This update touches on why Apple Music may be a much bigger deal than I suggested, and the moves on to all the other important announcements from Apple WWDC keynote. This includes the News app, open-source Swift, and more.
Vox Acquires Recode; Stars, Money, and Reach; The Apple Car and Jony Ive
Recode has sold to Vox, and while everyone involved is putting a happy face on the matter, it seems highly likely that Recode failed as a business. Understanding how content businesses work show where they went wrong, but what does that mean for someone like Bill Simmons?
Also, Jeff Williams spoke at Recode, and he just might have changed my mind about Jony Ive.
Medium the Network, Automattic Buys WooCommerce, Google and the Value of Identity
This Daily Update examines Medium’s seeming pivot towards being a network instead of a publisher, which is a contrast to WordPress.com’s latest move towards e-commerce. Finally, a brief examination of why identity matters.
Carriers to Implement Ad-Blocking?, Mad Men and Optimism, Spotify and Starbucks
Today’s update is a Media Monday on a Tuesday. First, a reported ad-blocking initiative from European carriers and a discussion on its moral, legal, and business aspects. Then, reasons to be both pessimistic and optimistic about the future of publishing. Finally, a discussion of Spotify’s deal with Starbucks, it’s symbolism, and the similarities and differences between the music and content industries.
Verizon-AOL, Facebook Instant Articles, and the Future of Digital Advertising
Two seemingly unrelated stores — Verizon buying AOL. and Facebook offering publishers the option of Instant Articles — are actually very much connected: advertising online is undergoing a fundamental shift, and while there will be a few big winners, there will be a lot more losers.
Media Monday: Bill Simmons vs ESPN, Spotify and the Content Hierarchy, Periscope and Piracy
Today’s Daily Update is all about the media:
– ESPN will not renew Bill Simmons’ contract, which leads into a discussion of the value of individual brands, particular writers, and how that value can best be captured
– Not all content is created equally, which helps explain Spotify’s surprising decision to diversify
– Periscope presents a unique challenge to sports in particular
Facebook and the Feed
In a week where much of the Internet was all atwitter about Mobilegeddon, Google’s pre-announced algorithm change that will favor mobile-friendly sites in mobile search results, a potentially far more impactful announcement was much more of a surprise: Facebook is tweaking the News Feed algorithm. This is a big deal for publishers in particular: according […]
Daily Update: Samsung’s Retreat, The Uncrossable Curve?, Gawker Writers Seek to Unionize
Good morning, Moore’s Law really is fifty years old: the original paper was in 1965, not 1975. Ugh! On to the update: Samsung’s Retreat While I have used the smiling curve to explain the dilemma facing publishers, as I noted at the time the very concept came from the world of Asian OEM’s — AcerSubscribe […]
Daily Update: Moore’s Law at 50, BuzzFeed and Advertiser Pressure
Good morning, The French Senate approved a measure (it won’t be law, at least not yet) that would force Google to disclose its algorithm to a French regulator. If you have strong views on this (particularly if you are in favor), I’d love to hear from you as to why — with the condition youSubscribe […]
Daily Update: BuzzFeed Busted, LinkedIn Buys Lynda.com
Good morning, Late last night was Apple Watch ordering mania. A few observations: Within minutes the Apple Watch Edition quickly moved from May to June and some models to August. In China, meanwhile, they completely sold out It seemed to take about six minutes for ship dates to start slipping from 4/24-5/8 to something laterSubscribe […]