Media industries

Digital Consultant links for November 2nd through November 3rd

These are my links for November 2nd through November 3rd:

Constant Transformation Is the New Normal – Piece by disruptive innovation expert Scott Anthony on how 'business as usual' ain't coming back: you need to be customer-focused, adaptable to change and have distinct, autonomous spaces for innovation.
Lord Mandelson sets date for blocking filesharers’ internet connections – In full: the timetable and approach for UK government to impose the "three strikes and your offline" policy to tackle file-sharing; which, interestingly, WASN'T a recommendation of Lord Carter's Digital Britain report from this year.
A fistful of (internet) dollars – The Guardian have produced this useful round up showing the size of the digital industries (music, TV, film, games, publishing) in 2000 compared to now, and how they are siddling with Lord Mandelson and the government on the issues around downloading and regulation.
To Be a Better Leader, Give Up Authority – Prof Vlatka Hlupic believes that in complex trading environments in knowledge industries, the leader who delegates more control to their workers can see improved levels of innovation and results. Command and control models are broke.
Expansive English Game Development Hub Discussed – The long-running 'games centre of excellence' proposal seems to be zoning in on becoming a reality, with a research, training and testing facility mooted to be established in MediaCity in Salford – which could put the noses out of joint in Liverpool, where most of the North West games industry are based.

Today’s Digital Consultant Links for November 2nd

These are my links for November 2nd from 09:17 to 12:36:

User-generated video to broadcast on Dublin streets this Christmas – Here's an example of web culture traversing to mainstream culture: Zozzy TV will allow people to "streetcast": broadcast their 30 sec films on a screen in Dublin's major shopping streets (interspersed with adverts, presumably). One to bring to other shopping districts?
Major console games maker mulls a move from UK to Ireland – Scotland is losing its status as a producer of quality games as more developer threaten to leave to exploit tax breaks in other nations. This time Realtime Worlds threaten to move to Dublin – not known as a centre for games as yet but it's certainly developing the infrastructure for a digital production economy.
Report claims illegal downloaders buy more music – A report by lefty-think-thank Demos, paid for by Virgin Media, claims downloaders spend 50% (£33) more on music each year, and would download more if prices reduced to 45p a track. I'd question this research generally though: Virgin have lots to gain from a decrease in peer-to-peer traffic clogging up their network, and it's based on what people say they would do rather than proving behaviour and outcomes.
12 Essential Plugins that Extend WordPress as a CMS – If you're a web developer working with clients to develop websites built on the awesome, free WordPress system, these plug-ins are great for increasing the editorial rights, changing images and adding custom forms amongst other things.

Digital Consultant links for October 23rd through October 26th

These are my links for October 23rd through October 26th:

Social Games: How The Big Three Make Millions – Article on Synga, Playfish and Playdom – how they've raised revenue and are valued, but there's a dark side: much income is from 'lead generation' rather than direct subscriptions from players. I wonder if, like many casual games aps, social gaming will become an activity that can only survive in a free-to-play ad-funded model.
5 Small Businesses Successfully Using Social Media – Still proving limited ROI from these examples, but Mashable show 5 smaller businesses making inventive use of social media to grow audiences and sales. I particularly like the Tweeting Korean Naco truck in Los Angeles.

Today’s Digital Consultant Links for October 20th

These are my links for October 20th from 09:25 to 10:19:

First Direct campaign reveals uncensored user comments – Another social media smokescreen: First Direct, arguably one of the more digitally-savvy high street banks, has a new website which aims to show – uncensored – users comments about them to encourage transparency and confidence in the financial sector. Having looked at the flash(y) site I would say: Bollocks. Users can barely say a thing, the comments are neither searchable nor available in full and it adds no end value to the customer, only serving to create an expensive PR stunt for the bank. Yet another use of social media spin over substance. I simple open forum, moderated by a community manager, would have been a more effective use of online engagement for the bank.
Is EA shelling out $250m for Playfish? – Further evidence that online gaming is growing, as social gaming company (games using social media platforms like Facebook) Playfish are rumoured to be being bought out by leading international games publisher EA (Electronic Arts). Potentially shows a shift from games consoles to other forms of gaming with new forms of revenue (advertising, syndication, premium items)
The Lottery Model, The Free Culture Model, The Click Control Model – Bruce Warila on Music Think Tank discuss the idea of a new model for music licensing which combines free culture with the ability for content creators to reclaim their copyright at the point the music is well distributed and popular.

Today’s Digital Consultant Links for October 19th

These are my links for October 19th from 09:20 to 15:28:

Just 11% of Brits pay for online content – Bad news for online content makers/publishers: only 1 in 10 Brits is paying for any online media (including music), a trend that has worsened from the recession, with users seeking out free online content to replace spend on traditional media (e.g. magazines). But without online advertising increases, this is a vicious cycle – how long can producers sustain the free lunch?
Music Week – Pirate Party founder meets fiery reception – Wow, looks like there was some hot discussion going on at the In The City music convention in Manchester this week. The attitude from the music creators against the libertarian Pirate Party (anti copyright campaigners) suitably extreme: “You talked about the middle ages but if this were the middle ages I would burn you at the stake.” Touche.
Digital marketing in the Midlands: have we got what it takes to become a leading part of the sector? – Very interesting commentary by Clarity Marketing on whether the Midlands (in this instance essentially talking about Birmingham) has the right structure, investment and advocacy to be a leader in digital media. The discussion on the strengths of Birmingham's social media activities and how that relates, or not, to commercial agency activity is very interesting.

Digital Consultant links for November 2nd through November 3rd

Digital Consultant links for October 23rd through October 26th

Today’s Digital Consultant Links for October 20th

Today’s Digital Consultant Links for October 19th

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