Obama's Facebook News Feed

So much written and said in the past few days about Obama's first 100 days -- I think Obama's Facebook news feed on Slate.com sums it up quite nicely in a very clever approach to the story.

NBC Tries to Cut Costs

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/nbc-exploring-possible-changes-its-longtime-headquarters-washington-dc

Personal Branding Is Not An Option - It's Crucial To Success

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. ... You're every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop… To start thinking like your own favourite brand manager, ask yourself the same question the brand managers at Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop ask themselves: What is it that my product or service does that makes it different?

Read more here.

Bill seeks to rescue faltering newspapers

Sen. Ben Cardin introduced the Newspaper Revitalization Act to allow newspapers to restructure as nonprofits. In addition to getting a variety of tax breaks and having a similar status as public broadcasters, the papers also would be barred from making political endorsements.

"We are losing our newspaper industry," Cardin said. "The economy has caused an immediate problem, but the business model for newspapers, based on circulation and advertising revenue, is broken, and that is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy."

Thoughts?

Changing the Conversation

Writer Jon Anne Willow examines the journalistic landscape. The piece includes issues we've talked about in class.

Is this what we'll be doing in the fall?

American Observer's tech issue looks a lot like a package we all could put together at this point, too! Weell maybe in a few more months :)

Why Teach Journalism if Newspapers are Dying?

Here is an interesting piece from Salon.com.