New Series, New Newsletters – What’s New in the Land of Media
May 05, 2017 Cathy Corwin
PR pros are always on the lookout for new ways to secure media coverage. Conversely, publishers and broadcasters are constantly evolving: introducing new sites, channels and products in the pursuit of subscriptions, engaged readers (old and new) as well as advertisers. There’s been a ton of activity happening in the media landscape that’s it’s worth diving into, and exploring why it matters:
New live-streaming:
Bloomberg: The Wall Street Journal reports Bloomberg is set to launch a 24/7 news live-streaming news service on Twitter this fall. The channel - yet to be named - “is going to be focused on the most important news for an intelligent audience around the globe and it’s going to be broader in focus than our existing network,” according to Bloomberg Media’s chief executive officer, Justin Smith. Content to be expected includes: live news reporting from the news outlet’s bureaus around the world, as well as a curated and verified mix of video posted on Twitter by the social-media platform’s users. From a business perspective, the partnership not only gives Bloomberg a chance to broaden its reach (from a traditionally financial audience) but also seize second-screen audiences (yet another proof point of how news and social media are blending together as consumer increasingly access content "in the stream").New series:
VentureBeat has kicked off “Tech in the Heartland", an “occasional series exploring the relationship between Silicon Valley and the rest of America.” According to Editor-in-Chief Blaise Zerega: the series aims to explore “the ecosystems of company formation, technological innovation, and the roles of private and public money, contrasting what’s afoot on the coasts with the state of affairs in the middle of the country.” In the weeks ahead, the publication will report on themes including:
- How geography and perception affect the access an entrepreneur in the heartland has to capital and talent.
- Why companies leave behind the high costs of, say, Palo Alto, California, and decamp to Des Moines, Iowa, in order to be closer to their customers.
- Alternatives to Silicon Valley’s venture capital firms and incubator ecosystems.
Be sure to check out the first article in the series: “Meet Parker Hannifin, a 100 year- old company working on AR” for an inkling on how editors envision stories in the series will be told (hint: looks like long form).
Bloomberg has launched a tech-based digital video series: “Gadgets With Gurman,” hosted by consumer technology reporter Mark Gurman. For 15-20 minutes every Wednesday, Gurman will review a new product highlighting key features, shortcuts and cost (with audiences watching on Bloomberg.com, Facebook and Twitter). A consumer-focused tech show continues to expand Bloomberg's coverage away from its typical focus on financial and market news, as well as plants a foothold in Silicon Valley as the show tapes out of San Francisco. If you’ve got a new product, this is the perfect place to pitch an exclusive.
New(ish) podcasts:
TechCrunch launched ‘Equity,’ a venture capital-focused podcast. Tackling massive funding rounds (both down and up), notable acquisitions, interesting IPOs and more, the podcast will be hosted by regulars Matthew Lynley, Alex Wilhelm and Katie Roof as well as feature special guests. The podcast’s topic was designed with TechCrunch’s community in mind, “[it] should help everyone, savvy and beginner alike, glean from and understand what’s going on in the world of startups, with their backers and liquidity of all sorts.” If you’re in the VC biz and willing to share your POV on what’s happening in the industry to what drives your investments, new episodes are released every Friday (P.S. You can subscribe on iTunes now).
Bill O’Reilly (for the sake of evenhandedness): For the first time since being publicly ousted from Fox News, Bill O'Reilly will speak to audiences. He announced on his personal website that his "The No Spin News" podcast will return. The podcast episodes typically last less than 5 minutes and feature O'Reilly's analysis of news of the day.
New newsletters:
The New York Times debuts “Open Thread,” a weekly newsletter covering the ways we use clothes to communicate ideas, culture and identity. The newsletter, written with the general public in mind, will “provide a POV of the forces that shape the dress codes we share, with Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic, as your personal shopper.” If you’re in the fashion business or have an executive who’s a fashionista sign up for Open Thread here.
New to print:
Goop: When many publications are streamlining their print editions for internet consumption, trendsetter Gwyneth Paltrow is bringing her wellness brand and lifestyle blog Goop into its next phase: teaming up with publisher Condé Nast to create a quarterly print magazine. The magazine, titled Goop, is expected to hit newsstands by September 2017. We’re curious if this print publication will be guided by a longer lead, editorial calendar or pull from its existing blog content.
