Big And Small, Social Media Investments And M&A Continue To Capture Headlines

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By Elizabeth Osder - Wed 23 Apr 2008 05:54 PM PST

We’re just three business days away from EconSM and the program seems more and more on target each day. With the Pennsylvania primary over our opening night panel on election and politics, our panelists will share the latest on how social media is changing the political landscape. We’re seeing more and more start ups grow up and buy and merge with others like in the case of AtomicOnline buying fashion community FashionSpot today. And there’s certainly no shortage of headline-grabbing major acquisitions and big payoffs like AOL-Bebo and Apple’s acquisition of microprocessor company PA Semi last night. So we’re looking forward to having you join the conversation. Go here to register. In the meantime, continue to check out paidContent.org for ongoing coverage on VC and M&A.

Bob Dylan and EconSM

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By Elizabeth Osder - Wed 23 Apr 2008 01:31 PM PST

I just came from a pre-conference visit to the Skirball Cultural Center and am thrilled with the venue. Sometimes Los Angeles really surprises me; it’s got so many beautiful places and surprising resources. EconSM will be a great conference since we’re not going to be stuffed in a hotel ballroom, but in a beautiful outdoor/indoor space nestled in the Sepulveda cutting through the Santa Monica mountains. I wanted to let folks know that there’s a terrific exhibit on Bob Dylan at the center, and encourage you to return on Wednesday to see it since you won’t have time to duck away Tuesday from EconSM’s packed schedule, conversations and networking.

AOL-Yahoo? Microsoft-Yahoo? Your Questions Answered At EconSM

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By Amanda Natividad - Wed 09 Apr 2008 09:42 PM PST

Who knows what the next three weeks will bring but if the latest Yahoo-Google-AOL-NWS headlines are any indication, the ante is being raised for some of our speakers at EconSM including Jeff Weiner, EVP of Yahoo’s Network division, Ron Grant, President and COO of AOL and Michael Lang, EVP, Business Development and Strategy of Fox Networks. Earlier today, in a surprising move, Yahoo announced a two-week Google AdSense trial in which it will outsource 3 percent of its U.S. search queries’ ads to its competitor. Will the deal—giving Google 90 percent of the online ad market—make Microsoft push harder into its attempted Yahoo acquisition? Or does Google’s 5 percent ownership of AOL make the Yahoo-Time Warner talks more serious? Check out paidContent.org for our full coverage and join us on Tuesday, April 29th, to engage in the discussions.

Our sponsors till now: DeSilva & Phillips; Montgomery & Co; The Jordan, Edmiston Group; Operative; KickApps; Pluck; Snap.com; and CoComment. To become a sponsor, e-mail our sales staff at advertising AT contentnext.com.

EconSM: The Full Schedule

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By Amanda Natividad - Sun 06 Apr 2008 11:22 PM PST

The 2008 edition of our Economics of Social Media conference is just weeks away and we’re ready to share our full schedule.  We kick off Monday, April 28, at the Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica with an opening night reception and our first session: Campaign ‘08: Media and Candidates Mixing It Up (Or Getting Mixed). Tuesday, April 29, we move to the Skirball Cultural Center for a full day of sessions and lots more networking opportunities including a closing reception.

We still have a special rate for the Hotel Angeleno until Tuesday, April 8, so check out the full details at out our venue page. And if you haven’t done so already, register for the conference today.

Our sponsors till now: DeSilva & Phillips; Montgomery & Co; The Jordan, Edmiston Group; Operative; KickApps; Pluck; Snap.com; and CoComment. To become a sponsor, e-mail our sales staff at advertising AT contentnext.com.

The Hotel Angeleno: Discount Rate Expires Soon

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By Amanda Natividad - Wed 02 Apr 2008 01:28 PM PST

With EconSM just around the corner, be sure to book your hotel now. The discount rate for Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard is gone, but you have until Tuesday, April 8, to reserve a room for $189 per night at the Hotel Angeleno. The Hotel Angeleno is located just off the Sunset Boulevard exit of the 405 and offers complimentary car service to the Skirball Cultural Center and other destinations within a three-mile radius.

Register online or call 1.866.ANGELENO to make your reservations. Don’t forget to mention you’re with EconSM so you can get the group rate.

Social Media Deep Dive Wth MTV Networks

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By Elizabeth Osder - Mon 31 Mar 2008 06:18 PM PST

In a twist for us, we’ll be hosting the leadership from across MTV Networks for a deep dive exploration of their social media efforts. Enterprise efforts pose unique challenges—and opportunities as we see new and old media conglomerates try to manage innovation across properties and platforms. Our panelists will provide a terrific window into almost every content category. From kids to teens, young adults to adults, MTV brands touch nearly every demographic on every screen.

Our enterprise deep dive panel, moderated by Staci D. Kramer, Co-Editor and EVP, ContentNext Media/paidContent.org, include:

--- Mika Salmi, President of Digital Media
--- Nada Stirratt, Executive Vice President of Digital Advertising
--- Erik Flannigan, Executive Vice President of Digital Media for the Entertainment Group (COMEDY CENTRAL, AtomFilms, Gametrailers, Spike)
--- Courtney Holt, Executive Vice President of Digital Music and Media for the Music & Logo Group (MTV, VH1, CMT, and Logo);
--- Steve Youngwood, Executive Vice President of Digital Media for the Kids & Family Group (Nickelodeon, Addicting Games, ParentsConnect and Neopets)

Join us at EconSM as we discuss MTV strategies for creating deeply engaging content and social experiences across all platforms, and how innovative creative content has resulted in business growth opportunities for MTVN. Leave some of your thoughts on the blog comments or register now to join the discussion at EconSM on April 28th and 29th.

Our sponsors till now: Desilva & Phillips; Montgomery & Co; The Jordan, Edmiston Group; Operative; KickApps; Pluck; Snap.com; and CoComment. If you want to become a sponsor, e-mail our business side at advertising AT contentnext.com.

AOL, Bebo, YouTube, MTV and other EconSM Speaker Additions

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sat 29 Mar 2008 10:03 PM PST

We continue to confirm speakers and timely conversations at EconSM.  Last week we confirmed a spotlight conversation with AOL President Ron Grant, and Bebo President Joanna Shields talking about AOL’s surprise $850 million acquisition of Bebo, and a lineup of MTV Networks executives discussing the enterprise social media efforts.

Get your tickets here.

Some additional speakers added:

-- Joanne Bradford, EVP, National Marketing Services, Spot Runner (formerly MSN)
-- Shawn Colo, Co-founder and Head of M&A, Demand Media
-- Jordan Hoffner, Head of Content Partnerships, YouTube
-- Courtney Holt, EVP-Digital Music, MTVN Music and Logo Group
-- Mika Salmi, President-Global Digital Media, MTVN
-- Nada Stirratt, EVP-Digital Advertising, MTVN
-- Steve Youngwood, EVP-Digital Media, MTVN Kids and Family Group

Our sponsors till now: Desilva & Phillips; Montgomery & Co; The Jordan, Edmiston Group; Operative; KickApps; Pluck; Snap.com; and CoComment. If you want to become a sponsor, e-mail our business side at advertising AT contentnext.com.

AOL President Ron Grant And Bebo President Joanna Shields Will Be In The EconSM Spotlight

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By Amanda Natividad - Wed 26 Mar 2008 12:01 AM PST

If all goes according to plan, by the time we meet in LA for EconSM at the end of April, AOL’s surprising $850 million acquisition of Bebo will be a done deal. That won’t put an end to the questions though, especially since it only marks the beginning of integrating the social net with AOL (NYSE: TWX). That’s why we’re especially pleased to announce that two of the key players—AOL President Ron Grant and Bebo President Joanna Shields-- will be at EconSM to talk about the deal that’s made headlines across the globe. What does this mean for Bebo users? How will AOL use Bebo in international markets and what can Bebo for AOL here in the U.S.? Can AOL make the most of Bebo’s ad inventory? And how will AOL avoid the integration issues it faces now with Platform-A? For answers to these and to ask questions of your own register today and we’ll see you at EconSM. And don’t forget, the Early Bird discount ends today at 12 PM PST.

Our sponsors till now: Desilva & Phillips; Montgomery & Co; The Jordan, Edmiston Group; Operative; KickApps; Pluck; Snap.com; and CoComment. If you want to become a sponsor, e-mail our business side at advertising AT contentnext.com.

Cocktails, Conversation & Campaign ‘08 At Casa Del Mar In Santa Monica

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sun 23 Mar 2008 01:58 PM PST

We’ve locked down the time, place and topic for EconSM’s opening night mixer: Please join us at the fabulous Casa Del Mar on the beach in Santa Monica Monday evening, April 28th, for a thought-provoking panel on social media, politics and the 2008 presidential election. The 50-minute panel will begin at 7:00 p.m., leaving plenty of time for mixing, mingling and networking with other conference attendees.

Moderating the panel will be Dennis Haarsager, the new interim CEO of NPR . Our panelists include:

--- Betsy Morgan, CEO, HuffingtonPost.com
--- Leonard Brody, CEO, NowPublic
--- Micah Sifry, Founder, Personal Democracy
--- Chuck DeFeo, President and GM, TownHall.com
--- Mitch Gelman, SVP and senior executive producer, CNN.com

So plan on joining us for our opening night reception and learn more about how campaign strategists have aggressively adopted the best practices of social network media and are embracing the tools and techniques that help messages reach a new wired generation. What techniques are driving voters’ engagements and what challenges do social media present to mainstream media, news gathering and campaign strategy?

Let’s get the conversation going here, please submit your questions to me, or add them as comments on our blog.

Register here, for EconSM April 28th and 29th in Los Angeles.

Keynote Q&A With Steve Wadsworth, President, Walt Disney Internet Group

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sun 16 Mar 2008 10:00 PM PST

We’re pleased to announce that Steve Wadsworth, President of Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) , will join us at EconSM08 for a keynote Q&A—and that Kara Swisher of AllThingsD will be doing the interview. Disney CEO Bob Iger is on the record—multiple times—about the value of social media to the Walt Disney Company; Steve is charged with making it work. In the past year alone, WDIG acquired highly sought-after Club Penguin, completely relaunched Disney.com with social networking matched to different age groups, and created the Disney Online Studios to focus on games, virtual worlds and online social communities.

Steve is a Disney digital veteran, part of the founding group of Disney Online back in 1995 and president of WDIG since 1999.  In addition to its own internet and mobile services, WDIG supports all of Disney’s internet properties, including ESPN.com and ABC and develops new media platforms for use across the company.

Among the subjects likely to come up: Disney’s social media strategy, how it stretches from virtual worlds—both created and acquired—to ABC-ESPN to Disney.com and points in between, how it is already playing out in terms of engagement with users of different ages, where Disney is headed and how social media differs from—and meshes with—Disney’s other endeavors.

Register today—and be ready with your own questions. 

Digg’s Kevin Rose At EconSM

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sat 15 Mar 2008 02:11 PM PST

We’re delighted to have Kevin Rose, Founder and Chief Architect of Digg joining our conversation about “Grown Up Start Ups” as we discuss how companies compete after growing past the early-adopters stage. How do you bring in real revenues? How do you fend off acquisition offers and keep your head down and grow? Joining him on this panel moderated by MySpace veteran Shawn Gold, CEO of Social Approach, will be the CEOs of three other fast growing social media powerhouses: Keith Richman, CEO, Break.com, Dalton Caldwell, CEO, Imeem, and Toni Schneider, CEO, Automattic Media, the web developing company behind WordPress. To join the conversation, register here, and we’ll see you on April 29.

Deals are Heating Up, AOL buys Bebo for $850M, Catch More at EconSM

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By Elizabeth Osder - Thu 13 Mar 2008 07:52 AM PST

Social Media deals are stealing headlines today with AOL’s $850M acquisition of Bebo. Citing the value of Bebo’s rapidly scaling global user base—which now boasts 40 million members and 80 million unique users—and its vision as a player in the social web, AOL CEO Randy Falco said, “this positions us to offer advertisers even greater reach and marketers significant insights into the desires and needs of consumers.” Read ongoing coverage at paidContent.org and join us at EconSM April 29th, to keep the conversation going. Early bird registration ends next week, so sign up here and save $300.

Save the Date, April 29, 2008: More Speakers, More Panels at EconSM

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sun 09 Mar 2008 11:15 PM PST

Our EconSM conference planning is kicking into high gear, and we have several new speakers and topics to announce (with more to come this week):

-- We’ll hear from Jeff Weiner, EVP of Yahoo’s Network Division, who, among other responsibilities, has the key role of making sure Yahoo’s content, technology and ambitious social media efforts finally mesh. For Weiner, like other Yahoo execs, the goal as Microsoft looms isn’t business as usual—it’s full steam ahead.

-- We’ll be diving deeply into the intersection of advertising, entertainment and social media with Frank Cooper, VP-Marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America; Gordon Paddison, EVP-Marketing, New Line Cinema and Dick Glover, CEO, Funny or Die.

-- We’ll be examining the ROI for media companies layering community into their existing sites with Jeff Price, President, SI Digital; Kinsey Wilson, Executive Editor, USA Today; and Thomas Mueller, VP/Creative Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

-- And we’ll probe the current investment landscape with the likes of Geoff Yang, Founding Partner, Redpoint Ventures; Michael Hirshland, General Partner, Polaris Venture Partners; Ross Levinsohn, Partner, Velocity Investment Group.

Other confirmed speakers include Leonard Brody, CEO, NowPublic; Dalton Caldwell, CEO, Imeem; Chuck DeFeo, GM, Townhall.com; Shawn Gold, Social Approach; Betsy Morgan, CEO, The Huffington Post; Keith Richman, CEO, Break.com; Robert Scoble, FastCompany.TV; and Kara Swisher, AllThingsD.

Early bird registration will be closing shortly, so click here to register for the conference April 29, 2008 in Los Angeles. 

Can Social Media Combat the Economics of Attention?

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By Elizabeth Osder - Sun 09 Mar 2008 12:29 PM PST

If economics is the management of scarcity, how best do we apply it to the mass of information available on the internet? Information is a commodity, but attention is the scare resource, the holy grail that we’re trying to engage with the best social media innovations. I just read an interesting book by UCLA rhetoric professor Richard A. Lanham called The Economics of Attention: Style and Substance in the Age of Information. (No, we don’t get a cut.) The book takes on the fundamental challenge to media companies vying for audience attention. There’s lots to chew on in this terrific book as we look at social media practices as a way of re-engaging audiences. We’ll be digging deeply into the true ROI of attention when looking at how panelists from news, finance, lifestyle and sports sites are layering community onto their sites.

Here’s an excerpt and an interview with the California Literary Review.

More EconSM Hotel Rooms: Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard $209

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By Amanda Natividad - Fri 29 Feb 2008 12:46 PM PST

Early bird tickets are going fast, so we’ve made more hotel arrangements. These are for superior king rooms at $209 a night for April 28-29 at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard. Act quick, though, since the group rate is available until March 28 and on a limited basis with an availability of 15 rooms each night. The hotel is located off the Sunset Boulevard exit of the 405 Freeway and just west of Church Lane, so it’s close to the Skirball Cultural Center as well as the Hotel Angeleno. Renovated in 2006, the new The Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard offers a heated pool, tennis court and fitness facility, and a Zen-inspired spa.

Call 1.310.476.6571 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention you’re with EconSM to get the group rate.

EconSM Hotel Rooms: Hotel Angeleno $189

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By Amanda Natividad - Tue 26 Feb 2008 07:09 PM PST

Good news on hotel rooms, especially for anyone who's looked at LA room rates lately. We've made arrangements for standard rooms at $189 a night for April 28-29 at the Hotel Angeleno, located off the Sunset Boulevard exit of the 405 Freeway. It's just a short drive to the Skirball Cultural Center or the hotel has a complimentary courtesy car service the Skirball and other locations within a three-mile radius. The recently renovated Angeleno, a Joie de Vivre hotel, has a landmark circular design, a heated pool, an indoor fitness center and more.

Register online or call 1.866.ANGELENO to make your reservations. Be sure to mention you're with EconSM to get the group rate.

Early Bird Sales Now Open: Economics of Social Media Conference, April 29, Skirball Center, LA

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By Rafat Ali - Tue 26 Feb 2008 12:02 AM PST

Ticket sales are now open for our second Economics of Social Media (EconSM) full-day conference, being held on April 29th at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. This year we’re advancing the conversation we began at EconSm ‘07 by investigating the evolving economics of social media, looking at the survivors and up-and-comers, and at how deals and business models are being affected by enabling technologies and the creative process.

The preliminary program draft is posted here. Some of the speakers confirmed include:

-- Jeff Weiner, EVP, Yahoo
-- Frank Cooper, VP-Marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America
-- Jeff Price, President, SI Digital
-- Geoff Yang, Founding Partner, Redpoint Ventures
-- Michael Hirshland, General Partner, Polaris Venture Partners
-- Betsy Morgan, CEO, The Huffington Post
-- Keith Richman, CEO, Break.com
-- Gordon Paddison, EVP Marketing, New Line Cinema
and others to come…

Go register here for your early bird ticket...they’re bound to go fast, judging by the sell-out last year.

Sponsors till now: Platinum: DeSilva & Phillips; Gold: Montgomery & Co, KickApps, Operative, The Jordan Edmiston Group

For sponsorship queries for EconSM, contact our business side at advertising AT contentnext.com.

FastCompany.com’s Social Network Launches

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By Staci D. Kramer - Sat 09 Feb 2008 09:11 PM PST

Our EconSM partner FastCompany has launched its new social network, in the works for more than a year. Ed Sussman, president of Mansueto Digital, explained on the site the reasons for the effort, its goals—and why it’s not “a pure social network.” Excerpts:

-- “First off, here’s what it’s not: It’s not a pure social network. A pure social network tries to recreate what Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook calls the “social graph” of a community that already exists. You go to Facebook or MySpace and find the friends and co-workers you already know. The real world gets reproduced virtually. Maybe you meet a friend of a friend. We’re not that. We’re an entirely new community of people brought together because we want to share ideas about business.”

-- “Community should be at the core of all media sites. From now on, we’ll see that social media doesn’t need to be separate from traditional media. The Media is Social.”

Second Edition Of EconSM Conference Coming April 29 @ The Skirball Center In LA

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By Staci D. Kramer - Mon 28 Jan 2008 01:19 PM PST

We’re gearing up for the 2008 EconSM Conference to be held April 29, 2008 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. This year we’re advancing the conversation we began at EconSm ‘07 by investigating the evolving economics of social media, looking at the survivors and up-and-comers, and at how deals and business models are being affected by enabling technologies and the creative process.

Since we met at the Beverly Hilton last year, the landscape has continued to grow and evolve, new players have entered the field and the faceoff between old and new media has matured as the industry has seen consolidation, new investment and what many are calling call the Web 2.0 bubble.

Join us April 29, 2008 to get beyond what’s cool and what’s hot and to learn from industry leaders, who know best what works and what doesn’t.

Like all of our events, the day will be highly interactive and include no “presentations,” but thoughtfully moderated discussions between our editors, experts, investors, business leaders and entrepreneurs from journalism, marketing, advertising, finance and technology. In the true spirit of social media, each participant will be a resource, not just a spectator and a balanced mix of conversation and interaction is planned to involve those of you who are participating but are not on stage.

Last year’s speakers included senior execs from Google, Yahoo, CBS, NBCU, MTV and mySpace.  We’ll keep you posted as we fine-tune our final program, but expect our topics to include the deals that are charting the course of social media, the user-video revolution, the role of social media in the election, mobile media, interactive entertainment, and more.

We’ll kick off with one of our signature mixers Monday night and roll into a full day event on Tuesday with a luncheon and cocktail reception to follow.

So save the date, we’ll be open for early bird registration very soon; seating will be limited so plan on signing up in February.

If you have suggestions for panelists and/or topics, please email Elizabeth Osder (elizabeth AT paidcontent.org), who we’re very pleased to say will be the editorial program director for EconSM2. Please send other suggestions, sponsorship queries and other conference e-mail to: econsm AT contentnext.com