Tech journalists may have been wrong about Meerkat but they're right to get excited about new apps

The danger of a herd mentality in tech hack circles is real, including missing out on mainstream products, but a nose for interesting news goes beyond analyticsTechnology journalism – and US technology journalism in particular – is getting a roasting every bit as stinging as Justin Bieber’s recent Comedy Central special, in an opinion piece by mobile industry expert Tero Kuittinen published on tech site Boy Genius Report.Titled “Meerkat is dying – and it’s taking US tech journalism with it”, it pulls no punches in its assessment of whether recent, excitable coverage of video-broadcasting app Meerkat was matched by actual downloads and usage.“Meerkat’s highest daily ranking on the U.S. iPhone download chart was No. 140, on March 20th. At this point, the app had already generated thousands of news stories and blog posts, most of them enthusiastically describing it as a hit. But actual American consumers never showed the slightest sign of warming up.Meerkat’s ‘success’ was the creation of a handful of West Coast tech bloggers who managed to lure major newspapers into covering a phenomenon that did not exist.“Writing about the mobile app industry is a curious niche; you don’t actually have to understand download statistics, different product segments or other industry fundamentals. Unlike movies, fashion, cars or the book industry, you don’t have to focus on products that possess real consumer appeal. In the United States, app industry reporters can simply choose to cover an... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Diversity discussions lead IPG autumn conference

Diversity in the book industry, Amazon and selling TV and film rights were some of the hot topics of the IPG's biggest ever autumn conference. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sock puppetry still 'rife' in book industry

Sock puppetry is still "widespread" today in spite of the trade's best efforts to stamp it out more than five years ago, a number of publishers have told The Bookseller, following the latest case to be brought to light. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2017: PEN America Named BookExpo Ambassador Award Winner

BookExpo will honor PEN America with its seventh annual Industry Ambassador Award, which recognizes major innovators and creative leaders that make the book industry better, on June 1. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children’s Institute Talks Diversity and Numbers

ABA and its board made good on its promise to promote diversity in the book industry and launched its premier conference for children's booksellers with a keynote address on hiring for diversity. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OverDrive’s Potash Again Questions W3C, IDPF Merger

OverDrive CEO Steve Potash continues to raise concerns that under the proposed merger of the W3C and the IDPF, the book industry will lose influence over the continued development of the ePUB ebook file standard. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Long Live The Last Bookstore

When Josh Spencer opened The Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles, he thought it was going to fail within three years due to the declining state of the book industry. That’s why he chose the boldly ironic name. But The Last Bookstore has thrived. In this documentary from Chad Howitt, Welcome... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Brexit Means Brexit’? UK Publishing Isn’t Fully Convinced

'We will have to strengthen our voice,' says a panelist from the UK's Publishers Association on the implications of Brexit for the book industry there. The post ‘Brexit Means Brexit’? UK Publishing Isn’t Fully Convinced appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trade bodies' ebook lobbying turns towards UK

Two leading trade bodies in the book industry are turning towards lobbying the UK competition authorities over Amazon as opposed to the European Commission following Brexit. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pressure mounts on book review pages

This year’s haemorrhaging of literary journalists from the national newspapers has been described as “heartbreaking” for the book industry, and has renewed the spotlight on the long-running problem of dwindling review space.     Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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GBO Editors’ Trip Bolsters Visibility for German Children’s Publishing

German Book Office Editors' Trip participants get a first-hand look at current trends, books, and ideas in the German children’s book industry, June 26-July 1. The post GBO Editors’ Trip Bolsters Visibility for German Children’s Publishing appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German industry rocked by Federal Supreme Court ruling

A court ruling that ends the decades-long practice of distributing copyright levies equally between authors and publishers is rocking Germany’s book industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The future of FutureBook

What do you want from a website dedicated to the future of the book industry? I'll tell you what I don't. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's: publishers predict 2016 trends

The children’s book industry will continue to see demand for beautiful print books and diverse stories in 2016, and the market for Young Adult titles by UK authors will go from strength to strength, according to publishers and editors. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tribute to Lord Weidenfeld, One of the Last Great Émigré Publishers

UK publisher Lord Weidenfeld was a towering and influential figure in the book industry, and he seemed to embody not only the history of publishing but also the history of Europe. The post Tribute to Lord Weidenfeld, One of the Last Great Émigré Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AAP, UNCF Partner to Improve Diversity Hiring in Book Biz

The AAP, working with the United Negro College Fund, is offering paid summer internships in the book industry to African American students at Historical Black Colleges and Universities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Happy Holidays! Christmas Carols for the Book Industry

As our parting gift to you for 2015, Publishing Perspectives re-imagines several popular Christmas carols through the prism of the book business. The post Happy Holidays! Christmas Carols for the Book Industry appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On the “Virtual Unreality” of Publishing in Spain

Manuel Gil challenges assertions that Spain's book industry is diverse and competitive, calling them science fiction. The post On the “Virtual Unreality” of Publishing in Spain appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writ to the future

In October 2004, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin made a rare appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair to launch what for them must have seemed like an ambitious yet benign programme to scan the world’s published content and make it available to search online, under what was then called... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rushdie to discuss freedom of expression at FBF

Salman Rushdie will discuss the significance of freedom of expression for authors and the book industry in his keynote address at the Frankfurt Book Fair this year. A spokesperson for the Frankfurt Book Fair said: “The publication of polemic literature and its consequences affect not just... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tips from Wanda

As SIBA prepares to hold its 40th regional conference in Raleigh, N.C., September 18–20, its executive director, Wanda Jewell, shares 40 pieces of advice for getting along in the book industry, gleaned from her 25 years with the group. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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