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That Federal Help For US Newspapers That We Suggested Six Months Ago Doesn’t Sound So Farcical In Today’s World --- Philip M. Stone April 22, 2009
Six months ago when the federal government started throwing huge amounts of money around for various federal bailouts – (Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, the banks etc,) we suggested that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea for newspapers to get some help, too, and, yes, we understood all the complaints from naysayers about the media beholden to a government that it is supposed to criticize.

Two Weeks Ago Google’s Eric Schmidt Told How He Wants To Help Save Print Newspapers And What Does He Now Do – He Closes Down The Print Ads Program Used by More Than 800 Newspapers --- Philip Stone January 22, 2009
Even the high and mighty are being economically squeezed and that means that Google is cutting out what it considers superfluous projects and concentrating on its core revenue producers. So promises of the past – even two week old promises – no longer hold water.

Diversity becomes hot media topic --- Michael Hedges November 24, 2008
All things financial have permeated airwaves and headlines for weeks, usually in funeral tones. Pirates, from bankers bungling to Somalis hijacking boats, have grabbed lots of attention. Bubbling to the surface, perhaps as relief from the nastiness, is a topic a bit more tangible. Diversity in society and media, societies mirror, is getting attention.

Time On My Side --- Michael Hedges July 31, 2008
Maybe it escaped your notice but Mick Jagger just turned 65. Two days later the Rolling Stones ditched label EMI for Universal. Jagger has made no other comment on becoming eligible for a free bus pass in the UK. EMI said they were sad. Universal said they were glad.

The millstone around Russia --- Michael Hedges June 23, 2008
Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan – all on Russia’s edge – are pushing media repression to new lows. With all broadcasting and most print media firmly under State control, the Web is the current target. Dictators on Russia’s borders perplex even Russian media.

When a Company Starts Messing With Pension Plans It’s Usually A Warning Sign Of Financial Problems, But This Is Gannett, The Largest US Publisher, Surely Things Can’t Be So Dire There? --- Philip Stone June 13, 2008
Gannett made headlines twice this week and neither were good news items. It first announced a $2.3 billion (yes, billion) non-cash assets write-down, primarily the declining value of its Newsquest UK regional newspaper group, and later it shocked employees by messing with their pension plans resulting in the company saving around $30 million next year.

Another radio guy goes after a newspaper --- Michael Hedges June 2, 2008
Newspaper people seem absolutely panicked over the arrival of radio people in their midst. The Tribune Company in the US is now filled with radio people. NextRadioTV owner Alain Weill took over Le Tribune in France. Now it’s Denis O’Brien, owner of two Irish national channels and dozens more in Europe, going after the O’Reilly clan’s Independent News & Media.

BBC news chief addresses international radio festival --- Michael Hedges May 22, 2008
Iran’s state broadcasting institution hosted again its International Radio Festival. The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union joined the event this year co-hosting the International Radio Forum. The BBC’s Director of Global News Richard Sambrook gave the keynote. Only one Iranian official walked out.

Will Newspaper Groups Follow The Banks In Taking Asian And Middle East Cash for Equity? Actually, A Major Regional British Newspaper Group Already Has --- Philip Stone May 15, 2008
It’s no secret that some US and European banks were soaked in the US sub-prime credit crunch mess and gave up equity stakes in return for huge cash inflows from Asia and The Middle East. It’s no secret, too, that newspapers are suffering major advertising revenue declines and for some that means making debt repayments might be in jeopardy, so can Asian and Middle East money be a savior there, too. Yes, according to the UK’s Johnston Press that has made such a deal.

Media War 2.0 --- Michael Hedges May 14, 2008
The Hezbollah faction fought its way across Lebanon’s capital Beirut with more death and destruction in its wake. One target was the pro-government media center Future TV, now in ruins. The militias now control through force of arms much of what moves. And its own media empire is spreading the news.

Leading German broadcaster creates links --- Michael Hedges May 1, 2008
The rise of the internet and new media has sent broadcasters on a search for taking these new tools and creating new listener interest. Leading German broadcaster Radio Hamburg has developed Web programming for specialized music.

Green Grows the Radio --- Michael Hedges May 1, 2008
Global warming and the environment are hot topics for broadcasters. And broadcasters are taking environmental issues personally, adopting carbon-neutral initiatives, joining the rush within many business sectors to embrace an issue deemed increasingly important by listeners.

Media searches for a new business model --- Michael Hedges April 29, 2008
The business model you choose depends on where your product/service is on the product life cycle. Media business models by nature must interact with other business models, which are also moving. New business models are rare and disruptive.

Mobile TV in a bit of a turmoil --- Michael Hedges April 24, 2008
A funny thing happened to mobile TV on the way to the marketplace. While experts still believe it will bring in € billions…someday…Europe and North America will need to look to Asia. It’s another media trend moving East to West

Murdoch Watch…or not --- Michael Hedges April 22, 2008
The Murdoch Watch rhythm has pitched up a few beats, now louder than car radios in a Paris traffic jam. Fortunately most of it is in America where we don’t have to hear it. A British columnist, however, is asking if not enough attention is paid to the dealings of Mr. Murdoch, The Elder.

Another digital dividend – television jobs turnover at 25 year high --- Michael Hedges April 17, 2008
The techno-geeks are winning, or at least they’re keeping their jobs. The digital dividend is also keeping content producers from changing, or losing, their jobs. Turnover in the television sector is highest in Western Europe and the US. But, of course, job turnover at the ‘elite’ level is less than half the rate of the rest of the sector.

Publisher chases rich, famous and influential with new website and patron --- Michael Hedges April 1, 2008
You can fault newspaper people for many oft-documented mistakes ravaging their industry. They never quite got over television’s rise and thunder. So, now that the Web has risen it’s a perfect place to dust off that old business plan and try it one more time.

The first syllable in consolidation is con --- Michael Hedges March 27, 2008
Clear Channel Communications stock price fell 20% on the revelation that banks are unwilling to finance a leveraged buyout. America’s largest radio broadcaster by leaps is falling to a reality of its own creation. Consolidation fails. And UK broadcasters want to follow the same path.

With The Dollar Down So Much, Where Are The Foreign Buyers For US Newspapers, Or Could It Be At Any Price They’re Not A Bargain And Locals Need To Be Buyers For Other Than Financial Reasons? --- Philip Stone March 20, 2008
With the dollar down as much as it is, where is the foreign money coming in to buy up US newspaper properties at bargain prices? Foreigners seem to be buying everything in sight in the US as the dollar crumbles, but apparently newspapers are not on the shopping list. Wonder why?

With a little help from friends Middle East TV expands --- Michael Hedges March 15, 2008
The surest way to upgrade a languishing media market is to entice experience from afar. Sometimes money helps but in the Middle East, benefiting from record oil prices, that’s no object. A special expertise is most wanted.

Companies can split apart but some things never fade --- Michael Hedges March 7, 2008
When a large publicly traded company decides to dissolve itself, without the assistance of the bankruptcy courts, we are left to watch and wonder what could possibly have gone wrong. It’s an assumption mistaking longevity for success.

The stock market liked the idea so much that when Belo announced October 1 last year it was splitting itself into two separate companies, basically isolating the poorly producing newspapers from the rest of the company, that the shares got a massive 18.7% boost on the day. Investors seem to think it was a great initiative, never before done, to boost shareholder value. But time has shown it was the smart investor who actually saw that October day as a selling opportunity who really cleaned up. --- Philip Stone March 6, 2008
New results are in. Stock traders and their dutiful analysts have worked overtime. CEOs are taking bows.

Broadcasting companies earn ‘buy’ ratings --- Michael Hedges March 5, 2008
New results are in. Stock traders and their dutiful analysts have worked overtime. CEOs are taking bows.

Liquidity, liquidity, come, please, to my door --- Michael Hedges December 17, 2007
The final billion euro media deal of the year is very likely German publisher/broadcaster Heinrich Bauer Verlag buying UK publisher/broadcaster Emap. UK and German media wags view it quite differently, either an end or a beginning. The whole story is far more interesting because it’s very real.

Big Media Companies Reach Into Smallest Countries --- Michael Hedges May 27, 2007
Conventional wisdom holds that big media companies are interested only in media deals in the biggest markets. Merger and acquisition lawyers and advisors say the paperwork, big deal or small, is the same. But there is no surprise at News Corps recently acquiring two television companies in Latvia, one of Europe’s newest and smallest countries with a hot media market.

Blood’s in the Water! PE’s Circle UK Media! --- Michael Hedges May 18, 2007
Ratings are bad. Ad revenue limps. EMAP CEO Tom Moloney “suddenly” resigns. Chrysalis posts a loss.

New Ideas For Better Or Worse --- Michael Hedges February 12, 2014 Follow on Twitter
Business priorities are opening media companies to outside-the-box thinking. Legacy brand strength of newspaper titles is an undeniable asset for investors. Converting to cash is tricky in the digital age. While possibilities are endless to those liberated from brick and mortar – and paper – delicate steps achieve more than cash and bluster.

New Consumer Habits, Direction Unknown ---

Michael Hedges January 15, 2021 Follow on Twitter

It has been a year of enduring misfortune for much of the media world. As consumers changed habits new ones emerged. Some traditional media has been cast away. There was little time to prepare. Radio broadcasting has been stunned by dwindling audiences. The great unknowns - will listeners return - is often imponderable.

What The Paparazzi Are Doing To Britney Spears Just Isn’t Right, And It’s An Abuse Of Freedom Of The Press --- Philip Stone February 22, 2008 Follow on Twitter
A Los Angeles councilman is proposing a city ordinance that creates a “safety zone “for people swarmed by paparazzi, and after seeing what they have been doing to Britney Spears – doesn’t matter what you think of the girl herself -- as human beings we just know the way they hound her just isn’t right.

You Believe Twitter that Johnny Depp Died? You Believe The Exclusive News of the World Report That Brad and Angelina Are Splitting? Who, What Can You Believe These Days? --- Philip Stone January 26, 2010 Follow on Twitter
For those who can’t get enough gossip about Hollywood stars this past weekend was a bumper time – there was Twitter saying Johnny Depp had died in a French car crash (he didn’t) and Murdoch’s News of the World in The UK with a global exclusive that Brad and Angelina were splitting (nothing official but People says no, whereas “friends” hint all over the place it may be.) So, who and what can you believe these days?

Absolutely Live And Right Now --- Michael Hedges June 1, 2015 Follow on Twitter
The media trend of the decade is right now. People want that drama at the moment they want it and they want to be in it. Delivering that means lots of bandwidth, literally and figuratively. For some media watchers live television is over. For others it isn't just the future it's the only future.

Compensation Overload --- Michael Hedges January 11, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Showbiz is, for anybody who’s seen it in person, not for the faint hearted. As part of the creative trade, performers are asked to do things most people won’t and fewer can. Perhaps that is the reason all accountants and most politicians find them expendable.

Were You One Of The Few Who Didn’t Watch THE Wedding? --- Philip Stone May 2, 2011 Follow on Twitter
They expected about two billion people globally to watch the British Royal wedding although numbers in the US were a bit lower than predicted and for anyone who wanted to see the pomp and pageantry that Britain does best it was the only place to be.

April 29, 2011, Westminster Abbey – Oh, What A Royal Media Circus For The Next Five Months And Beyond --- Philip Stone November 25, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Can you imagine the flurry to book hotel rooms and suites; trying to make appointments at the top hair and beauty parlors in London for those not travelling with their own hair and makeup artistes, will there be enough limos available -- no, we’re not talking about the guests for William and Catherine’s royal wedding April 29 at Westminster Abbey, but rather the hoards of international star journalists who will be in London for the great day. The great media frenzy is off and running.

Fortunately The Journalist Investigates --- Michael Hedges January 23, 2017 - Follow on Twitter
The negative effect of fake news, hate speech and propaganda on civil society is beyond question. Only those wishing to upend The Enlightenment are delighted with the onrush of noxious, veracity-challenged dribble affixed to media - old, new and social. There is no easy fix.

In A Big Boost To European Press Freedom Twitter Puts An End To The UK’s Super Injunctions and The Human Rights Court Rules The Media Doesn’t Have To Give Prior Warning Of Upcoming Stories --- Philip M. Stone May 11, 2011 Follow on Twitter
Twitter did in one afternoon what the brightest legal and political minds in the UK have failed to accomplish for years – put a virtual end to the UK’s super injunctions which allows the courts not only to stop an upcoming media story but also prohibits publication that such an injunction was granted! And a day later the European Court of Human Rights surprises just about everyone and ruled that the media doesn’t have to forewarn people they are about to be outed.