Marketing through cell phones

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Brandweek has a good article on how marketing on cell phones is finally starting to work:

“Crammed into his seat on his way into Manhattan, a businessman uses his cell phone to log onto Weather.com just to see if there’s some sunshine on the way (“Seventeen inches of snow expected by the weekend.”) Just then, a bright blue banner ad with white lettering pops up on and grabs his attention: “Aruba” …He clicks on the banner ad, and his phone dials an 800 number, connecting him to an Aruba Tourism booking agent. “

The article includes several good examples.

A changing TIME MAGAZINE

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TIME Managing Editor Richard Stengel describes some changes at the magazine that “…reflect the way the Internet is affecting pretty much everything about the news business.”

In addition to a new publication date (Friday), the new feature that caught my eye was a blog:

“…now you can start your day by checking our news blog, The Ag, which smartly aggregates and summarizes the most important stories from daily newspapers and blogs around the world.”

Hmm. Someone forgot to tell the editors at TIME that real journalists don’t blog.

TV shows on cellphones

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Verizon Wireless is expected to announce it will offer full-length programming to its cellular subscribers from several major television networks. The service, which should be in operation by the end of March, will consist of eight channels and will include popular shows from NBC, CBS, Fox and MTV, they said. ESPN is reportedly also in negotiations to offer programs, which will be offered for the cellphone screen soon after they appear on television. [New York Times]

“Why local media companies should fear Google”

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This post by Terry Heaton made me flash on a Google search page with a “Pages from Missouri” button (or any of the states where we have networks):

“Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it easily accessible to everyone. This ought to be the mission of every local media company, for one day we will find a similar button on Google regardless of the zip code from which we are logging in.”

Will Google be able to cover state news (with audio, video, stills,etc) better than our networks? Blasphemy I know, but it doesn’t seem wise to assume that our little corner of the news/media world will be untouched by the changes happening all around us.

“Blogging everywhere you’re not supposed to go in the Ozarks”

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That’s the intrigueing tag line of the Underground Ozarks Blog.

“… a site all about urban exploration in the Ozarks area. You’ll find information and pictures of abandoned places, sewers and drains, ghost towns, and more. If it’s in the Ozarks area, or just close enough to drive to, and you’re not supposed to go there… We’ll get it on the site eventually.”

The blog is written under the nom de guerre, White Rabbit who, along with pals Hiccup, Memory_machine and others, explore (and photograph) some very cool placess. Falstaff Brewery, Nike (Missle) Battery, Erie Sinkhole, “Albino Farm,” Acid Tunnel… just name a few.

If browsing the UOB makes you want to jump into your waders and explore, be sure to read White Rabbit’s disclaimer first:

Underground Ozarks Blog“Just because I do something stupid, doesn’t mean you need to do it, too. Some of the places listed on this site can be extremely hazardous. Adding to that, many of them are also on private property, which means you could be ticketed or arrested if you go there without permission.

In other words, I’m not responsible for you. I would never tell anyone not to go out and explore, but I sure as hell didn’t tell you to do it either. So if you get maimed, killed, or thrown in jail, don’t come crying to me with a subpoena, because it’s not my fault. I don’t have any freaking money anyway.”

Not a bad Philosophy of Life, if you think about it. [Thanks David]