Latest Story

Twitter Attracts $300 Million Investment

December 20, 2011
By

HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, and Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), announced today, Monday, December 19th 2011, a combined investment of $300 Million in Twitter. This investment was the result of several months of negotiations and comprehensive due diligence and represent a strategic stake in Twitter.

Prince Alwaleed commented: “Our investment in Twitter reaffirms our ability in identifying suitable opportunities to invest in promising, high-growth businesses with a global impact.”

Eng. Ahmed Halawani, KHC Executive Director of Private Equity and International Investments commented: “We believe that social media will fundamentally change the media industry landscape in the coming years.Twitter will capture and monetize this positive trend.”

Source: Kingdom Holding Co.

The Top Ten Internet Trends for the 21st Century

December 7, 2011
By
  1. The Net will become the first global knowledge network connecting billions of people with an unlimited number of channels.
  2. Anyone can become a Net publisher or broadcaster of information on any subject and potentially reach an audience anywhere on the globe.
  3. The convergence of the Net, digital TV, and wireless phones will support interactive multimedia features that will transform business and society.
  4. Direct real-time voice and video communications will greatly boost the Net’s value as a tactical tool for business.
  5. Net usage will accelerate, as low-cost, high-speed bandwidth becomes readily available over Fat Pipes of streaming multimedia.
  6. Ability to feel and sense 3-D virtual places, things, and people will drive universal adoption of the Net.
  7. Access to information on any subject will be available anywhere over the Net and delivered by a variety of media appliances.
  8. The Net will change lifestyles by providing many more choices for living and virtually tele-collaborating with anyone, anywhere.
  9. Private Cyber communities, virtual private networks that cater to people’s niche interests, will become popular “places” to live and work.
  10. Education, entertainment, health, and lifestyle pursuits will be reshaped by the Net as billions of people communicate and share information.

 

Source: Institute for Global Futures

YouTube Plans to Make Big Bet on New Online Channels

October 29, 2011
By

New York Times 9/28/11
YouTube, making an expensive bet on original content, is planning to create dozens of channels featuring comedians, sports stars, musicians and other entertainers, the company said on Friday.
Read More

Every Page of Every Ebony Issue From ’59 to 2008 Now Online

May 21, 2011
By

April 1960

December 1970

February 1980

May 1990

February 2000

 

 

 

 

 

Ebony has partnered with Google to offer entire 65-year Ebony archive for free browsing. Each issue appears just as it did at its original time of publication, complete with period advertisements. It’s an amazing resource that beautifully encapsulates our ongoing fascination with the future, and science and technology’s incredible potential to improve our lives. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

 

Rick James’ Estate Sues Universal Over Unpaid Digital Royalties

April 6, 2011
By

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 5, 2011 Digital Media Wire

Los Angeles – The estate of late funk musician Rick James has filed a proposed class action lawsuit against major label Universal Music Group, claiming unpaid royalties from the sale of digital songs and ringtones, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The suit follows the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear an appeal of a ruling that found Eminem’s early producing partners were owed additional digital royalties.

In that case, the court found digital music should be seen as “licensed” rather than “sold,” meaning that copyright owners should receive a 50%, rather than 12%-20%, cut of profits.

For its part, Universal Music told The New York Times that the ruling in the Eminem case “has no bearing on any other recording agreement and does not create any legal precedent.”

“The complaint filed by the Estate of Rick James suffers from many infirmities, not the least of which is that the claims asserted are not appropriate for class treatment. We intend to vigorously defend against it,” Universal Music told THR in a statement.

User-Generated Video Views Up 147% in 2010 to 230 Billion

March 5, 2011
By

 

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 3, 2011
Seaside, Calif. – User-generated videos were viewed 230 billion times by U.S. viewers in 2010, an increase of 147% from 2009, according to a report from market research firm AccuStream. Combined, user-generated and pro video views in the U.S. passed 302 billion in 2010; the firm notes that user-generated video surpassed pro video in views in 2007.

AccuStream said advertisers “waded into” the user-generated video market last year, spending $426 million on pre-roll ads.

“While mainstream advertisers were initially reluctant to buy the segment, media planners have clearly taken notice of the growth in both volume and unique users,” the firm said.

Ad rates (CPMs) across user-generated video sites’ combined 7 billion monthly avails ranged “from low single-digits to $25 or more, depending on placement, content area and depth of the library buy.”

Internet Entrepreneurs

Leadership

“Our goal is to make the best devices in the world, not to be the biggest.
Steve Jobs ”

Book Recommendations