philgomes 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: $100 Million Pledged To Indie Film On Kickstarter… And 8,000 Films Made

    philgomes ( profile ), 08 Jan, 2013 @ 01:55pm

    Kickstarter vs. NEA

    If you ever want to get into a really interesting argument, talk to someone about how Kickstarter makes the National Endowment for the Arts irrelevant.

    Think about it:

    - The money is given voluntarily, not coerced out of your taxes.

    - The money goes to something you'd *like* to see, rather than (for example) a crucifix in a jar of urine.

    - Related to the above point: A controversial creative product even partially funded by taxes is likely to get banned. It's not clear that a Kickstarter-funded project would necessarily buckle to censorship pressure. In fact, for reasons of fundraising or attention, the artist might welcome it.

  • On the post: Bizarre Trend: Journalism Professors Using Klout Scores As Part Of Students' Grades

    philgomes ( profile ), 31 Oct, 2012 @ 02:06pm

    Klout Score and Hiring

    I've actually tossed out resumes that touted Klout scores.

    It demonstrates to me that the applicant values the wrong things and, worse, thinks I do too.

    Despite the advent of the social-media-promoted rockstar marketer, I look for people who can articulate a *client's* story and make their case impactful.

    That has nothing to do with a high Klout score. In fact, a high Klout score from a young applicant most likely means that the applicant will probably spend most of his/her time promoting themselves.

  • On the post: Chris Dodd: The Internet Developed Because Of Strict Copyright Enforcement

    philgomes ( profile ), 08 Mar, 2012 @ 06:32am

    Dear Chris Dodd...

    If it first you don't succeed, either learn to enjoy doing it poorly or accept that failure is probably just your style.

  • On the post: Should PR People Be Able To Edit Otherwise Ignored Wikipedia Pages Of Their Clients To Correct Errors?

    philgomes ( profile ), 21 Jan, 2012 @ 08:32am

    From he who created the ruckus...

    Glad to see that there's renewed attention to this issue (it's been oft-discussed, certainly) and there are some creative solutions emerging from all sides (somewhat unique this time around).

    The core philosophical issue isn't *so* much about whether/if an ethical PR practitioner operating above-board is editing an entry. What's at issue is the question of whether a preferable condition for an entry is 1) objectively inaccurate, though untouched by a PR person, or 2) objectively accurate, with the help of a PR person. Almost everyone seems to agree that an accurate entry is in the public interest. Some of us are working together to help PR do the right thing by the Wikipedia community, especially considering that guidance is at times contradictory.

    I've been strongly encouraged by the participation of a few Wikipedians who want to explore that "middle way." There are also great contributions from those who have looked at the intersection of PR and online communities for quite a long time.

    Less encouraged at the level of agency participation, though they'll most certainly benefit from the outcome of these efforts. As the twist on the old saw goes, the early bird sometimes get the worm, but the second mouse always gets the cheese.

    More news as it develops, both on the CREWE Facebook page and the Cooperation Wikiproject.

  • On the post: Larry Magid Calls For News Tax To Fund Failing Newspapers

    philgomes ( profile ), 19 Nov, 2009 @ 07:53am

    Digital Pennies / Print Dollars

    It's clear to most that online attention to journalistic content is increasing in real value while print is declining. And, yet, digital advertising costs pennies on the print dollar.

    Media folks take it on faith that if they buy a print ad in a paper, the thousands of people claimed as circulation MUST have seen the ad. An online ad, as we all know, is actually measurable.

    At some point, advertisers, buyers, publishers, and the whole shebang will have to blink. It'll be bloody, but necessary.

    But getting the government involved is most certainly not the answer. Perhaps someone might remind Larry that the country was actually founded on the concept of a free and independent press.

    To crib from Thomas Jefferson, "If I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn't hesitate to choose the latter."