Is the Google Cookie Tracking Everyone’s Surfing Habits?
January 30, 2009
Photo: Google Cookie by Massless on Flickr
Google tonight made an important change to the Google Ad Planner that – at least as I read it – means they are now tracking every site you visit via a Google cookie and serving the aggregate data up to advertisers. If I am wrong I hope someone will tell me. (If this post is wrong I will correct it – but this is how I am interpreting what Google has put out there so far.)
Let’s take a look at the facts.
First, Google yesterday made some subtle changes to its privacy policy. Coincidence? Maybe.
check and compare metrics, similar to Google Analytics unique visitor metrics.”
From: http://feeds.feedburner.com/MicroPersuasion
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Day-long journalists’ strike leaves French TV and radio in turmoil
January 29, 2009
French journalists and other media workers went on strike today over president Nicolas Sarkozy’s reform of public service broadcasting, causing major disruption to TV and radio services.
Radio news channels were forced to play music, 24-hour news websites had fewer or no updates, and TV bulletins carried fewer news reports.
Hundreds of media professionals at Radio France and France Televisions are staging a day-long work stoppage to protest against ongoing government reforms championed by Sarkozy, that have reduced French public service broadcasters’ reliance on advertising revenue.
Several radio stations – France Inter, the Gallic equivalent of Radio 4; France Info, a 24-hour news radio station; and France Culture, dedicated to arts coverage – were unable to broadcast their usual programmes, playing music instead.
Le Mouv’, a youth-oriented radio station that is part of Radio France, has had its regular scheduled programming interrupted since 10am. But France Musique, a classical music station, faced no troubles.
Radio France said 30% of its staff was on strike today, although the local branch of the French Union of Journalists claimed the figure was 60%. On television, the lunchtime news bulletins of France 2 and France 3 went ahead, with a reduction in output.
French unions are protesting against the decision that heads of public broadcasters will from now on be nominated by the government. They want measures guaranteeing the “political, strategic and editorial independence” of public broadcasters. Another issue is the planned job cuts at Radio France Internationale, the Gallic equivalent of the BBC World Service, where 206 positions are to go.
Strikers are also opposed to Sarkozy’s decision to scrap advertising on French public TV and radio services. Unlike the BBC in Britain, public TV and radio in France have long been able to run ads, in addition to receiving licence fee funding.
Media professionals fear the ad ban will jeopardise public funding and benefit private channels, who will receive more revenue.
The advertising ban is already in effect. Since 5 January, France Televisions’ channels have not allowed to show ads after 8pm. From 2012, a full ban will be in place – if government plans go ahead.
Today’s strike came after a French parliamentary committee reached an agreement last night on how to fund the public broadcasters. The licence fee will now follow the rate of inflation and will go up from €116 to €118 in 2009, and to €120 in 2010.
There will be no tax on commercial broadcasters and telecom operators to compensate public broadcasters’ loss of ad revenue. The agreement will be submitted to the vote of National Assembly members on 3-4 February.
The PSB industrial action comes as part of a general strike day in France that has been dubbed “Black Thursday”. French teachers, lawyers, judges, postal, rail and tube workers, utility company workers and statisticians, are among the many professionals downing tools today.
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From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/advertising/rss
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No decision over European operations as AOL announces 700 global job cuts
January 29, 2009
LONDON – Time Warner-owned AOL is to cut 700 jobs, 10% of its global workforce, in an attempt to offset the advertising downturn.
From: http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/RSS/
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Internet users face new checks
January 29, 2009
Internet service providers will be compelled to gather information on illegal filesharers using their network and report serious offenders to rights-holders as part of the government’s wide-ranging Digital Britain report
From: http://www.ft.com/rss/companies/media
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Digital Britain: Carter commits to DAB as primary radio platform
January 29, 2009
LONDON – Communications Minister Lord Carter has opted not to commit to an analogue radio switchover date, though his Digital Britain report, out today, supports DAB as the main platform for radio in the future.
From: http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/RSS/
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Digital Britain report leans towards C4/BBC Worldwide tie-up
January 29, 2009
LONDON – Lord Carter’s interim Digital Britain report favours putting a “re-cast” Channel 4 together with BBC Worldwide, ahead of merging it with Five, but says other options such as licence fee top-slicing must “remain on the table”.
From: http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/RSS/
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Digital Britain: Carter puts Channel 4 at heart of future PSB provision
January 29, 2009
LONDON – Channel 4 will be at the core of an enlarged provider of public service broadcasting beyond the BBC, under proposals outlined in Lord Carter’s Digital Britain report today.
From: http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/RSS/
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Digital Britain: Government to review media ownership rules
January 29, 2009
LONDON – Communications Minister Lord Carter plans to open a review into media ownership rules to determine whether regional media can play a role in providing public service content.
From: http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/RSS/
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Brown pledges support for digital revolution
January 29, 2009
Gordon Brown has pledged government support for British companies providing digital communications and broadband networks as part of a plan to curb the impact of the recession
From: http://www.ft.com/rss/companies/media
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Channel Five’s Georgina Baillie campaign wins Annas national press ad award
January 29, 2009
A press ad by Channel Five featuring Georgina Baillie, the granddaughter of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs who was at the centre of the Brand/Ross prank phone message scandal, has won an award for the best national press ad of 2008.
The ad, called “Russell and Ross”, won the award for best use of “topicality” at the 2008 Awards for National Newspaper Advertising (Annas), held in London last night.
Five’s campaign, created by ad agency Grey London and placed by media agency Vizeum, runs with the headline “Now we’ll give Georgina the chance to screw ‘em both.”
The press ad promoted Five’s fast-turnaround documentary, Russell and Ross: What the **** Was That All About?, which featured an interview with Baillie about the lewd phone calls controversy on Brand’s Radio 2 show last October.
“Best use of the topicality and controversy that only newspapers can bring to the mix is Five with their championing of the fragrant and much-maligned Georgina Baillie,” said Annas judge Gerry Moira, the UK director of creativity at ad agency Euro RSCG.
The “winner of winners” at last night’s awards, presented by comedian Frankie Boyle, was a national press ad by brewer Adnams promoting the eco credentials of its beer.
Adnams’ press campaign, created by the now defunct ad agency Shop, featured a set of footprints being washed away by the ocean with the line “Adnams East Green. Carbon neutral beer from the coast”.
Other winners at last night’s awards included British Airways’ innovative “live” “Yesterday at T5″ press campaign which aimed to restore the image of the troubled Heathrow Terminal 5.
The campaign, developed by ad agency BBH and media agency ZenithOptimedia, won the award for best creative media partnership.
Cadbury’s series of ads to promote the milk content of its chocolate, such as “Carton”, won the award for best art direction in a newspaper ad.
John Lewis picked up two awards: one for best copywriting, for its “Shop Around” ad by Lowe London; and the top award in the new category of online advertising on a national newspaper website, for its “Clues” campaign by Lowe with media agency Manning Gottlieb OMD.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.
• If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”.
From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/advertising/rss
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