brand issues such as brand personality, taglines, corporate identity and positioning.

You see, branding is a lot like real estate. Its all about position, position, position.

Most brands try to compete in big, blurry categories against the giants of their industry. In doing so they are usually fighting a losing battle. Clever brands find a category niche and position themselves as the leader of that niche. From there they can compete and grow.

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But Don’t Get Sidetracked Into Third-Screen Thinking

We are on the verge of witnessing the birth of a new mass-communications medium. It’s the second new mass medium to appear in the last two decades.

The internet arrived in the 1990s, joining the other four mass media: 1) The book 2) The periodical 3) Radio 4) TV. Each new mass medium has created enormous upheavals in society.

   
* The book ignited the knowledge explosion.
   
* The periodical furthered the growth of democracy.
   
* Radio created a celebrity-oriented society.
   
* TV homogenized the culture.

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Just saw this on AdAge.com Fascinating insight into advertising’s relationship with social media by Ian Schafer:

Technology is a funny thing. It enables humans to be capable of so
much. It raises our potential to improve our lives and the lives of
those around us.

But so much of technology is hidden from plain view because
it doesn’t make money. Financial gain is arguably the most important
aspect of technological innovation, because without it, all but the
most altruistic of reasons cease to exist.

We are living in a time in which the media we consume are
undergoing the most rapid technological transformation since the advent
of TV. Back then, there was a lot for companies to gain by having a TV
in every home in America. It gave advertisers the ability to pitch
their wares to TV’s captive audience. And over the years, those
advertisers have shelled out billions upon billions of dollars
continuing to do so because it was perhaps the best-performing media,
but one that delivered a passive audience.

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Ever wondered about this whole Web 2.0 thing? Confused? Want to understand what’s actually going on online?

Then take four and half minutes to view this wonderful explanation from Professor Michael Wensch

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While other networks have placed single
episodes of comedy and current affairs programs on the net, Nine is the
first to launch multiple episodes of a local drama at once.

The first two episodes of Canal Road were slated for Ninemsn this
week, ahead of the show’s TV launch next Wednesday. The next two
episodes will be available next week.

Nine has experimented with downloads and "catch-up TV services",
making episode one of Sea Patrol available three days before its launch
last year.

Ten has traditionally been more receptive than its rivals to making
content available online, using YouTube to distribute episodes of Thank
God You’re Here.

Content from The Chaser, on the ABC, has similarly been widely distributed on the net.

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The music industry is in absolute disarray. Cd sales are plummeting, artists are going "independent", the old world model is falling apart. iTunes provided a partial answer to the problem, with a legal, reliable system for downloading music, but it still hasn’t stopped the bleeding.  Most recording companies and artists don’t have an answer. Up til now the best solution big record companies have had is to sue down loaders and try to prevail with fear tactics.

The same is beginning to happen to publishing. Television has major concerns about the downloading of programs as they too begin to lose control of the audience and distribution.

In the midst of the digital revolution, English rock band Radiohead have taken control of their future by engaging the audience in the most unique ways.

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Source: Reuters, The Australian

GOOGLE has unveiled plans for a new generation of wireless devices to operate on soon-to-be-vacant television airwaves.

It also sought to alleviate fears that this might interfere with TV broadcasts or wireless microphones.

In
comments filed with the US Federal Communications Commission, the
internet leader outlined plans for low-power devices that use local
wireless airwaves to access the "white space" between television
channels. A Google executive called the plan "Wi-Fi 2.0 or Wi-Fi on
steroids".

"The airwaves can provide huge economic and social gains if used more efficiently …," Google said in the comments.

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