Mediaboss Marketing

Originally published October 27, 2014 at 9:25 AM | Page modified October 27, 2014 at 9:25 PM

Amazon.com has added a second Fire TV streaming device to its lineup, announcing a $39 streaming-media stick Monday that will compete with Google Chromecast and Roku Streaming Stick.

Users plug the new Fire TV Stick into the HDMI port on an HDTV to stream content from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Prime Instant Video, WatchESPN, Twitch, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify and other services.

Google Chromecast costs $35 and Roku Streaming Stick costs $50.

Amazons stick comes seven months after the Seattle company introduced Amazon Fire TV, a streaming-media box. Amazon hopes the smaller, cheaper device about the size of a pack of gum will entice customers who dont want to spend $99 on the Fire TV box.

The stick features a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, and dual-band and dual-antenna Wi-Fi.

It comes with a remote control, and users can also use their phones as a remote with a free mobile app that includes voice search.

The company was quick to tout the sticks specs compared with rival devices.

Fire TV Stick has 50 percent more processing power and two times the memory of Chromecast; it has six times the processing power, two times the memory and 32 times the storage of Roku Streaming Stick, the company said. This results in faster and more fluid navigation, plus more storage for apps and games.

Users will also be able to fling movies and TV shows from their Fire tablet or Fire phone to the Fire TV Stick.

Read more from the original source:
Amazon unveils plug-in TV streaming stick, challenging Google, Roku

The Islamic State militants captured eight journalists and media workers working for a local television in the militants-seized city of Mosul, capital of the countrys northern province of Nineveh, a provincial security source said on Sunday.

Five media workers were captured by the IS militants early in the day, while three others were captured on Friday, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Four reporters and cameramen, two technicians and an administrator are all working for local news Sama Mosul satellite channel, the source said.

The IS militants stormed their homes in different districts of Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, and captured them, the source added.

After the IS took control of Mosul in June, Iraqs second largest city, many reporters have left the city for fear of reprisals.

On Oct. 11, IS militants kidnapped and executed Raad al-Azzawi, a cameraman for local news Sama Salahudin satellite channel, and three of his relatives in Iraqs central province of Salahudin for alleged collaboration with Iraqi security forces.

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders group said the U.S. war with Iraq was the most lethal for journalists since World War II, and the statistics of the Iraqi Union of Journalists showed that more than 300 of its members and media workers were killed since the start of the U.S.-led war in March, 2003.

Iraqs security situation began to drastically deteriorate on June 10, when bloody clashes broke out between the Iraqi security forces and the IS, an al-Qaida break-away group, who took control of the countrys northern city of Mosul and later seized swathes of territories after Iraqi security forces abandoned their posts in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.

Continued here:
IS captures eight media workers in Iraqs Mosul

These maverick companies clearly lay out what is acceptable company-related content to be publicly shared and what is off limits. KPMG has developed YouTube videos, and many top employers are now offering social media classes that help employees understand appropriate messages for each medium, with additional training on how to control private and public interfaces.

"How to" practices are just as important as making clear the repercussions of inappropriate company-related social media behavior. Clearly explain to employees the legal consequences of their actions if they use technology to either view or distribute objectionable, illicit or offensive material on work devices or company accounts.

Read MoreCracking the code on billion-dollar success

If you are looking for an example of a company that has done this well, check out IBM's blogging guidelines released to its employees. The manifesto is well put together: It clearly states the goals of IBM-related blogging, such as key messages to share, while also making the guidelines crystal clear. Cisco has taken a similar approach, publishing its social media guidelines on its website for all employees to access and read so there is no question about what is okay to share.

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How to build a brand with social media

These maverick companies clearly lay out what is acceptable company-related content to be publicly shared and what is off limits. KPMG has developed YouTube videos, and many top employers are now offering social media classes that help employees understand appropriate messages for each medium, with additional training on how to control private and public interfaces.

"How to" practices are just as important as making clear the repercussions of inappropriate company-related social media behavior. Clearly explain to employees the legal consequences of their actions if they use technology to either view or distribute objectionable, illicit or offensive material on work devices or company accounts.

Read MoreCracking the code on billion-dollar success

If you are looking for an example of a company that has done this well, check out IBM's blogging guidelines released to its employees. The manifesto is well put together: It clearly states the goals of IBM-related blogging, such as key messages to share, while also making the guidelines crystal clear. Cisco has taken a similar approach, publishing its social media guidelines on its website for all employees to access and read so there is no question about what is okay to share.

Read more here:
Lessons on building a brand with social media

The interior of the Newstalk newsroom. File photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times.

Newstalk has today announced a new deal to provide a news service to the UTV group of radio stations:

It will provide national and international news, business and sports service to Limerick 95FM, LMFM, Cork 96FM, C103FM, Q102 and FM104, it said today.

Newstalk, which is owned by Denis OBriens Communicorp, will now become the largest news supplier in Ireland, with a total audience of 1.7 million listeners daily.

Mr OBrien is Irelands largest owner of private media assets, being the biggest shareholder in the Independent News & Media group, and the owner of Communicorp, the radio business that includes Newstalk, 98FM and TodayFM.

Samus Dooley, Irish Secretary, of the NUJ said the union is gravely concerned with the development.

Newstalk already provides broadcast services to 25 independent local and regional radio stations across the country, with the new addition of the UTV group it will bring the total number to 31, which is the entire independent radio network.

Mr Dooley said the news that the Communcorp group will become the largest supplier of news to the independent radio network posed problems for media diversity in Ireland.

In terms of diversity of news, analysis and opinion we do not believe that the public interest will be best served by further extension of the influence of a dominant player in the Irish media market, Communicorp.

Last year, former Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte said the growing concentration of media ownership in fewer hands is not a desirable situation.

Excerpt from:
Newstalk to provide news to UTV radio stations