Digital Discourse / Archives for Laura Greenback

Mike Marchesano Named Managing Director of SIIA’s American Business Media Division

September 30, 2013 By

SIIA today announced that media industry executive Mike Marchesano will join  as Managing Director of the American Business Media (ABM) Division of SIIA. ABM merged with SIIA on June 30.

Marchesano most recently was President and CEO of Aequor Media, a consulting firm dedicated to providing strategic, customized technology solutions for B2B and consumer magazines, newspapers, and Fortune 1000 companies.  Marchesano was also Managing Director at the Jordan Edmiston Group, an investment banking firm, where he led the sale of Congressional Quarterly to the Economist Group. Before that, he was Executive Vice President & Chief Transformation Officer at The Nielsen Company; President and CEO at VNU Business Media;  President and CEO at Bill Communications (an operating company of VNU), and President at BPA International (now BPA Worldwide).  Marchesano was an ABM board member from 2001-07, serving as chairman in 2006-07, and a SIIA Content Division board member from 2007-11.

SIIA President Ken Wasch said:

“With changing business models, new delivery platforms and new competition, the business media industry will benefit enormously from someone with Mike’s perspective and experience. With Mike at the helm, the ABM division will develop new programs and services that help to advance the business media industry.”

Marchesano said:

“With the merging of ABM and SIIA, the opportunity to showcase the unique and powerful role business media and information provides its audiences and marketers is very exciting. I am thrilled to take on this responsibilty for our industry and privileged to lead the organization.”

Neal Vitale, Chairman of ABM and President & CEO of 1105 Media, Inc. said:

“We are immensely fortunate to have been able to recruit an executive of Mike’s expertise and stature. I am looking forward to working with him as we grow ABM.”

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Content, Education, Policy, SIPA, Software Tagged With: ,

SIIA Op-Ed: New Mobile App Transparency Efforts Give Hope for Privacy Progress without Regulatory Mandates

August 28, 2013 By

In a TheHill.com op/ed today, Ken Wasch praised the multi-stakeholder process that led to a voluntary code of conduct for mobile app transparency. The tech industry worked with the Department of Commerce to meet the public need for privacy protection–without the need for draconian legislation or regulation.

The code of conduct will make privacy policies for mobile apps simpler and easier to understand. Ken says:

“[We] live in a world where privacy policies are long and complex; they are documents written by lawyers for lawyers.  The new Code, which will lead to clearer, simpler notices, represents a fundamental shift in the paradigm of privacy transparency.”

The companies that sign on to the code will help their users make informed decisions about which apps they want to use by:

  • Providing a list of key data elements collected by apps
  • Offering a notice about relevant third party sharing

These enhanced privacy tools will be a selling point for companies competing in the mobile app arena. Beyond that, they are an important step toward a win-win approach to privacy protection that protects consumers while leaving room for new ideas and apps. The code of conduct shows we can move forward on privacy protection without burdensome, costly regulation that stifles innovative growth.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy Team at @SIIAPolicy

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Filed Under: Policy, Policy - Privacy

New SIIA/ABM Survey: 96 Percent of Business Media Users Rely On Trade Magazines and Websites To Make Purchase Decisions

August 6, 2013 By

ABM, a division of SIIA, today released research – “the Value of B-to-B”– showing that business-to-business media, including events, magazines, websites and more, are extremely effective in connecting buyers and sellers. The Value of B-to-B report was sponsored by Adobe Systems Inc. and supported by marketer organizations ANA, ISBM and BMA, as well as eight trade publishing companies. Some key takeaways include:

  • Trade media have reach: 96 percent of media users polled visit b-to-b websites and read print magazines. 73 percent visit these websites at least weekly, and 45 percent read print magazines at least weekly.
  • Events deliver leads: 90 percent of marketers polled said that event attendance generates leads, and 76 percent said that event sponsorship generates leads.
  • Digital magazines are flourishing: 92 percent of publishers polled produce digital editions of their print magazines, and 60 percent of publishers say that their digital circulation is increasing.
  • Mobile is growing in business: 53 percent of media users say they use their own personal mobile device for business purposes, and 43 percent of marketers say they plan to increase their spending on mobile media.

According to ABM Research and Content Director Michael Moran Alterio, the Value of B-to-B report demonstrates that business information publishing remains an effective tool for working professionals and the advertisers who seek to reach them. “Trade media is about a holistic approach to connecting buyers and sellers: print, digital, live events, data and information sales, marketing services and so on,” said Alterio, “our research shows that trade publishers are growing in importance, reaching businesspeople in new ways and remaining a vital resource for their customers.”

The Value of B-to-B report polled trade media users, publishers, and marketers to deliver a 360-degree view of media serving the b-to-b industry.  74 marketers, 111 publishers, and 6,682 trade media users participated in three online polls in March and April of this year. The report, a 5 MB PDF, includes 30 pages of analysis, 15 pages of methodology, and 380 pages of raw results. Both the report and a video presentation of the data are available at ABM’s website.

View a PDF Version of the report here. You can also view the ABM Blog here.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation, sign up for SIIA e-newsletters, or join the LinkedIn group.

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Filed Under: Content

Karen Billings on SIIA’s Vision K20 Report: Dispatches from ISTE

July 8, 2013 By

Karen Billings and the SIIA Education Division team unveiled the full Vision K-20 Survey at a press event at ISTE 2013 in San Antonio late last month. The sixth-annual national survey measured U.S. educational institutions’ self-reported progress toward building a framework that embraces technology and e-learning. The comprehensive report surveyed nearly 1,500 educators and education administrators.

Karen sat down with EdReach for an Industry Insight chat about the release of the 2013 Vision K20 report. She noted that educators still consider technology integration a high priority, despite the gloomy economic environment many educational institutions face.

2013 VISION K-20 FINDING: Levels of technology integration at schools are holding steady despite budget challenges, while interest in technology integration continues to remain high.

Karen also shared her theories on the success of higher ed technology integration with MindShare Learning.

2013 VISION K-20 FINDING: Postsecondary continues to lead the way in technology integration compared to K-12.

Karen also went on screen with TeacherCast to discuss the future of mobile and other educational technology trends from the Vision K-20 report.

2013 VISION K-20 FINDING: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and mobile use is increasing in schools. About 95% of four-year postsecondary institutions and 46% of K-12 institutions now allow mobile devices in the classroom.

As the voice of the educational technology industry, SIIA developed a vision for K-20 education that ensures all students have access to a technology-enabled teaching and learning environments capable of preparing them to compete globally and lead the world in innovation. A successful pilot survey was initiated in 2008, with follow-up surveys conducted in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 to support the initiative.

The 2013 Vision K-20 Survey was developed to provide benchmarks against which educators and administrators can measure their institutional progress in using technology to provide 21st century tools, anytime/anywhere access, differentiated learning, assessment tools, and enterprise support.

The full Vision K20 report is available online.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Education Team on Twitter at @SIIAEducation, sign up for SIIA e-newsletters, or join the LinkedIn group.

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Filed Under: Education

SIPA 2013 Publishing Conference to Feature Former White House Staffers Joshua Bolten & Michael McCurry

June 4, 2013 By

SIPA 2013, a premier event for content industry executives, will feature a candid policy, politics and White House operations discussion between Joshua Bolten, former White House chief of staff under President George W. Bush, and Michael McCurry, former White House press secretary to President Bill Clinton. SIPA 2013 will be held June 5-7 in Washington, D.C., and this special event, entitled “Inside the White House – A Candid Conversation” will take place on Friday, June 7 at 8:45 a.m.

Bolten and McCurry are expected to discuss the current state of partisan gridlock in Washington and the need for greater civility in government, how technology has changed White House operations and the presidential decision-making process and the 2014 midterm and 2016 Presidential elections.   They will be joined by CQ Roll Call Senior Editor David Hawkings.

Other panels and presentations at SIPA 2013 will focus on emerging technologies, dynamic social media realities and evolving business models that are changing the publishing industry.  The theme of “Pathways to Publishing for Profit” will drive the remaining keynote presentations at SIPA 2013, including the following:

  • John Yemma and Jonathan Wells, editor and managing publisher, respectively, of The Christian Science Monitor, will speak about their journey towards becoming the world’s first “digital first” news organization and their successes in leveraging editorial assets to develop new premium products.
  • Joe McCambley, co-founder and creative director of The Wonderfactory, will share his vision about the future of digital publishing in a world where advertisers are increasingly becoming content creators .
  • Terry Waters, CEO of Yankee Group – a market research firm focused on digital mobility – will present his firm’s latest findings about mobile trends and how those trends are changing content consumption.

Other highlights of the conference include over 30 breakout sessions across five topical tracks, the annual SIPAwards honoring the year’s best publishing performances and products, and the BrainSlam, an opportunity for teams to brainstorm solutions to real-world publishing problems and pitch their solutions to a panel of publishing experts.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Content, SIPA, SIPA Con Tagged With: ,

White House Veterans Bolten and McCurry and Mobile/Digital Media Leaders to Keynote SIPA 2013 Publishing Conference

May 30, 2013 By

Five high-profile keynote events will form the centerpiece of the 37th annual SIPA conference, to be held June 5-7 in Washington, D.C. The three-day event is an important gathering for information industry leaders who are reinventing their business models in a time of significant change.

Emerging technologies, dynamic social media realities and evolving business models are changing the publishing industry. The theme of “Pathways to Publishing for Profit” will drive all of the keynote presentations at SIPA 2013, where the following government and industry leaders will discuss opportunities to grow and innovate:

Former White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten and former White House Press Secretary Michael D. McCurry will be joined by CQ Roll Call Senior Editor David Hawkings for a candid discussion about the state of the economy, pressing issues on Capitol Hill and expectations for President Obama’s second term.

  • John Yemma and Jonathan Wells, editor and managing publisher, respectively, of The Christian Science Monitor, will speak about their successful journey towards becoming the world’s first “digital first” news organization and their efforts to leverage editorial assets to develop new products.
  • Joe McCambley, co-founder and creative director of The Wonderfactory, will share his vision about the future of digital publishing.
  • Terry Waters, CEO of Yankee Group – a market research firm focused on digital mobility – will present his firm’s latest findings about mobile trends.

These top-notch industry leaders and public policy experts will shed light on digital, mobile, and political and economic trends that will impact every aspect of the publishing industry. SIPA 2013 attendees will also hear from industry rising stars and veterans alike about what’s working in their companies, how they’re making money, and how they can put their ideas to work right away.

Other highlights of the conference include more than 30 breakout sessions across five topical tracks, the annual SIPAwards honoring the year’s best editorial performances and products, and the BrainSlam, an opportunity for teams to brainstorm solutions to real-world publishing problems and pitch their solutions to a panel of publishing experts.

View the complete conference schedule.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Content, SIPA, SIPA Con Tagged With: , , ,

Users Support Targeted Advertising Over Paying for Internet Content

April 19, 2013 By

Advertising has always been the driving force behind quality content, and the ad industry has reshaped its business models as today’s Internet-based content ecosystem continues to evolve. Generic print ads of yesterday have made way for tailored Internet ads that fuel free access to everything from local news to viral videos like the Harlem Shake!

But do Internet users know that ads tailored to their own interests helps provide for their free content? And how do they feel about seeing these ads?

A new poll shows that Americans value free Internet content, and they are comfortable with the tailored Internet advertising that powers it. The survey, released by the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA), measured consumers’ attitudes about Internet advertising. Despite the seeming unpopularity of “behavioral advertising” the survey found that when given the choice, Americans would prefer ad-supported content to paying for ad-free content. Some key data points:

· 92 percent of Americans think free content like news, weather and blogs is important to the overall value of the Internet (64 percent extremely important, 28 percent somewhat important)

· 75 percent prefer ad supported content to paying for ad-free content

· 41 percent of users think that browser obstacles to displaying advertising will result in less access to free content

Tailored ads are worth more to advertisers than generic ads aimed at the general population. That’s why they are so vital to the future of quality Internet content. The DAA survey shows that most Internet users support this revenue model:

    · 68 percent prefer to get at least some ads Internet directed at their interests

· 40 percent prefer to get all their ads directed to their interests

· 47 percent would oppose a law that would restrict how data is used for Internet advertising but also potentially reduced free content availability, compared to only 22 percent that support such a law

 

DAA’s findings are promising for the viability of the content industry. Most Americans are comfortable with seeing ads that are directed at their interests–and all Internet users deserve a transparent experience with online advertising. To that end, the DAA runs the ad industry’s primary opt-out program, a choice tool that allows users to tailor how and whether they receive interest-based advertising.

Read more about the findings from the DAA poll.

Laura Greenback is Communications Director at SIIA. Follow the SIIA Public Policy team at @SIIAPolicy.

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Filed Under: Content, Policy, Policy - Privacy, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,
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