The art of the 20th century and onwards has its roots in modernism, an all encompassing term that Cheap Rosetta Stone
describes the huge changes in Western society beginning from the late 19th century. The Industrial Revolution, the writings of thinkers and scientists like Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein and finally, the upheaval of World War I, changed society's perceptions about itself. These changes were reflected in literature, painting and the performing arts. CubismArt in the early years of the 20th century was about rebellion and unshackling of the rules, traditions and perspectives that had governed painting since the Renaissance. This radical, new direction expressed itself in abstraction; like other intellectual movements of the late 19th century, it took root in Paris, the cultural hub of the Western world.1907 was a landmark year in the history of Western art, when Pablo Picasso unveiled his Demoiselles d'Avignon. The painting represents several nudes in angular shapes, imbued with a raw and startling primitivism reminiscent of African masks. The event heralded a step towards Cubism.Cubism was pioneered by Georges Braque and Picasso. This art movement expressed the artist's urge to go beyond externalities. The structure of form was all important; hence, the emphasis on lines, angles and minimal use of colours, so as not to distract from the essence of the subject. Cubism lasted for about eighteen years, evolving into various sub-forms like analytical and sculptural cubism.DadaismCabaret Voltaire, a cafe in Zurich set up in 1916 by exiled German poet Hugo Ball, was where the art movement known as Dadaism took shape. The cafe was a centre for musicians, artists and writers to meet and exchange ideas on artistic freedom. Many of them were battle-weary veterans of the First World War. Their work was marked by a rude, cynical rejection of traditional values in art, a reflection of their disillusionment with life. Marcel Duchamp's LHOOQ, showed Mona Lisa with a moustache. His Fountain was a sculpture of a urinal, the rationale being that anything that was exhibited for a viewing public could be termed as art! Dadaism was too incoherent a movement to last for long; however, during its brief 4-year existence, it succeeded in its intent to shake up the art world. It is considered a precursor to Surrealism.SurrealismIn the 1920s, artists and writers sought to move away from the philosophy of "rationalism" which had for long shaped European thought and resulted in the devastation of World War I. Surrealism was the intellectual movement that represented this rejection of the past. Where Dadaism had been defiant and anti-art Surrealism was more positive. It's most important proponent was the poet-critic Andre Breton. In The Surrealist Manifesto of 1925, Breton wrote on the significance of the subconscious mind as the primary source of creativity. In art, this translated into paintings that blended fantasy and reality, the impossible and illogical with the mundane and rational. Famous Surrealist painters include Max Ernst, Paul Klee, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Andre Masson.Surrealism has inspired modern photography and films and continues to delight art lovers thanks to its vivid, playful and spontaneous imagery that never fails to stretch the imagination. Abstract ExpressionismIn 1930, Piet Mondrian's Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow captured the essence of Abstract Expressionism, a genre that expresses itself purely through primary shapes and colours. The movement crossed the Atlantic and gained widespread recognition through the works of American artists like Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Robert Motherwell and others. The new art form, while influenced by Surrealism, went deeper within, emphasising that the artist's inner, creative process is as important as the work itself. Pollock's paintings for instance blasted away all preconceived notions of art. Leaving easel painting aside, he would work on canvas on the floor, using industrial materials and a variety ofCheap Rosetta Stone English
imaginative techniques, from dripping skeins of paint to brushing, drawing and staining. After prevailing for nearly three decades, Abstract Expressionism began giving way to Pop Art.Pop ArtThere are few people today who haven't heard or come across Andy Warhol's iconic painting of a Campbell soup tin. This was Pop Art, an American movement originating in the 1960s whose best known exponents besides Warhol were Roy Lichtenstein and Tom Wesselmann. Pop art, like pop music, shifted these hitherto elitist pursuits into the purview of the masses. Pop Art is tongue-in-cheek, irreverent in its outlook, turning household and daily use objects into the subject of artistic scrutiny, as if to say "Why not?" Andy Warhol's studio was "The Factory", where workers made countless lithographs and silkscreen prints of his works. Ironically, both the subjects of Pop Art and the genre itself were now mass produced, pointing to the beginnings of consumerism.Postmodern ArtEclectic, thought provoking and often lowbrow, postmodern art encompasses a huge variety of genres. Installation Art comprises enormous collages of manufactured and other objects, sometimes electrified or possessed of moving parts. Neo-expressionism, which began in the 1970s and 80s - famous names include Julian Schnabel and Georg Baselitz - is a return to more traditional genres of sculpture and painting. Performance art - not to be confused with traditional performing arts (dance, music, gymnastics, etc.) elevates physical performance by an individual or a group into a work of art. Pop surrealism has its roots in American subcultures, inspired by comic books, punk/rap music and street life. This Learn French
irreverent, essentially youthful genre is a potent example of the lack of distinction that is prevalent today between "high" and "low" art.
2011年4月29日星期五
2011年4月28日星期四
Voice Creation with Music Morpher Gold, Part 2
In Part 1, we discussed how to prepare yourself for creating an audio file for Cheap Rosetta Stone
a video or an audio presentation with character voices. In Part 2, we will complete this discussion.For this second recording method, you need to read each characters lines one after the other, in other words, read all of Tom’s lines first, then Dick’s lines, then Harry’s. That way you can apply each voice’s settings to all the lines for that character at once. Just highlight the beginning of Tom’s lines, drag to the end of Tom’s lines, and then apply the morphing settings to them in one click. The tedious part will be cutting and pasting them all back together in the right order. You do this by highlighting the words, cutting them and then clicking where they are to be inserted and pasting them. I prefer doing it this way. For one reason, it allows you to apply any inflections or accents or speech affects to the character’s dialog all at once, rather than trying to switch it each time a different character speaks. For instance, if one character is a female, you will find that softening your voice will make it easier to alter the voice and have it still sound female. If one character has an English accent, it is easier to maintain it throughout all the lines if they are all together. The choice is up to you.When you are trying the different settings, you will soon find that Pitch is the overwhelming setting. Timbre and Advanced Tune have much less effect on the outcome. They will tend to make the Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
voice sound unsteady and mechanical; that is fine for various robot voices, or cartoon voices, but you will find after some experimenting that altering your natural voice as you record it and then applying a pitch change will bring very acceptable results to your audio files. You can punch up your audio files by adding sound effects and background music. Some general rules to follow are simple; keep the effects to a minimum and do not let them overwhelm the dialog, unless the situation calls for it; when introducing music, it is usually a good idea to fade it in at the beginning and out at the end. Also, keep the volume of the music lower than the dialog, if you want the listener to be able to hear the words. One final, small point, and this may just be me, but I usually forget to notice exactly where I save the files! When you are jumping around your drive, loading this file and that music and this sound effect, you can easily be in the wrong directory for saving the final file, so check where it is being saved, and write down the location. When you come back the next day to work on it some more, you will thank yourself for it.BIO: Wayne Rice is Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a freelance journalist, copywriter, photographer and artist. He currently resides in the United States.
a video or an audio presentation with character voices. In Part 2, we will complete this discussion.For this second recording method, you need to read each characters lines one after the other, in other words, read all of Tom’s lines first, then Dick’s lines, then Harry’s. That way you can apply each voice’s settings to all the lines for that character at once. Just highlight the beginning of Tom’s lines, drag to the end of Tom’s lines, and then apply the morphing settings to them in one click. The tedious part will be cutting and pasting them all back together in the right order. You do this by highlighting the words, cutting them and then clicking where they are to be inserted and pasting them. I prefer doing it this way. For one reason, it allows you to apply any inflections or accents or speech affects to the character’s dialog all at once, rather than trying to switch it each time a different character speaks. For instance, if one character is a female, you will find that softening your voice will make it easier to alter the voice and have it still sound female. If one character has an English accent, it is easier to maintain it throughout all the lines if they are all together. The choice is up to you.When you are trying the different settings, you will soon find that Pitch is the overwhelming setting. Timbre and Advanced Tune have much less effect on the outcome. They will tend to make the Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
voice sound unsteady and mechanical; that is fine for various robot voices, or cartoon voices, but you will find after some experimenting that altering your natural voice as you record it and then applying a pitch change will bring very acceptable results to your audio files. You can punch up your audio files by adding sound effects and background music. Some general rules to follow are simple; keep the effects to a minimum and do not let them overwhelm the dialog, unless the situation calls for it; when introducing music, it is usually a good idea to fade it in at the beginning and out at the end. Also, keep the volume of the music lower than the dialog, if you want the listener to be able to hear the words. One final, small point, and this may just be me, but I usually forget to notice exactly where I save the files! When you are jumping around your drive, loading this file and that music and this sound effect, you can easily be in the wrong directory for saving the final file, so check where it is being saved, and write down the location. When you come back the next day to work on it some more, you will thank yourself for it.BIO: Wayne Rice is Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a freelance journalist, copywriter, photographer and artist. He currently resides in the United States.
2011年4月27日星期三
Social Music Responsibilites
The Singles ChartsHow does an artist, a producer, a video maker or Cheap Rosetta Stone
a groupie measure the success of their work? Through the singles charts - when a song is released for commercialization then a music video is launched and the groupies or fan clubs are gathered; their mission is to call and request as often as possible a single song of a particular artist; the higher the number of times this song is played on radio and video music channels the higher it will rank in the single charts; the higher it ranks in the single charts, the more popular and successful the artist will become.Of course it's not all that simple, but nearly. First you need to get a good lyricist to write perfect lyrics that will make awesome social music and creative hits and match him/her to a good composer who, together, will create a great song; once the song has been created, you need a very charismatic performer, such as Beyoncé or someone of the like and then you add to the mixture a great music video maker who will add the Cheap Rosetta Stone Indian
imagery necessary to make the song attractive to the specific target market you want to reach; once all of this is set on place, you then call one or two of the official fan clubs that this particular performer has and give them the mission and assignment, you then have a small army of anywhere between 50-100+ fans that are devoted to requesting this song all day long without any pay but a simple breakfast with the performer.This small army might sound big, but actually the target market is generally 10 times that amount, so its services is key to placing the song in the singles chart. Once the song has been in the singles chart for the first week then the radio station will insert and program it without the need of that continuous calling, the army can stand down a little bit and the song will stay in the chart.Being in the singles charts means the possibility of reaching a bigger range of the target market and possibly acquiring more member of this market as well as having some occasional shoppers (people who buy the CD for that particular song) and is a great way to promote the rest of the CD without the need to develop the same logistic used for the first song.However being in the singles charts for several weeks is great but sometimes it's not enough and there is a clear need to stay in the top 5 or even in a number 1 position. Once again, the small army of groupies and fans come into place. Their efforts in requesting over and over again the chosen song and music video have to doubled and tripled; their pay is often an autographed item or even a date with a lucky one…A cheap expense if you consider that is through their efforts and love of the lyrics and music as a whole that a performer can achieve a platinum record.Gold, silver and platinum records are the means in which the music industry rewards the artists that have achieved to stay in the Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
singles charts top 10 spots for the longest time.
a groupie measure the success of their work? Through the singles charts - when a song is released for commercialization then a music video is launched and the groupies or fan clubs are gathered; their mission is to call and request as often as possible a single song of a particular artist; the higher the number of times this song is played on radio and video music channels the higher it will rank in the single charts; the higher it ranks in the single charts, the more popular and successful the artist will become.Of course it's not all that simple, but nearly. First you need to get a good lyricist to write perfect lyrics that will make awesome social music and creative hits and match him/her to a good composer who, together, will create a great song; once the song has been created, you need a very charismatic performer, such as Beyoncé or someone of the like and then you add to the mixture a great music video maker who will add the Cheap Rosetta Stone Indian
imagery necessary to make the song attractive to the specific target market you want to reach; once all of this is set on place, you then call one or two of the official fan clubs that this particular performer has and give them the mission and assignment, you then have a small army of anywhere between 50-100+ fans that are devoted to requesting this song all day long without any pay but a simple breakfast with the performer.This small army might sound big, but actually the target market is generally 10 times that amount, so its services is key to placing the song in the singles chart. Once the song has been in the singles chart for the first week then the radio station will insert and program it without the need of that continuous calling, the army can stand down a little bit and the song will stay in the chart.Being in the singles charts means the possibility of reaching a bigger range of the target market and possibly acquiring more member of this market as well as having some occasional shoppers (people who buy the CD for that particular song) and is a great way to promote the rest of the CD without the need to develop the same logistic used for the first song.However being in the singles charts for several weeks is great but sometimes it's not enough and there is a clear need to stay in the top 5 or even in a number 1 position. Once again, the small army of groupies and fans come into place. Their efforts in requesting over and over again the chosen song and music video have to doubled and tripled; their pay is often an autographed item or even a date with a lucky one…A cheap expense if you consider that is through their efforts and love of the lyrics and music as a whole that a performer can achieve a platinum record.Gold, silver and platinum records are the means in which the music industry rewards the artists that have achieved to stay in the Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
singles charts top 10 spots for the longest time.
2011年4月26日星期二
How to Rent a Respected DJ
Not all DJs are what chances are you'll expect. In reality, cheap DJ gear is now so common, there are a lot of "finances" DJs showing up who are prepared to play weddings and events for little orCheap Rosetta Stone
no money. Be careful although, you get what you pay for. Listed below are some issues to look for to help make sure you've selected a DJ who will not smash your wedding ceremony reception, celebration, or corporate event:1. First, take the time to meet with your DJ and focus on your event in detail. Meeting them in particular person will enable you to know what you're getting in to. Do not be afraid to ask them questions as if they have been on a job interview. It is advisable to know if this particular person actually can do what they say they can.2. Make sure that you understand who will really show up to DJ at your event. There are companies within the area who will sell you their services, but will ship out someone who's very inexperienced, and who is paid little or no to work your event.3. Ask the DJ how lengthy they should set up and tear down. Relying on the scale of the event, a great DJ will need a considerable period of time to arrange the tools, do sound and lighting checks, then change garments (and shower if potential) to develop into presentable. If the amount of time they need sounds low, query them on it.4. Test into what kind of tools your DJ uses. Funds DJs are extra doubtless to use very cheap tools which almost certainly won't sound all that nice, and even worse, is susceptible to breakdown. Be sure that your DJ is using nicely respected name brand tools if you'd like reduce the chance of problems.5. Ensure that your DJ is absolutely insured. Don't simply take their phrase on it, ask forCheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
documentation. If they supply documentation, and you are not one hundred% certain, call the insurance company on the documentation to confirm coverage. If a DJ damages the ground or something else at your venue, or even worse, someone is harm due to the DJ's negligence, you don't need to get caught with the invoice!6. Be sure your DJ actually buys his/her music. A variety of the above talked about "Cut price" DJs steal their music from the internet. Reputable DJs will subscribe to one or more music providers as this is a lot more cost effective than buying the CDs for every new release. Ask them specifically where they acquire their music. If they don't convince you that they are legit, examine them out. Artists have to be paid in order to continue to produce music. Do not pay a DJ to steal it!7. Find out in case your DJ has a backup in case of accident or illness. A good DJ may have a number of "backup" DJs they will name in case of one in every of these emergencies. A good DJ will also have backup equipment in case of a last minute failure.8. Be sure that your DJ plans to decorate appropriately. It's by no means out of the query for a DJ to be required to put on a tuxedo at your event. This in fact is completely as much as your taste. The DJ should be keen to decorate however you are feeling is acceptable, and should not charge additional to dress up.9. If you wish to have particular music played, ensure that your DJ is prepared to use your playlist. Some DJs will even have a web-based music choice tool. The extra accommodating the DJ is to meet your needs, the better.10. Finally ask your DJ for references, and call or electronic mail them. Be sure others have been pleased with their services.Much of this data is frequent sense, however hopefully this list will aid you get started. Unfortunately, many times the DJ is among the final gadgets to be budgeted for, and often there isn't a lot left. When this happens, the celebration planner is in search of an actual "steal", however a nasty DJ can totally wreck a marriage reception, social gathering or company event. Keep in mind that in case your occasion is vital sufficient that you Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
simply want skilled entertainment, set aside enough finances to afford a good DJ.
no money. Be careful although, you get what you pay for. Listed below are some issues to look for to help make sure you've selected a DJ who will not smash your wedding ceremony reception, celebration, or corporate event:1. First, take the time to meet with your DJ and focus on your event in detail. Meeting them in particular person will enable you to know what you're getting in to. Do not be afraid to ask them questions as if they have been on a job interview. It is advisable to know if this particular person actually can do what they say they can.2. Make sure that you understand who will really show up to DJ at your event. There are companies within the area who will sell you their services, but will ship out someone who's very inexperienced, and who is paid little or no to work your event.3. Ask the DJ how lengthy they should set up and tear down. Relying on the scale of the event, a great DJ will need a considerable period of time to arrange the tools, do sound and lighting checks, then change garments (and shower if potential) to develop into presentable. If the amount of time they need sounds low, query them on it.4. Test into what kind of tools your DJ uses. Funds DJs are extra doubtless to use very cheap tools which almost certainly won't sound all that nice, and even worse, is susceptible to breakdown. Be sure that your DJ is using nicely respected name brand tools if you'd like reduce the chance of problems.5. Ensure that your DJ is absolutely insured. Don't simply take their phrase on it, ask forCheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
documentation. If they supply documentation, and you are not one hundred% certain, call the insurance company on the documentation to confirm coverage. If a DJ damages the ground or something else at your venue, or even worse, someone is harm due to the DJ's negligence, you don't need to get caught with the invoice!6. Be sure your DJ actually buys his/her music. A variety of the above talked about "Cut price" DJs steal their music from the internet. Reputable DJs will subscribe to one or more music providers as this is a lot more cost effective than buying the CDs for every new release. Ask them specifically where they acquire their music. If they don't convince you that they are legit, examine them out. Artists have to be paid in order to continue to produce music. Do not pay a DJ to steal it!7. Find out in case your DJ has a backup in case of accident or illness. A good DJ may have a number of "backup" DJs they will name in case of one in every of these emergencies. A good DJ will also have backup equipment in case of a last minute failure.8. Be sure that your DJ plans to decorate appropriately. It's by no means out of the query for a DJ to be required to put on a tuxedo at your event. This in fact is completely as much as your taste. The DJ should be keen to decorate however you are feeling is acceptable, and should not charge additional to dress up.9. If you wish to have particular music played, ensure that your DJ is prepared to use your playlist. Some DJs will even have a web-based music choice tool. The extra accommodating the DJ is to meet your needs, the better.10. Finally ask your DJ for references, and call or electronic mail them. Be sure others have been pleased with their services.Much of this data is frequent sense, however hopefully this list will aid you get started. Unfortunately, many times the DJ is among the final gadgets to be budgeted for, and often there isn't a lot left. When this happens, the celebration planner is in search of an actual "steal", however a nasty DJ can totally wreck a marriage reception, social gathering or company event. Keep in mind that in case your occasion is vital sufficient that you Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
simply want skilled entertainment, set aside enough finances to afford a good DJ.
2011年4月24日星期日
How To Increase Website Traffic And Search Engine Rankings!
Links in All FormsLinks are the only way to navigate to a site or webpage. No matter where the Cheap Rosetta Stone
traffic comes from, the end user has to follow a link to any page on the net. There are three different types of links. We have reciprocal links or link trading, we have one-way links, and we have redirect links.I will not be discussing redirect links, simply because they are of no benefit to anyone that doesn't have hundreds of thousands of these non-SE friendly links. When reffering to link campaigns below that require registration, blogs and forums, for example! Do not forget to add your site link in your signature using your top keywords as your anchor text.* Articles * RSS Feeds *Submitting to article directories is the best way to promote your site. Why? You can literally achieve top rankings while, acquiring highly targeted traffic. Search Engines give more precedence to these type of links. What type of links? High quality, preferably unique, content pages with few links is the ultimate of backlinks, according to most SE's algorithms. Articles are just that! High quality unique content pages with very few related links. Most article directories have rss feeds that promote you articles to webmasters.* Blogs *Submitting to relevant blogs can have the same effect as an article campaign, except you will recieve more traffic from Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
these links. You will recieve more traffic because blogs have high amounts of targeted traffic.Most traffic from your article campaign will come from the SERP's (Search Engine Results Page). Blogs have members, in other words returning relevant visitors.* Forums *Posting on relevant forums can be a tremendous source of high quality traffic. Forums have huge amounts of traffic, including returning visitors. Forums will give you better exposure in the SERP's. Also, there has been studies I have conducted and used to conclude visitors from popular forums click the most, aside from SE traffic.* Viral Traffic *Some examples of things used for viral traffic are ebooks, audio, video, software, etc. It's not just digital products that can create viral traffic, For example! A webpage link in a relevant book that sold 5 million copies is offline viral marketing that is going to create online traffic. This form of traffic grows exponentially with very little effort. Just add your link to a free/paid product and distribute at least a 1000 and this will grow two a million visitors in as little as 3 months!If you have any knowledge of internet marketing. You'll notice that I didn't mention traffic exchanges, web directories, ffa sites, classified ads, and newsgroups. These methods of marketing, in large campaigns, will provide you with traffic, but won't increase your rankings. Every method I stressed will provide you with Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
highly targeted traffic while providing high quality backlinks for your search engine rankings! Tip: Don't Ever Stop These Campaigns, Even After Achieving Top Rankings!
traffic comes from, the end user has to follow a link to any page on the net. There are three different types of links. We have reciprocal links or link trading, we have one-way links, and we have redirect links.I will not be discussing redirect links, simply because they are of no benefit to anyone that doesn't have hundreds of thousands of these non-SE friendly links. When reffering to link campaigns below that require registration, blogs and forums, for example! Do not forget to add your site link in your signature using your top keywords as your anchor text.* Articles * RSS Feeds *Submitting to article directories is the best way to promote your site. Why? You can literally achieve top rankings while, acquiring highly targeted traffic. Search Engines give more precedence to these type of links. What type of links? High quality, preferably unique, content pages with few links is the ultimate of backlinks, according to most SE's algorithms. Articles are just that! High quality unique content pages with very few related links. Most article directories have rss feeds that promote you articles to webmasters.* Blogs *Submitting to relevant blogs can have the same effect as an article campaign, except you will recieve more traffic from Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
these links. You will recieve more traffic because blogs have high amounts of targeted traffic.Most traffic from your article campaign will come from the SERP's (Search Engine Results Page). Blogs have members, in other words returning relevant visitors.* Forums *Posting on relevant forums can be a tremendous source of high quality traffic. Forums have huge amounts of traffic, including returning visitors. Forums will give you better exposure in the SERP's. Also, there has been studies I have conducted and used to conclude visitors from popular forums click the most, aside from SE traffic.* Viral Traffic *Some examples of things used for viral traffic are ebooks, audio, video, software, etc. It's not just digital products that can create viral traffic, For example! A webpage link in a relevant book that sold 5 million copies is offline viral marketing that is going to create online traffic. This form of traffic grows exponentially with very little effort. Just add your link to a free/paid product and distribute at least a 1000 and this will grow two a million visitors in as little as 3 months!If you have any knowledge of internet marketing. You'll notice that I didn't mention traffic exchanges, web directories, ffa sites, classified ads, and newsgroups. These methods of marketing, in large campaigns, will provide you with traffic, but won't increase your rankings. Every method I stressed will provide you with Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
highly targeted traffic while providing high quality backlinks for your search engine rankings! Tip: Don't Ever Stop These Campaigns, Even After Achieving Top Rankings!
2011年4月22日星期五
PG&E turns over documents in San Bruno probe
Last year's deadly natural gas pipeline explosion inCheap Rosetta Stone
San Bruno was unpreventable even if Pacific Gas and Electric Co. had kept accurate records of the line, the company said Monday in a filing with the state Public Utilities Commission.
A federal investigation has concluded that PG&E's computerized records failed to identify certain types of welds in the natural gas pipeline that exploded last September, killing eight people and destroying 38 houses.
"The record discrepancy did not impact PG&E's risk management treatment of segment 180 or line 132," PG&E said in its 110-page filing. "Thus did not make the Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
San Bruno pipeline rupture preventable," the filing said.
Documents and transcripts released by the National Transportation Safety Board last month show PG&E inspectors found an apparently flawed seam weld just a few hundred feet away from the San Bruno blast site.
The utility did not dispute the finding by the NTSB that incorrect seam type information in its records identified the pipe that exploded as a seamless weld, instead of longitudinally welded.
"PG&E will work with regulators, public safety officials and industry leaders to develop new record keeping methods that will raise the public safety bar for the entire industry," PG&E spokesman Joe Molica said in a statement.
PG&E was required to provide the response to the state PUC as part of a broader investigation that began in February. The company could have faced millions of dollars in fines if it failed to produce records demanded by the commission.
The utility plans on filing further responses through June 20 as part ofCheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a "rolling production of documents," Molica said.
A call to the CPUC after hours seeking comment was not immediately returned.
San Bruno was unpreventable even if Pacific Gas and Electric Co. had kept accurate records of the line, the company said Monday in a filing with the state Public Utilities Commission.
A federal investigation has concluded that PG&E's computerized records failed to identify certain types of welds in the natural gas pipeline that exploded last September, killing eight people and destroying 38 houses.
"The record discrepancy did not impact PG&E's risk management treatment of segment 180 or line 132," PG&E said in its 110-page filing. "Thus did not make the Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
San Bruno pipeline rupture preventable," the filing said.
Documents and transcripts released by the National Transportation Safety Board last month show PG&E inspectors found an apparently flawed seam weld just a few hundred feet away from the San Bruno blast site.
The utility did not dispute the finding by the NTSB that incorrect seam type information in its records identified the pipe that exploded as a seamless weld, instead of longitudinally welded.
"PG&E will work with regulators, public safety officials and industry leaders to develop new record keeping methods that will raise the public safety bar for the entire industry," PG&E spokesman Joe Molica said in a statement.
PG&E was required to provide the response to the state PUC as part of a broader investigation that began in February. The company could have faced millions of dollars in fines if it failed to produce records demanded by the commission.
The utility plans on filing further responses through June 20 as part ofCheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a "rolling production of documents," Molica said.
A call to the CPUC after hours seeking comment was not immediately returned.
2011年4月21日星期四
Lady Gaga's Born This Way Cover Is 'Polarizing,' Perez Hilton Says
When Lady Gaga tweeted the Cheap Rosetta Stone
Born This Way album art over the weekend, fans were
a bit surprised by the cover photo, which features Gaga as a motorcycle/human
hybrid.
Was it a joke? Was it for real? Well, it was for real, and even days later,
everyone's still talking.
"They were definitely divisive and it was a polarizing image," Gaga's pal
Perez Hilton told MTV News. "I knew it would really get a reaction out of
people, and that was her intent. She could have easily gone for something
expected, but that's the beautiful thing about Gaga."
The gossip blogger said the Nick Knight image's intention was to get people
buzzing, whether or not that buzz ended up in the Mother Monster's favor. He
even offered some insight into the photo's message, which has been lost on
some of Gaga's Little Monsters.
"She always wants to keep people guessing, and I think the cover works on many
different levels," he explained. "Literally, she was born that way, [like]
some kind of mutant freak. There's a lot of Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
energy in that picture."
He adds that the vibe captured in the image will also find its way into the
music on the May 23 album release. "There's something very metal [about it
and] 'Judas' [which was released last week] gives a taste of that dance/metal
feeling," he said. "Once the album comes out and they listen to the music, the
artwork will make more Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
sense. She loves that people are talking about it."
What do you think of the album cover? Let us know in the comments!
Born This Way album art over the weekend, fans were
a bit surprised by the cover photo, which features Gaga as a motorcycle/human
hybrid.
Was it a joke? Was it for real? Well, it was for real, and even days later,
everyone's still talking.
"They were definitely divisive and it was a polarizing image," Gaga's pal
Perez Hilton told MTV News. "I knew it would really get a reaction out of
people, and that was her intent. She could have easily gone for something
expected, but that's the beautiful thing about Gaga."
The gossip blogger said the Nick Knight image's intention was to get people
buzzing, whether or not that buzz ended up in the Mother Monster's favor. He
even offered some insight into the photo's message, which has been lost on
some of Gaga's Little Monsters.
"She always wants to keep people guessing, and I think the cover works on many
different levels," he explained. "Literally, she was born that way, [like]
some kind of mutant freak. There's a lot of Cheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
energy in that picture."
He adds that the vibe captured in the image will also find its way into the
music on the May 23 album release. "There's something very metal [about it
and] 'Judas' [which was released last week] gives a taste of that dance/metal
feeling," he said. "Once the album comes out and they listen to the music, the
artwork will make more Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
sense. She loves that people are talking about it."
What do you think of the album cover? Let us know in the comments!
2011年4月20日星期三
Citi trailing its Wall Street rivals
Two years after clinging to a taxpayer bailout, Citigroup is still playing Wall Street laggard to its rivals.
One of Uncle Sam's biggest bailout recipents posted first-quarter results yesterday that offered some positive signs but suggested that the sprawling financial giant, run by CEO Vikram Pandit, still has much work to do.
"All revenue areas were weaker than expected except for securities and banking, which beat our estimate but did notCheap Rosetta Stone
improve as much as [its] peers," CLSA bank analyst Mike Mayo wrote in a research note yesterday.
Once the biggest US bank, Citi posted a $3 billion quarterly profit, or 10 cents a share, on the back of $19.7 billion in revenues -- a 22 percent decline versus a year ago.
The results edged out Wall Street forecasts of 9 cents a share. Citi shares closed at $4.42, unchanged.
However, some analysts said that much of Citi's improvement was based on some $3 billion in reserves against loan losses being released. Citi is planning on reinstating a 1 cent dividend next month after completing a 1-for-10 reverse stock split.
The bank's results marked its fifth consecutive profitable quarter.
"We've come a long way -- and we continue to move forward. I'm excited that Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
we are carrying 2010's strong momentum into this year," Pandit told employees in a memo.
However, Citi's performance in the business of advising on mergers, as well as the buying and selling of equity and debt securities is lagging its peers.
Citi performed the worst of its peers in the broader investment banking arena -- as revenues fell 27 percent to $875 million. That compares with a 5 percent skid in investment banking revenues at Bank of America and a decline of 3 percent at JPMorgan.
Citi was also outshined by peers in equity trading -- where BofA posted a 60 percent spike in first-quarter trading volume, to $1.2 billion, while JPMorgan saw trading jump 25 percent to $1.4 billion. Citi recorded a 22 percent increase, to $1.1 billion.
Citi continued to wind down a so-called "bad bank" of Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
ancillary assets, which is $337 billion, down from nearly $500 billion last year.
One of Uncle Sam's biggest bailout recipents posted first-quarter results yesterday that offered some positive signs but suggested that the sprawling financial giant, run by CEO Vikram Pandit, still has much work to do.
"All revenue areas were weaker than expected except for securities and banking, which beat our estimate but did notCheap Rosetta Stone
improve as much as [its] peers," CLSA bank analyst Mike Mayo wrote in a research note yesterday.
Once the biggest US bank, Citi posted a $3 billion quarterly profit, or 10 cents a share, on the back of $19.7 billion in revenues -- a 22 percent decline versus a year ago.
The results edged out Wall Street forecasts of 9 cents a share. Citi shares closed at $4.42, unchanged.
However, some analysts said that much of Citi's improvement was based on some $3 billion in reserves against loan losses being released. Citi is planning on reinstating a 1 cent dividend next month after completing a 1-for-10 reverse stock split.
The bank's results marked its fifth consecutive profitable quarter.
"We've come a long way -- and we continue to move forward. I'm excited that Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
we are carrying 2010's strong momentum into this year," Pandit told employees in a memo.
However, Citi's performance in the business of advising on mergers, as well as the buying and selling of equity and debt securities is lagging its peers.
Citi performed the worst of its peers in the broader investment banking arena -- as revenues fell 27 percent to $875 million. That compares with a 5 percent skid in investment banking revenues at Bank of America and a decline of 3 percent at JPMorgan.
Citi was also outshined by peers in equity trading -- where BofA posted a 60 percent spike in first-quarter trading volume, to $1.2 billion, while JPMorgan saw trading jump 25 percent to $1.4 billion. Citi recorded a 22 percent increase, to $1.1 billion.
Citi continued to wind down a so-called "bad bank" of Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
ancillary assets, which is $337 billion, down from nearly $500 billion last year.
2011年4月19日星期二
Citigroup's Reverse Split Could Be Toxic For Investors
Citigroup's(C) plan for a reverse split was greeted with a chorus of boos, as investors frowned upon theCheap Rosetta Stone
bailed-out bank's use of a cosmetic change to artificially boost its stagnant share price from $4 to $40. Retail investors at home should jeer Citigroup's decision, too, but for different reasons.
In March, Citigroup announced plans for a 10-for-1 reverse stock split, which will propel the share price to above $40 by reducing the number of outstanding shares from 29 billion to less than 3 billion. Set to take effect May 6, Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit contends that the reverse split, coupled with the reinstatement of a penny-per-share dividend "are important steps as we anticipate returning capital to shareholders starting next year."
On Monday, Citigroup reported a first-quarter profit of 10 cents a share, coming in a penny ahead of the average analyst estimate. However, Citigroup's $3 billion in net income was padded by a $3.3 billion reserve release in the quarter. Revenue of $19.7 billion also fell short of Wall Street's expectations.
Reverse splits are generally pooh-poohed by professional investors because nothing fundamentally changes with a company, even if retail investors believe the higher share price denotes an increase in quality. The only change is the number of shares outstanding and the price of each share, but value and earnings are not affected by the decision.
The one positive argument to be made for the reverse split is that many mutual funds have charters that restrict portfolio managers from buying stocks that trade below $5. The argument is that, post-split, Citigroup becomes anCheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
investment candidate for many institutional buyers previously forbidden from owning the bank stock.
However, there are many reasons a reverse split is bad, and not just in Citigroup's case. Aside from appearing to be a move made out of desperation, stocks typically fail to perform well after a reverse split is enacted. According to a 2006 joint study conducted by students at NYU's Stern Business School and Emory's Goizueta Business School, more than 1,600 companies that conducted reverse splits underperformed the broader market by about 50%, on average, in the three years after the split.
Recently, though, companies have shown an ability to thrive with or without a reverse split. Both Priceline.com(PCLN) and troubled insurer American International Group(AIG) have rallied after their respective reverse splits.
Meanwhile, Sirius XM(SIRI), for which shareholders approved a reverse split after the satellite-radio company flirted with bankruptcy and possible delisting, has seen its stock price roar back by 1,000%. In Sirius XM's most recent shareholder proxy, a call for Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a reverse split was notably absent, leading investors to believe it is officially off the table now.
bailed-out bank's use of a cosmetic change to artificially boost its stagnant share price from $4 to $40. Retail investors at home should jeer Citigroup's decision, too, but for different reasons.
In March, Citigroup announced plans for a 10-for-1 reverse stock split, which will propel the share price to above $40 by reducing the number of outstanding shares from 29 billion to less than 3 billion. Set to take effect May 6, Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit contends that the reverse split, coupled with the reinstatement of a penny-per-share dividend "are important steps as we anticipate returning capital to shareholders starting next year."
On Monday, Citigroup reported a first-quarter profit of 10 cents a share, coming in a penny ahead of the average analyst estimate. However, Citigroup's $3 billion in net income was padded by a $3.3 billion reserve release in the quarter. Revenue of $19.7 billion also fell short of Wall Street's expectations.
Reverse splits are generally pooh-poohed by professional investors because nothing fundamentally changes with a company, even if retail investors believe the higher share price denotes an increase in quality. The only change is the number of shares outstanding and the price of each share, but value and earnings are not affected by the decision.
The one positive argument to be made for the reverse split is that many mutual funds have charters that restrict portfolio managers from buying stocks that trade below $5. The argument is that, post-split, Citigroup becomes anCheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
investment candidate for many institutional buyers previously forbidden from owning the bank stock.
However, there are many reasons a reverse split is bad, and not just in Citigroup's case. Aside from appearing to be a move made out of desperation, stocks typically fail to perform well after a reverse split is enacted. According to a 2006 joint study conducted by students at NYU's Stern Business School and Emory's Goizueta Business School, more than 1,600 companies that conducted reverse splits underperformed the broader market by about 50%, on average, in the three years after the split.
Recently, though, companies have shown an ability to thrive with or without a reverse split. Both Priceline.com(PCLN) and troubled insurer American International Group(AIG) have rallied after their respective reverse splits.
Meanwhile, Sirius XM(SIRI), for which shareholders approved a reverse split after the satellite-radio company flirted with bankruptcy and possible delisting, has seen its stock price roar back by 1,000%. In Sirius XM's most recent shareholder proxy, a call for Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
a reverse split was notably absent, leading investors to believe it is officially off the table now.
RPT-UPDATE 1-True Finns set for govt, see EU bailout changes
The True Finns, the anti-euro party voted into
a powerful role in the Helsinki parliament at the weekend, expect the European
Union to change plans for a bailout of Portugal, its leader said on Monday.
"Of course there will have to be changes," Timo Soini told reporters a day
after his party more than Cheap Rosetta Stone
quadrupled its share of the vote to turn Finland's
traditionally pro-EU politics on their head by finishing a close third in the
election.
Soini said he expected to hear this week about joining talks on forming a
coalition. The centre-right National Coalition, which came top with 20.4
percent, should launch negotiations under its leader, the outgoing finance
minister Jyrki Katainen.
It remains unclear how farCheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
a new coalition, which may take weeks to form, will
incorporate True Finns ministers or their views on EU help for heavily
indebted member states. But the rise of the True Finns seems likely to shift
the debate.
"This is a big, big bang in Finnish politics. This is a big, big change. This
will change the content of Finnish politics," Jan Sundberg, professor at the
University of Helsinki, said.
Finland's parliament, unlike others in the euro zone, has the right to vote on
EU requests for bailout funds, meaning it could hold up costly plans to shore
up Portugal and bring stability to debt markets.
The strong showing for the populist True Finns reflects growing public
frustration in some EU states about footing the bill for weaker economies such
as Greece, Ireland and Portugal.
The party got 19.0 percent, according to compared to 4.1 percent in 2007,
which means it is likely to be involved in talks on forming a government. The
opposition Social Democrats, whoCheap Rosetta Stone Chinese
support the EU but dislike current plans to
aid Portugal, won 19.1 percent and are also likely to join government talks.
Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi's Centre Party, hit by a political funding
scandal in recent years, suffered the biggest setback, dropping to just 15.8
percent of the vote from 23.1 percent in 2007. She said it would go into
opposition.
Soini predicted the next government coalition would consist of the three
biggest parties, and possibly a few others.
"We need a majority government. That seems to require maybe the three biggest
parties. If that doesn't work, then maybe it will be Cheap Rosetta Stone
a four to five parties
government," he told reporters.
a powerful role in the Helsinki parliament at the weekend, expect the European
Union to change plans for a bailout of Portugal, its leader said on Monday.
"Of course there will have to be changes," Timo Soini told reporters a day
after his party more than Cheap Rosetta Stone
quadrupled its share of the vote to turn Finland's
traditionally pro-EU politics on their head by finishing a close third in the
election.
Soini said he expected to hear this week about joining talks on forming a
coalition. The centre-right National Coalition, which came top with 20.4
percent, should launch negotiations under its leader, the outgoing finance
minister Jyrki Katainen.
It remains unclear how farCheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
a new coalition, which may take weeks to form, will
incorporate True Finns ministers or their views on EU help for heavily
indebted member states. But the rise of the True Finns seems likely to shift
the debate.
"This is a big, big bang in Finnish politics. This is a big, big change. This
will change the content of Finnish politics," Jan Sundberg, professor at the
University of Helsinki, said.
Finland's parliament, unlike others in the euro zone, has the right to vote on
EU requests for bailout funds, meaning it could hold up costly plans to shore
up Portugal and bring stability to debt markets.
The strong showing for the populist True Finns reflects growing public
frustration in some EU states about footing the bill for weaker economies such
as Greece, Ireland and Portugal.
The party got 19.0 percent, according to compared to 4.1 percent in 2007,
which means it is likely to be involved in talks on forming a government. The
opposition Social Democrats, whoCheap Rosetta Stone Chinese
support the EU but dislike current plans to
aid Portugal, won 19.1 percent and are also likely to join government talks.
Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi's Centre Party, hit by a political funding
scandal in recent years, suffered the biggest setback, dropping to just 15.8
percent of the vote from 23.1 percent in 2007. She said it would go into
opposition.
Soini predicted the next government coalition would consist of the three
biggest parties, and possibly a few others.
"We need a majority government. That seems to require maybe the three biggest
parties. If that doesn't work, then maybe it will be Cheap Rosetta Stone
a four to five parties
government," he told reporters.
2011年4月18日星期一
Coachella 2011: The rise of a new generation
As the U.K. folk-revival quartet Mumford & Sons, all ofCheap Rosetta Stone Italian
whom are in their
early 20s, stared out on the 70,000 people or so gathered to watch their set
at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on Saturday night, they couldn't
help but remark on how much had changed for them. "In 2008, I was a punter
sneaking in here for Rage Against the Machine," one of the Mumfords' string
players cracked in disbelief.
That a kid could go from sneaking in the side gate to playing the main stage
at nightfall in a span of three years says everything about this year's
iteration on the 12-year-old desert bacchanal, the first in recent memory to
draw its star power mostly from artists who formed, grew careers and scaled to
the peak of their profession within the 2000s.
And taken with this year's new emphasis on keeping out gate crashers, easing
transportation in and out of the grounds, and keeping those inside entranced
with stages and light sculptures, the Cheap Rosetta Stone
weekend felt like it was competing for
the long-term loyalties of a generation that considers endless sensory
stimulation a necessity.
In fact, Coachella's been operating long enough now that it's helped rear
bands from buzz act to featured attraction. Arcade Fire expanded its fan base
tremendously during its first two Coachella appearances, in 2005 and 2007. In
February, the Montreal group shocked many Grammy watchers with an unexpected
album of the year award — but for most who had caught the band on the Polo
Grounds in years prior, such pomp was a forgone conclusion.
"There is a communal feeling here, backstage and out front," said singer PJ
Harvey, who performed at Coachella for the first time Sunday night. "A
combination of the two is needed, young and old. Everything informs each
other. The great artist's parcel gets handed down."
Whatever you think of Kings of Leon's blustery Tarzan rock, Arcade Fire's
gang-chorus earnestness or Kanye West's ambitions for hip-hop and high-end
furniture blogging, this much is undisputed about Coachella 2011: Roger Waters
was nowhere in sight, nor was his flying pig. There was no Paul McCartney set
(well, save for Macca's brief piggyback cameo with the dance producer
Afrojack).
While sitting on the grass during British art rock band Foals' electric set,
Jazz Brice of Laguna Beach underlined pages in a textbook for a paper due
Monday. The Pepperdine student described herself as a "Mumford & Sons
enthusiast" who had already seen them four or five times this year.
"This year's lineup is really strong," said Brice, 22. "It always seemed a bit
off to have Prince or Roger Waters. I mean, it's cool, but this feels more
generational."
Other second-billed acts such as the Black Keys, Bright Eyes and the Strokes
all caught their headwinds in the aughts too, and the hottest-tipped (but
ultimately fraught) set of the undercard came from the L.A. teenage rap posse
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.
But it wasn't milk and honey forCheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
everyone. While many of the festival's
logistical problems had been eased (microchip-embedded wristbands discouraged
wanton counterfeiting, and shuttle buses eased some of the infamous traffic
snarls), an unexpected new one emerged as faulty video monitors and squelching
feedback brutalized otherwise powerful sets from R&B experimentalist Erykah
Badu and blues-adventurers the Black Keys.
But those problems didn't take away from this year's distinctly more relaxed
energy.
A festival that can rely on a crop of young bands to do its heavy lifting is
ensuring its own growth as much as it is paving the way for increased album
sales or new discoveries.
"I think it's a healthy sign," Guy Garvey, frontman for England's Elbow, which
performed a Saturday sunset slot in the Mojave tent, said of the sprightly
lineup. Though the band plays arenas back home, where it won the Mercury Prize
for "Seldom Seen Kid," Coachella affords Elbow an opportunity to make new fans
in the States, where it is still not as well known.
"It's a curated festival where not every choice is based on record sales,"
Garvey said. "It would be a shame if you knocked that out and only went for
the biggest game." Of course, the emphasis on youth and Internet-era fame can
make some wonder about the big picture. Is Odd Future in this for life? Is
Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire" our "Light My Fire"? Maybe, maybe not.
Regardless, the weekend made an impression that's bound to remain as the years
pass.
"It's its own utopia," said 24-year-old Lauren Mosenthal of Boston, who came
for the adventurous disco of Cut Copy and Crystal Castles and the tent-
revivalist energy of Arcade Fire. "TheCheap Rosetta Stone Korean
natural surroundings of the mountains
and perfect weather, the constant visual stimulation from the art
installations, the fashion and mind-blowing sets and lights make you forget
about the outside world."
whom are in their
early 20s, stared out on the 70,000 people or so gathered to watch their set
at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on Saturday night, they couldn't
help but remark on how much had changed for them. "In 2008, I was a punter
sneaking in here for Rage Against the Machine," one of the Mumfords' string
players cracked in disbelief.
That a kid could go from sneaking in the side gate to playing the main stage
at nightfall in a span of three years says everything about this year's
iteration on the 12-year-old desert bacchanal, the first in recent memory to
draw its star power mostly from artists who formed, grew careers and scaled to
the peak of their profession within the 2000s.
And taken with this year's new emphasis on keeping out gate crashers, easing
transportation in and out of the grounds, and keeping those inside entranced
with stages and light sculptures, the Cheap Rosetta Stone
weekend felt like it was competing for
the long-term loyalties of a generation that considers endless sensory
stimulation a necessity.
In fact, Coachella's been operating long enough now that it's helped rear
bands from buzz act to featured attraction. Arcade Fire expanded its fan base
tremendously during its first two Coachella appearances, in 2005 and 2007. In
February, the Montreal group shocked many Grammy watchers with an unexpected
album of the year award — but for most who had caught the band on the Polo
Grounds in years prior, such pomp was a forgone conclusion.
"There is a communal feeling here, backstage and out front," said singer PJ
Harvey, who performed at Coachella for the first time Sunday night. "A
combination of the two is needed, young and old. Everything informs each
other. The great artist's parcel gets handed down."
Whatever you think of Kings of Leon's blustery Tarzan rock, Arcade Fire's
gang-chorus earnestness or Kanye West's ambitions for hip-hop and high-end
furniture blogging, this much is undisputed about Coachella 2011: Roger Waters
was nowhere in sight, nor was his flying pig. There was no Paul McCartney set
(well, save for Macca's brief piggyback cameo with the dance producer
Afrojack).
While sitting on the grass during British art rock band Foals' electric set,
Jazz Brice of Laguna Beach underlined pages in a textbook for a paper due
Monday. The Pepperdine student described herself as a "Mumford & Sons
enthusiast" who had already seen them four or five times this year.
"This year's lineup is really strong," said Brice, 22. "It always seemed a bit
off to have Prince or Roger Waters. I mean, it's cool, but this feels more
generational."
Other second-billed acts such as the Black Keys, Bright Eyes and the Strokes
all caught their headwinds in the aughts too, and the hottest-tipped (but
ultimately fraught) set of the undercard came from the L.A. teenage rap posse
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.
But it wasn't milk and honey forCheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
everyone. While many of the festival's
logistical problems had been eased (microchip-embedded wristbands discouraged
wanton counterfeiting, and shuttle buses eased some of the infamous traffic
snarls), an unexpected new one emerged as faulty video monitors and squelching
feedback brutalized otherwise powerful sets from R&B experimentalist Erykah
Badu and blues-adventurers the Black Keys.
But those problems didn't take away from this year's distinctly more relaxed
energy.
A festival that can rely on a crop of young bands to do its heavy lifting is
ensuring its own growth as much as it is paving the way for increased album
sales or new discoveries.
"I think it's a healthy sign," Guy Garvey, frontman for England's Elbow, which
performed a Saturday sunset slot in the Mojave tent, said of the sprightly
lineup. Though the band plays arenas back home, where it won the Mercury Prize
for "Seldom Seen Kid," Coachella affords Elbow an opportunity to make new fans
in the States, where it is still not as well known.
"It's a curated festival where not every choice is based on record sales,"
Garvey said. "It would be a shame if you knocked that out and only went for
the biggest game." Of course, the emphasis on youth and Internet-era fame can
make some wonder about the big picture. Is Odd Future in this for life? Is
Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire" our "Light My Fire"? Maybe, maybe not.
Regardless, the weekend made an impression that's bound to remain as the years
pass.
"It's its own utopia," said 24-year-old Lauren Mosenthal of Boston, who came
for the adventurous disco of Cut Copy and Crystal Castles and the tent-
revivalist energy of Arcade Fire. "TheCheap Rosetta Stone Korean
natural surroundings of the mountains
and perfect weather, the constant visual stimulation from the art
installations, the fashion and mind-blowing sets and lights make you forget
about the outside world."
2011年4月17日星期日
Decoding Libya
For nearly 20 years, we’ve willfully blinded ourselves to the Rosetta Stone that decodes our enemy’s war doctrine. But the jihad (or shall we call it “kinetic Islam”?) is catalyzed not by al-Qaeda but by sharia — by Muslim law. So is the “Arab Spring,” now playing in Tripoli (and elsewhere) after rave reviews in Cairo.
I have been opposed toCheap Rosetta Stone
our country’s starting a war against Libya. And starting a war is exactly what we have done, exactly what we would call it if the shoe were on the other foot — the “kinetic” and “limited” obfuscations ofCheap Rosetta Stone English
intervention proponents notwithstanding. My opposition is fourfold.
First, as a constitutional matter, Congress has neither declared war nor otherwise authorized combat operations. When there has been no attack on the United States, no imminent prospect of attack against us, and no vital American interest implicated, our system obliges theLearn French
president to have approval from the people’s representatives before entangling the people in a foreign conflict.
I have been opposed toCheap Rosetta Stone
our country’s starting a war against Libya. And starting a war is exactly what we have done, exactly what we would call it if the shoe were on the other foot — the “kinetic” and “limited” obfuscations ofCheap Rosetta Stone English
intervention proponents notwithstanding. My opposition is fourfold.
First, as a constitutional matter, Congress has neither declared war nor otherwise authorized combat operations. When there has been no attack on the United States, no imminent prospect of attack against us, and no vital American interest implicated, our system obliges theLearn French
president to have approval from the people’s representatives before entangling the people in a foreign conflict.
2011年4月15日星期五
Police
Police say Lashanda Armstrong drove her van into the Hudson River
with her four kids inside. Her 10-year-old son was able to escape
and run for help - he was the only survivor.
Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
community gathered to remember those who
died, while praying for the little boy who lived.
Songs, prayers, and sorrow floated out over the water where
Armstrong drove her van into the water, killing herself and three of
her children.
"There's no telling what she was going through to take it to that
extreme she was suffering," said Jannifer Murchison.
Jannifer never met the children or their mother. But she, like many
others just wanted to leave a gift, some thoughts and find some
peace.
"It's heartbreaking, very heartbreaking," said Lizzette Toro.
"That little kid is always here. Every time I see his mother I just
want to cry," said Elizabeth Gonzalez.
"I'm thinking about the emotions going on in the family, and how it
really bothers them," said one young girl.
A local group of pastors organized the vigil. They poured salt in
the water, they say it will help heal what happened there.
"We wanted to make sure if there was anyone who needed prayer or
hope that we would reach out to them," said Pastor Rosie.
It was the passerby that reached out to 10-year-old Lashaun Armstrong that made a difference Tuesday night. She was the only
person the little boy says stopped the help.
"The last minute as he Cheap Rosetta Stone
was leaving out the window he heard his mom
say 'I made a horrible mistake,'" said Meave Ryan. "She came from
car back out but at
that time she was too much in the water."
That's when Lashaun says he escaped, running to find help
"He said 'why did I live?' I said 'you're an angel and you were
meant to live, meant to be here on this earth,'" said Ryan.
His courage, his family's tragedy has struck a cord in the
community.
"Be kind. It just takes a minute to be kind. You never know a smile
might save a life," said Murchison.
Police say the incident happened shortly after they were called to
the home for a possible domestic incident between Lashanda Armstrong
Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
man, Jean
Pierre, was arrested back in February and charged with endangering
the welfare of a child after 2-year-old Lance was found wandering
outside alone around 1 a.m. in the morning.
with her four kids inside. Her 10-year-old son was able to escape
and run for help - he was the only survivor.
Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
community gathered to remember those who
died, while praying for the little boy who lived.
Songs, prayers, and sorrow floated out over the water where
Armstrong drove her van into the water, killing herself and three of
her children.
"There's no telling what she was going through to take it to that
extreme she was suffering," said Jannifer Murchison.
Jannifer never met the children or their mother. But she, like many
others just wanted to leave a gift, some thoughts and find some
peace.
"It's heartbreaking, very heartbreaking," said Lizzette Toro.
"That little kid is always here. Every time I see his mother I just
want to cry," said Elizabeth Gonzalez.
"I'm thinking about the emotions going on in the family, and how it
really bothers them," said one young girl.
A local group of pastors organized the vigil. They poured salt in
the water, they say it will help heal what happened there.
"We wanted to make sure if there was anyone who needed prayer or
hope that we would reach out to them," said Pastor Rosie.
It was the passerby that reached out to 10-year-old Lashaun Armstrong that made a difference Tuesday night. She was the only
person the little boy says stopped the help.
"The last minute as he Cheap Rosetta Stone
was leaving out the window he heard his mom
say 'I made a horrible mistake,'" said Meave Ryan. "She came from
car back out but at
that time she was too much in the water."
That's when Lashaun says he escaped, running to find help
"He said 'why did I live?' I said 'you're an angel and you were
meant to live, meant to be here on this earth,'" said Ryan.
His courage, his family's tragedy has struck a cord in the
community.
"Be kind. It just takes a minute to be kind. You never know a smile
might save a life," said Murchison.
Police say the incident happened shortly after they were called to
the home for a possible domestic incident between Lashanda Armstrong
Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
man, Jean
Pierre, was arrested back in February and charged with endangering
the welfare of a child after 2-year-old Lance was found wandering
outside alone around 1 a.m. in the morning.
Vigil held in Newburgh
Police say Lashanda Armstrong drove her van into the Hudson River
with her four kids inside. Her 10-year-old son was able to escape
and run for help - he was the only survivor.
On Thursday night, theCheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
community gathered to remember those who
died, while praying for the little boy who lived.
Songs, prayers, and sorrow floated out over the water where
Armstrong drove her van into the water, killing herself and three of
her children.
"There's no telling what she was going through to take it to that
extreme she was suffering," said Jannifer Murchison.
Jannifer never met the children or their mother. But she, like many
others just wanted to leave a gift, some thoughts and find some
peace.
"It's heartbreaking, very heartbreaking," said Lizzette Toro.
"That little kid is always here. Every time I see his mother I just
want to cry," said Elizabeth Gonzalez.
"I'm thinking about the emotions going on in the family, and how it
really bothers them," said one young girl.
A local group of pastors organized the vigil. They poured salt in
the water, they say it will help heal what happened there.
"We wanted to make sure if there was anyone who needed prayer or
hope that we would reach out to them," said Pastor Rosie.
It was the passerby that reached out to 10-year-old Lashaun
Armstrong that made a difference Tuesday night. She was the only
person the little boy says stopped the help.
"The last minute as he was leaving out the Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
window he heard his mom
say 'I made a horrible mistake,'" said Meave Ryan. "She came from
the middle of the row and tried to reverse the car back out but at
that time she was too much in the water."
That's when Lashaun says he escaped, running to find help
"He said 'why did I live?' I said 'you're an angel and you were
meant to live, meant to be here on this earth,'" said Ryan.
His courage, his family's tragedy has struck a cord in the
community.
"Be kind. It just takes a minute to be kind. You never know a smile
might save a life," said Murchison.
Police say the incident happened shortly after they were called to
the home for a possible domestic incident between Lashanda Armstrong
and the three younger children's father. Police say that man, Jean
Pierre, was arrested back inCheap Rosetta Stone
February and charged with endangering
the welfare of a child after 2-year-old Lance was found wandering
outside alone around 1 a.m. in the morning.
with her four kids inside. Her 10-year-old son was able to escape
and run for help - he was the only survivor.
On Thursday night, theCheap Rosetta Stone Portuguese
community gathered to remember those who
died, while praying for the little boy who lived.
Songs, prayers, and sorrow floated out over the water where
Armstrong drove her van into the water, killing herself and three of
her children.
"There's no telling what she was going through to take it to that
extreme she was suffering," said Jannifer Murchison.
Jannifer never met the children or their mother. But she, like many
others just wanted to leave a gift, some thoughts and find some
peace.
"It's heartbreaking, very heartbreaking," said Lizzette Toro.
"That little kid is always here. Every time I see his mother I just
want to cry," said Elizabeth Gonzalez.
"I'm thinking about the emotions going on in the family, and how it
really bothers them," said one young girl.
A local group of pastors organized the vigil. They poured salt in
the water, they say it will help heal what happened there.
"We wanted to make sure if there was anyone who needed prayer or
hope that we would reach out to them," said Pastor Rosie.
It was the passerby that reached out to 10-year-old Lashaun
Armstrong that made a difference Tuesday night. She was the only
person the little boy says stopped the help.
"The last minute as he was leaving out the Cheap Rosetta Stone Spanish
window he heard his mom
say 'I made a horrible mistake,'" said Meave Ryan. "She came from
the middle of the row and tried to reverse the car back out but at
that time she was too much in the water."
That's when Lashaun says he escaped, running to find help
"He said 'why did I live?' I said 'you're an angel and you were
meant to live, meant to be here on this earth,'" said Ryan.
His courage, his family's tragedy has struck a cord in the
community.
"Be kind. It just takes a minute to be kind. You never know a smile
might save a life," said Murchison.
Police say the incident happened shortly after they were called to
the home for a possible domestic incident between Lashanda Armstrong
and the three younger children's father. Police say that man, Jean
Pierre, was arrested back inCheap Rosetta Stone
February and charged with endangering
the welfare of a child after 2-year-old Lance was found wandering
outside alone around 1 a.m. in the morning.
2011年4月13日星期三
MediaPost Publications Out to Launch
Clearasil users rub cheeks. Croquet players and bandleaders drink 10 Cane Rum. Corona continues to relax beachside. Let's launch! DIRECTV is briefly shifting its advertising campaign from "4th Wall," where memorable movie scenes were recreated using the original stars, to a series of ads directed by Christopher Guest and featuring members of his comedic ensemble cast. That would be a "yes" to an Ed Begley, Jr. appearance and a "no" to seeing Catherine O'Hara. I wonder if the spots were adlibbed, much like Guest's films. The "Empty Cable Suit" campaign takes place at Cable headquarters, where executives are brainstorming about ways to keep up with DIRECTV. An exec asks his team if they are doing as well Learn Portuguese
in the customer satisfaction department as DIRECTV. The response: hearty laughter. Watch it here. Another suit details DIRECTV's impressive amount of sports in HDTV format and suggests a paradigm shift. To what, he has no idea. See it here. Cable's solution to keeping its customers from deserting the company for DIRECTV is louder channels. My favorite ad. The final ad shows a brainstorming session that ends with the grand plan of making up false statistics to compare to DIRECTV's offerings. Click here to watch. Deutsch Los Angeles created the campaign and Deutsch New York handled the media buy. Apple launched a contextual ad featuring Mac and PC that's running on WSJ.com, NYTimes.com, gizmodo.com, PCWorld.com and CNET.com until March 31. In "Emergency Refresh," PC aims to rid The New York Times' Web site of a negative banner ad trashing Vista as "one of the biggest blunders in technology," by performing an emergency refresh. The ad space turns white and comes back to life with a different banner ad blasting Vista. A final refresh produces a positive review... of Leopard. See the ad here. TBWA/Media Arts Lab created the campaign and handled the media buy. The Food Bank for New York City positions vegetables, such as carrots, in the form of carats in print ads commemorating its 25th Anniversary. One ad shows a piece of broccoli in a jewelry box along with copy reminiscent of both jewelry and beef ad copy: "Broccoli: it's what happy anniversaries are made of." Pinto beans, posed below copy stating "The most beautiful anniversary gift of all," put the campaign's objective into perspective. See the ads here, here and here. Ads are running in Time Out New York, AM New York, The New York Times, el diario and Hoy. Walrus created the campaign. I'm happy to report that Corona Extra and Corona Light have not left the beach. TV, outdoor and print ads find the brand relaxing on the beach, with nary a technological device in sight. My kind of place. The first TV ad, "Treasure Map," begins with anLearn Spanish
aerial overview of a beach with a large X marking the spot. As the camera gets closer to the ground, viewers unsurprisingly see the "X" is an umbrella covering a couple and their Coronas. See the ad here. Seductive music and clothes strewn about a hotel room led me to believe I was watching one of those commercials for K-Y. But I wasn't. The not-wrinkled (but they should be) clothes led to the hotel room balcony, where vacationers relaxed and enjoyed the view. Click here to watch the ad, running on late-night programs such as "Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Print ads are running in ESPN Magazine, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Spin, using copy such as "SPF 9 ½" to depict a Corona bottle sheltered from the sun by a flip flop. Click here, here, here, here, here and here to view the ads. Cramer-Krasselt created the campaign and handled the media buy. Beach croquet, anyone? 10 Cane Rum launched a print campaign featuring a laid-back group of beautiful people living it up beachside. Creative features an official seal from the "Ministry of Relaxation," deeming the group "officially relaxed." Ads, running in Vanity Fair, GQ, Details and Conde Nast Traveler, illustrate the proper way to drink the rum: in a relaxed setting. Three ads depict an official beach croquet team that doesn't officially play. There's the obligatory team photo, team strategizing and lunch atop a seaplane. A woman poses on the beach in her marching band hat in the final ad, seen here. Mother New York created the campaign and Mediacom handled the media buy. Eskimos rub noses -- and teenage girls who use Clearasil Skin Perfecting Wash rub cheeks. With friends and strangers. Parents beware. In a humorous ad promoting Clearasil's face wash with microbeads, a teenager riding a bus leans in and rubs cheeks with a cute stranger reading a newspaper. Next to be rubbed is her BFF; the spot ends with the girl rubbing cheeks with a DJ at a party, much to the chagrin of other girls in attendance. "Clearasil may cause confidence," concludes the ad, running on CW network programs such as "Girlicious," "America's Next Top Model," "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville." Watch the ad here. Euro RSCG New York created the campaign and MPG handled the media buy. Hockey equipment manufacturer CCM launched a TV ad that constructs a hockey skate from human body parts. "Anatomical" begins with veins begetting the bones of a rib cage that are then covered by fibrous tissues and muscles. The spine is then revealed to be the back of a hockey skate. "Built to be a part of you," closes the ad for the U+ skate. Watch theRosetta Stone
here. Print ads, running in The Hockey News and USA Hockey, follow suit, but aren't as realistic as the TV spot. Cramer-Krasselt Milwaukee created the campaign and SpaceTime Chicago handled the print media buy.To support last week's World Water Day, TAP Project, an initiative created by UNICEF, ran a TV and print campaign to raise awareness and funds for the cause. The City of Angels receives another angel in the form of a drop of water with wings in the TV ad, which drives the point that people can make a difference one drop at a time. See the ad here. Print ads feature a group of water droplets emerging from a faucet with a halo and wings. Click here to see the ad, created pro bono by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles.
in the customer satisfaction department as DIRECTV. The response: hearty laughter. Watch it here. Another suit details DIRECTV's impressive amount of sports in HDTV format and suggests a paradigm shift. To what, he has no idea. See it here. Cable's solution to keeping its customers from deserting the company for DIRECTV is louder channels. My favorite ad. The final ad shows a brainstorming session that ends with the grand plan of making up false statistics to compare to DIRECTV's offerings. Click here to watch. Deutsch Los Angeles created the campaign and Deutsch New York handled the media buy. Apple launched a contextual ad featuring Mac and PC that's running on WSJ.com, NYTimes.com, gizmodo.com, PCWorld.com and CNET.com until March 31. In "Emergency Refresh," PC aims to rid The New York Times' Web site of a negative banner ad trashing Vista as "one of the biggest blunders in technology," by performing an emergency refresh. The ad space turns white and comes back to life with a different banner ad blasting Vista. A final refresh produces a positive review... of Leopard. See the ad here. TBWA/Media Arts Lab created the campaign and handled the media buy. The Food Bank for New York City positions vegetables, such as carrots, in the form of carats in print ads commemorating its 25th Anniversary. One ad shows a piece of broccoli in a jewelry box along with copy reminiscent of both jewelry and beef ad copy: "Broccoli: it's what happy anniversaries are made of." Pinto beans, posed below copy stating "The most beautiful anniversary gift of all," put the campaign's objective into perspective. See the ads here, here and here. Ads are running in Time Out New York, AM New York, The New York Times, el diario and Hoy. Walrus created the campaign. I'm happy to report that Corona Extra and Corona Light have not left the beach. TV, outdoor and print ads find the brand relaxing on the beach, with nary a technological device in sight. My kind of place. The first TV ad, "Treasure Map," begins with anLearn Spanish
aerial overview of a beach with a large X marking the spot. As the camera gets closer to the ground, viewers unsurprisingly see the "X" is an umbrella covering a couple and their Coronas. See the ad here. Seductive music and clothes strewn about a hotel room led me to believe I was watching one of those commercials for K-Y. But I wasn't. The not-wrinkled (but they should be) clothes led to the hotel room balcony, where vacationers relaxed and enjoyed the view. Click here to watch the ad, running on late-night programs such as "Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Print ads are running in ESPN Magazine, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Spin, using copy such as "SPF 9 ½" to depict a Corona bottle sheltered from the sun by a flip flop. Click here, here, here, here, here and here to view the ads. Cramer-Krasselt created the campaign and handled the media buy. Beach croquet, anyone? 10 Cane Rum launched a print campaign featuring a laid-back group of beautiful people living it up beachside. Creative features an official seal from the "Ministry of Relaxation," deeming the group "officially relaxed." Ads, running in Vanity Fair, GQ, Details and Conde Nast Traveler, illustrate the proper way to drink the rum: in a relaxed setting. Three ads depict an official beach croquet team that doesn't officially play. There's the obligatory team photo, team strategizing and lunch atop a seaplane. A woman poses on the beach in her marching band hat in the final ad, seen here. Mother New York created the campaign and Mediacom handled the media buy. Eskimos rub noses -- and teenage girls who use Clearasil Skin Perfecting Wash rub cheeks. With friends and strangers. Parents beware. In a humorous ad promoting Clearasil's face wash with microbeads, a teenager riding a bus leans in and rubs cheeks with a cute stranger reading a newspaper. Next to be rubbed is her BFF; the spot ends with the girl rubbing cheeks with a DJ at a party, much to the chagrin of other girls in attendance. "Clearasil may cause confidence," concludes the ad, running on CW network programs such as "Girlicious," "America's Next Top Model," "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville." Watch the ad here. Euro RSCG New York created the campaign and MPG handled the media buy. Hockey equipment manufacturer CCM launched a TV ad that constructs a hockey skate from human body parts. "Anatomical" begins with veins begetting the bones of a rib cage that are then covered by fibrous tissues and muscles. The spine is then revealed to be the back of a hockey skate. "Built to be a part of you," closes the ad for the U+ skate. Watch theRosetta Stone
here. Print ads, running in The Hockey News and USA Hockey, follow suit, but aren't as realistic as the TV spot. Cramer-Krasselt Milwaukee created the campaign and SpaceTime Chicago handled the print media buy.To support last week's World Water Day, TAP Project, an initiative created by UNICEF, ran a TV and print campaign to raise awareness and funds for the cause. The City of Angels receives another angel in the form of a drop of water with wings in the TV ad, which drives the point that people can make a difference one drop at a time. See the ad here. Print ads feature a group of water droplets emerging from a faucet with a halo and wings. Click here to see the ad, created pro bono by TBWA/Chiat/Day Los Angeles.
MediaPost Publications 10 Reasons Search Marketers Should Be Thankful
Tis the season -- so I thought I'd take a stab at 10 things search marketers should be thankful for: 1. Our jobs. While search may not be recession proof, our jobs should be. Unless you work at Yahoo -- in which case, you should be thankful for your enhanced severance package. 2. Increased Transparency. We still have a ways to go in bringingCheap Rosetta Stone
transparency to the world of black-box algorithms, but we have made some progress of late. Following Microsoft's lead, Google now provides absolute query volume data and a robust Insights for Search tool -- very helpful for maximizing search programs and predicting election outcomes. 3. Healthy Competition. With the Google/Yahoo deal dead on the vine and the Yahoo/Microsoft acquisition going nowhere fast, we still have plenty of viable choices to SERF as searchers and marketers. 4. Good Conversation. I've never been around a group that likes to geek out and talk shop like search marketers. Perhaps it's because we're all Type-F, or maybe it's because our industry trade shows foster it -- but there's always plenty of good conversation to be had on the topic of search marketing. 5. Google. I know we really don't need to stroke the King of Cheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
Search's ego, but we do owe a debt of gratitude to the folks in Mountain View for 10 years of bringing search to the forefront of the marketing world and top of mind for CMOs. Not to mention making tools like Google Analytics enterprise-ready and, best of all, free. 6. The Promise of Social Search. With Page Rank for People long hailed as the future of search, GoogleWiki is the latest tool to tease us with the potential of crowd-sourced SERPs. Surely, the day will come when we'll be able to filter search results by peer group, general population demo, geo, etc. The fact that the most valuable innovation still lies ahead should give us all reason to be thankful we're in such a dynamic space. And don't call me Shirley. 7. Campaign Management Tools. Can you even remember what life was like before bid and campaign management tools? Most search marketers haven't been around long enough to recall the days when it was all Excel all the time -- although, apparently there are still some hold-outs from the paid search Stone Age. With good third-party tools now widely available and affordable, the days of making manual adjustments to campaigns are over -- freeing search marketers up to focus on more strategic planning and action. 8. Integration. A mainstay on my Search Insider Summit Buzz-o-Meter -- which will be updated in my next column -- "integration," and the fact that it's actually happening, is yet another reason to give thanks. There are many tangible ways to prove the value of search (and other marketing channels) through integration of strategies, processes, data, etc. And many more that we have yet to discover. With search at the center of the media consumption universe, it's only right that search claim its place at the center of the marketing mix as well. 9. Change Is in the Air. Regardless of your political views, having a tech-savvy President bodes well for search marketers. The Obama administration is poised to push the envelope on matters like technology infrastructure and Net neutrality. As we know, more broadband means more searches. And non-discriminatory access means the engines won't have to pay premiums and, in turn, pass those costs along to consumers or marketers. Two recent appointments to Obama's transition team underscore his commitment to these issues, as does his decision to create a CTO role in his cabinet -- even though it won't be Eric Schmidt. 10. Our jobs. Did I mention this already? With the walls falling down around us, we should all be grateful to be working in a space that is relatively stable. Sure, budgets may not be growing like they once Learn Spanish
were -- but hey, "flat is the new up." And for all those Yahoos out there whose jobs may not be secure (although I can't imagine the search group will feel the brunt of the layoffs) -- rest assured, your skills are in high demand on the publisher, agency and client side. All the best for a Happy Thanksgiving and prosperous Cyber Monday! Meet Aaron Goldman at Search Insider Summit FL! Aaron Goldman will be there speaking during "Search Engine Rap" on May 05 at 8:40 AM. Top executives will be there. Will you?
transparency to the world of black-box algorithms, but we have made some progress of late. Following Microsoft's lead, Google now provides absolute query volume data and a robust Insights for Search tool -- very helpful for maximizing search programs and predicting election outcomes. 3. Healthy Competition. With the Google/Yahoo deal dead on the vine and the Yahoo/Microsoft acquisition going nowhere fast, we still have plenty of viable choices to SERF as searchers and marketers. 4. Good Conversation. I've never been around a group that likes to geek out and talk shop like search marketers. Perhaps it's because we're all Type-F, or maybe it's because our industry trade shows foster it -- but there's always plenty of good conversation to be had on the topic of search marketing. 5. Google. I know we really don't need to stroke the King of Cheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
Search's ego, but we do owe a debt of gratitude to the folks in Mountain View for 10 years of bringing search to the forefront of the marketing world and top of mind for CMOs. Not to mention making tools like Google Analytics enterprise-ready and, best of all, free. 6. The Promise of Social Search. With Page Rank for People long hailed as the future of search, GoogleWiki is the latest tool to tease us with the potential of crowd-sourced SERPs. Surely, the day will come when we'll be able to filter search results by peer group, general population demo, geo, etc. The fact that the most valuable innovation still lies ahead should give us all reason to be thankful we're in such a dynamic space. And don't call me Shirley. 7. Campaign Management Tools. Can you even remember what life was like before bid and campaign management tools? Most search marketers haven't been around long enough to recall the days when it was all Excel all the time -- although, apparently there are still some hold-outs from the paid search Stone Age. With good third-party tools now widely available and affordable, the days of making manual adjustments to campaigns are over -- freeing search marketers up to focus on more strategic planning and action. 8. Integration. A mainstay on my Search Insider Summit Buzz-o-Meter -- which will be updated in my next column -- "integration," and the fact that it's actually happening, is yet another reason to give thanks. There are many tangible ways to prove the value of search (and other marketing channels) through integration of strategies, processes, data, etc. And many more that we have yet to discover. With search at the center of the media consumption universe, it's only right that search claim its place at the center of the marketing mix as well. 9. Change Is in the Air. Regardless of your political views, having a tech-savvy President bodes well for search marketers. The Obama administration is poised to push the envelope on matters like technology infrastructure and Net neutrality. As we know, more broadband means more searches. And non-discriminatory access means the engines won't have to pay premiums and, in turn, pass those costs along to consumers or marketers. Two recent appointments to Obama's transition team underscore his commitment to these issues, as does his decision to create a CTO role in his cabinet -- even though it won't be Eric Schmidt. 10. Our jobs. Did I mention this already? With the walls falling down around us, we should all be grateful to be working in a space that is relatively stable. Sure, budgets may not be growing like they once Learn Spanish
were -- but hey, "flat is the new up." And for all those Yahoos out there whose jobs may not be secure (although I can't imagine the search group will feel the brunt of the layoffs) -- rest assured, your skills are in high demand on the publisher, agency and client side. All the best for a Happy Thanksgiving and prosperous Cyber Monday! Meet Aaron Goldman at Search Insider Summit FL! Aaron Goldman will be there speaking during "Search Engine Rap" on May 05 at 8:40 AM. Top executives will be there. Will you?
MediaPost Publications Media 100: A Seat at the Table
100 people we'd meet at Michael'sWe're no fans of lists. That's mainly because there already are way too many of them out there. But when we began formulating one of our own we asked a simple question: who'd we most want to have lunch with? These had to be Cheap Rosetta Stone
people whose audience we valued for one or more reasons. It was so difficult when we attempted this three years ago, we immediately abandoned the notion of repeating it annually. And yet, here it is again. Because we love anguish so much, this time we decided to rank them. Ultimately, it all came down to some fairly subjective criteria, which you could argue all day long. Why is David Axelrod No. 1 and Nick Denton No. 100? (Why is Denton even on this list?) Perhaps equally noteworthy are the names that are not on this list. Some are people we genuinely like, and would have included if we had more room. Other omissions, including some well-known media industry titans, are intentional. It's not just about being rich, powerful or influential. It's about being someone who can contribute something meaningful to the conversation and leave us with something to chew on. 1. DAVID AXELROD Senior Advisor to President-elect, Barack ObamaWhen it comes to media, Axelrod is literally a king maker. Yes, lots of people had a hand in brand Obama, but Axelrod was his chief campaign strategist, and therefore was the media-spin commander in chief. He'll also be Cheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
a top player in the Obama Administration, crafting the image and use of media for the next four to eight years. So, yeah, he's the new Karl Rove - but without that sulfur smell (we hope). Beyond the U.S. presidency, the images of the Obama Administration he helps craft will shape perceptions of the U.S. and our strategic position in the world. You could argue, he's actually the most influential person in media. 2. THREE-HEADED GOOGLESAURUS (LARRY PAGE, SERGEY BRIN, & ERIC SCHMIDT)Cofounders and CEO, Google3. BOB IGER President & CEO, Disney"We're not really embracing technology, we're embracing the consumer," Iger said in 2008 of his company's bullish digital moves.4. STEVE JOBS CEO, Apple5. CHRIS ANDERSON Author/Editor in chief, Wired"Because my background is physics and economics, I tend to go for data rather than speculation and hand waving," Anderson told The Guardian (UK). BRIAN MCANDREWS Senior Vice President, Advertiser & Publisher Solutions, Microsoft"The TV model is broken," head of Microsoft advertising ventures McAndrews has said. "We believe the Web site will replace the 30-second commercial as the most important vehicle for an advertiser."Having revitalized aQuantive during his tenure as CEO, making it ripe for Microsoft's picking, McAndrews knows a thing or two about navigating the online space, and also boasts a noted competitive streak that will probably come in handy as he breathes similar life into Microsoft Advertising. Business 2.0 didn't call him "the most important adman on the Internet" for nothing.7. RUPERT MURDOCH Chairman and CEO, News Corp8. RISHAD TOBACCOWALACEO, Denuo9. STEPHEN COLBERT Actor/Author/Fake-Political Commentator, The Colbert Report"Like any goodCheap Rosetta Stone Chinese
newsman, I believe that if you're not scared, I'm not doing my job," Colbert said on his show.10. SIR MARTIN SORRELL CEO, WPP Group"I'm not the retiring type - in any sense of the term whatsoever," Sorell told The Independent (UK) when asked if he might turn over the reigns in the near future. DAVID DROGA Founder, Droga5 Droga is the single-most awarded creative at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, with over 48 Cannes Lions and three Grand Prix. As creative chairman of his own Droga5, Droga's latest project, in partnership with Publicis Groupe and production firm Smuggler, is a cross between QVC and MTV dubbed HoneyShed.12. DON DRAPER Partner & Creative Director, Sterling Cooper DON EPPERSON CEO, Havas DigitalRecently, Epperson revealed a "virtual brand network," that operates as an online trading system, with the flexibility to make buys based on how the value fluctuates for specific advertisers and their brands over time. If it sounds like a Wall Street equalities and exchange system that may be because Epperson spent years in investment banking, first at what became JP Morgan Chase and then as a member of the technology investment banking group of Advest.14. ROGER AILES Chairman, Fox News"The greatest danger to journalism is a newsroom or a profession where everyone thinks alike," Ailes has said. 15. DAVID KENNY Managing Partner, VivaKiDavid Kenny can say "Internet" in 27 languages.16. JACK KLUES Managing Partner, VivaKiIn the future, Klues believes that even our dreams will be digital.17. JOAQUIN HIDALGO Vice President, Global Marketing & Soccer, NikeHidalgo's coinage "Just Do It" turned 20 this year. Now he tells consumers to just make their own damn shoes at NIKEiD.com.18. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG Mayor, City of New York19. BILL JOY Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers What might you talk about over lunch with Bill Joy, former chief scientist at Sun Microsystems and Edison of the Internet? Perhaps Joy would tell you about Ethereal, his $50 million, wind-powered "super yacht." (Fortune said Joy hoped it to be "the most efficient, eco-friendly boat afloat.") Perhaps you would discuss the ethical and safety issues inherent in advanced intelligent robotics and nanotechnology. ("But if we are downloaded into our technology, what are the chances that we will thereafter be ourselves or even human?" Joy pondered in his essay "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us.") Perhaps you would try to broach the speculation that Joy could be named chief technology officer, a new position, in President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet. ("There is no greater cause," said venture capitalist John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, as reported by The New York Times.) Alternately, we guess you could just make small talk about the weather and your appetizers.20. TREVOR KAUFMAN CEO, SchematicKaufman followed up Advertising Week this year by going skydiving in Nepal, jumping from 12,000 feet.21. IRWIN GOTLIEB CEO, Group M"I've always resented the term 'buyer,'" Gotlieb said at MediaPost's CEO Summit. "Buying is what you do when you get a shirt."MICHAEL WOLF Consultant (Formerly of MTV Networks/McKinsey & Company/Booz Allen Hamilton) The biggest dilemma about lunching with Michael Wolf is whether to break bread with him now, while he is still inCheap Rosetta Stone English
transition from his former role as president-COO of MTV Networks, or when he ultimately lands in his next big gig. Either way, it's bound to be a bounty of insights and insider perspective. He knows everyone who is anyone in the business, and over the years as the industry's top management consultant, helped teach some of them what they know.23. JEFF GOODBY Cofounder, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners"I got interested in advertising because I couldn't find a job on a newspaper," Goodby wrote in an article in Inc. magazine.24. KEVIN MARTIN Chairman, FCC 25. KEVIN WERBACH Co-director of the FCC Agency Review Team for President-elect Barack ObamaKevin Werbach is a busy man. A full-time professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at Wharton and organizer of the yearly Supernova technology conference, Werbach was recently appointed to define the new Obama administration FCC team. A net neutrality supporter and World of Warcraft devotee, Werbach, who has had his own Web site since 1995, formerly served as counsel for new technology policy at the FCC under the Clinton administration (making it seem likely that his role will continue beyond January 20) and was praised by Wired magazine as "one of the few policy wonks who really got it." Of his new position, he writes that he is excited to bring an understanding of "the transformative power of today's communications technologies" into the new administration. 26. MARTIN NISENHOLTZ Senior Vice President, Digital Operations, New York Times Co.27. RANDALL ROTHENBERG President, IABA former New York Times reporter, Rothenberg preaches growing the interactive media marketplace by attracting "digital immigrants": "You have to be able to talk to [senior marketers of America's largest companies] in their language," he told Paid Content. "If you talk gobbledygook geek language, you may get some of the mystery money?...but certainly not the lion's share."28. STEVE BALMER CEO, Microsoft29. TINA FEY Writer & Actress, 30 Rock/Saturday Night Live"Not since Slingblade has there been a voice that anybody could do." Tina Fey told David Letterman, describing Gov. Sarah Palin's accent.30. SARAH FAY CEO North America, AegisTHOM YORKE Lead Singer, Radiohead To celebrate Barack Obama's presidential victory, musician Thom Yorke posted a remixed song from his solo album, The Eraser, on his band's Web site - for free. The 40-year-old frontman of Radiohead is no stranger to offering up his work to the public at no cost. The band's pay-what-you-wish policy for its 2007 album In Rainbows paid off not only as a statement about the music industry's ongoing struggles with online piracy ("The idea was like, we'll leak it, then," Yorke told Wired at the time), but also as a business decision (its 3 million sales reportedly topped the money made by the band's prior album, Hail To The Thief).32. AL GORE Former Vice President/Cofounder and Chairman of Current TV"The universe would be destroyed! And as an environmentalist, I'm against that," an animated Al Gore said in a cameo on Futururama, during a moment of peril. (Gore voiced the part himself; daughter Kristin writes for the show.) 33. SHEIKH HAMAD BIN THAMER AL-THANI Founder & Chairman, Al-Jazeera After the Ministry of Information in Qatar, for which he was an undersecretary, was abolished, Sheik Hamad became an architect of the Qatari-financed all-news Al-Jazeera, which has expanded into a global phenomenon spreading across news, sports, entertainment and education.34. BRIAN ROBERTS Chairman & CEO, Comcast35. NIGEL MORRIS Global CEO, Isobar Morris hardly sounds like a man whose company was named the largest digital marketing agency in the world by RECMA. "The whole industry is looking down the barrel of a gun," he said at the OMMA Global New York conference in September. Morris, however, knows how to adapt to a changing world: "Transparency and consumer control means that now the deer have guns." His advice? "Brands need to look at themselves as a service, not a product."36. MARK READ Strategy Director, WPP Digital37. OPRAH WINFREY SHERYL SANDBERG Chief Operating Officer, FacebookWhen Sheryl Sandberg was hired by Facebook as its Chief Operating Officer, she quickly gained a reputation as Mother Sheryl. "She came and kicked everybody in the ass and then gave everybody a hug," said one employee. Of course being a mom sometimes has a downside, and she's taken some heat from industry bloggers for such unthinkable acts as canceling beer-pong competitions. But no doubt Mark Zuckerberg was trying to take his company out of the dorm room and into the boardroom when he hired her. As a former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Sandberg says her goal is to turn Facebook into a global leader. Time to put away your RipSticks, kids.39. MARK CUBAN President and cofounder, HDNet/Owner, Dallas MavericksCuban has read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in its entirety three times.40. ESTHER DYSON Non-Executive Director, WPP Group41. WILL WRIGHT Game Designer, The Sims/Spore"Watching someone play a game is a different experience than actually holding the controller and playing it yourself. Vastly different," Wright wrote in Wired, "Imagine that all you knew about movies was gleaned through observing the audience in a theater - but that you had never watched a film."42. DALE HERIGSTAD Chief Creative Officer, SchematicAn influential thinker who has been oft quoted as saying, "Designing digital context is the Learn French
next creative assignment," Herigstad visualizes things most people can barely conceptualize. 43. BOB GREENBERG Chairman, CEO & Global Chief Creative Officer, R/GA 44. JOHN BATTELLE, FOUNDER Chairman & CEO, Federated Media Publications 45. MARC ANDREESSEN Valley investor (Netscape Founder)"In the startup world, you're either a genius or an idiot," Andreessen told Fast Company. "You're never just an ordinary guy trying to get through the day."46. ALEX BOGUSKY CCO and Co-chairman, Crispin Porter + Bogusky If you ever have the opportunity to do lunch with Alex Bogusky, here's something you should do: Take a moment to scan the room and watch all the eyes watching him. Some may be peeking at him, because they know he's the ad industry's top creative mind, and the spirit behind Boulder-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Others may simply have mistaken him as an errant rock star, actor or cover model. The guy projects charisma that sometimes seems to overshadow the deep think simmering beneath the bangs.47. CRAIG NEWMARK Founder & Director, CraigslistWhen Stephen Colbert thanked Newmark for killing the American newspaper, Newmark replied, "Well, I'd like to take credit for that ... somebody accused me of being the anti-Christ of print media."48. JON STEWART Actor/Author/Fake News Anchor, The Daily Show"The press is 6-year-olds playing soccer," Stewart told Entertainment Weekly of this year's presidential election coverage. "Nobody has a position, it's just 'Where's the ball? Where's the ball? Sarah Palin has the ball!'"49. MARTHA STEWART Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia"You know, in China they say, 'The thinner the chopsticks; the higher the social status,'" Stewart told The New Yorker. "Of course, I got the thinnest I could find?.... That's why people hate me."50. LORI SCHWARTZ Senior Vice President, Director, Interpublic Emerging Media LabSchwartz might be the only one on Variety's list of Top 30 Executives Shaping the Evolution of Media and Technology who you may also see on stage at the Improv.51. ALAN COHEN CEO, OMD USA Alan Cohen occasionally still drinks Dr Pepper when no one is looking (even though OMD reps Pepsi).52. ALBERT CHENG Executive Vice President, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group 53. DAVE MORGAN Chairman & Partner, The Tennis Company (Founder and Former CEO & Chairman of Tacoda)"Tennis is an underleveraged sport with amazing numbers. Enthusiasts are international, affluent, active, passionate, loyal and most importantly, are growing," Morgan said, explaining his route from founding RealMedia and Tacoda to sitting atop a niche publishing company and working with Chris Evert. 54. GIAN FULGONI Chairman & Cofounder, comScoreTossing off bon mots such as "Not everything that can be measured matters, and usually what matters is not easy to measure," Fulgoni might have a future as an existential poet. And he says fun things about Google. Like pointing out that it hasn't built measurement products "with the objective of entering the market research industry and being an 'independent arbiter' of where ad planners should put their money. Rather, they appear to have built tools that help facilitate the movement of display ad dollars to Google and its ad network."55. TIM HANLON Executive Vice President & Managing Director, VivaKi56. SUSAN WHITING Vice Chair, The Nielsen Company 57. JAMES CAMERON Filmmaker & Producer Cameron is making his bet on 3D in the next few years. He's developed a specialized stereoscopic camera, and is banking on his movie Avatar to bring 3D mainstream. "Stereo production is the next big thing," he said at an advertising conference this year. "We are born seeing in three dimensions. Most animals have two eyes and not one. There is a reason I think."TIM WU Professor, Columbia Law School Policy makers ranging from President-elect Barack Obama to FCC Chair Kevin Martin have endorsed net neutrality, or the view that broadband providers should treat all Web traffic equally. Much of that stance can be traced to 36-year-old Wu, who coined the term in an influential 2003 paper. In a recent New York Times Op-Ed he wrote, "In an information economy, the supply and price of bandwidth matters, in the way that oil prices matter: not just for gas stations, but for the whole economy." 59. JOE UVA CEO, Univision60. TED TURNER Billionaire Philanthropist/Media Mogul/Restaurateur Turner owns more land than any other American, and uses much of it for his bison herds, as he works to popularize the idea of dining on bison meat.61. TIM WESTERGREN Chief Strategy Officer & Founder, Pandora/Music Genome Project"The only way to help people discover songs that they've never heard before is to understand the intrinsic qualities of that piece of music," Westergren told Novedge, explaining how his new recommendations-based service worked.62. SI NEWHOUSE Chairman and CEO, Advance Publications"'I don't think I'm a hail-fellow-well-met," notoriously press-shy Newhouse, told The New York Times.63. JIM STENGEL Jim Stengel LLC/Former Chief Marketing Officer of Procter & Gamble64. RICH MINER Director, Google Mobile65. ALEXANDRE MARS CEO, Phone ValleyTREY PARKER AND MATT STONE Creators, South Park/ProducersWhen did MTV Networks' Comedy Central replace MTV as the arbiter of hip, young sensibility, and when exactly did Trey Parker and Matt Stone elevate the sophomoric, bad-taste humor of South Park to divine comedic commentary of all things wrong with America? Don't let the juvenility fool you. There's a lot of wisdom coming from the foul mouths of these babes, and Parker and Stone continue to use low-brows as a cover for some high-level thinking about media. They're intellectually curious and mine the best of digital, from the online interaction of their SouthParkStudios.com to an almost instant send-up of the real conspiracy behind Barack Obama's election.LI RUIGANG President, Shanghai Media Group To Li Ruigang, the Chinese government's command over media certainly hasn't been a burden. While the president of the 7-year-old Shanghai Media Group has described the company as a "state asset," it certainly hasn't operated like one. Under Li, SMG (China's second largest media group) has grown to encompass 16 national digital pay channels and a mobile TV channel, created partnerships with the likes of MTV and Dow Jones and even releases a handful of digital films each year. Not too shabby for a guy who counts Rupert Murdoch and Sumner Redstone as buddies, was named "Showman of the Year" by Chinese Variety magazine and hasn't even hit 40 yet.68. WENDA HARRIS MILLARD Co-CEO, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia "I am a huge proponent of leveraging technology to help us buy and sell advertising, but I don't think that technology can create great advertising," Millard said, explaining her "pork bellies" remark to AllThingsD.ROBIN LI CEO & Chairman, Baidu.comIf you don't know Robin Li, you should. That's because Li has done something no one else has - sorry Microsoft - beat Google at the search game (at least on his home turf). Li, founder of the Chinese search engine Baidu.com (pronounced "buy-do," a Chinese word representing, in essence, the persistent quest for the ideal), operates the top search engine in China (about 70 percent of the market, per the AP). And comScore ranks it as the third most-used worldwide (following the Big G and Yahoo, but beating - sorry again - Microsoft). It's no wonder that Li is an icon for Chinese tech geeks.70. KEVIN LEE Chairman & CEO, DidIt71. BRIAN WIESER Senior Vice President, Director of Industry Analysis, MAGNA 72. KEN AULETTA Author & Journalist"It's really dangerous for a journalist to think about 'influence,'" Auletta told MediaBistro. "Our job is to ask questions, and if we're puffed up with our own self-importance we will want to answer questions, not ask them."73. ERIC HUGGERS Director of Future Media & Technology, BBCHENRY JENKINS Co-director, MIT Comparative Media Studies ProgramWhen he announced he was leaving MIT at the end of this yearCheap Rosetta Stone German
to take a position at USC, Jenkins said, "I have decided that the phrase 'bitter-sweet' is inadequate for such a moment, preferring to adopt the phrase, 'Brutal-Sublime' to capture the extreme highs and lows I feel at what is for me a significant transitional moment in my life."75. JOHN DOERR Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Doerr told Fast Company, "Jeff Bezos came to Kleiner Perkins because, in his words, we are a center of gravity in the Internet." His next move: greentech.76. DIMITRY SHAPIRO Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Veoh Networks Inc. Shapiro might be building a better YouTube.77. GENE KEENAN Vice President of Mobile Services, Isobar FREDERICK LOWE CEO & Chief Technology Officer, VaritalkTired of Britney Spears answering every time you call one of your friends? Blame Frederick Lowe who, as the CEO and Chief Technology Officer for Chicage-based Varitalk, designed the patented software that delivers "personalized audio output from real human voices." Are you more likely to call Mom if there is a chance Fifty Cent will ask you to leave a message (and don't forget to buy Vitamin Water)? Maybe not, but nonetheless, Lowe, a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, boasts that "Voicemail is a nearly perfect viral application."79. TOM BROKAW Author, Journalist, NBC 80. NATE SILVER Founder, FiveThirtyEight.com/PECOTA 81. EMILIO AZCARRAGA Chairman & CEO, Grupo Televisa82. GINA BIANCHINI CEO & Cofounder, Ning83. JON SWALLEN Senior Vice President, Research, TNS Media Intelligence JIMMY WALES Founder, Wikipedia Wales has long disputed Larry Sanger's role in the creation of Wikipedia. Wales' Wiki entry includes quotes from a Wired interview in which Sanger gripes about Wales' efforts to change his own entry: "It does seem that Jimmy is attempting to rewrite history. But this is a futile process because in our brave new world of transparent activity and maximum communication, the truth will be out."85. PAUL WOOLMINGTON Founding Partner, Naked CommunicationsNaked founder Woolmington preaches brand transparency - a philosophy he has always practiced: "When [my grandparents] came to visit, I was running around with probably a pair of shorts and nothing much else on, and speaking Swahili fluently," he said in a podcast.86. ROB DESENA Managing Director, IO Global 87. JON MANDEL CEO, NielsenConnect88. HOWARD GARDNER Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education89. OMAR TAWAKOL CEO, BlueKai 90. TOM ROGERS CEO, TiVo, Hybrid Television ServicesSILVIO BERLUSCONI Prime Minister, ItalyBerlusconi is worth, at last count by Forbes, some $9.4 billion dollars. Indeed, the influence that Italy's three-time prime minister wields over his country's media is twofold. Privately, his Finivest holding company owns huge stakes in Italian television, publishing and sports; publicly, he's, well, the prime minister. Regardless, his wealth and power are probably the least interesting things about Berlusconi, whom the BBC, in a story detailing his "controversy and flamboyance," also noted was "perma-tanned [and] wrinkle-free." During his infamous public career, the 72-year-old has dodged repeated corruption accusations and been on trial six times. Last year, his wife, Veronica Lario, wrote a public letter published in the newspaper La Repubblica demanding her husband apologize for publicly flirting with other women (and apologize he did, also via open letter). Heck, in keeping with his history of making controversial public comments (Spain's new government has too many women, for instance) just last month he called Barack Obama "young, handsome and even-tanned." How did Berlusconi dismiss the detractors of his self-described "cute" joke? "Imbeciles," he said, "of which there are too many."92. RAFAT ALI Founder, Publisher & Editor, PaidContent93. DAVID VERKLIN CEO, Canoe Ventures 94. HENRY BLODGET Cofounder, CEO & Editor in Chief, Silicon Alley Insider A short list of insults hurled Blodget's way of late, as recounted in a recent Wired story: "boldface liar," "scum," "arrogant prick," "dirtbag," "unethical," "as crooked as they come," and "Web 1.0, bubble-creating has-been." 95. JASON JIANG CEO & Chairman, Focus Media 96. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON Founder & CEO, Huffington Post97. LAUREL TOUBY Founder, MediaBistro"Men love boas," Touby told The Village Voice about her trademark accessory. "It makes a woman seem more approachable - tactile, even."98. MIKE WALRATH Founder & Senior Vice President, Right Media 99. JIM LOUDERBACK CEO, Revision3"True success with Internet video means thinking of it not as a farm team for existing media?...?but as a newCheap Rosetta Stone Greek
way to communicate, a new medium with its own story-telling arc, rhythm and feel," Louderback has said.100. NICK DENTON Founder & CEO, Gawker Media The man who monetized the crazy idea that you can actually make money off of blogs - you know, those things that Sarah Palin thinks kids in their pajamas write while sitting in their parents' basements - deserves a place at the table for either a stroke of dumb luck or keen media foresight. The momentum continues for Denton's Gawker Media empire, 11 sites strong, which recently hit a high of 22 million unique monthly visitors.
people whose audience we valued for one or more reasons. It was so difficult when we attempted this three years ago, we immediately abandoned the notion of repeating it annually. And yet, here it is again. Because we love anguish so much, this time we decided to rank them. Ultimately, it all came down to some fairly subjective criteria, which you could argue all day long. Why is David Axelrod No. 1 and Nick Denton No. 100? (Why is Denton even on this list?) Perhaps equally noteworthy are the names that are not on this list. Some are people we genuinely like, and would have included if we had more room. Other omissions, including some well-known media industry titans, are intentional. It's not just about being rich, powerful or influential. It's about being someone who can contribute something meaningful to the conversation and leave us with something to chew on. 1. DAVID AXELROD Senior Advisor to President-elect, Barack ObamaWhen it comes to media, Axelrod is literally a king maker. Yes, lots of people had a hand in brand Obama, but Axelrod was his chief campaign strategist, and therefore was the media-spin commander in chief. He'll also be Cheap Rosetta Stone Arabic
a top player in the Obama Administration, crafting the image and use of media for the next four to eight years. So, yeah, he's the new Karl Rove - but without that sulfur smell (we hope). Beyond the U.S. presidency, the images of the Obama Administration he helps craft will shape perceptions of the U.S. and our strategic position in the world. You could argue, he's actually the most influential person in media. 2. THREE-HEADED GOOGLESAURUS (LARRY PAGE, SERGEY BRIN, & ERIC SCHMIDT)Cofounders and CEO, Google3. BOB IGER President & CEO, Disney"We're not really embracing technology, we're embracing the consumer," Iger said in 2008 of his company's bullish digital moves.4. STEVE JOBS CEO, Apple5. CHRIS ANDERSON Author/Editor in chief, Wired"Because my background is physics and economics, I tend to go for data rather than speculation and hand waving," Anderson told The Guardian (UK). BRIAN MCANDREWS Senior Vice President, Advertiser & Publisher Solutions, Microsoft"The TV model is broken," head of Microsoft advertising ventures McAndrews has said. "We believe the Web site will replace the 30-second commercial as the most important vehicle for an advertiser."Having revitalized aQuantive during his tenure as CEO, making it ripe for Microsoft's picking, McAndrews knows a thing or two about navigating the online space, and also boasts a noted competitive streak that will probably come in handy as he breathes similar life into Microsoft Advertising. Business 2.0 didn't call him "the most important adman on the Internet" for nothing.7. RUPERT MURDOCH Chairman and CEO, News Corp8. RISHAD TOBACCOWALACEO, Denuo9. STEPHEN COLBERT Actor/Author/Fake-Political Commentator, The Colbert Report"Like any goodCheap Rosetta Stone Chinese
newsman, I believe that if you're not scared, I'm not doing my job," Colbert said on his show.10. SIR MARTIN SORRELL CEO, WPP Group"I'm not the retiring type - in any sense of the term whatsoever," Sorell told The Independent (UK) when asked if he might turn over the reigns in the near future. DAVID DROGA Founder, Droga5 Droga is the single-most awarded creative at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, with over 48 Cannes Lions and three Grand Prix. As creative chairman of his own Droga5, Droga's latest project, in partnership with Publicis Groupe and production firm Smuggler, is a cross between QVC and MTV dubbed HoneyShed.12. DON DRAPER Partner & Creative Director, Sterling Cooper DON EPPERSON CEO, Havas DigitalRecently, Epperson revealed a "virtual brand network," that operates as an online trading system, with the flexibility to make buys based on how the value fluctuates for specific advertisers and their brands over time. If it sounds like a Wall Street equalities and exchange system that may be because Epperson spent years in investment banking, first at what became JP Morgan Chase and then as a member of the technology investment banking group of Advest.14. ROGER AILES Chairman, Fox News"The greatest danger to journalism is a newsroom or a profession where everyone thinks alike," Ailes has said. 15. DAVID KENNY Managing Partner, VivaKiDavid Kenny can say "Internet" in 27 languages.16. JACK KLUES Managing Partner, VivaKiIn the future, Klues believes that even our dreams will be digital.17. JOAQUIN HIDALGO Vice President, Global Marketing & Soccer, NikeHidalgo's coinage "Just Do It" turned 20 this year. Now he tells consumers to just make their own damn shoes at NIKEiD.com.18. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG Mayor, City of New York19. BILL JOY Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers What might you talk about over lunch with Bill Joy, former chief scientist at Sun Microsystems and Edison of the Internet? Perhaps Joy would tell you about Ethereal, his $50 million, wind-powered "super yacht." (Fortune said Joy hoped it to be "the most efficient, eco-friendly boat afloat.") Perhaps you would discuss the ethical and safety issues inherent in advanced intelligent robotics and nanotechnology. ("But if we are downloaded into our technology, what are the chances that we will thereafter be ourselves or even human?" Joy pondered in his essay "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us.") Perhaps you would try to broach the speculation that Joy could be named chief technology officer, a new position, in President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet. ("There is no greater cause," said venture capitalist John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, as reported by The New York Times.) Alternately, we guess you could just make small talk about the weather and your appetizers.20. TREVOR KAUFMAN CEO, SchematicKaufman followed up Advertising Week this year by going skydiving in Nepal, jumping from 12,000 feet.21. IRWIN GOTLIEB CEO, Group M"I've always resented the term 'buyer,'" Gotlieb said at MediaPost's CEO Summit. "Buying is what you do when you get a shirt."MICHAEL WOLF Consultant (Formerly of MTV Networks/McKinsey & Company/Booz Allen Hamilton) The biggest dilemma about lunching with Michael Wolf is whether to break bread with him now, while he is still inCheap Rosetta Stone English
transition from his former role as president-COO of MTV Networks, or when he ultimately lands in his next big gig. Either way, it's bound to be a bounty of insights and insider perspective. He knows everyone who is anyone in the business, and over the years as the industry's top management consultant, helped teach some of them what they know.23. JEFF GOODBY Cofounder, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners"I got interested in advertising because I couldn't find a job on a newspaper," Goodby wrote in an article in Inc. magazine.24. KEVIN MARTIN Chairman, FCC 25. KEVIN WERBACH Co-director of the FCC Agency Review Team for President-elect Barack ObamaKevin Werbach is a busy man. A full-time professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at Wharton and organizer of the yearly Supernova technology conference, Werbach was recently appointed to define the new Obama administration FCC team. A net neutrality supporter and World of Warcraft devotee, Werbach, who has had his own Web site since 1995, formerly served as counsel for new technology policy at the FCC under the Clinton administration (making it seem likely that his role will continue beyond January 20) and was praised by Wired magazine as "one of the few policy wonks who really got it." Of his new position, he writes that he is excited to bring an understanding of "the transformative power of today's communications technologies" into the new administration. 26. MARTIN NISENHOLTZ Senior Vice President, Digital Operations, New York Times Co.27. RANDALL ROTHENBERG President, IABA former New York Times reporter, Rothenberg preaches growing the interactive media marketplace by attracting "digital immigrants": "You have to be able to talk to [senior marketers of America's largest companies] in their language," he told Paid Content. "If you talk gobbledygook geek language, you may get some of the mystery money?...but certainly not the lion's share."28. STEVE BALMER CEO, Microsoft29. TINA FEY Writer & Actress, 30 Rock/Saturday Night Live"Not since Slingblade has there been a voice that anybody could do." Tina Fey told David Letterman, describing Gov. Sarah Palin's accent.30. SARAH FAY CEO North America, AegisTHOM YORKE Lead Singer, Radiohead To celebrate Barack Obama's presidential victory, musician Thom Yorke posted a remixed song from his solo album, The Eraser, on his band's Web site - for free. The 40-year-old frontman of Radiohead is no stranger to offering up his work to the public at no cost. The band's pay-what-you-wish policy for its 2007 album In Rainbows paid off not only as a statement about the music industry's ongoing struggles with online piracy ("The idea was like, we'll leak it, then," Yorke told Wired at the time), but also as a business decision (its 3 million sales reportedly topped the money made by the band's prior album, Hail To The Thief).32. AL GORE Former Vice President/Cofounder and Chairman of Current TV"The universe would be destroyed! And as an environmentalist, I'm against that," an animated Al Gore said in a cameo on Futururama, during a moment of peril. (Gore voiced the part himself; daughter Kristin writes for the show.) 33. SHEIKH HAMAD BIN THAMER AL-THANI Founder & Chairman, Al-Jazeera After the Ministry of Information in Qatar, for which he was an undersecretary, was abolished, Sheik Hamad became an architect of the Qatari-financed all-news Al-Jazeera, which has expanded into a global phenomenon spreading across news, sports, entertainment and education.34. BRIAN ROBERTS Chairman & CEO, Comcast35. NIGEL MORRIS Global CEO, Isobar Morris hardly sounds like a man whose company was named the largest digital marketing agency in the world by RECMA. "The whole industry is looking down the barrel of a gun," he said at the OMMA Global New York conference in September. Morris, however, knows how to adapt to a changing world: "Transparency and consumer control means that now the deer have guns." His advice? "Brands need to look at themselves as a service, not a product."36. MARK READ Strategy Director, WPP Digital37. OPRAH WINFREY SHERYL SANDBERG Chief Operating Officer, FacebookWhen Sheryl Sandberg was hired by Facebook as its Chief Operating Officer, she quickly gained a reputation as Mother Sheryl. "She came and kicked everybody in the ass and then gave everybody a hug," said one employee. Of course being a mom sometimes has a downside, and she's taken some heat from industry bloggers for such unthinkable acts as canceling beer-pong competitions. But no doubt Mark Zuckerberg was trying to take his company out of the dorm room and into the boardroom when he hired her. As a former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Sandberg says her goal is to turn Facebook into a global leader. Time to put away your RipSticks, kids.39. MARK CUBAN President and cofounder, HDNet/Owner, Dallas MavericksCuban has read Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in its entirety three times.40. ESTHER DYSON Non-Executive Director, WPP Group41. WILL WRIGHT Game Designer, The Sims/Spore"Watching someone play a game is a different experience than actually holding the controller and playing it yourself. Vastly different," Wright wrote in Wired, "Imagine that all you knew about movies was gleaned through observing the audience in a theater - but that you had never watched a film."42. DALE HERIGSTAD Chief Creative Officer, SchematicAn influential thinker who has been oft quoted as saying, "Designing digital context is the Learn French
next creative assignment," Herigstad visualizes things most people can barely conceptualize. 43. BOB GREENBERG Chairman, CEO & Global Chief Creative Officer, R/GA 44. JOHN BATTELLE, FOUNDER Chairman & CEO, Federated Media Publications 45. MARC ANDREESSEN Valley investor (Netscape Founder)"In the startup world, you're either a genius or an idiot," Andreessen told Fast Company. "You're never just an ordinary guy trying to get through the day."46. ALEX BOGUSKY CCO and Co-chairman, Crispin Porter + Bogusky If you ever have the opportunity to do lunch with Alex Bogusky, here's something you should do: Take a moment to scan the room and watch all the eyes watching him. Some may be peeking at him, because they know he's the ad industry's top creative mind, and the spirit behind Boulder-based Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Others may simply have mistaken him as an errant rock star, actor or cover model. The guy projects charisma that sometimes seems to overshadow the deep think simmering beneath the bangs.47. CRAIG NEWMARK Founder & Director, CraigslistWhen Stephen Colbert thanked Newmark for killing the American newspaper, Newmark replied, "Well, I'd like to take credit for that ... somebody accused me of being the anti-Christ of print media."48. JON STEWART Actor/Author/Fake News Anchor, The Daily Show"The press is 6-year-olds playing soccer," Stewart told Entertainment Weekly of this year's presidential election coverage. "Nobody has a position, it's just 'Where's the ball? Where's the ball? Sarah Palin has the ball!'"49. MARTHA STEWART Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia"You know, in China they say, 'The thinner the chopsticks; the higher the social status,'" Stewart told The New Yorker. "Of course, I got the thinnest I could find?.... That's why people hate me."50. LORI SCHWARTZ Senior Vice President, Director, Interpublic Emerging Media LabSchwartz might be the only one on Variety's list of Top 30 Executives Shaping the Evolution of Media and Technology who you may also see on stage at the Improv.51. ALAN COHEN CEO, OMD USA Alan Cohen occasionally still drinks Dr Pepper when no one is looking (even though OMD reps Pepsi).52. ALBERT CHENG Executive Vice President, Digital Media, Disney-ABC Television Group 53. DAVE MORGAN Chairman & Partner, The Tennis Company (Founder and Former CEO & Chairman of Tacoda)"Tennis is an underleveraged sport with amazing numbers. Enthusiasts are international, affluent, active, passionate, loyal and most importantly, are growing," Morgan said, explaining his route from founding RealMedia and Tacoda to sitting atop a niche publishing company and working with Chris Evert. 54. GIAN FULGONI Chairman & Cofounder, comScoreTossing off bon mots such as "Not everything that can be measured matters, and usually what matters is not easy to measure," Fulgoni might have a future as an existential poet. And he says fun things about Google. Like pointing out that it hasn't built measurement products "with the objective of entering the market research industry and being an 'independent arbiter' of where ad planners should put their money. Rather, they appear to have built tools that help facilitate the movement of display ad dollars to Google and its ad network."55. TIM HANLON Executive Vice President & Managing Director, VivaKi56. SUSAN WHITING Vice Chair, The Nielsen Company 57. JAMES CAMERON Filmmaker & Producer Cameron is making his bet on 3D in the next few years. He's developed a specialized stereoscopic camera, and is banking on his movie Avatar to bring 3D mainstream. "Stereo production is the next big thing," he said at an advertising conference this year. "We are born seeing in three dimensions. Most animals have two eyes and not one. There is a reason I think."TIM WU Professor, Columbia Law School Policy makers ranging from President-elect Barack Obama to FCC Chair Kevin Martin have endorsed net neutrality, or the view that broadband providers should treat all Web traffic equally. Much of that stance can be traced to 36-year-old Wu, who coined the term in an influential 2003 paper. In a recent New York Times Op-Ed he wrote, "In an information economy, the supply and price of bandwidth matters, in the way that oil prices matter: not just for gas stations, but for the whole economy." 59. JOE UVA CEO, Univision60. TED TURNER Billionaire Philanthropist/Media Mogul/Restaurateur Turner owns more land than any other American, and uses much of it for his bison herds, as he works to popularize the idea of dining on bison meat.61. TIM WESTERGREN Chief Strategy Officer & Founder, Pandora/Music Genome Project"The only way to help people discover songs that they've never heard before is to understand the intrinsic qualities of that piece of music," Westergren told Novedge, explaining how his new recommendations-based service worked.62. SI NEWHOUSE Chairman and CEO, Advance Publications"'I don't think I'm a hail-fellow-well-met," notoriously press-shy Newhouse, told The New York Times.63. JIM STENGEL Jim Stengel LLC/Former Chief Marketing Officer of Procter & Gamble64. RICH MINER Director, Google Mobile65. ALEXANDRE MARS CEO, Phone ValleyTREY PARKER AND MATT STONE Creators, South Park/ProducersWhen did MTV Networks' Comedy Central replace MTV as the arbiter of hip, young sensibility, and when exactly did Trey Parker and Matt Stone elevate the sophomoric, bad-taste humor of South Park to divine comedic commentary of all things wrong with America? Don't let the juvenility fool you. There's a lot of wisdom coming from the foul mouths of these babes, and Parker and Stone continue to use low-brows as a cover for some high-level thinking about media. They're intellectually curious and mine the best of digital, from the online interaction of their SouthParkStudios.com to an almost instant send-up of the real conspiracy behind Barack Obama's election.LI RUIGANG President, Shanghai Media Group To Li Ruigang, the Chinese government's command over media certainly hasn't been a burden. While the president of the 7-year-old Shanghai Media Group has described the company as a "state asset," it certainly hasn't operated like one. Under Li, SMG (China's second largest media group) has grown to encompass 16 national digital pay channels and a mobile TV channel, created partnerships with the likes of MTV and Dow Jones and even releases a handful of digital films each year. Not too shabby for a guy who counts Rupert Murdoch and Sumner Redstone as buddies, was named "Showman of the Year" by Chinese Variety magazine and hasn't even hit 40 yet.68. WENDA HARRIS MILLARD Co-CEO, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia "I am a huge proponent of leveraging technology to help us buy and sell advertising, but I don't think that technology can create great advertising," Millard said, explaining her "pork bellies" remark to AllThingsD.ROBIN LI CEO & Chairman, Baidu.comIf you don't know Robin Li, you should. That's because Li has done something no one else has - sorry Microsoft - beat Google at the search game (at least on his home turf). Li, founder of the Chinese search engine Baidu.com (pronounced "buy-do," a Chinese word representing, in essence, the persistent quest for the ideal), operates the top search engine in China (about 70 percent of the market, per the AP). And comScore ranks it as the third most-used worldwide (following the Big G and Yahoo, but beating - sorry again - Microsoft). It's no wonder that Li is an icon for Chinese tech geeks.70. KEVIN LEE Chairman & CEO, DidIt71. BRIAN WIESER Senior Vice President, Director of Industry Analysis, MAGNA 72. KEN AULETTA Author & Journalist"It's really dangerous for a journalist to think about 'influence,'" Auletta told MediaBistro. "Our job is to ask questions, and if we're puffed up with our own self-importance we will want to answer questions, not ask them."73. ERIC HUGGERS Director of Future Media & Technology, BBCHENRY JENKINS Co-director, MIT Comparative Media Studies ProgramWhen he announced he was leaving MIT at the end of this yearCheap Rosetta Stone German
to take a position at USC, Jenkins said, "I have decided that the phrase 'bitter-sweet' is inadequate for such a moment, preferring to adopt the phrase, 'Brutal-Sublime' to capture the extreme highs and lows I feel at what is for me a significant transitional moment in my life."75. JOHN DOERR Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Doerr told Fast Company, "Jeff Bezos came to Kleiner Perkins because, in his words, we are a center of gravity in the Internet." His next move: greentech.76. DIMITRY SHAPIRO Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Veoh Networks Inc. Shapiro might be building a better YouTube.77. GENE KEENAN Vice President of Mobile Services, Isobar FREDERICK LOWE CEO & Chief Technology Officer, VaritalkTired of Britney Spears answering every time you call one of your friends? Blame Frederick Lowe who, as the CEO and Chief Technology Officer for Chicage-based Varitalk, designed the patented software that delivers "personalized audio output from real human voices." Are you more likely to call Mom if there is a chance Fifty Cent will ask you to leave a message (and don't forget to buy Vitamin Water)? Maybe not, but nonetheless, Lowe, a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, boasts that "Voicemail is a nearly perfect viral application."79. TOM BROKAW Author, Journalist, NBC 80. NATE SILVER Founder, FiveThirtyEight.com/PECOTA 81. EMILIO AZCARRAGA Chairman & CEO, Grupo Televisa82. GINA BIANCHINI CEO & Cofounder, Ning83. JON SWALLEN Senior Vice President, Research, TNS Media Intelligence JIMMY WALES Founder, Wikipedia Wales has long disputed Larry Sanger's role in the creation of Wikipedia. Wales' Wiki entry includes quotes from a Wired interview in which Sanger gripes about Wales' efforts to change his own entry: "It does seem that Jimmy is attempting to rewrite history. But this is a futile process because in our brave new world of transparent activity and maximum communication, the truth will be out."85. PAUL WOOLMINGTON Founding Partner, Naked CommunicationsNaked founder Woolmington preaches brand transparency - a philosophy he has always practiced: "When [my grandparents] came to visit, I was running around with probably a pair of shorts and nothing much else on, and speaking Swahili fluently," he said in a podcast.86. ROB DESENA Managing Director, IO Global 87. JON MANDEL CEO, NielsenConnect88. HOWARD GARDNER Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education89. OMAR TAWAKOL CEO, BlueKai 90. TOM ROGERS CEO, TiVo, Hybrid Television ServicesSILVIO BERLUSCONI Prime Minister, ItalyBerlusconi is worth, at last count by Forbes, some $9.4 billion dollars. Indeed, the influence that Italy's three-time prime minister wields over his country's media is twofold. Privately, his Finivest holding company owns huge stakes in Italian television, publishing and sports; publicly, he's, well, the prime minister. Regardless, his wealth and power are probably the least interesting things about Berlusconi, whom the BBC, in a story detailing his "controversy and flamboyance," also noted was "perma-tanned [and] wrinkle-free." During his infamous public career, the 72-year-old has dodged repeated corruption accusations and been on trial six times. Last year, his wife, Veronica Lario, wrote a public letter published in the newspaper La Repubblica demanding her husband apologize for publicly flirting with other women (and apologize he did, also via open letter). Heck, in keeping with his history of making controversial public comments (Spain's new government has too many women, for instance) just last month he called Barack Obama "young, handsome and even-tanned." How did Berlusconi dismiss the detractors of his self-described "cute" joke? "Imbeciles," he said, "of which there are too many."92. RAFAT ALI Founder, Publisher & Editor, PaidContent93. DAVID VERKLIN CEO, Canoe Ventures 94. HENRY BLODGET Cofounder, CEO & Editor in Chief, Silicon Alley Insider A short list of insults hurled Blodget's way of late, as recounted in a recent Wired story: "boldface liar," "scum," "arrogant prick," "dirtbag," "unethical," "as crooked as they come," and "Web 1.0, bubble-creating has-been." 95. JASON JIANG CEO & Chairman, Focus Media 96. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON Founder & CEO, Huffington Post97. LAUREL TOUBY Founder, MediaBistro"Men love boas," Touby told The Village Voice about her trademark accessory. "It makes a woman seem more approachable - tactile, even."98. MIKE WALRATH Founder & Senior Vice President, Right Media 99. JIM LOUDERBACK CEO, Revision3"True success with Internet video means thinking of it not as a farm team for existing media?...?but as a newCheap Rosetta Stone Greek
way to communicate, a new medium with its own story-telling arc, rhythm and feel," Louderback has said.100. NICK DENTON Founder & CEO, Gawker Media The man who monetized the crazy idea that you can actually make money off of blogs - you know, those things that Sarah Palin thinks kids in their pajamas write while sitting in their parents' basements - deserves a place at the table for either a stroke of dumb luck or keen media foresight. The momentum continues for Denton's Gawker Media empire, 11 sites strong, which recently hit a high of 22 million unique monthly visitors.
MediaPost Publications Brandtique: Crest, 'Entertainment Tonight'
As rivalries go, it sure seems as if Colgate-Crest should get Cheap Rosetta Stone Indian
more ink. Since at least 1955, the two have gone at each other--and never more so than today. The face-off has intensified in the "Whitening" era, where both are marketing toothpaste and an array of other products that promise to restore the shine. Both companies believe the more extra capabilities and specialties that can be packed into the tube--tartar and cavity protection, baking soda, whitening, etc.--the better chance they have to improve their fortunes. And both have aggressively moved to take the whitening "technology" and extend it to other products within the "oral care" category. Those too are now marketed as having multiple benefits. So, the seven-year-old Crest Whitestrips now have a new offering: Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection. Pun intended: That's a mouthful. Executives behind the Whitestrips have shown a penchant for using Hollywood as a marketing platform, with recent promotions involving ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and actress Mira Sorvino, to name two. Now, with the newest product, Crest has once again looked to Tinseltown--with an understandable desire to link with "Young Hollywood," the oft-troubled group that keeps celebrity magazines in business. Crest is making the seemingly safe bet that many young people aspire to be like "Young Hollywood." And that means having a gleaming smile, if for nothing elseCheap Rosetta Stone Italian
than the homemade video to post on MySpace. In April, Crest linked with the annual Young Hollywood Awards to give the new Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection some wind at its back. The brand sponsored a "Best On Screen Smile" award, hosted an after-party and ran a sweepstakes. Last month, Crest returned to Hollywood via a sponsored segment on the Aug. 12 edition of "Entertainment Tonight" (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX). The short piece showed four "Young Hollywood" stars of new film "The House Bunny" (Anna Faris, Emma Stone, Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis) having a good 'ol time posing and modeling and admiring themselves in an old-time photo booth -- the "ET Photo Booth by Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening." Bookending the segment with the actresses gabbing and laughing and complimenting each other came billboards for the product. And during those good times, a Whitestrips logo appeared on-screen twice. It may not have been the most creative brand integration, but it's hard to argue with the thinking behind it. Of course, expect Colgate and Crest to continue to look for on-screen placements. For its part, Colgate is opening its Cheap Rosetta Stone
arms wide to those who come with no cost. Its Web site offers an easy opportunity to contact the company about using one of its brands in a TV show or film.
more ink. Since at least 1955, the two have gone at each other--and never more so than today. The face-off has intensified in the "Whitening" era, where both are marketing toothpaste and an array of other products that promise to restore the shine. Both companies believe the more extra capabilities and specialties that can be packed into the tube--tartar and cavity protection, baking soda, whitening, etc.--the better chance they have to improve their fortunes. And both have aggressively moved to take the whitening "technology" and extend it to other products within the "oral care" category. Those too are now marketed as having multiple benefits. So, the seven-year-old Crest Whitestrips now have a new offering: Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection. Pun intended: That's a mouthful. Executives behind the Whitestrips have shown a penchant for using Hollywood as a marketing platform, with recent promotions involving ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and actress Mira Sorvino, to name two. Now, with the newest product, Crest has once again looked to Tinseltown--with an understandable desire to link with "Young Hollywood," the oft-troubled group that keeps celebrity magazines in business. Crest is making the seemingly safe bet that many young people aspire to be like "Young Hollywood." And that means having a gleaming smile, if for nothing elseCheap Rosetta Stone Italian
than the homemade video to post on MySpace. In April, Crest linked with the annual Young Hollywood Awards to give the new Daily Whitening + Tartar Protection some wind at its back. The brand sponsored a "Best On Screen Smile" award, hosted an after-party and ran a sweepstakes. Last month, Crest returned to Hollywood via a sponsored segment on the Aug. 12 edition of "Entertainment Tonight" (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX). The short piece showed four "Young Hollywood" stars of new film "The House Bunny" (Anna Faris, Emma Stone, Katharine McPhee and Rumer Willis) having a good 'ol time posing and modeling and admiring themselves in an old-time photo booth -- the "ET Photo Booth by Crest Whitestrips Daily Whitening." Bookending the segment with the actresses gabbing and laughing and complimenting each other came billboards for the product. And during those good times, a Whitestrips logo appeared on-screen twice. It may not have been the most creative brand integration, but it's hard to argue with the thinking behind it. Of course, expect Colgate and Crest to continue to look for on-screen placements. For its part, Colgate is opening its Cheap Rosetta Stone
arms wide to those who come with no cost. Its Web site offers an easy opportunity to contact the company about using one of its brands in a TV show or film.
MediaPost Publications The Future Of Media: India
In India, everyone can hear you scream.Stepping out of the under-renovation airport in the Indian capital New Delhi on the Cheap Rosetta Stone
Fourth of July, it was impossible to miss a giant billboard announcing the launch of People magazine. A U.S. title launched in India on American Independence Day with a striking Indian flavor: Is a phase of reverse cultural colonialism under way? The billboard, with the unmistakable People logo juxtaposed with photos of Bollywood;s most famous stars, confirmed that the Indian media bazaar is indeed the market of opportunity. As Western countries struggle to keep newspapers and magazines alive, the story in India is quite the contrary. Despite the Cheap Rosetta Stone German
economic slowdown and rising inflation, the Indian media is in full bloom.Fueled by an economic boom that has accelerated consumerism in an otherwise conservative and traditional society, India;s new middle class - more numerous than the entire population of the United States - is devouring media like a hungry tiger awoken from slumber.The diversity of consumers is mind-boggling. Most big cities have built swanky, supersize shopping malls for their sophisticated, mobile phone-armed under-25s. Some small villages still rely on one literate member to read out the day;s news from a regional-language newspaper at a tea shop. And it;s not uncommon to find a group of men huddled around a black-and-white television set whenever electricity is available.On the face of it, India;s biggest advantage is its 1.2 billion people with their linguistic, cultural, ethnic, economic and regional differences. More than half the population is under 25, with more aspirations and spending power than their parents; generation. Similar to the European Union, each of India;s 28 states has its own quirks, tastes and sensibilities. India;s celebrated diversity comes with economic disparity and a colonial hangover, resulting in a minority elite wielding disproportionate economic influence. Ironically, the Indian economy, which is now synonymous with IT and outsourcing, has dismal Internet penetration. India has just two PCS per 100 households, according to technology trade group NASSCOM, and a paltry 4 million broadband connections, as opposed to China, which adds 3.2 million connections every quarter. Indian Internet and computer usage is mostly during office hours, which is one reason why the print players retain their stronghold as the day;s first source of news. Cybercafes are fast coming under pressure to shut down, in a bid to increase the country;s security measures against terrorists, hackers and pornography users.It is no surprise that existing media houses in the print and TV sectors have not developed their online presence to the extent that they should and could have. In stark contrast, mobile phone penetration is already more than 250 million subscribers and set to double by 2011."The general expectation in India is that convergence will skip the Internet and go right to the mobile phone," says Vir Sanghvi of the Hindustan Times.Content specifically created for mobile phones has already begun in the form of advertising clips. Upon entering an Indian mall, you are repeatedly reminded and urged to turn on your mobile phone;s Bluetooth functionality. After doing so, shoppers are inundated with Cheap Rosetta Stone Greek
multimedia clips for special offers, sales and advertising related to the mall;s stores. With 6 million mobile phone users added every month, media visionaries are sensing the opportunities, particularly in a society where cash for cell phones takes precedence over money for meals.In June 2008, Rajshri Media, a Web and media studio and part of Bollywood production house Rajshri, launched India;s first made-for-mobile show, "Akbar Birbal Remixed," in a collaborative venture with mobile service provider IDEA. The program has 90 video and audio clips of three minutes each and is available in SMS, MMS, video and audio formats on IDEA;s SMS, voice and WAP platforms. The show, a Bollywood-style take on the folk literature tales of the Mughal emperor Akbar and his witty minister Birbal, will be accessible through IDEA for three months. Rajshri, meanwhile, has already confirmed that other mobile service providers have approached them to produce mobisodes.Mobile telephone technology in India is much more advanced than it is in Western countries. The mobile phone has become the 21st century;s status symbol in India, much like its predecessors, the television set and the newspaper. The Internet, by contrast, is perceived as a private, back-end office activity with limited scope.However, despite the meager Internet usage trends, online advertising is expected to grow tenfold in the next five years. So, brandishing cell phones with startling ringtones, Indians are announcing their arrival. It may not be the classiest of entrées, but it;s one that cannot be ignored.India and its media are on a roller-coaster trip, and as with most amusement rides, it;s tempting to get on. However, the Indian roller coaster comes with its own bumps, detours and obstacles. In the past year, Indian versions of popular Western titles such as Vogue, Rolling Stone, FHM, Maxim and Geo stormed the market. Popular Science, GQ and Fortune are getting set to jostle for readership. The trend of foreign special-interest magazines entering the Indian market with rapid velocity makes news in Western media and is glorified as yet another chapter in the India Shining story. However, as with all profile stories coming out of India, a gentle tap of the surface reveals a much more complex picture. Currently, Indian media laws limit foreign equity to 26 percent in the news segment but allow 100 percent equity in non-news and non-current affairs specialty magazines. As a result, foreign special-interest magazines are queuing up for a piece of the action. Condé Nast India is one of a handful of foreign-owned publishers to have set up a completely staffed India operation to produce a fully owned title. In contrast, People magazine has no employees from U.S. parent Time Inc., which doesn;t have any stake in the Indian edition but has chosen to enter into a licensing arrangement with India-based Outlook Group.Such arrangements, in which Western titles are published under licensing agreements with the owner of the magazines, have resulted in a smorgasbord of publications containing Indian content dressed in Western design with a sprinkling of international information - all readily available at the neighborhood newspaper stall or brought to one;s car when waiting at a traffic light by a grubby child laborer.It was at one such Delhi traffic light, surrounded by E-class Mercedes and Toyota SUVS, that I bought a copy of the 10th issue of Vogue India. Printed on glossy paper and priced a little more than $2, Vogue India is a veritable feast of luxury wow-wow and is aimed at the well-heeled and much-moneyed Indian woman, of whom there are now plenty. Condé Nast India;s CEO, Alex Kuruvilla, repeatedly states that there are 1 million homes in India earning more than $100,000 annually, and a flip through Vogue India leaves absolutely no doubt that it and the other foreign titles are zoning in on that niche segment. In print media, total advertising revenues are estimated at $2.3 billion, with newspapers taking in about 85 percent of the total. Advertisers are still skewed toward newspapers and general-interest magazines; however, the growth rate of ads in special-interest publications is extremely robust. Luxury, lifestyle and fashion have emerged as the most popular niche in special-interest publishing. Advertising accounts for 70 to 80 percent of magazine revenues in India. Indian editions cost much less than their foreign counterparts, but the cover price of the niche monthlies, typically $2 to $3, is still high by Indian standards.The opportunities forCheap Rosetta Stone Indian
growth are indisputable, but the content is undeniably repetitive. In the process of Indianization, Western magazines have ended up with an identity neither true to their original form nor fresh for an Indian consumer. As the market gets saturated with special-interest magazines, advertisers and consumers are sure to become more discerning and demanding.Cognizant of the power of luxury niche magazines, even publishers of general-interest magazines, such as popular Indian newsweeklies Outlook and India Today, have begun producing weekly supplements in a bid to increase advertising and keep their flagship magazines afloat. For newsmagazines, the absence of access to foreign equity is worsened by the fact that news is ubiquitous and freely available by way of newspapers and television. The average Indian, therefore, finds it futile to spend 10 times more for the same reading material. The Indian newspaper market is the second largest in the world, selling 99 million copies daily, only lagging behind China (107 million copies daily). The United States sells 51 million copies daily - fourth place.With rising literacy and more disposable income, the newspaper industry in India is on a phenomenal upward trend. Between 2005 and 2006 alone, India added more than 100 daily newspapers, bringing the total to 287.India;s large mass of humanity becomes relevant in the newspaper domain as advertisers flock to secure space and reach out to a readership that could be as much as the population of Europe.The print boom is also largely facilitated by the unprecedented increase in regional publications to feed the speakers of 22 official Indian languages. Currently, Indian literacy is reported at 65 percent, with an estimated 20 percent accounting for real newspaper readership, creating a scenario of enormous untapped potential. However, in a society visibly and unabashedly divided along the lines of monetary might and caste, it is the English language that has emerged as the single most powerful tool for upward social mobility. Raju Narisetti, a former editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe, launched India;s fifth business daily, Mint, which is cobranded with the WSJ, in February 2007. Narisetti is doubtful of the realistic chances of seven - if one counts the soon-to-be-launched Financial Times - business dailies surviving successfully in any one country.And yet, he was lured to India by the offer of adding to the list of English-language business dailies because he felt that "1.2 billion Indians deserved better content." Since its launch, Mint has attained a circulation of 120,000 and has made a positive impact in the circles that matter. However, the Berliner-size newspaper is not teeming with advertising.Narisetti says confidently, "The Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
will come.""Newspapers never die in India," says Vir Sanghvi, who is also a popular TV personality. "They may not make money or even be read, but they chug along.""Indians need their newspapers. It;s a strong cultural symbol. Every literate Indian household will have the parents asking their children to read the morning paper. So I don;t see the newspaper habit dying in this country," says Narisetti.The newspaper is also viewed by the uneducated masses as a status symbol. Acquisition of a morning newspaper - regardless of language - and the ability to peruse it is a sign of having arrived.Yet another media baron in the making, Venkattram Reddy, chairman of Deccan Chronicle Holdings, which publishes the Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle newspapers, is just as buoyant as Narisetti. Reddy is convinced of the massive potential of English-language print media. As teaching centers for speaking and reading English mushroom across the Indian landscape, a new class of nascent English-literates is forming, and Reddy wants their loyalty.Surviving as a media player in India today involves a complete prostration in front of its youth - ironic in a country where society is conditioned to prostrate in front of its elderly.The mood of the nation is youthful, energetic and charged. Advertising reflects it, as it hails "Youngistan" and is a great shift away from the creaky go-with-the-flow attitude that largely dominated until recent years. Even regional-language newspapers are appealing to the aspirational values of its young readership, and enjoying highly profitable growth. They have also brought in international celebrity news and lifestyle features that critics say are of little relevance to regional-language readers.At first glance, the protection from foreign players accorded by the Indian government and support from larger parent companies should provide for greater editorial independence. Nonetheless, the liberalization of the Indian economy that has precipitated a shift in the cultural psyche of the nation - from austerity to ostentation - has afflicted Indian newspapers with the same malaise that is typical of their Western counterparts: Content follows advertising.And so, newspapers may retain their status as a cultural and intellectual symbol, Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
television that has captured the imaginations of millions of Indians. Undergoing a state of transformation with digital distribution networks, the Indian TV industry, according to a 2008 PricewaterhouseCoopers report, is currently valued at $5.3 billion and is expected to reach $14 billion by 2012. Direct-to-home (DTH) television is likely to reach between 15 million and 30 million homes by 2015. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and broadband are certain to be future drivers.A report by International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that in India, the number of IPTV subscribers is expected to reach 1 million in 2011, if not sooner. Chandan Mendiratta, consulting engineer with Cisco India, was reported in Indian media to have said: "IDC expects 15.9 percent of all the residential broadband subscribers in India to use IPTV by the end of 2011, up from less than 1 percent of all broadband subscribers in 2006. India has around 65 million cable and satellite homes. If even 10 percent use IPTV, we are talking about 6.5 million homes, and this is outside of the enterprise uptake." The numbers are already mind-blowing, and there;s still a great deal of potential for further growth. The country has 115 million homes with television, up from 88 million in 2000, and still covering only half the number of households. Advertising spending on Indian television has grown an average of 21 percent a year from 1995 to 2005, at which point it hit $1.6 billion, according to ZenithOptimedia.Broadcast in Hindi and other regional languages, a curious mix of programming includes religious discourses in the mornings and flashy dancing talent shows in the evenings.Until the 1990s, TV came from a single government-broadcaster transmitting a few channels. In 2008, the Indian viewer can select from 300 channels offered by a field of domestic and international media companies. India deregulated TV in the 1990s and allowed foreign media companies to fully own entertainment networks. It still limits foreign ownership to 26 percent of news channels.Since that period, when Rupert Murdoch;s News Corporation entered the market by acquiring Star TV, the industry has revolutionized the Indian viewer;s perception of entertainment.Including cricket broadcasts on sports channels, entertainment TV in India is estimated to take in 72 percent of the $5.3 billion annual turnover. In comparison, the Bollywood film industry has an annual turnover of $2.1 billion.Indian TV has drastically eaten into the commercial pie of Indian film revenues. Primetime evening soaps revolving around family sagas with villainous characters, a regressive portrayal of women, and loud background scores are known to bring the nation;s households to a virtual standstill. Unlike its counterparts in print, the television industry in India will have to brace itself for a massive shakeout. Despite the presence of 300 (and counting) players, only five or six continue to feature regularly in the top of the ratings race. The advertising at stake is much higher than in other media, but TV is also much more expensive to keep alive - particularly in the 24-hour format.As with all scenarios in India, the flip side to television leapfrogging into the digital age is that it also has to combat the reality of India;s sad state of infrastructure and its socioeconomic failures. According to the 2001 census, 56 percent of rural Indian households have no electricity. Of the televisions in use, about 40 percent are black-and-white.The biggest obstacle in bringing about a rapid change in TV technology is the same problem that content providers are facing. The viewership of Indian TV is dominated by women, and the programming targets the female segment, airing shows that revolve around family themes, music and dance, which are integral to Indian society and culture. The shift to IPTV will largely depend on the tech-savvy quotient of the Indian woman, unless it reaches out entirely to the country;s youth as its primary audience. Indian telecom players such as Reliance, MTNL and BSNL believe IPTV has a bright future in the country. However, the concept still hasn;t struck a favorable chord with consumers because IPTV providers are competing with cable and satellite platforms instead of highlighting the interactivity feature. According to industry watchers, IPTV providers still don;t have a successful revenue model. Telecom Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
companies are unfamiliar with the idea of original content and are in the process of familiarizing themselves with the TV market. Technologically, the challenges extend to bandwidth availability and interoperability of devices.That Indians thrive on their entertainment and have embraced the mobile phone as a must-have bodes well for interactive TV and video-on-demand. However, yet another Indian concern will have to be taken into serious consideration for success: pricing and value. India in the 21st century continues to baffle and boggle its observers and visitors, just as it did centuries ago. Thankfully, development and technology have done little to streamline the Indian way into a homogenous globalized pattern. Culture still plays a strong role in the Indian story and context. Success in the Indian media goes beyond replicating Western ideas or merely spicing up content. There is no surefire formula for success, other than understanding the idea that is India, and working with it instead of dictating to it. All rights to this article belong to the author. Any use, distribution and/or reproduction is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of the author.
Fourth of July, it was impossible to miss a giant billboard announcing the launch of People magazine. A U.S. title launched in India on American Independence Day with a striking Indian flavor: Is a phase of reverse cultural colonialism under way? The billboard, with the unmistakable People logo juxtaposed with photos of Bollywood;s most famous stars, confirmed that the Indian media bazaar is indeed the market of opportunity. As Western countries struggle to keep newspapers and magazines alive, the story in India is quite the contrary. Despite the Cheap Rosetta Stone German
economic slowdown and rising inflation, the Indian media is in full bloom.Fueled by an economic boom that has accelerated consumerism in an otherwise conservative and traditional society, India;s new middle class - more numerous than the entire population of the United States - is devouring media like a hungry tiger awoken from slumber.The diversity of consumers is mind-boggling. Most big cities have built swanky, supersize shopping malls for their sophisticated, mobile phone-armed under-25s. Some small villages still rely on one literate member to read out the day;s news from a regional-language newspaper at a tea shop. And it;s not uncommon to find a group of men huddled around a black-and-white television set whenever electricity is available.On the face of it, India;s biggest advantage is its 1.2 billion people with their linguistic, cultural, ethnic, economic and regional differences. More than half the population is under 25, with more aspirations and spending power than their parents; generation. Similar to the European Union, each of India;s 28 states has its own quirks, tastes and sensibilities. India;s celebrated diversity comes with economic disparity and a colonial hangover, resulting in a minority elite wielding disproportionate economic influence. Ironically, the Indian economy, which is now synonymous with IT and outsourcing, has dismal Internet penetration. India has just two PCS per 100 households, according to technology trade group NASSCOM, and a paltry 4 million broadband connections, as opposed to China, which adds 3.2 million connections every quarter. Indian Internet and computer usage is mostly during office hours, which is one reason why the print players retain their stronghold as the day;s first source of news. Cybercafes are fast coming under pressure to shut down, in a bid to increase the country;s security measures against terrorists, hackers and pornography users.It is no surprise that existing media houses in the print and TV sectors have not developed their online presence to the extent that they should and could have. In stark contrast, mobile phone penetration is already more than 250 million subscribers and set to double by 2011."The general expectation in India is that convergence will skip the Internet and go right to the mobile phone," says Vir Sanghvi of the Hindustan Times.Content specifically created for mobile phones has already begun in the form of advertising clips. Upon entering an Indian mall, you are repeatedly reminded and urged to turn on your mobile phone;s Bluetooth functionality. After doing so, shoppers are inundated with Cheap Rosetta Stone Greek
multimedia clips for special offers, sales and advertising related to the mall;s stores. With 6 million mobile phone users added every month, media visionaries are sensing the opportunities, particularly in a society where cash for cell phones takes precedence over money for meals.In June 2008, Rajshri Media, a Web and media studio and part of Bollywood production house Rajshri, launched India;s first made-for-mobile show, "Akbar Birbal Remixed," in a collaborative venture with mobile service provider IDEA. The program has 90 video and audio clips of three minutes each and is available in SMS, MMS, video and audio formats on IDEA;s SMS, voice and WAP platforms. The show, a Bollywood-style take on the folk literature tales of the Mughal emperor Akbar and his witty minister Birbal, will be accessible through IDEA for three months. Rajshri, meanwhile, has already confirmed that other mobile service providers have approached them to produce mobisodes.Mobile telephone technology in India is much more advanced than it is in Western countries. The mobile phone has become the 21st century;s status symbol in India, much like its predecessors, the television set and the newspaper. The Internet, by contrast, is perceived as a private, back-end office activity with limited scope.However, despite the meager Internet usage trends, online advertising is expected to grow tenfold in the next five years. So, brandishing cell phones with startling ringtones, Indians are announcing their arrival. It may not be the classiest of entrées, but it;s one that cannot be ignored.India and its media are on a roller-coaster trip, and as with most amusement rides, it;s tempting to get on. However, the Indian roller coaster comes with its own bumps, detours and obstacles. In the past year, Indian versions of popular Western titles such as Vogue, Rolling Stone, FHM, Maxim and Geo stormed the market. Popular Science, GQ and Fortune are getting set to jostle for readership. The trend of foreign special-interest magazines entering the Indian market with rapid velocity makes news in Western media and is glorified as yet another chapter in the India Shining story. However, as with all profile stories coming out of India, a gentle tap of the surface reveals a much more complex picture. Currently, Indian media laws limit foreign equity to 26 percent in the news segment but allow 100 percent equity in non-news and non-current affairs specialty magazines. As a result, foreign special-interest magazines are queuing up for a piece of the action. Condé Nast India is one of a handful of foreign-owned publishers to have set up a completely staffed India operation to produce a fully owned title. In contrast, People magazine has no employees from U.S. parent Time Inc., which doesn;t have any stake in the Indian edition but has chosen to enter into a licensing arrangement with India-based Outlook Group.Such arrangements, in which Western titles are published under licensing agreements with the owner of the magazines, have resulted in a smorgasbord of publications containing Indian content dressed in Western design with a sprinkling of international information - all readily available at the neighborhood newspaper stall or brought to one;s car when waiting at a traffic light by a grubby child laborer.It was at one such Delhi traffic light, surrounded by E-class Mercedes and Toyota SUVS, that I bought a copy of the 10th issue of Vogue India. Printed on glossy paper and priced a little more than $2, Vogue India is a veritable feast of luxury wow-wow and is aimed at the well-heeled and much-moneyed Indian woman, of whom there are now plenty. Condé Nast India;s CEO, Alex Kuruvilla, repeatedly states that there are 1 million homes in India earning more than $100,000 annually, and a flip through Vogue India leaves absolutely no doubt that it and the other foreign titles are zoning in on that niche segment. In print media, total advertising revenues are estimated at $2.3 billion, with newspapers taking in about 85 percent of the total. Advertisers are still skewed toward newspapers and general-interest magazines; however, the growth rate of ads in special-interest publications is extremely robust. Luxury, lifestyle and fashion have emerged as the most popular niche in special-interest publishing. Advertising accounts for 70 to 80 percent of magazine revenues in India. Indian editions cost much less than their foreign counterparts, but the cover price of the niche monthlies, typically $2 to $3, is still high by Indian standards.The opportunities forCheap Rosetta Stone Indian
growth are indisputable, but the content is undeniably repetitive. In the process of Indianization, Western magazines have ended up with an identity neither true to their original form nor fresh for an Indian consumer. As the market gets saturated with special-interest magazines, advertisers and consumers are sure to become more discerning and demanding.Cognizant of the power of luxury niche magazines, even publishers of general-interest magazines, such as popular Indian newsweeklies Outlook and India Today, have begun producing weekly supplements in a bid to increase advertising and keep their flagship magazines afloat. For newsmagazines, the absence of access to foreign equity is worsened by the fact that news is ubiquitous and freely available by way of newspapers and television. The average Indian, therefore, finds it futile to spend 10 times more for the same reading material. The Indian newspaper market is the second largest in the world, selling 99 million copies daily, only lagging behind China (107 million copies daily). The United States sells 51 million copies daily - fourth place.With rising literacy and more disposable income, the newspaper industry in India is on a phenomenal upward trend. Between 2005 and 2006 alone, India added more than 100 daily newspapers, bringing the total to 287.India;s large mass of humanity becomes relevant in the newspaper domain as advertisers flock to secure space and reach out to a readership that could be as much as the population of Europe.The print boom is also largely facilitated by the unprecedented increase in regional publications to feed the speakers of 22 official Indian languages. Currently, Indian literacy is reported at 65 percent, with an estimated 20 percent accounting for real newspaper readership, creating a scenario of enormous untapped potential. However, in a society visibly and unabashedly divided along the lines of monetary might and caste, it is the English language that has emerged as the single most powerful tool for upward social mobility. Raju Narisetti, a former editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe, launched India;s fifth business daily, Mint, which is cobranded with the WSJ, in February 2007. Narisetti is doubtful of the realistic chances of seven - if one counts the soon-to-be-launched Financial Times - business dailies surviving successfully in any one country.And yet, he was lured to India by the offer of adding to the list of English-language business dailies because he felt that "1.2 billion Indians deserved better content." Since its launch, Mint has attained a circulation of 120,000 and has made a positive impact in the circles that matter. However, the Berliner-size newspaper is not teeming with advertising.Narisetti says confidently, "The Cheap Rosetta Stone Italian
will come.""Newspapers never die in India," says Vir Sanghvi, who is also a popular TV personality. "They may not make money or even be read, but they chug along.""Indians need their newspapers. It;s a strong cultural symbol. Every literate Indian household will have the parents asking their children to read the morning paper. So I don;t see the newspaper habit dying in this country," says Narisetti.The newspaper is also viewed by the uneducated masses as a status symbol. Acquisition of a morning newspaper - regardless of language - and the ability to peruse it is a sign of having arrived.Yet another media baron in the making, Venkattram Reddy, chairman of Deccan Chronicle Holdings, which publishes the Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle newspapers, is just as buoyant as Narisetti. Reddy is convinced of the massive potential of English-language print media. As teaching centers for speaking and reading English mushroom across the Indian landscape, a new class of nascent English-literates is forming, and Reddy wants their loyalty.Surviving as a media player in India today involves a complete prostration in front of its youth - ironic in a country where society is conditioned to prostrate in front of its elderly.The mood of the nation is youthful, energetic and charged. Advertising reflects it, as it hails "Youngistan" and is a great shift away from the creaky go-with-the-flow attitude that largely dominated until recent years. Even regional-language newspapers are appealing to the aspirational values of its young readership, and enjoying highly profitable growth. They have also brought in international celebrity news and lifestyle features that critics say are of little relevance to regional-language readers.At first glance, the protection from foreign players accorded by the Indian government and support from larger parent companies should provide for greater editorial independence. Nonetheless, the liberalization of the Indian economy that has precipitated a shift in the cultural psyche of the nation - from austerity to ostentation - has afflicted Indian newspapers with the same malaise that is typical of their Western counterparts: Content follows advertising.And so, newspapers may retain their status as a cultural and intellectual symbol, Cheap Rosetta Stone Japanese
television that has captured the imaginations of millions of Indians. Undergoing a state of transformation with digital distribution networks, the Indian TV industry, according to a 2008 PricewaterhouseCoopers report, is currently valued at $5.3 billion and is expected to reach $14 billion by 2012. Direct-to-home (DTH) television is likely to reach between 15 million and 30 million homes by 2015. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and broadband are certain to be future drivers.A report by International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates that in India, the number of IPTV subscribers is expected to reach 1 million in 2011, if not sooner. Chandan Mendiratta, consulting engineer with Cisco India, was reported in Indian media to have said: "IDC expects 15.9 percent of all the residential broadband subscribers in India to use IPTV by the end of 2011, up from less than 1 percent of all broadband subscribers in 2006. India has around 65 million cable and satellite homes. If even 10 percent use IPTV, we are talking about 6.5 million homes, and this is outside of the enterprise uptake." The numbers are already mind-blowing, and there;s still a great deal of potential for further growth. The country has 115 million homes with television, up from 88 million in 2000, and still covering only half the number of households. Advertising spending on Indian television has grown an average of 21 percent a year from 1995 to 2005, at which point it hit $1.6 billion, according to ZenithOptimedia.Broadcast in Hindi and other regional languages, a curious mix of programming includes religious discourses in the mornings and flashy dancing talent shows in the evenings.Until the 1990s, TV came from a single government-broadcaster transmitting a few channels. In 2008, the Indian viewer can select from 300 channels offered by a field of domestic and international media companies. India deregulated TV in the 1990s and allowed foreign media companies to fully own entertainment networks. It still limits foreign ownership to 26 percent of news channels.Since that period, when Rupert Murdoch;s News Corporation entered the market by acquiring Star TV, the industry has revolutionized the Indian viewer;s perception of entertainment.Including cricket broadcasts on sports channels, entertainment TV in India is estimated to take in 72 percent of the $5.3 billion annual turnover. In comparison, the Bollywood film industry has an annual turnover of $2.1 billion.Indian TV has drastically eaten into the commercial pie of Indian film revenues. Primetime evening soaps revolving around family sagas with villainous characters, a regressive portrayal of women, and loud background scores are known to bring the nation;s households to a virtual standstill. Unlike its counterparts in print, the television industry in India will have to brace itself for a massive shakeout. Despite the presence of 300 (and counting) players, only five or six continue to feature regularly in the top of the ratings race. The advertising at stake is much higher than in other media, but TV is also much more expensive to keep alive - particularly in the 24-hour format.As with all scenarios in India, the flip side to television leapfrogging into the digital age is that it also has to combat the reality of India;s sad state of infrastructure and its socioeconomic failures. According to the 2001 census, 56 percent of rural Indian households have no electricity. Of the televisions in use, about 40 percent are black-and-white.The biggest obstacle in bringing about a rapid change in TV technology is the same problem that content providers are facing. The viewership of Indian TV is dominated by women, and the programming targets the female segment, airing shows that revolve around family themes, music and dance, which are integral to Indian society and culture. The shift to IPTV will largely depend on the tech-savvy quotient of the Indian woman, unless it reaches out entirely to the country;s youth as its primary audience. Indian telecom players such as Reliance, MTNL and BSNL believe IPTV has a bright future in the country. However, the concept still hasn;t struck a favorable chord with consumers because IPTV providers are competing with cable and satellite platforms instead of highlighting the interactivity feature. According to industry watchers, IPTV providers still don;t have a successful revenue model. Telecom Cheap Rosetta Stone Korean
companies are unfamiliar with the idea of original content and are in the process of familiarizing themselves with the TV market. Technologically, the challenges extend to bandwidth availability and interoperability of devices.That Indians thrive on their entertainment and have embraced the mobile phone as a must-have bodes well for interactive TV and video-on-demand. However, yet another Indian concern will have to be taken into serious consideration for success: pricing and value. India in the 21st century continues to baffle and boggle its observers and visitors, just as it did centuries ago. Thankfully, development and technology have done little to streamline the Indian way into a homogenous globalized pattern. Culture still plays a strong role in the Indian story and context. Success in the Indian media goes beyond replicating Western ideas or merely spicing up content. There is no surefire formula for success, other than understanding the idea that is India, and working with it instead of dictating to it. All rights to this article belong to the author. Any use, distribution and/or reproduction is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of the author.
订阅：
博文 (Atom)