Tag Archives: New technology
Wired magazine launching video series
by Chris Roush
Mike Snider of USA Today writes Thursday about the video series that Wired magazine is starting.
Snider writes, “The techno-trend periodical, launched 20 years ago, has three new series that go live today on Wired’s video channel and on YouTube:
“The Window: an inside look at “extraordinary construction projects, factories, labs and landmarks seen through the eyes of people who work there.”
“Angry Nerd: features Wired’s Chris Baker and his tech-crazed nerdish rants.
“Game/Life: Wired video game gurus Chris Kohler, Peter Rubin and Chris Baker talk about games and industry news.
“More series, like the others sponsored by Microsoft Surface, Windows Phone and Windows 8, are in the works including the outlet’s first scripted series Codefellas about the NSA, animated by Richard Linklater Studios and starring John Hodgman (The Daily Show) and ReWired: The Documentary about the magazine’s redesign.”
Read more here.
Financial Times launches on Flipboard
by Chris Roush
The Financial Times launched on Flipboard on Thursday.
Flipboard users across all Android and iOS devices will now have access to a range of FT content, including news, commentary, analysis, blogs and video.
The launch marks the latest development in the FT’s digital strategy of offering its content across an array of devices and platforms with a single login and subscription. Mobile is an increasingly important channel for the FT, driving a third of all FT.com traffic and 15 percent of new digital subscriptions.
“The Financial Times’ launch on Flipboard builds on the success and popularity of our growing suite of mobile products, including the recently redesigned FT Web App, offering readers an important new channel to access FT journalism and strengthening our presence on Android, the largest smartphone operating system in the world,” said Rob Grimshaw, managing director of FT.com, in a statement. “Full-page advertisements provide yet another opportunity for our clients to reach the FT’s powerful, international and increasingly mobile audience.”
FT.com subscribers get full, unlimited access to the latest FT content on Flipboard. All Flipboard users are able to access FT blogs and videos.
Hey WSJ reporters, wear some makeup when you go on video
by Chris Roush
Wall Street Journal deputy managing editor Matt Murray and head of video operations Chris Cramer sent out the following to the staff on Monday:
Video continues to become a bigger, more vital part of how we deliver news to our audience, and we continue to refine our video offerings in what is increasingly a highly competitive environment. “WSJ Live,” as we call our video output, generates programming for 30 different platforms including WSJ.com and from Apple TV to Xbox. Monthly video views hit 35 million in 2012.
Many of you have embraced our video revolution, and as this tremendous growth continues, we anticipate an ever-larger number of reporters and editors will be called on to deliver news this way, just as we do on other platforms.
In that light, we want to remind those appearing on camera that you should take into consideration your appearance both in terms of journalistic content and on-air presentation.
People are watching – and they are watching you. All of us appearing on-air should take care to present ourselves in the best light possible, and that includes physical appearance. As many of our regular guests already know, neat and professional dress, combed hair and a quick visit to our resident makeup artist on the 6th floor is encouraged before each appearance for both men and women – even for just a quick dash of powder. You want the spotlight focused on your stellar journalism – not shining off your forehead.
For those of you in 1211 Avenue of the Americas office, please ask the producer booking you to schedule a couple of minutes in makeup before an appearance. We fully understand and appreciate the deadline pressure you are under and will make you camera ready in moments. If you’re in a bureau or coming to us remotely, please keep the above guidelines in mind prior to your appearance.
If you have questions about any aspect of presentation, please contact Andy Regal, Joanne Po or Wendy Bounds.
WSJ to run startup documentary series on website
by Chris Roush
The Wall Street Journal will be launching ‘WSJ Startup of the Year,’ an episodic video documentary for WSJ Live, the Journal’s online video platform.
Slated to premiere June 24, the documentary matches global business leaders and influencers with 25 innovative startups, capturing their stories from startup to success during the course of five months. Throughout the documentary, editors from The Journal, working closely with mentors and considering viewer votes, will narrow down the businesses to decide who will be the Journal’s first ‘Startup of the Year.’
The Journal has engaged nearly 30 business leaders and influencers to mentor entrepreneurs participating in the series. Startup of the Year is WSJ Live’s most expansive foray into original content programming to date.
The initial 25 startups will be announced in coming weeks. Each has been chosen by Journal editors, are based in the U.S., have a prototype or proof of concept in place, and less than $10 million in revenue.
WSJ Live is currently available on 30 platforms and generates on average between 20 and 25 million streams per month.
Read more here.
FT adjusting to the sense of a finite read
by Chris Roush
Stuart Dredge of The Guardian writes about how the Financial Times has continued to evolve its web application.
Dredge writes, “Grimshaw adds that 12% of the FT’s digital advertising revenues are currently coming from mobile devices. ‘We would like that to be higher, but it’s substantially above the industry average,’ he says.
“A large portion of the FT’s digital audience ‘channel-hops’ throughout the day, accessing the site from computers at work, then smartphones or tablets while commuting, and during the weekends. Indeed, the FT’s tablet and mobile traffic is ‘pretty much on a par’ with desktop usage at the weekend.
“Tracking these reader habits informed the web app’s redesign, particularly the decision to offer static and dynamic versions to be switched between at will.
“‘From the very early days, we’ve noticed that people like this sense of a finite read. Completion is a big thing for people, and in common with most publishers, we’re not great at giving people a sense of completion with our desktop experience,’ says Grimshaw.
“‘We were keen to do more with the app to deliver that to people. But the right approach was to offer people the best of both worlds: the morning edition is the finite read, then you can flick a switch to go over to this live experience, which will update throughout the day. It feels like the right thing to do.’”
Read more here.
FT using short-form video to expand
by Chris Roush
The Financial Times is using video to increase its profile, says Josh de la Mare, global editor for Financial Times Video.
Beet.TV’s Andy Plesser spoke with him in this video interview at the Financial Times headquarters.
TheStreet redesigns iPhone and iPad apps
by Chris Roush
TheStreet has redesigned its free Apple iPad and iPhone applications.
Key features include:
- Actionable and insightful stock market news and commentary from TheStreet’s leading experts, including Jim Cramer, Stephanie Link and Doug Kass;
- Expanded video reporting from TheStreet’s new studios located across the New York Stock Exchange;
- Robust charting, market and fundamental data;
- Rapid downloading to allow users to read stories even when offline.
“We’ve taken TheStreet’s deep editorial content, videos, data and tools and packaged them into two powerful iPad and iPhone apps. They are the perfect balance of substance and style, setting us apart from other financial news apps,” said Elisabeth DeMarse, CEO of TheStreet, in a statement. “These apps are a terrific leap ahead, and users can expect a regular stream of updates going forward, including new apps for Android and BlackBerry, as well as fully integrated access to our leading paid subscription services, all in one intuitive platform.”
New versions for Android and Blackberry phones are coming as well.
Bloomberg revs up its video news operation
by Chris Roush
With a global television network operation in place, Bloomberg News is using video clips from its shows as well as Web-only videos to produce some 200 clips per day, signaling a new “digital first” approach, says Chris Berend, executive producer and head of digital video at Bloomberg, in a video interview at Bloomberg headquarters with Beet.TV
Berend says the digital desk aims to create “digital-friendly” stories, using Bloomberg-produced television as the back-end resource, and distribute them quickly to a worldwide audience.
CNBC gets serious about web video
by Chris Roush
Mike Shields of Adweek writes about how CNBC is paying more attention to web video to drive traffic to its site.
Shields writes, “This week marks the debut of the CNBC Digital Workshop, an in-house production studio designed to crank out Web originals for CNBC.com and partners like Yahoo. Among the projects in development are Chew & Brew, a weekly cooking show hosted by CNBC reporter Jane Wells that’s focused on guy-skewing concoctions like bacon tacos and beer milkshakes, and The Puppets Can Hear You, featuring puppets reciting tweets from the popular Wall Street Twitter feed @GSElevator, which mocks the sometimes out-of-touch traders at Goldman Sachs.
“CNBC is clearly going lighter and broader with some of its digital fare, as it attempts to move past simply repurposed TV clips. Meanwhile, it is also ramping up a daily postmarket round-up show, 3 to Watch, hosted by CNBC reporter Josh Lipton, and this Friday marks the debut of Hacking America, an investigative series examining weighty topics like the fight against global cyberterrorism.
“‘We’re building on the success we already have,’ said Kevin Krim, svp, gm of CNBC Digital. ‘We have a fantastic TV brand and a very strong digital team, which has been doing a better and better job of fundamental blocking and tackling. But now we’re interested in going after a broader base, offering viewers a holistic view of their lives, not just [what they’re doing during] trading hours. And we’re also addressing advertiser demand.’”
Read more here.
CNBC.com users up 35 percent in March
by Chris Roush
CNBC.com was visited by 7.6 million unique users in March, up 35 percent compared to the same time period last year, according to data from comScore Media Metrix.
This is CNBC.com’s second best March ever in terms of unique visitors and its fourth best month ever in terms of uniques.
CNBC’s other mobile applications also saw increased usage in March.
CNBC’s iPhone application posted 571,000 unique visitors, a 2 percent increase year-over-year, according to Omniture.
CNBC mobile web recorded 2.7 million unique visitors, a 27 percent increase year-over-year.
However, CNBC’s iPad application posted 424,000 unique visitors, relatively flat compared to last year.
