Most Idiotic Headline Ever

I don’t know what media moron let this one slip through, but suffice it to say, the story isn’t what the headline would have you believe: “Tired Gay succumbs to Dix in 200 meters.” Good job, Reuters. Really.

Okay, I mentioned in my last post that people in this line of work may dine on paste rather than real food, and this is just the latest example. Did anyone think nobody would notice the off-color hilarity possible? Do the m-f math!!!

This is the sort of thing for which journalism prizes should be awarded.

Media World Dumber in 2010

Seriously, someone’s been munching on a shitload of paste. In Q2 2010, 44 more magazines launched than in 2010. This means two things (1) people have more money than they did last year and (2) they have no clue what the fuck to do with it. The former makes sense, given that in Q2 2009, we were still reeling from the September 2008 financial crisis. So, it would make sense that, as we turn the corner, there’s more money floating around … and it’s looking for a home.

And the latter? Yeah, fools and their money and such.

I don’t know what would possess someone to launch a dead-tree edition in this (or any) market. Look for the giant flushing sound in a few quarters. It will be those new magazines getting pushed through the plumbing.

via FishbowlNY

Support the First Amendment with 1 for All (via WordPress.com News)

Where was this post last night?! I was out bemoaning the fact that bloggers have become … well, like journalists. The good ol’ days of gruff, ass-kicking hardcore bloggers (circa 2007/8) seem to have ended, though there are a few of us out there trying to keep it alive. I was seriously having this conversation with @qjm, @sabinales and @rspopshop, with @qjm actually mentioning the Deepwater Horizon issue specifically.

This post reminds me that not all bloggers have gone soft!

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Born and raised on the Texas Gulf Coast, I’ve spent the past few months trying to wrap my head around the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent massive oil spill that is no … Read More

via WordPress.com News

It’s about Blogging

I’m often asked how I can blog about as many topics as I do: travel, cigars, the art market, social media marketing, technology, finance and even reinsurance. The answer is really pretty simple. As much as I enjoy each of these disciplines (and I do), it really isn’t about the subject matter. At the end of the day, I’m a blogger first. I’d rather blog about anything than not be a blogger at all, and the thought of trading it all in for traditional journalism in any of these fields just doesn’t turn me on.

Content’s great … but blogging is where I live.

Blog versus reblog and the content supply chain

Every blogger does a bit of both: originating some stories and coverign those written by others. The latter is not only easier but gives you access to news and reporting resources that you may not be able to marshal on your own. And, counter intuitively, reblogged stories can get plenty of play — in traffic and other reblogs and retweets. But, there’s still a certain value in developing your own original news. Doing so is easier than you may think. To pump up the amount of original content on your blog, go retro: press releases.

Many believe that press releases are passé, but these tools can be quite useful.

Think through the “reblog supply chain.” Except for hardcore reporting (of which we’re seeing less and less in general, everywhere), most traditional outlets do a lot from press releases. When you’re reblogging one of these stories, you’re unnecessarily giving props to a media outlet that really only did what you could do on your own. Because of the reblog, you’re making yourself look disproportionately dependent on other outlets.

Stop the madness!

Publicists: tweet your coverage

I’m still surprised by how little tweeting some publicists do. You’d think that they’d want to maximize the coverage their clients receive. Yet, I’m continually stunned by how little this happens. Active tweeting can kick off a virtuous cycle that benefits the writer, publicist and client.

For bloggers especially, performance matters. Success is defined by how much we write and how much it’s read. The presence of “tweet counters” on many blogs has made retweets a new metric, as well, even though it’s a subordinate measure of readership. As the retweets tick up, we look good. If we know that the publicist is part of the reason, there’s a pretty good chance we’ll cover your clients more. When this happens, the publicist wins: both coverage and readership are demonstrably higher (and the retainer, too, maybe?).

Newspaper Says: “Prez Loves Us!

You know it’s bad when the newspapers are saying that the president’s afraid. A WashPo column on Sunday claims that President Obama, a “big newspaper junkie” is afraid he might not have the printed word at his disposal any more. If the big nationals and locals go where they’re expected to go, he’ll have to seek his news from the blogs.

The story quotes the prez:

“I am concerned that if the direction of the news is all blogosphere, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a lot of mutual understanding.”

Blood flows at Condé Nast

When the world around you is falling apart, there’s only one thing to do: find a new world.

While Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair was in the grip of severe layoffs, the editor decided not to be the bearer of bad news, taking a vacation instead. The NY Post didn’t say if he used Gadling to choose a destination, but we’re all hoping he did. The total discharged from Condé Nast is believed to be greater than 450 this year, and there are likely to be more to come among the contributing editors. The sizeable cut at Vanity Fair is largely the result of Carter’s decision to generally ignore the order to cut 5% of the crew late last year.

Where I Write

A friend of mine e-mailed me last week to ask where I write. He can’t sort it out through all the tweets and links and so on. I can understand; I’m all over the place. So, if you’re interested in following my work, see the following links:

Gadling (travel): http://www.gadling.com/bloggers/tom-johansmeyer (If you want to read about hostels and backpacking, go read someone else. I tend to roll upscale)

Luxist (art and cigars): http://www.luxist.com/bloggers/tom-johansmeyer/ (Occasionally, I do a luxury travel or real estate story here, too)

BloggingStocks (finance, economics and markets): http://www.bloggingstocks.com/bloggers/tom-johansmeyer (I do a bit on the clean technology sector, venture capital, private equity, hedge funds and social media for this blog, in addition to all my work as a generalist)

DailyFinance (finance and economics): http://www.dailyfinance.com/bloggers/tom-johansmeyer (I don’t have a specific beat, though I do write a lot about cleantech, social media and the alternative investment space)

Envy (travel): http://envymags.com/index.php?s=johansmeyer (It’s not a regular gig, but I am starting to do more with this magazine)

Why I Hate “Bad Pitch” Blogs

Photo by Bryce Longton

I understand what it’s like to get bad pitches; I’ve been on the receiving end of plenty. They clog up your inbox, make you feel like you have more work in front of you than you really do and generally waste your time. And, there’s the sheer anger that comes from having to deal with someone who’s stupid. It’s a pain in the ass. It sucks. So, to a certain extent, it’s no wonder that “bad pitch” blogs have arisen.

Are they punishment for shitty work … or a warning to journalists and bloggers the world over? Maybe, bad pitch blogs are nothing more than satisfaction mills, delivering a sense of superiority over one’s fellow man (which, ironically, makes journos and bloggers no better than the commenters they piss on in private). Like so much in life, bad pitch blogs make some people feel good, even if they aren’t terribly productive.