57 posts and columns on Slate.com

News Byte

NBC News Creates Video Unit, Hires Slate.com Exec

in Media on August 19, 2013 at 9:00 am PT

NBC News’s digital group is creating its own original video unit, dedicated to making clips for “social, mobile and Web audiences.” Bill Smee, who has been heading up video at the Washington Post’s Slate.com, will head up the new video group, starting next month.

Apple Signs Off on Spotify. When Will Big Music Play Along?

in Media on August 27, 2009 at 2:11 pm PT

Spotify is the best music service you’ve never used. That’s because the much-hyped streaming music company is only available for Europeans and for a select few in the U.S. who have either gotten sneak peeks or hacked their way into it. The service took one step toward wider distribution today when Apple approved its iPhone app. But that won’t help U.S. users until the big music labels agree to American distribution deals.

How to Save Newspapers, Charity Edition

in Media on July 9, 2009 at 12:31 pm PT

Funny because it’s true, almost: “For just pennies a day, you can clothe, feed, and shelter newspaper professionals.” Meanwhile, this one’s for real: The New York Times asks subscribers what they’d think about paying $5 for Web access to the paper.

Google’s Plan to Save Newspapers: Make Them Look Better

in Media on February 19, 2009 at 6:07 am PT

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has already made it clear that he has no intention of bailing out the New York Times or any other newspaper with the company’s cash. But! Google does have some free advice about how papers could help themselves. For instance: Maybe they should overhaul their Web sites.

Exclusive: Former Yahoo Scott Moore Heads Back to Microsoft As U.S. Content Head

in News on January 30, 2009 at 3:05 pm PT

In an unusual homecoming and odd job switcheroo between two Internet execs, former Yahoo media head Scott Moore is returning to Microsoft to lead its content efforts, according to many sources both inside and outside the company. Moore will become U.S. executive producer, responsible for leading the content and programming strategy for the MSN online service. He will return to Microsoft’s Seattle area HQ in mid-March and report to Greg Nelson, GM of the MSN Global Media Group. Moore left Yahoo late last year due to unhappiness over the turmoil at the company and to pursue a start-up idea he had. He was replaced at Yahoo–in a rushed appointment–by Jeff Dossett, who came, wait for it, from Microsoft, where he held the job Moore is now taking.

Obama’s Post-Election Media Bump: Over

in Media on November 13, 2008 at 4:30 am PT

Remember last week? When, in the aftermath of a historic presidential election, things were so giddy it seemed that even newspapers might be valuable again–at least as collector’s items? Well, that’s over.