the(new)mediaslut

After posting Where’s the passion in IT journalism, those who know themediaslut has been asking her if she is stirring shit or being too cynical about the Singapore IT media industry.

themediaslut says "neither".

themediaslut posted the entry because she is concerned of the  disappearing "aura" of IT journalism in this age of "mechanical production".

From Chris Anderson’s "The Long Tail: Why the future of business is selling less of more" , the following state resonates themediaslut’s feeling.

"Emphasizing the examples of photography and film, along with recorded rather than performed music, (Marxist philosopher Walter) Benjamin worried that the "mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the massess toward art. The reactionary attitude toward a Picasso painting changes into the progressive reaction toward a Chaplin movie… The conventional is uncitically enjoyed, and the truely new is criticized with aversion."

Is IT journalism here taking the same route?

Philips today launched two VoIP DECT phones today and it is not surprising they have decided to do partner with Skype.

What is surprising is that one of the VoIP DECT phones is being co-branded with the the new Windows Live Messenger.

Its call the VoIP433 Dual Phone which allow Live users to VoIP contacts with anyone listed on Live.

However, Skype made VoIP sexy. In fact, the brand is now a verb to say Let’s VoIP you.

MSN was almost a verb used to replace IM, like I wil msn you as opposed to I will IM you.

But now that MSN has changed to the Live branding, can themediaslut say," I will LIVE you?"

Doesn’t have the same nice tone as MSN.  

themediaslut does not have photos of the phones and if anyone could kindly share, just email tms at themediaslut(at)gmail(dot)com.

(Update: The media contact for Upstream Asia should be Kevin Foo, PH: +65 6323 7377, email: kevin(dot)foo(at)upstreamasia.com, and that the following press release was distributed in the US only.)

The Broken Pitcher received the following press release about mBlox acquiring LaNetro Zed’s operator connectivity business in Asia.

Nothing wrong about the press release still you look at the contacts for Upstream Asia.

It seems the media contact at Upstream Asia is a XX, Van Diesel and two-thirds maybe?

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After friendly discussions with PR friends, corp comms teams, vendors and even senior journalists, it seems the passion in IT journalism have dissappered from the island state of Singapore.

It is in total agreement that IT journalists are no longer interested in the chase for the story and to an extend, unable to identify a story even it is staring right there in their face.

A PR friend lamented that a particular IT journalist in a daily paper is only interested in a story as long it fill his/her template of who,what,why and how, and send the answers in an email so it can be cut and pasted.

On the other hand, an experienced journalist friend said there is no need for the journalists today to chase for a story because they are constantly spoon fed by their PR counterparts which outnumbers the journalists here by almost 1:10. Or that the journalists now are short handed with 10 stories to fill a day.

Even when IT journalists look to cut and paste a press release and make the story sound as if it is theirs still do it wrong. A PR friend lamented how he/she had to make frantic call to a IT journalist who cut and paste a press release that the story did not appear as the orginal message of the press release. The journalist even had the cheek to reply,"But I cut and pasted everything from your press release".

How about the whole idea of networking after office hours?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist anymore. Not even for a cup of coffee. IT journalists go back home exactly when the clock strikes 6pm and sees no point in mixing around with the industry players.

However, from a journalist’s point of view, it is very difficult for a journalist to see any benefit it would do to their story if something is leaked during such networking session. 

Like in any other story, it face start off as a rumour before the journalist get somebody to reply offically. However, during such session, the vendor will just say, speak to my PR.

IT journalists today are so mechanical it is difficult to find somebody who steps out, or whose stories sound so similar to each other, it has become too easy for reader to ignore publication for another.

There are even stories of IT journalists who only do email interviews as he/she is to shy to talk to the vendors.

A journalist shy? Sounds like an oxymoron but such journalists exist.

It is this lack of passion, and not the lack of advertising dollars, that will lead to the downfall of IT journalism in Singapore.

IT publishers will still say they have the readers but the numbers are never subtainsiated. Maybe the readers are just the advertisers happy to see a product review that has originally scored a four out of ten but changed to a seven after having being threatened to withdraw the entire year’s advertising contract.

Even if the example if completely fictatious, that is the perception of readers today have of IT journalism.

Wither the passion and we will witness the begining of an end.  

Media News 
And the MediaConnect Asia Technology Journalists Awards go to…
By Staff writers
24/07/2006 12:52:57 PM

CNET Asia and South China Morning Post each took home two MediaConnect Asia Technology Journalists Awards sponsored by Vignette at Friday night’s Awards ceremony.

The inaugural event was held at the Pulai Beach Resort in Desaru, Johor, with over 100 journalists, PR professionals and IT executives packing the ballroom for the night’s festivities. They saw nine awards presented during the evening by the event’s sponsors Vignette, ECI, Intel and Xbox.

Left: Glen Myles, Managing Director for MediaConnect Asia, and his opening speech for the Awards.
Right: Gina Burman, Marketing Manager Asia Pacific for Vignette, announcing the winners.

The awards ceremony saw attendees participating enthusiastically in an interactive magic show experience which had the crowd enthralled with a mind reading session and a flying table trick. The night was especially enjoyed by Juniper Foo as her publication, CNET Asia, took home the Best Technology Media Website and one of her writers, Philip Wong won the Best Product Reviewer.

Left: Juniper Foo, Managing Editor for CNET Asia receiving the Award for Best Technology Media Website.
Right: Foo receiving the Award for Best Product Reviewer on behalf of her writer, Philip Wong. Foo left the stage speechless.

Wong, together with the other three journalist award winners cess the Best Gaming Journalist, also walked away with an AcePlus Melody sponsored by ECI.

Left: Andrew Peters, Managing Director for The Pacific West, giving out the Best Consumer Technology Title to on behalf of ECI
Right: Raj Chotroni, contributor for Asian Mobile News, receiving his finalist certificate from Vignette and MediaConnect Asia.

Prize sponsor Xbox rewarded the Best Gaming Journalist, Leung Wai-Leng from Digital Life, with a Xbox 360 and seven of the latest Xbox 360 games. All other finalists also received an Xbox game.

Left: Leung Wai-Leng, for Digital Life, receiving her Best Gaming Journalist Awards from Myles.
Right: Jaciz Lo, for GameAxis.com, smiling pretty with her finalist certificate.

The other multiple winner on the night was the South China Morning Post, which won the Best Technology Industry Publication and also had contributor, Dave Wilson, crowned the Best Consumer Technology Journalist.

Right: Stefan Hammond, for Computerworld HK, posing with his Best Business Technology Journalist trophy.
Left: John Lui, for MIS Asia, receiving his Best Business Technology Industry Title from MediaConnect Asia.

MIS Asia was awarded the coveted Best Business Technology Title, while PHOTOVIDEOi was declared the Best Consumer Technology Title.

Computerworld Hong Kong’s assistant editor, Stefan Hammond, was awarded the Best Business Technology Journalist Award and Reuters’ Jennifer Tan was declared the Best Technology Industry Journalist.

Left: J C Sum, magician, looking for the Awards under the table.
Right: Jeremy Cooper, Vice-President Marketing Asia Pacific, confessing his desire to be a Ray-Ban model.

The guests were entertained in to the wee hours of the morning by popular Singapore based band, The Rogue Traders who played up a storm and were big favourites with the crowd.

Left: Cooper "declaring" Salesforce.com for sale for only two American dollars.
Right: Grahame Lynch, CEO and Publisher for Decisive Publishing, bored of reading tech stories, decided to have a go at a thrashy novel.

Left: The Philippine contigent at the Awards.
Right: Food makes for happy IT journalists.

Best Technology Media Website
Winner: CNET Asia

Best Technology Industry Title
Winner: South China Morning Post

Best Business Technology Title
Winner: MIS Asia

Best Consumer Technology Title
Winner: PHOTOVIDEOi
Highly Commended: PC.com Malaysia & PC Magazine Singapore

Best Technology Industry Journalist
Winner: Jennifer Tan, Reuters

Best Business Technology Journalist
Winner: Stefan Hammond, Computerworld Hong Kong
Highly Commended: Stuart Biggs, South China Morning Post

Best Consumer Technology Journalist
Winner: David Wilson, South China Morning Post

Best Product Reviewer
Winner: Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Highly Commended: Farihan Bahrin, Tech3c

Best Gaming Journalist
Winner: Leung Wai-Leng, The Straits Times, Digital Life

Related articles: ABN-CBN, Stefan Hammond’s Blog