Tag Archives: microsoft

Reuters: Microsoft plans new subscription TV service via Xbox

Reuters reports on plans by Microsoft to create a new subscription-based TV service available via its Xbox console. According to Reuters’ sources, talks have been held with TV networks about a product to rival plans by Google and other new media companies to move into TV.

The service would charge a monthly fee for access through the Xbox to networks such as ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, ESPN or CNN, according to two sources familiar with the plans.

Other options include allowing cable subscribers to use the Xbox to watch shows with more interactive functions. Viewers could, for instance, message with friends over the console while viewing their favorite shows.

Full story on Reuters at this link…

Paywall and subscription models: a study of 30+ organisations

Alastair Bruce (@ajbruce), content manager for MSN UK, has studied over 30 organisations to produce this detailed presentation on pay wall and subscription models. He examines bundling, micropayments, metered systems, freemium and 100 per cent subscription models, across consumer/specialist titles and national/local newspapers. Who is doing what, and what comes next?

How publishers are charging for online content or consumption and implementing paywalls and subscription services

FT.com: Microsoft unlikely to pay users to leave Google

Microsoft’s senior vice-president for online services said the company is not focused on ‘getting non-Google content,’ reports the FT.

Satya Nadella’s comments imply the company would be unlikely to pay newspaper owners and other publishers for removing their content from Google, an idea that had been discussed with News Corp.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s senior vice-president for online services, refused to comment directly on talks with News Corp, but said that Bing was not looking to get a leg-up on Google by securing preferential access to information. ‘That’s not at all a focus for us,” he said, adding: “We generally are not focused on getting non-Google content.”

Full story at this link…

Channel 4 News: @robertandrews and @ciaranj debate News International, Bing and Google

Further to yesterday’s news from the Financial Times that Microsoft is considering paying for news content to appear on its search engine Bing (in a ‘web pact’ with News International), Channel 4 News last night debated the potential impact this could have on the market.

Krishnan Guru-Murphy discussed with paidContent:UK editor, Robert Andrews, and head of social media at global media agency Mindshare, Ciarán Norris.

FT.com: ‘Web pact’ for Microsoft and News Corp?

The companies have declined to comment, but the FT reports that Microsoft – which owns search engine Bing – has entered discussions with News Corp ‘over a plan that would involve the media company’s being paid to ‘de-index’ its news websites from Google’.

It reports:

“The impetus for the discussions came from News Corp, owner of newspapers ranging from the Wall Street Journal of the US to The Sun of the UK, said a person familiar with the situation, who warned that talks were at an early stage.

“However, the Financial Times has learnt that Microsoft has also approached other big online publishers to persuade them to remove their sites from Google’s search engine.”

Full story at this link…

News numeracy: online tools for reporting numbers

Following on from Steve Harrison’s excellent two-part guide on news numeracy, ‘How to: get to grips with numbers as a journalist’, here’s a round-up of some of the best online tools and sites for journalists when reporting figures and stats:

  1. By uploading text or tables you can create simple piecharts to more complex maps or bubble charts. There are also options for text-based visualisations.
      • For creating charts try:
      1. Using a spreadsheet in Google Docs – you can highlight a table of data and select from a range of simple 2d and 3d graphs and charts.
      2. Online spreadsheet service Zoho Sheet (looks similar to Google Docs and requires registration, but claims to allow integration with Microsoft Powerpoint and Excel)
      3. Fusion Charts – for creating interactive, flash charts
      1. Everything you could ever want to know – and more – about using Excel spreadsheets for data analysis and number crunching.
      1. Can be used to track multiple sets of data and present them in a combination of charts, lists and graphics.
      • Helpful lists
      1. Journalism trainer Mindy McAdams has a great round-up of data visualisation resources, including this list of 175+ data and information visualization examples and resources.
      2. 10,000 words offers some inspirational infographics and a ‘how to’ on creating charts.

      Any other tools that you use? Let us know and we’ll add them to the list.

      Recovering Journalist: Growthspur – supporting local media entrepreneurs

      Mark Potts, founder of hyperlocal venture Backfence, discusses his latest venture: Growthspur, a new company aimed at finding new business models to support local news and information sources.

      Jeff Jarvis helped develop the concept and Potts also has former Microsoft executive Dave Chase and co-founder of the Yale Entreprenuerial Insititute, Jennifer McFadden, on board.

      Full post at this link…

      Telegraph.co.uk: MSN discussing hyperlocal partnerships with local papers

      Microsoft has been very chatty this week – see its long-awaited announcement of a search partnership with Yahoo.

      On top of this and following the launch of the data-rich MSN Local, MSN executive producer Peter Bale told the Telegraph that the site was hoping to take feeds from local newspapers and map the content.

      “Hyperlocal news online has never been more important and we think this is a really interesting growth area,” he said.

      Payment for the feeds is a possibility or a linking/traffic driving arrangement could be made, he added.

      Full post at this link…

      Press Gazette: Times tops newspaper brands in recognition survey

      The Times and Sunday Times were jointly ranked highest out of UK newspaper brands in this year’s Superbrands report, which looks at media ‘brand recognition’.

      AT 131st, however, the papers were beaten into submission by BBC (5) and Sky (60). Google came 2nd to Microsoft in the report, which polls more than 2,000 adults.

      Full story at this link…

      John Yemma: Lessons from Encarta for newspapers

      “general knowledge, whether under the brand name of a giant like Britannica or Microsoft, can’t withstand an effort that was developed specifically for the Internet and that harnesses gifted amateurs,” writes John Yemma, editor of the Christian Science Monitor, one week into web-only production.

      Full story at this link…