In an effort to promote more transparency in political advertising, last year, the FCC proposed regulation that would require TV stations to disclose the names, costs, and running dates of every political ad aired in recent years. Although this political ad data is available to anyone that visits a TV station, the Commission wants to make this information more accessible on a website that it would govern.
WebProNews spoke with Mark Fratrik, the Vice President and Chief Economist at BIA/Kelsey, who told us that, at a time when political contributions have become increasingly controversial, the FCC is trying to alleviate some of the rising concerns.
TV stations, however, are against the proposed mandate since they feel it would impose additional costs while also reducing competition in the pricing of ad spots. According to Fratrik, TV stations aren’t too concerned about the online database the mandate would require, but instead are worried about the logistics involved, such as the extra man-hours.
Since the issue is still being debated, Fratrik told us that it was doubtful anything would come of the proposal this year.
Should political ad data be more accessible? What do you think?
Filed under Internet Marketing by on Mar 27th, 2012. 
Internet meeting platform SalesCrunch made an interesting move this week when it announced it was offering Cisco $ 1 plus equity for WebEx. Cisco acquired online conferencing platform WebEx back in 2007. However, last year the company said it was making cuts and focusing more on its core business.
Since there has been some speculation that WebEx could be among the cuts, SalesCrunch is hoping to step in before this happens. As the company’s CEO and founder Sean Black explained to us, the technology from WebEx is not the appealing factor for buying it, but the userbase is.
He thinks that combining WebEx’s users with SalesCrunch’s more updated software would provide users with a better Web conferencing option. Black also told us that because WebEx’s role in Cisco’s core business of switchers and routers has been questioned, the offer simply “makes sense.”
Although SalesCrunch has not received a response from Cisco, Black said he is hopeful that the offer will be reached. Incidentally, WebProNews reached out to Cisco for a statement on the issue and received this reply:
“This is a cute publicity stunt from SalesCrunch, and we appreciate that they like our technology, but we have no intention of selling Webex.”
How do you think this saga will play out? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Filed under Internet Marketing by on Mar 11th, 2012.
The FCC is in the process of reviewing multiple documents regarding whether or not to permit cable companies to encrypt their basic programming. Cable giants such as Comcast and Time Warner are lobbying for the FCC to change the policy since digital boxes could be serviced remotely, which they say would reduce costs.
Internet streaming set-top box companies such as Boxee, however, disagree. Avner Ronen, the company’s CEO, spoke with WebProNews and said consumers and competition would be hurt if the FCC removes the restriction.
He told us that, over the past year, the number of subscribers to cable companies is either flat or declining. As a result, he believes the companies are trying to boost their revenue by asking subscribers to pay a monthly rental fee for their set-top boxes.
Ronen also pointed out that cable companies are trying to block innovations like Boxee from competing in the market.
The FCC is currently weighing both sides of the dispute, but there is no word on when a decision could be reached.
Is Boxee right, or do you think the cable companies have a point? We’d love to know.
Filed under Internet Marketing by on Feb 15th, 2012.
Smart marketing puts your message right in front of your audience. With millions of people participating in social media each day, using social media platforms to market your business can be a smart move. If you’re warming up to the idea of social media and see it as a legitimate strategy, a logical step is to embrace it and find a team member or a trusted outsourcing provider to build up your social presence.
But before you sign over your social presence to an outside provider, it’s important to ask whether social media should be outsourced and, if so, how it should be outsourced to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
The Benefits of Outsourced Social Media
Like other types of outsourcing, social media outsourcing can save your company time and energy. Your business efforts are always more successful when they are closely linked with your core competency. For example, if your business specializes in virtual office services your employees and managing staff will have expertise in remote working, virtual office technology and all of the other components that go with working “in the cloud.”
Unless your company specializes in online marketing, social media skills aren’t part of your core competency. Your time and the time of your employees will be better spent on other projects. Outsourcing to a social strategy consultant or service can help you keep your presence consistent and your social presence running smoothly.
Using an outside vendor for social media can help your organization gain unique insight into the social process. With frequent platform updates and new measurements of success being introduced on what seems like a constant basis, it’s important that your company stays on top of its game. An outside vendor who specializes in this form of marketing can be a critical key in your social success. They can help you stay competitive and learn to stand out from the crowd with unique updates and engagement tools,
The Risks of Outsourcing
Despite all of these benefits to outsourced social media, the process isn’t without its risks.
The path to effective social usage for corporations has been littered with faux pas and missteps that have made many companies regret starting a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn account. Chrysler’s account was a victim of a bad tweet in March and Nikon’s Facebook page underwent a fair bit of backlash in September, among many other examples of corporate social gone wrong.
In Chrysler’s case, an employee of the social media firm posted a profanity laden update on the official Chrysler Twitter account. The tweet was made in haste by a hired social media “expert” who either forgot they were logged into their client’s account or made the post in a moment of bad judgment.
Nikon’s social media agency made the mistake of implying that a photographer is only as good as their equipment. This is something that every real photographer knows is not the case, and the Facebook post received a lot of negative response from the Nikon fanpage community and photography blogosphere in general.
The lack of professionalism shown in the Chrysler case and lack of knowledge about a market in the Nikon case are two very real risks of outsourcing social media. But there are ways to minimize the risks and still reap the benefits.
Don’t Outsource Your Voice, Outsource Your Process
Social media outsourcing can still be very beneficial and help your company save time, remain creative and stay competitive. Rather than handing your entire social process off to an outside firm, you can seek out a social consultant or company that will get your company set up, train your employees and offer ongoing support as your social business needs expand.
A social media expert can show your employees how to utilize these channels in an appropriate way. Your employees know about your business and your field. They are invested in the success of your company and are less likely to make mistakes with regard to professionalism or lack of industry knowledge.
By using an outside vendor for social media training and support (rather than outsourcing updates), you can maintain control over your profiles while still reaping the benefits of utilizing an outsourced resource that has expert level knowledge.
What do you think about the benefits and risks of an outsourced social presence?
Filed under Internet Marketing by on Dec 28th, 2011.
So many marketers fret about measuring their social media activities, but they really shouldn’t. Dave Fleet, the Vice President of Digital at Edelman Toronto, talked with us and explained that social media activity should be directly related to business objectives. When these two areas are connected, the metrics become apparent.
According to Fleet, the reason measuring social media becomes confusing is because, more often than not, marketers fail to create a solid plan. If they start with a plan, develop business objectives, and then find measurable tactics that tie back to the plan, the metrics should be clear.
WebProNews is partnering with BlogWorld and New Media Expo, the world’s first and largest new media conference, in an effort to broadcast how new media can grow your business, brand, and audience. BlogWorld takes place November 3-5 in Los Angeles and includes speakers such as Dave Fleet. Stay tuned to WebProNews for much more exclusive coverage.
Filed under Internet Marketing by on Oct 16th, 2011.
