New media innovators are tapping into podcasts, broadband video, blogs, ringtones and websites to promote their brands and engage with new audiences. Below is a roundup of interesting articles on new media trends for the past week:
Podcasts
AdWeek’s IQ Interactive reported that interest in podcasts remains high but many users are frustrated with the difficulty of finding podcasts. Charline Li of Forrester believes that the introduction of podcast search engines from Yahoo! and the ability to access podcasts from Apple iTunes will spur fast growth. Forrester predicts that 12 million households will regularly listen to podcasts by 2010.
Online News According to an article in Editor and Publisher, the demise of the newspaper industry may be premature. Newspaper reader ship online is soaring especially among younger audiences. A study by Scarborough Research shows that ‘newspaper franchises are very healthy indeed, and that readers still care deeply about them--but that increasingly those readers are connecting with papers online.’
Broadband Video
Broadband video is becoming an increasingly important channel for cable networks to distribute existing content and reach new audiences. The Washington Post reports that Discovery Communications announced two important broadband initiatives. First it plans to launch two broadband video channels on April 15 tied to two of its networks: Discovery Channel Beyond and Travel Channel Beyond. Both channels will be ad-supported. Second, Discovery inked a deal with Google Earth to integrate streaming video of locations such as Yellowstone National Park into Google Earth. Users can access a 2 to 4 minute video from Discovery when using Google Earth to map a particular location such as a National Park.
Blog Syndication
In a move to connect credible bloggers with newspaper publishers, a new blog syndication service is being launched today by Pluck Corp. The Boston Globe reports that the service enables newspaper publishers to include headlines and articles from over 600 bloggers in their online and print editions.
Social Networking
MediaPost reports that Wrigley is attempting to create an online cult of young adults obsessed with white-tooth to promote it’s Orbit White brand. Although Wrigley’s agency EVB expects over 50,000 visitors to join the cult, it will be interesting to see how many return more than once and engage with the content which includes a “Friends of Bright” song as a ringtone or MP3.
Found you through BlogHer - I'm not listed yet, but are you planning to post more frequently? I like your layout.
Cheers.
Posted by: H.A. Page | May 03, 2006 at 06:01 PM
Hi - yes we've been on a mini-break working on a video about women and new media and the launch of new podcast series but will be posting again and on a regular basis starting today. Thanks for your note.
Posted by: Julie Woods | May 04, 2006 at 10:21 AM