The Wake-up Call — Looking Back at 2017, and Some Factors Affecting 2018
2017 may have been a watershed year for the Internet and its future. What did we learn? And what factors may shape 2018?
Book Review: “The Death of Expertise” by Tom Nichols
The new book by Tom Nichols, “The Death of Expertise,” is not perfect, but it is an important exploration of existential threats to science, education, and representative democracy.
How’s That "Abundance" Thing Working Out For You?
The age of information abundance may have fundamental flaws — barriers to entry that create false equivalence; dissemination tools that conflate fake information with responsible sources; self-reinforcing loops of conspiracy and paranoia; and social fragmentation that makes societal disruption more likely. What can be done? Here are a few ideas.
Divided We Fall — How a Fragmented Media Space Affects Academia and Scholarly Publishing
The general fragmentation of media and society has profound implications, and may explain to some extent the fragmentation being seen in higher education and scholarly publishing.
Science Credibility: The Media's Role
John Oliver offers a scathing look at the poor practices of media in scientific reporting.
What Is the "News" Associated with Journal Publication?
The news function of journals has many dimensions, a major one consisting of where and when an article is published.
Not Excited? "You Need to Exit the Business" — A Great Interview with the Editor of Outside
The transformation of all publishers is underway, and this interview from a popular magazine’s editor sounds all too familiar as we adapt to evolving markets, possibilities, and expectations.
The Problem with Significance (a Cartoon)
I knew there was something they weren’t telling me!
Customers Move Online = Bad News for News in the Internet Age
Online news increases in popularity, online advertising grows, and an iPad newspaper pure-play exists — why does this all seem like bad news?
Some Lessons From Our Reactions to Wikileaks
Wikileaks teaches us a number of lessons, the most important being that the world will change, whether we like it or not.
“The Reinvention of Journalism” — Just Code for “Reinvention of the Status Quo”?
The US Federal Trade Commission and Google spar openly over the future of journalism. Guess which one comes out looking more modern?
Is Print an Elite Medium? Or a Medium for Elitists?
College journalists are more motivated about getting into print, editors are missing huge opportunities, and Harry Potter’s owners are in no hurry to go digital. What gives?
The Content Graph: How Brands, Trust, and Quality Can Network the Future of Online News
By realizing content links news outlets and creating a barter system, Scott Karp’s Publish2 offers an interesting approach to the “content graph” networked information has created.
Optimism and Pessimism in Journalism: Attitude Reflects Vulnerability, Packaging Seals It
A new Pew Research report shows that news media — print and broadcast — vary in their attitudes. But a deeper attitude about how the news should be presented may be their ultimate vulnerability.
Lessons from a Neighboring Industry — Demand Media’s Disruptive Impact on Journalism
Demand Media has created a journalism and custom content platform that disrupting neighboring publishing models. Can we learn something from their approach?