As the surge to create online news brands continues, GlobalPost is an emerging contender. In its second year of operation, it has achieved several significant milestones: 750,000 unique visitors monthly, an audience from 230 countries, and more than 4 million visitors since launch in January 2009. Internet metrics of success aside, GlobalPost has proved detractors wrong: There is a healthy online audience for quality international news – and making money while doing so is a viable possibility.

Headquartered in Boston, MA, GlobalPost has assembled a team of over 70 correspondents from 50 countries. They’ve also created a network of partners including PBS, CBS, AOL, Huffington Post, Reuters, WorldFocus, Fox News (The O’Reilly Factor), NewsMax, and more.Continue reading...

The infamous supermarket tabloid brand, The National Enquirer, is being considered for a Pulitzer Prize. Their prize-worthy coverage is the result of mounting the first and most diligent journalistic pursuit of allegations that John Edwards was having an extramarital affair and fathered an out of wedlock child.

The Enquirer’s tip line promises, “We’ll Pay Big for Your Celebrity Gossip.” And in September 2007, the first tip came in that Rielle Hunter was involved with then presidential candidate Edwards.

Normally, the tabloid wouldn’t have bothered with a political story, but when executive editor, Barry Levine googled Edwards, and discovered that his and Elizabeth’s marriage was among the most respected of all the candidates, he realized that such a story could destroy his image and fulfill the tabloid’s mission: “It still shows the reader that wealthy people, rich people, people who they may admire – when you take away the money, have the same types of problems that they have in real life.”Continue reading...

Amid all the woes of the American newspaper business, it’s heartening to see a venerable newspaper and its associated brand on the rise. That is, unless you’re the New York Times.

That’s because one of the few newspaper brands with any palpable momentum these days is the Times' long-time, Gotham-based rival, The Wall Street Journal. Not only has its circulation actually been rising while the Times’ has been falling, but the Journal’s ownership by Rupert Murdoch has resulted in all sorts of successful brand-extending activities over the last couple of years.

There’s the Journal’s engaging, if relatively minor, foray into sports coverage, for instance. And its burgeoning co-branding efforts with corporate sibling Fox News.Continue reading...

Lifetime is in transition, again. The latest chapter in the network’s search for itself includes a push for younger viewers – a sweet spot for advertisers – and has resulted in a dwindling audience of loyal, older viewers.

The current perception of Lifetime: “‘It’s great for my mom, but I wouldn't watch it.' That has to change," said JoAnn Alfano, Lifetime's executive vice president of programming. "In some ways it's not rocket science. We want to invite all women into the tent and offer a cross-section of programming."

But it’s hard to have a tent that big in television today. The move away from serious dramas and women-in-jeopardy movies – which put Lifetime on the map -- was an attempt to attract new demographic while maintaining loyal viewers.

Lifetime's ad revenue fell 12 percent to $656.8 million in 2009, and the TV-for-women arena is getting crowded. The upcoming launch of Oprah Winfrey's OWN network poses serious competition with programming that empowers women. Oxygen, WE, Style Network and TLC – all catering to women – are all chasing the same audience and advertisers.Continue reading...

Akoo, the world's largest social music television network, recently announced agreements with many of the nation's leading universities. Akoo delivers major label music videos and original programming to 89.6 million monthly consumers in premium out-of-home environments across the US.

This new slew of university partnerships extends Akoo’s reach of interactive video programming to an additional 330,000 college students throughout America. This comparatively small increment – 0.5 percent of total audience base, is a highly desirable demographic – the prime college cohort.

"Akoo social TV has transformed the Morris University Center on our campus," said Director Joseph H. Pearson of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. "We've received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our students, who appreciate the opportunity to choose the entertainment content of their choice on the network.”Continue reading...

After weathering the disastrous departure of Conan O'Brien from The Tonight Show, NBC was optimistic about the return of Jay Leno. However, Leno's brand has been significantly damaged over the affair. In fact, in one survey, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they wouldn't watch Leno anymore.

NBC would love for The Tonight Show to return to the way it was a year ago, but it's clear that isn't going to happen – at least not now. So what is NBC doing to reinvigorate The Tonight Show brand? That's right: a new logo. Continue reading...

The digital age is forcing television brands to look at content and audience in an entirely new way. Today, viewers want the power to control what they watch, and when – which is antithetical to how television programming has traditionally worked. For decades, audiences were supposed to build their schedules around their favorite programming, and sit through blocks of commercials. However, thanks to Tivo, DVRs, and online sites such as Hulu, those days are over.

Consequently, television brands, much like print brands, are struggling with changing technologies and paradigms, though one brand – Adult Swim, a cartoon network for adults – appears to be adjusting better than the others. The brand is adopting a strategy to satisfy viewers who want greater involvement – by involving them.Continue reading...

Pity NBC – as if the network needed more programming woes after the Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien disaster. Now, with the Olympics beginning tonight, top-ranked skier and "very photogenic" Olympic superstar Lindsey Vonn is injured. She might not even compete. In addition to her personal pain and disappointment, it's bad news for all of the brands involved.

Before severely injuring her leg, skier Vonn was the favorite for medals in the women's downhill and super-G and several other races. She also boasts a blonde, all-American-girl look that the media salivates over. With no big-time female American ice-skating princess to focus on, Vonn was to be NBC's "queen of the ski hill." She was to be the Michael Phelps of these winter Olympics. Consequently, Vonn has been the feature of a disproportionate amount of promotion. She was even included in the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue just a week after being on its cover.Continue reading...

The NBC network is finally moving beyond its Conan O'Brien debacle, and is now reinvesting in Jay Leno as its Tonight Show host. This week, Leno unceremoniously wrapped-up his short-lived NBC prime time, variety show. Behind the scenes, NBC must be relieved to have the popular Jay Leno back in The Tonight Show seat.

However, the circumstances that led Jay Leno back to The Tonight Show might be exactly the same forces that will make him a failure of equal proportions. Leno’s personal brand has sustained considerable damage.

On March 1, Jay Leno returns to The Tonight Show. Yet, a recent TV Guide poll revealed that 69 percent of respondents expressed that they won't watch Leno anymore. More specially: "An overwhelming 69 percent of voters in a TVGuide.com poll said they used to watch Jay Leno, but will not watch anymore after what happened to Conan O'Brien."Continue reading...

For nearly 30 years MTV has used the same logo. However, with slumping ratings, the brand is doing what many struggling brands do: redesigning its logo.

So, how is MTV changing its globally recognized, iconic logo? Are the font sizes changing? Are the fonts themselves changing? Will the "TV" be moved off of the "M?" Actually, none of the above. The changes were made below the logo, it's a move that underscores the pitfalls of choosing a highly specific brand logo.

The MTV brand has represented more than "music television" for many years, and now – appropriately – the words "music television” are no longer part of the official logo. In addition, the original logo has undergone a slight morphing.Continue reading...

Deep down, we all knew this would happen. Our favorite television shows and news articles for free – anywhere, anytime, forever? It just sounded too good to be true. And it was.

Hulu is leading the charge in a trend that will surely be implemented by websites that provide free episodes of television programs. In an effort generate revenue, Hulu plans on placing a price tag on popular shows such as “Modern Family,” “House,” and “30 Rock.” This is quite a development -- not just for Hulu but for online content in general, across the globe. Just ask the New York Times.Continue reading...

In the current economic climate, many in the financial services industry understand that Wall Street needs a rebrand. It appears this need to rebrand all things Wall Street extends to The Wall Street Journal as well. Starting this week, the iconic newspaper is launching an ambitious rebranding campaign to position the paper as the most comprehensive source of information available to readers. It even has a catchy tagline.

"Live in the Know" is the tagline that heads up a campaign that, in the vice president of brand marketing's words, "... highlights the breadth and deeper understanding readers get every day only from reading the Journal. We want to invite new readers to discover the diverse coverage The Wall Street Journal delivers, from business news, world news and politics, to more personal topics such as wellness, personal finance and leisure pursuits." The campaign will appear in print, online, cable television, and various broadcasts.Continue reading...

If there was any doubt about Conan O'Brien's future at the NBC network, there isn't anymore. In a statement yesterday, the (lame duck) "Tonight Show" host said of NBC's decision to move him to midnight after Jay Leno:

"I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting... My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction."

Awkward, considering O'Brien is set to host the "Tonight Show" for at least another month. After that, there have been rumors O'Brien could go to Fox. Would an O'Brien-Fox pairing be good for either brand? Continue reading...

With or without the funky eyeglasses, television companies are hoping to capitalize on the emergence of 3D. The visual technology's popularity has risen dramatically in the past year, in part thanks to popular movies such as Avatar.

Both ESPN and Discovery Communications, owner of the Discovery Channel and TLC, are set to launch their own respective 3D networks.

ESPN will air more than 85 live games this year, the first being the FIFA World Cup on June 11 -- only the most revered sporting event on the planet.Continue reading...

In February, mega-promoter Simon Fuller will change the face of television forever – by leaving it behind. His new real-time show “If I Can Dream” will only be available online, and showcase the struggles and aspirations of five performers trying to make it in Hollywood.

Mr. Fuller, the personality behind the Spice Girls and Britain’s “Pop Idol,” which spawned “American Idol,” is branching out, as true entrepreneurs do. “If I Can Dream” will be broadcast by a website dedicated to the daily activities of the shows contestants, and viewers will be able to communicate with them via the Web. As with Idol, there will also be 30-minute recap show on video-streaming site, Hulu.comContinue reading...