By: Dave Astor Despite the dot-com downturn, 98% of publishers (content providers) think their online syndication revenue will rise or at least hold steady during the next year.
That was one of the findings in a survey on online syndication conducted by ContentBiz, which separately polled publishers (receiving 154 responses) and syndicators (37 responses). But several other findings weren't as cheery.
For instance, 54% of publishers complained that syndicators sell content too cheaply to whomever takes it. But most syndicator respondents said publishers don't understand the costs or pricing reality of online syndication. They added that they share an average of 44% of their revenue with publishers.
Actually, 59% of publishers weren't working with any third-party syndicators. "To us, this indicates a tremendous opportunity for the syndication industry," said ContentBiz. "However, the industry is notable for its lack of publisher-recruitment efforts. In general, unless you're a very famous name-brand publisher, the onus is on you to hunt down and harass syndicators until they agree to a deal."
ContentBiz (
http://www.contentbiz.com) covers media and new-media news.
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COLLEGE SERVICE WILL ...... Transfer From TMS To KRTTMS Campus, a Tribune Media Services unit that provides syndicated content to nearly 300 college newspapers, is moving to Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services, effective Sept. 1.
KRT will provide editorial services for the renamed KRT Campus, while TMS will still handle sales and marketing.
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DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS ...... In Copley-Offered Food FeatureTV chef/author Harry Schwartz is writing a new Copley News Service column that focuses on food alone rather than celebrities and their cuisine.
The feature -- which comes with a color photo each week -- includes recipes, historical information, and anecdotes.
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THEY START WEEKLY 'SMART'TMS Team's Topic Is RetirementHumberto and Georgina Cruz are writing the "Retire Smart" column for Tribune Media Services, which also syndicates "The Savings Game" column by Humberto.
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CARTOON RAT IS NOT A FINKTMS Introduces 'Lewis' Comic"Lewis" -- a comic about a lovable, quirky, human-size rat -- is being syndicated by Tribune Media Services. It's by Jan Thomas and Peter Mozley.
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WRITER'S AUTO-BIOGRAPHY ...... Now Includes Q&A Car ColumnKnight Ridder/Tribune Information Services is offering a Q-and-A column on car problems by Brad Bergholdt, who has taught auto technology for 17 years.
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ET CETERA ...Thomson Corp. is buying NewsEdge, which distributes content from 2,000 sources to 1,500 clients. ...
Tribune Media Services is closing TVData's Cable Connection office in Fort Worth, Texas, and shifting the operation to its TV Publishing Division in Milwaukee. TMS acquired a majority interest in TVData this spring. ...
AccuWeather.com and the Oil City (Pa.) Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring a contest: The person most accurately guessing the high and low temperatures in Oil City Sept. 6 will receive a year's supply of free gas and have an oil well named for her or him. ...
USA Weekend's Aug. 10-12 cover story on what Americans will do with their tax rebates includes "Blondie" art by Dean Young and Denis Lebrun of King Features Syndicate. ...
"Raising Duncan" creator Chris Browne of United Feature Syndicate and his dogs appeared on a recent "Breed All About It" segment on the Animal Planet cable channel. ...
Steve Greenberg's editorial cartoons, including many that ran in
E&P magazine, are on the Web at
http://www.greenberg-art.com. His newspaper-related cartoons can be accessed at
http://www.reuben.org/greenberg/.toons/media.asp. Greenberg now draws for the
Marin Independent Journal in Novato and other California publications. ...
Kinecta, which is involved in online syndication, named Mike Barone vice president of worldwide sales. ...
People signing up for the free "Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop" e-mail newsletter (
ermabombeck-subscribe@yahoogroups.com) also receive a free screen saver with quotes by the humor columnist, who died in 1996. The next workshop (as in meeting, not newsletter) takes place in March at the University of Dayton in Ohio. Phil Donahue will be the keynote speaker. ...
"Capital Connections" columnist Karen Feld of the 4-month-old At Large Features Syndicate (which just signed its 25th feature) received multiple awards from the Capital Press Women group in Washington. ...
The John Fischetti Editorial Cartoon Competition turns 20 this year. The 2001 entry deadline is Sept. 15, according to Columbia College Chicago. ...
Global Information Network and African Profiles magazine held an Aug. 8 discussion in Global's New York offices about next month's World Conference Against Racism in South Africa.
Dave Astor's next "Syndicate World" column will appear on Aug. 27.
To see the last 10 "Syndicate World" columns,
click here. Previous columns may be purchased in our
paid archives. Search for "Astor" in the "Author" field.
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