MEDIA DAILY DIGEST MAY 14; PLAYBOY BECOMES PLAYGAY; MYANMAR MANHUNT FOR AUSSIE JOURNO
May 14th 2008 02:08
CAMBODIAN AMBASSADOR TO UK BLASTS THE GUARDIAN OVER ALLEGEDLY GROSSLY INACCURATE ARTICLE
Cambodian officials have blasted the UK’s The Guardian newspaper over a lengthy article that alleged the government has sold off almost half of the Kingdom’s land to foreign speculators mainly for personal gain, according to The Mekong Times.
The article was widely commented on by the expatriate community in Phnom Penh late last week, and criticised and derided for its inaccuracies and exaggerations.
These sentiments were also shared by Cambodia’s ambassador to the UK, Hor Nambora.
“These claims are inaccurate, misleading and extremely damaging, casting serious aspersions on the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Monarch, the Prime Minister and members of the government.”
The letter also accused The Guardian of being politically motivated and timing the article to undermine the government’s reputation close to a national election.
MediaBlab, now based in Cambodia, was also surprised by the inaccuracies presented in this article.
MYANMAR SPECIAL BRANCH INVESTIGATE AUSTRALIAN JOURNALIST IN YANGON OVER SUPPOSED CNN CONNECTION
An Australian journalist working for the Myanmar Times newspaper in Yangon Myanmar is caught up in a government witch-hunt over how CNN reporter Dan Rivers was able to enter the country to become the first foreign news reporter documenting the cyclone devastation.
The Australian journalist, Matt Davis, 27, editor of Myanmar Times Time Out entertainment section reportedly went AWOL from his job at the Times last week to cover the cyclone devastation for SBS television in Australia and AFP news service.
Davis, formerly an SBS Australia Insight current affairs and online content associate producer , was credited with the stories he filed, a dangerous practice for a journalist ostensibly working for the Myanmar Times inside Myanmar – not only did he put himself at risk but he also endangered the newspapers itself and its Myanmar staff.
According to rumours, it is believed that the Myanmar Special Branch, investigating how CNN’s Dan Rivers got into the country undetected, have not only linked Davis to CNN but claim a fake visa application was drawn up on Myanmar Times letterhead.
It is also believed that Special Branch has been interrogating senior officials at the Myanmar Times although this could not be confirmed.
CNN deny getting a visa application for Dan Rivers on Myanmar Times letterhead, and deny there is any connection between Dan Rivers and CNN and Matt Davis and/or the Myanmar Times.
Yesterday MediaBlab reported that CNN correspondent Dan Rivers who left Myanmar on Friday was chased by authorities as he reported on the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis but escaped primarily because of the incompetence of the people after him.
AP reported that Dan Rivers said hid under a blanket at one police checkpoint and casually covered up his name on a passport to avoid detection another time. He may ultimately have gotten out of the country due to a stewardess' impatience.
"I was amazed at the lengths they apparently went just to catch me," Rivers told The Associated Press by telephone from Thailand on Saturday.
Rivers sneaked into the country on Monday – he wouldn't say how – and for a day reported the story without saying his name or showing his face onscreen.
CNN and Rivers then quickly agreed to operate openly.
"We decided it would have much more impact if I could communicate more directly, if I could look down the barrel of a camera and tell people precisely how bad it was," Rivers said. "I think that type of personal reporting is much more effective than a voiceover on a picture."
A local contact then told Rivers' crew the government was looking for him by contacting all hotels where foreigners stayed.
XINHUA MEDIA FINANCE SIGNS 3-YEAR RADIO CONTRACT WITH MAJOR CHINESE AUTO ADVERTISER
Xinhua Finance Media, or XFMedia, a leading media group in China, has signed a 3-year contract with a major China auto advertiser for promotion on radio channels in China's three top cities.
Under the contract, the automobile advertiser will take up sectional
advertising minutes on Shanghai's EasyFM 87.9, Beijing's EasyFM 91.5, and Guangdong's traffic radio FM107.7.
Beijing and Shanghai EasyFM are China's only bilingual radio channels
targeting audience with higher education and income levels. Guangdong Radio FM107.7 is primarily a drive-time radio format aimed at high-income private vehicle owners aged 25 to 48.
"Our effective integration as a media platform is the major reason we
won this contract," said XFMedia ceo Ms Fredy Bush. "We can provide radio assets in all three major markets where auto sales are significant and
growing."
“XFMedia provides advertisers with unique access to China's upwardly
mobile demographic, and this deal is a good example of that," Ms Bush
added. "Radio is the primary entertainment during drive time and we are
very pleased to be able to provide advertisers with the appropriate media
channel to reach out to their target audience."
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China has become the
second largest new car market since 2006, next to the US. China's car
ownership at the end of 2007 rose to 56.97 million vehicles, an increase of
14.3 percent over the previous year, of which 35.34 million were private cars, up 20.8 percent.
"The potential for growth in the China's auto industry is significant,
and we are focused on building a strong position in the market," said Ms Bush. "There are currently only 30 cars for every 1,000 people in China, far behind the world's average of 120 cars per 1,000. That is why auto
companies are expanding their advertising expenditure so rapidly."
Ms Bush said the radio business is one of the key focus areas of
XFMedia since over 90 percent of China's advertising dollars go to TV, radio and print. For fiscal year 2007, the radio business contributed 4.1 percent of XFMedia's total revenue, of which around 50 percent came from Guangdong radio advertising.
XFMedia successfully planned and organized China's Best Car Award 2007
in late March, strengthening its position in the auto industry. The awards
ceremony, held at the Four Seasons Club in Beijing on March 29, recognised the top brands and models in the China market.
XFMedia announced earlier this year that membership of its Traffic
Radio Channel Car Owners Loyalty Club in Guangdong had grown to 80,000 within the past year. The loyalty club was established to promote Guangdong Radio FM107.7 and to provide advertisers with more direct access to their target audience.
The club approach is very effective in China in terms of building consumer loyalty for advertiser's products and services while increasing revenues for consumer club operators like XFMedia.
is a leading media group in China with nationwide access to the upwardly mobile demographic. Through its five synergistic business groups, Advertising, Broadcast, Print, Production and Research, XFMedia offers a total s olution empowering clients
at every stage of the media process and connecting them with their target
audience. Its unique platform covers a wide range of media assets,
including television, radio, newspaper, magazine, outdoor, online and other
media assets.
CHINA’S YUUZOO AND MSN IN PARTNERSHIP TO TARGET ONE BILLION MOBILE PHONE USERS
Marketing magazine reports that YuuZoo has signed an exclusive mobile partnership with MSN targeting more than 1 billion mobile users in China and key markets in Asia.
Under the agreement, YuuZoo will develop, host and maintain a range of mobile content on a co-branded MSNYuuZoo site.
MSN will provide ad placements on its network to promote YuuZoo content and both partners will work together on integration in key content areas, including editorial placements.
In India, the world's second largest mobile market, the partnership will be non-exclusive.
Marketing said, “A substantial amount of online impressions on the MSN platform across China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines has kicked off in conjunction with the launch.
“Ads on the MSN Homepage, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Spaces and Windows Live Hotmail are also being displayed.”
Thomas Zilliacus, chairman and ceo of YuuZoo, said, “YuuZoo is launching simultaneously in key markets in Europe and the US, and will reach more than 1 billion potential subscribers. We are offering a wide range of new content which we are getting from over 350 leading content partners."
VIETNAM AUTHORITIES ARREST TWO JOURNALISTS OVER “AGGRESSIVELY” REPORTING A MAJOR GAMBLING AND BRIBERY SCANDAL
Vietnam state media reported on yesterday that Vietnamese authorities have arrested two journalists who reported aggressively on a major gambling and bribery scandal that prompted the resignation of the transportation minister.
Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reported yesterday that the two journalists were taken into police custody on Monday and accused of reporting ‘false information’ on the case, in which ministry employees gambled millions of dollars on European soccer matches.
AP said the case led to the conviction of nine people, including several government officials, and the resignation of Transport Minister Dao Dinh Binh.
Gambling is illegal in Vietnam.
Nguyen Van Hai, 33, of Tuoi Tre and Nguyen Viet Chien, 56, of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper, were accused of ‘abuse of power and authority’ for their reporting on the case, which first surfaced in late 2005, Tuoi Tre reported.
The specifics of the charges against the two remained unclear yesterday.
Tuoi Tre and Thanh Nien, two of Vietnam's most popular newspapers, were among the most aggressive in covering the scandal.
Tuoi Tre reported on Tuesday that over the past year, dozens of local journalists have been summoned by police questioning where they obtained information on the case that authorities claimed were incorrect.
INDIA’S MINT BUSINESS DAILY CIRCULATION UP OVER 50 PERCENT IN JUST OVER A YEAR
Editors Weblog reports that India’s Mint English-language business daily, launched in February last year as a joint venture between Hindustan Times Media and The Wall Street Journal, has quickly increased its circulation from 80,000 at launch to 122,000 copies, and soon plans to launch new editions in Delhi and Mumbai.
But, according to managing editor Raju Narisetti, Mint has had to develop several quality editorial practices in order to distinguish itself from the average newspaper market in India, where some standards of editorial independence and quality reporting lack – and paid editorial content is common practice.
To face these ethical dilemmas, Mint implemented several strategies, including publishing a clearly stated corrections policy and code of conduct, easily accessible on the website.
Recently Narisetti wrote an editorial that recapped the number of errors that had been made, which were mostly factual: gender, titles, dates.
"A lot of papers make errors, we are the only ones who are honest enough to admit it," he said.
"The credibility of media is pretty low in India. One of the largest media companies in India actually has a rate card where you can buy coverage."
Some companies, partly held by equity stakes, openly publicise their owners' brands in their publications.
So how can Mint, and the Indian press as a whole, revamp its credibility?
"I'm sorry to say that, but the general consensus in India seems to be that readers don't care, so it doesn't matter.
"One of the hopes is that as a lot of western companies form media partnerships in India, that they will also bring in standards and ethics."
Prior to editing Mint, Narisetti had a 14-year stint at the Wall Street Journal, where he became editor of Wall Street Journal Europe.
NORWEGIAN NEWSPAPER GIANT BECOMES GLOBAL LEADER IN DIGITAL REVENUE RAISING
Online Journalism News reports that Norwegian media company Schibsted reported that 61 percent of its operating revenues now comes from its network of websites.
At the end of 2007, analysts predicted that digital revenues for Schibsted, which owns newspapers all over Europe, would rise to 60 percent during 2008.
Now its first quarter results reveal that this target has already been met.
The company earned 51 per cent of its revenue from its online activities in 2007, and the year-on-year increase in digital revenues from first quarter 2007, was 29 percent.
"Many of the newspaper operations in the US spent their time and energy trying to preserve print at all costs, and online was just a throw-in. Schibsted has focused on both, but decided at a very early stage that if print was going to be cannibalised, Schibsted would be the cannibal," said Peter M Zollman, founding principal and executive editor of global consulting company Classified Intelligence, in December 2007.
Schibsted is often cited as a global example of a successful online transition, but its success is hard to emulate in markets such as the US, where the media landscape is much more fragmented and sites like Ebay and Craigslist have a stronghold on the classifieds market.
Online Journalism said, “Another factor in Schibsted's online profitability is its willingness to cannibalise its own products. Executives and editors talk candidly about how the company's online success is slowly eroding its print audience.
SPECULATION ON HOW CABLEVISION IN THE US WILL MAKE A BOCK OUT OF ITS NEW ACQUISITION OF NEWSDAY
Now that Cablevision Systems in the US has bought Newsday, what will it do to make the newspaper turn a bigger buck.
The Wall Street Journal reports, “On Monday, Cablevision outlined ambitious plans for Newsday, including trying to boost circulation by marketing the newspaper to households it serves and giving advertisers a selection among media outlets that would allow for a more effective targeting of audiences.”
The deal has raised questions on Wall Street. Cablevision shares fell 45c, or 1.8 percent, on Monday.
Some analysts are skeptical, but others such as Kevin Kamen, chief executive of media appraisal firm Kamen & Co, said that given that Cablevision serves many more households in Long Island and New York City than Newsday, the cable operator should be able to increase the newspaper's circulation by about 100,000. The increased circulation would translate into higher advertising rates.
Australian website Crikey paints a bizarre picture of the working life at Melbourne’s leading prestige broadsheet newspaper, The Age.
Crikey reports, “Journalism and media students who want to watch newspaper photographers at work are advised to visit the Age car park located in an old warehouse in Lonsdale Street Melbourne, opposite the delightful Men's Gallery.
“There you will find them: award winning photojournalists, all rugged up in scarves and beanies in the cold, dusty gloom; hunched over laptops in camping chairs and using open car boots for desks as they process their photographs for the coming edition.
“It is not uncommon to find at least two of them there at any time night or day, and in spite of impossible workloads and deadlines.
“A curious recent visitor to the car park was told by one of these shivering car boot workers that there is no working space for them in the Age office except for a table that must be shared by six people.”
Crikey added, “Antique Age journos remember the good old days when there was so much space at the Spencer Street office that workers could have perfectly satisfying sex under their desks or in the various quiet nooks provided by the company.”
TORONTO NEWSPAPER FANTASISES ABOUT BEAUTIFUL BUT DULL LADS MAGS PINUP MUGGERS
Toronto Star has provided this unusual little cameo description of women in lad’s mags who are “beautiful but dull.”
The Toronto Star said, “For Him Magazine [actually officially known as FHM], and the other lad mags like Maxim and Umm, occupy a strange, liminal place in the territory of contemporary male desire. They exist to allow men to look at women's bodies sexually but not pornographically.
“With the emphasis on suggestion rather than revelation, the women in their pages are slick materialistic ideals, as current in their smooth plastic forms as the Prius or iPhone. “The downside to such manufactured people is that they're all the same. If you were mugged by any one of the women in the top 10, you couldn't pick the perpetrator out of a lineup. They're all white. They all have long hair and they're almost all blonde. They all have the same high cheekbones. They all have the same nose.
“Each woman is allowed exactly one deviation from the norm, and the deviation is immediately remarked on – her tattoos or her extra-dark eye makeup or her curves. The girls of FHM are obviously products of a fundamentally icky consumerist objectification, but their engineered homogeneity also reveals an incredibly limited imagination.”
Actually, the notion of being mugged by a lad’s mag pinup is unusual to say the least. Perhaps this is a Toronto trend?
NOT-SO-SIRIUS HEADLINE DOGS WALL STREET JOURNAL COVERAGE OF SATELLITE RADIO STATION MERGER
It’s good to see that the Wall Street Journal, in all its earnestness, can still resort to a tabloidesque pun in a headline – or is this beginning of Murdochian dumbing down?
The Journal ran this headline, “Losses Dog Sirius, XM” in an article about the financial situation with America’s satellite radio stations.
The Wall Street Journal said, “XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc posted a wider first-quarter loss on higher marketing costs, while Sirius Satellite Radio Inc reported a narrower loss, as the two await regulatory clearance for their pending merger.
“The combination of the nation's only two satellite-radio companies, originally announced in February 2007, is still being reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission. The US 4.3 billion deal was expected to close by the end of last year. In February, XM predicted regulatory approval would come in the "near future."
XM's net loss widened to $129.3 million, from $122.4 million, or 40c a share, a year earlier. Merger-related expenses fell to $3.5 million from $9.2 million a year earlier, but marketing costs jumped 26 percent. Revenue rose 17 percent to $308.5 million.
XM ended the quarter with 9.3 million subscribers, with net additions last quarter of 303,000, up 6.3 percent.
Sirius ended the quarter with 8.64 million subscribers, up 31 percent from a year earlier.
The Justice Department cleared the XM-Sirius merger in March, concluding there was no evidence the combined entity would have the ability to "profitably increase prices" to satellite radio customers.
Opponents to the tie-up have argued that since XM and Sirius competed in a distinct marketplace, regulatory approval would effectively create a government-sanctioned monopoly.
BBC TO LAUNCH AMERICAN MAGAZINE AIMED AT READERS WITH “CURIOUS MINDS”
The Guardian reports that BBC Magazines will launch a US title aimed at readers with a "curious mind" that will take on National Geographic and other natural history and science publications.
The 100-page full-colour glossy, BBC Knowledge Magazine, will publish six times a year from August and use content from UK titles BBC History Magazine, BBC Wildlife Magazine and popular science publication Focus.
"This was always envisaged to be an international project," said Andy Benham, the publishing director of BBC Worldwide's specialist division, BBC Magazines Bristol.
"While we are initially launching in America, where the concept researched very favourably, the magazine undoubtedly has global appeal. We are already looking at a number of exciting international licensing prospects."
BBC Worldwide already sells about 35,000 copies of various titles in the US, including Gardens Illustrated and Homes & Antiques.
But the 85,000 print run for the new Knowledge title will require a big investment, and the launch will include the mail out of 1.5 million promotional items in the US.
BBC Knowledge Magazine will be edited in the UK by Sally Palmer, former deputy editor of Focus, with help from US consultant editor John Horgan, a science journalist.
BBC Knowledge is already an established title, having launched as a television channel in Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia last year as part of BBC Worldwide's new Global Channels business.
ALGERIA BANS DISTRIBUTION OF PARIS-BASED WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINE
The Algerian government banned the distribution of the May 4, 2008 issue of the Paris-based news weekly Jeune Afrique, which has an article on the local region of Kabylie.
Jeune Afrique received no explanation from the Algerian authorities about the distribution ban of its latest issue, which was clearly linked to an article by Farid Alilat entitled "Kabylie, the great malaise" about the social, economic and security problems paralysing this region, east of the capital.
The weekly's editor, Marwane Ben Yahmed, told Reporters Without Borders that its distributor, FA presse, simply failed to obtain permission to distribute the issue in Algeria.
"We decided to make the article available on unrestricted access on our website so that our Algerian readers can see it there," he said.
This kind of arbitrary measure is likely to become more frequent as next year's presidential election approaches.
This is not the first time Jeune Afrique has been censored by the Algerian government. An issue with a story about Algerian businessman Rafik Abdelmoumen Khalifa was banned from sale in March 2007.
In February 2004, a few weeks before the last presidential election, the authorities also banned an issue with a report headlined "Who the generals are voting for".
CHINA’S PPLIVE TV PLATFORM SUED OVER COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
ChinaTechNews.com reports that the popular Chinese P2P TV platform PPLive has been sued for copyright infringement by entertainment company Beijing Shidai Yingyin International Entertainment Co is seeking compensation of 330,000 Chinese yuan (A$50,000).
This is the first time PPLive has been sued, but it’s part of a larger backlash against Chinese P2P platforms.
New Teevee said PPLive is very popular in China. The service reportedly had 85 million users in October, and it offers access to several hundred streaming video channels as well as hundreds of on-demand shows. Most of those are Chinese programming, but PPLive also broadcasts sports events from around the world, including NBA and European soccer games – a feature that has made the service popular with sports fans overseas as well.
PPLive also relays music video stations like MTV Asia and feature-length movies.
But recently there have been reports that PPLive has started to at least partially block content, with users complaining that they aren’t able to access western movies from outside of China.
A spokesperson for PPLive owner Juli Media told ChinaTechNews that the company spent 60 million Chinese yuan on technologies to protect copyrights last year alone.
TIME WARNER’S AOL FEARED TO BE MUSCLING IN ON AUSTRALIA’S INTERNET AD INDUSTRY
The Australian newspaper reports that speculation abounds that Time Warner's internet division, AOL, will launch its Advertising.com network in Australia.
This would accelerate the shake-up of the Australian internet display ad industry, putting the big companies under more pressure to retain their dominant market share.
Advertising.com says it is the biggest network of its type, serving up video, mobile, display and search advertising on independent websites using technology to target and follow individual users.
In the US, it claims to reach 90 percent of all internet users and describes itself as the "holy grail of online advertising".
In Australia, it would compete most directly with the other international networks – such as DrivePM and Adconion – that are running performance or behavioural targeting networks.
But, according to The Australian, “The entry of Advertising.com would represent yet another increase in competition for the online display advertising market, which at current growth rates will be worth more than A$450 million by the end of this year.
“So while the major publishers in Australia – which between them have an estimated 70 to 80 per cent share of that market – are trying to establish third-party advertising networks of their own, independent website publishers will have more choice than ever about who should sell their advertising.”
BBC WORLD NEWS THE MOST TRUSTED BY BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS IN THREE CONTINENTS
Televisionpoint.com. reports that a media brand values survey, conducted in three continents, has revealed high levels of trust and influence for BBC World News and its associated website BBCWorld.com among some of the world's most influential business professionals.
Respondents placed BBC World News ahead of competitors Bloomberg, CNBC and CNN, in the brand value categories of trust and influence. BBC World News also led the way in four other areas, with more respondents describing the 24-hour news and information channel as 'stimulating', 'quotable', 'for people like me' and a 'must read/see'.
Alongside a number of quality print publications, BBC World News continued to rate highly as a 'trustworthy' brand, ahead of titles such as Time, Newsweek, Harvard Business Review and National Geographic Magazine.
Website BBCWorld.com also came out top in levels of trust among users, beating 10 other global news websites, including Bloomberg.com, CNN.com, Economist.com, FT.com and Time.com.
Respondents to the survey came from nine countries across Europe and Asia, as well as the US and all are pan-regional media consumers. They are top-management and influential people, with an average personal income of US$220,000
YE GODS: PLAYBOY BECOMES PLAYGAY AND MOVES INTO GAY MARKET WITH SOFT-CORE CABLE VIDEO ON DEMAND
XBIZ claims Playboy Enterprises is planning a move into the gay market with soft-core cable video-on-demand,.
With a working title of Gay Targeted VOD Package Service, Playboy plans to initially provide Time Warner Cable subscribers 20 hours of gay male programming. The service is scheduled to begin next month.
Although Playboy has been linked with heterosexual men’s entertainment since its magazine's first issue in 1953, the company now describes itself more generally as "valuing sexiness and style" and is seeking more ways to diversify and boost its revenue.
Earlier this week Playboy said revenue dropped 8 percent compared to year-ago quarterly figures, with domestic TV revenue down by US$2.6 million in the first three months of the year.
XBIZ learned of the move into the US gay market in a letter dated March 31 to Time Warner Cable vice president Melinda Witmer from Playboy president Bob Meyers, which added an amendment to its affiliation with the nation’s largest cable company.
According to the memo obtained by XBIZ, Playboy will offer “professionally produced adult programs selected by Playboy, targeted to the male gay community, edited to a standard no more explicit” than soft-core pornography.
Each program in the package “may depict erect genitalia, male-on-male fellatio and simulated or implied sexual intercourse.”
But, according to the memo, content “shall not depict actual anal penetration, licking or anal sexual play of any kind.”
Male ejaculation and forced bondage also will be off limits.
NEWS CORP APPOINTS SKY ITALIA EXEC TO ADDITIONAL ROLE IN EUROPEAN TELEVISION
Business Wire reports that News Corporation has appointed Tom Mockridge, chief executive of Sky Italia to the additional role of chief executive, European Television.
Mockridge will directly oversee the company’s television operations in Europe, outside the UK. These include Sky Italia, a minority investment in German pay TV operator Premiere and a range of holdings in broadcasters in such territories as Bulgaria, Poland and Turkey.
The announcement does not affect British Sky Broadcasting, in which News Corp holds a 39 percent shareholding. Mockridge will continue to serve as chief executive of Sky Italia and will continue to report to James Murdoch, chairman and chief executive, News Corporation Europe and Asia.
Marty Pompadur, executive vice president of News Corp and chairman of News Corp Europe, who has played a leading role in developing the company’s activities in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia, will focus on overseeing the company’s radio ventures in Russia and its outdoor advertising business. He will also serve as an advisor to the company.
News Corporation reported total assets as of March 31, 2008 of US$62 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$32 billion.
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