Commentary and analysis from Simon Dumenco

Crises Have a Way of Bringing a Media Company's Brand Values Into Sharp Focus

Crises Have a Way of Bringing a Media Company's Brand Values Into Sharp Focus

One thing I was reminded of before, during and after Frankenstorm: In times of crisis, you really find out who you can count on.

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In Search of One Last Hurrah for Rupert Murdoch, Fading Press Baron

In Search of One Last Hurrah for Rupert Murdoch, Fading Press Baron

When I saw the recent headlines about Rupert Murdoch wanting to buy the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, I thought "Really, Rupert!?! Your empire is coming apart at the seams because of newspapers, so you want to buy more newspapers?"

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Would You Rather Own a Magazine or a Digital Startup?

Would You Rather Own a Magazine or a Digital Startup?

It's easy to overlook "traditional media" success stories in favor of "new media" hype, but those stories are out there.

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Imagine a World Without Justin Bieber, It's Easy If You Try

Imagine a World Without Justin Bieber, It's Easy If You Try

I have a confession: Although I'm not, last I checked, an 11-year-old girl, I'm sort of a Belieber -- a Justin Bieber fan. Wait! Don't run away screaming! I've got a good excuse, I swear.

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Why I'm Mad at Hulu and Not Mad at Hulu at the Same Time

Why I'm Mad at Hulu and Not Mad at Hulu at the Same Time

TV-network establishment's recent frustrations have made for an increasingly erratic and confusing customer experience -- the opposite of what Hulu is supposed to offer.

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A Facebook Faker Tells All

A Facebook Faker Tells All

Ad Age's Media Guy presents this exclusive interrogation of a verified Facebook faker (whom he made up himself).

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Three Things I Know for Sure About Oprah Winfrey

Three Things I Know for Sure About Oprah Winfrey

Because Oprah was so obviously brilliant at her main job -- being a talk-show host -- for a quarter century, it's easy to forget her effect on marketing and media culture overall.

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The Truth About 'Social Search'

The Truth About 'Social Search'

Throw out your guidebooks, un-bookmark Wikitravel, cancel your subscriptions to Condé Nast Traveler and Afar, because social search is here to save the day. People who search people are the luckiest people in the world ... or something like that.

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The Joy of Offline Discovery

The Joy of Offline Discovery

The lesson I relearn every Sunday is that the discipline of print -- the discipline it takes to assemble a compelling, finite package, and the discipline it takes to devote a chunk of your attention to it -- still matters.

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Here's Your (Inevitable) Rep. Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin Apology Ad Parody

Here's Your (Inevitable) Rep. Todd 'Legitimate Rape' Akin Apology Ad Parody

No need to wait for "Saturday Night Live" to start its new season. Here's Funny or Die's ad parody, starring Creed from "The Office."

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Rep. Todd Akin Apology Ad: 'I Used The Wrong Words In The Wrong Way'

Rep. Todd Akin Apology Ad: 'I Used The Wrong Words In The Wrong Way'

"Rape is an evil act," Rep. Todd Akin earnestly intones three seconds into his surreal new campaign ad.

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Did You Lose All Your Brain Cells This Summer? Time to Find Out

Did You Lose All Your Brain Cells This Summer? Time to Find Out

It's time once again for the Media Guy Media Studies Pop Quiz -- Almost End of Summer Edition. All books and papers off your desk. Now, people!

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Medium, the New Thing From the Twitter Guys, Is... Wait, What, Exactly?

Medium, the New Thing From the Twitter Guys, Is... Wait, What, Exactly?

Evan Williams and Biz Stone say Medium is about "rethinking publishing." Exactly how it will do that isn't quite clear.

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Olympic Swimmer Goes Hollywood-ish: Watch Funny Or Die's 'Peeing in Pools with Ryan Lochte'

Olympic Swimmer Goes Hollywood-ish: Watch Funny Or Die's 'Peeing in Pools with Ryan Lochte'

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte sure knows how to make news -- both in and out of the pool.

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Win a Copy Of 'New York Magazine's Most Popular'

Win a Copy Of 'New York Magazine's Most Popular'

It's a Media Guy Media Giveaway! Enter to win a new e-book from New York Magazine.

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The Truth About #NBCFail

The Truth About #NBCFail

It's been perverse fun watching ad-supported, for-profit media outlets freak the hell out because of the business decisions made by ad-supported, for-profit NBC.

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How Many Parodies and Tributes Will Newsweek's Mitt Romney 'Wimp' Cover Inspire?

How Many Parodies and Tributes Will Newsweek's Mitt Romney 'Wimp' Cover Inspire?

Tina Brown is engineering buzz again. It's at least better buzz for the magazine than last week's word that it will eventually more or less quit print.

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Are You Enjoying Gawker's Latest Declaration of War Against Murdoch?

Are You Enjoying Gawker's Latest Declaration of War Against Murdoch?

The latest Gawker volley against Citizen Murdoch is especially personal. It comes in the form of a feature-length (2,500+ words!) post.

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Mommy, Daddy, Where Did SpongeBob Go? Is He DEAD? [Sniffles]

Mommy, Daddy, Where Did SpongeBob Go? Is He DEAD? [Sniffles]

So far there's been at least one winner in the battle between Viacom and DirecTV: the newspaper industry.

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Would You Watch a 13-Minute Infomercial for 'The Dark Knight Rises'?

Would You Watch a 13-Minute Infomercial for 'The Dark Knight Rises'?

It's as much a celebration of director Chris Nolan as a "making of" promotion, but it's hard not to be sucked in by the spectacles glimpsed.

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