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Time On My Side --- Michael Hedges July 31, 2008
Maybe it escaped your notice but Mick Jagger just turned 65. Two days later the Rolling Stones ditched label EMI for Universal. Jagger has made no other comment on becoming eligible for a free bus pass in the UK. EMI said they were sad. Universal said they were glad.

The millstone around Russia --- Michael Hedges June 23, 2008
Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan – all on Russia’s edge – are pushing media repression to new lows. With all broadcasting and most print media firmly under State control, the Web is the current target. Dictators on Russia’s borders perplex even Russian media.

BBC news chief addresses international radio festival --- Michael Hedges May 22, 2008
Iran’s state broadcasting institution hosted again its International Radio Festival. The Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union joined the event this year co-hosting the International Radio Forum. The BBC’s Director of Global News Richard Sambrook gave the keynote. Only one Iranian official walked out.

Media War 2.0 --- Michael Hedges May 14, 2008
The Hezbollah faction fought its way across Lebanon’s capital Beirut with more death and destruction in its wake. One target was the pro-government media center Future TV, now in ruins. The militias now control through force of arms much of what moves. And its own media empire is spreading the news.

Apple inspires. How’s YOUR brand? --- Michael Hedges April 3, 2008
Brand logic is back in fashion. Whether your market is buoyant or bombing a powerful brand attracts and holds audience with the right mix of content, message and interaction. Perhaps you should also think about inspiring.

Newspaper sale highlights transparency, international tension --- Michael Hedges January 27, 2008
Turning government owned enterprises into private companies is considered a positive step, even more so when governments divest interest in State owned media. International criticism of transparency in privatization has a way of diminishing any positive result. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Balkans.

What Gets Measured, Changes Media --- Michael Hedges June 19, 2007
Accountability and technology are driving media measurement. These are also the twin drivers of media management. Content, however, drives media consumers. Who wins?

Memo To Time Inc. Journalists: Watch Out, The Consultants Are Looking Closely At Editorial --- Philip M. Stone October 16, 2006
There is no more scarier corporate scenario for employees than seeing consultants running around the building looking for ways to make things run better. After all, the consultants have to produce a report in which the forecast savings makes the consultancy fee look like a mere pittance.

The Times of London Appoints A Business Editor To Be Based in India. Now Why Would It Do A Thing Like That? Because It’s A Sign of The Times! --- Philip M. Stone April 13, 2006
The Times has announced two appointments for India – its Moscow correspondent will become India editor, and it is transferring a London-based sports columnist to become India business editor, based in Mumbai. Ok, the first appointment is understandable, but why does a London-based newspaper assign a business editor, rather than just a financial correspondent, to be based in India?

BBC Albanian Service Launches Morning Radio Program --- Michael Hedges November 1, 2005
News and current affairs program BBC Sot, meaning BBC Today, airs 0700-0900 CET, Monday through Friday on the BBC’s Tirana station 103.9 FM and several affiliates across the country. The program format contains regional and international news bulletins each 15 minutes and features on business, sports and culture. Listeners can participate in live in-studio debates via SMS messaging, telephone and email.

Afghan Journalists Review Afghan Media Scene --- Michael Hedges - October 30, 2005
Outsiders looking at Afghanistan’s post-Taliban media scene report gains, strides, progress, improvement. Afghan journalists do not suffer the grammatical. It’s grim.

DAB Catching On With Commercial Broadcasters --- Michael Hedges July 11, 2005
Danish and Swiss private, commercial radio broadcasters announce new DAB plans. But a UK broadcaster is resisting more multiplexes.

Michelin Tries to Right Its Wrong at Indianapolis --- Philip Stone July 4, 2005

Happy 25th Birthday, CNN --- Philip Stone May 30, 2005

Newspapers Should Take a Leaf From Gillette's Promotional Book When It Comes to Getting the Young to Buy The Product --- Philip Stone May 5, 2005

“What Gets Measured Gets Done.” --- Michael Hedges April 21, 2005

Brandchannel’s Reader Choice Awards : We’re All Media Brands Now --- Michael Hedges February 3, 2005

Media Tribes --- Michael Hedges September 6, 2004

Brand BBC and Brand Fragility --- Michael Hedges April 27, 2004
The volumes written and hours spoken about the BBC in the last two years could fill a 40 GB hard-drive, libraries being so very ten minutes ago. When Lord Hutton blew super-heated air into a pyre of smoldering quarrels, every critic and defender circled round, wailing and throwing either oil or sand. It wasn’t a pretty sight, through those weeks, particularly for those burned. A flame or two occasionally shoots up as fans, foes and former employees deliver speeches and write books keeping warm the notion that the Culture Minister will arrive in two years time with more fuel.

From Alternative To Icon And Back --- Michael Hedges March 12, 2012 Follow on Twitter
The fearful truth about the digital age is that advantage goes to those willing and able to exploit a hot spot. While some in digital media see every breath taking moment as new and brilliant, the longer view shows a more consistent and real world. The spirit of the times needs lots of spirit while times change slowly.

"We're Back" Say The TV People --- Michael Hedges April 8, 2011 Follow on Twitter
Television people are masters of creativity. New shows spring up like mushrooms after a rain. But is the show the thing or is it new media distribution? It’s enough to rain on your parade.

We're Having An Opportunity Here So Please Don't Get In The Way --- Michael Hedges September 28, 2015 Follow on Twitter
Everything is now a challenge. Sitting back to enjoy the fruits of good labor is off the agenda. More competitors are coming. Some have money. Some have ideas. Some have a plan. The future howls like a cold north wind for the rest.

Can BP Save Its Brand? --- Philip M. Stone June 23, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Believe it or not BP still has supporters. It’s a tier 1 (biggest) sponsor for the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and that’s worth some £40 million ($60 million) to the organizers which is why their chairman has publicly stated again that BP is a “trusted partner”. The big question, of course, is what will remain of BP by the time of those Games.

There's No Business Like Show Business And It's All Show Business --- Michael Hedges June 23, 2021 Follow on Twitter
Brand values continue to reach stratospheric levels. Common wisdom holds that brand values have risen on consumer cues. For others it is simply related to investment froth. This has been good for media brands, not so much for energy companies.

Brands In Real Time --- Michael Hedges September 20, 2010 Follow on Twitter
When it comes to business, success means customers. The media sector is no different. There’s a conversation going on, if broadcasters and publisher choose to listen in.

Television For Those Who Don’t Find Anything Interesting On Television --- Michael Hedges December 2, 2009 Follow on Twitter
There are really no secrets to building a strong media brand. There need to be a hook, something listeners and viewers can hold on to. Ubiquity helps, too. MTV has it in the bag, quite mixed actually.

Look! Up In The Sky! It's Super Brand! --- Michael Hedges October 31, 2011 Follow on Twitter
These are tough times for brand marketing companies. The plethora of media channels and their fragmented audiences make delivering the message difficult and expensive. One solution, of course, is to spend lots of money and keep absolute control.

Brand vitality in times of stress --- Michael Hedges January 8, 2009 Follow on Twitter
In the convergence of economics and consumer behavior conventional wisdom holds that strong brands drive out weak ones as stressed consumers choose the known over the unknown. Comfort food is in. Peruvian-Thai fusion cuisine is out. Media brand managers need to adjust.

Synergy, Multi-tasking And Other Divine Concepts --- Michael Hedges August 24, 2010 Follow on Twitter
People, particularly young people, are spending half their waking hours with one form of media or another. In fact, it looks like they are only spending time with media, often two or more at once. Have we fried their brains?

Publishers Want Wheel Reinvented --- Michael Hedges February 9, 2011 Follow on Twitter
Newspaper publishers, almost universally, adore the tablet devices as wonderful new content distribution points. Access to the tablets – like Apple’s iPad – has, however, conditions. A crisis meeting is in order.

The Winners Are All Tech Brands, Media Brands Hard To Find --- Michael Hedges October 21, 2020 Follow on Twitter
It has been a tough year for brands, those names associated with products and services. Some have seen their fortunes fall and, or course, some have not. This happens all the time and is part of that natural order. This year - 2020 - has been rather out of order, noticeable to all but those who avoid such things. Brands associated with disorder are faring rather well.

Publishers Boldly Go Into Online Cosmos --- Michael Hedges October 13, 2011 Follow on Twitter
A relevant criticism of newspaper publisher’s Web reticence has been cultural. Newspaper people, some say, lived in a silo, believing their legacy brands invincible and inflated ad rates would last forever. While no newspaper publisher holds that view today, the industry lost valuable time – and tidy sums of money – as readers and advertisers drifted away.

For Publishers Status Means More Than Yachts --- Michael Hedges May 20, 2020 Follow on Twitter
Once upon a time, and not that long ago, business models were a dime a dozen, as they say. And every one was fed by the same 'we'll sell advertising' theme. Those days have been drifting into foggy memory for a decade, resigned to history by recession of 2020. Only the publishing hard-bitten still argue that, with a few giant exceptions, the news business will remain a for-profit business. Others are moving on.

Reading The Ratings Is a Bit Like Pealing An Onion --- Michael Hedges August 2, 2012 Follow on Twitter
Audience surveys always hold that certain truth. As the story unfolds we learn something about what people want and will tune-in for. Very little is predictable these days and that makes for very interesting reading. Of course, there are tears.

Survey Proves Audience Knows What They Like, Pays Attention --- Michael Hedges May 17, 2012 Follow on Twitter
Industry strategies often have unpredictable effects. Designs for improved market share or profits are easily tangled by competitive complications or the demands of pesky consumers. The dynamics can yield unintended consequences.

Extra Channels Yield Extra Audience --- Michael Hedges October 27, 2011 Follow on Twitter
Media brand building is more than simply choosing a clever name, not to forget that unique program plan. Legacy brands are stronger than ever. But new brands are quickly populating digital platforms. Once consumers find the addresses, they will either find something they expect or, well, something else.

In The Digital Age There Is No Zero-sum Game --- Michael Hedges July 13, 2015 Follow on Twitter
From the earliest days of broadcasting listeners - and later viewers - in many countries contributed to transmitter and program costs through a tax levy on receiving equipment. Over time public broadcasting emerged in Europe and elsewhere from state operated systems. The household license fee formed, in part, the financial basis for independence from political and commercial influence. Several public broadcasters were able to leverage brand strength from this independence. Neither politicians nor competitors have been pleased.

Changing Zeitgeist Brings Out The Best In Advertising --- Michael Hedges June 7, 2018 Follow on Twitter
Despite protestations to the contrary, the advertising people are firmly attached to their traditions. Always rewarded - and awarded - are momentous ad campaigns that conjure brand-enhancing stories. The medium is the message, as somebody once said, and the message has always been on television. Along came the digital revolution.