Internet Trends: Dispatches from Laguna, the Land of Conferences

I've spent the early part of this week attending a pair of terrific conferences in Laguna Niguel, California: the Most Powerful Women Summit sponsored by Fortune and the first ever WebbyConnect conference put together by the people who brought us the Webby Awards.

I had two big conference takeaways -- one covered matters of spirit, the other matters of commerce.

Let's start with the spirit, and the Fortune conference, attended by hundreds of highly accomplished women. I was moderating a panel with Beth Comstock of NBC, Sheryl Sandberg of Google, and Jane Thompson of Wal-Mart Financial Services on "Mavericks: Leaders Who Shake up Businesses and Industries," but the discussion ended up focusing on whether you can be an over-achieving maverick and still have balance in your life.

Arianna moderating the panel with Beth Comstock, Jane Thompson and Sheryl Sandberg.

Over the course of the conversation, in the Q & A period that followed, and throughout the conference when we were approached by other women sharing their juggling acts with us, it became clear to me that we are entering an era of growing questioning of the quality of our always connected lives.

Jibing with the themes we are exploring on our newly revamped Living Now page was my realization that the next big thing on the Internet will be a paradox: connecting in order to learn how to better disconnect from our always connected lives and reconnect with ourselves -- which is, after all, the ultimate connection.

And it wasn't just the older ones among us who felt this urge. Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr, holding her 4-month old baby in her arms, told me that she's been thinking about these issues and about what she wanted to teach her baby about life, ever since she became pregnant.

I, of course, asked her to blog about it.

For me, it was reconfirmation of my own rude awakening earlier this year when I was pushing myself too hard and ended up passing out and breaking my cheekbone! The path to rebalancing my life began with cutting back from having three BlackBerrys with me at all times to only having two. But, as I told the conference, disconnecting/reconnecting is all about the process.

Over at WebbyConnect, the talk was about a trend that is already happening: the realization by a growing number of major media companies that the best way to succeed -- and make money -- in the Brave New Media World is to give away your content. Forward thinking companies are now adopting long-term growth strategies, and moving away from short-term profit-seeking.

"Make as much as you can, any way you can" was the approach many big companies had taken to monetizing the web. The New York Times stuck some of its most popular content behind a pay wall, and Microsoft stuck 30-second pre-roll ads on its MSN Video videos.

Neither of these strategies paid off: online readership of the Times' columnists dropped, and users at MSN complained of a negative user experience.

So now TimesSelect is dead. MSN is cutting way back on pre-roll ads. And, elsewhere, CBS has made a major u-turn away from the notion of hording its content on its own site, instead letting its material be available all over the web. Quincy Smith, the new president of CBS Interactive put it this way: "CBS is all about open, nonexclusive, multiple partnerships."

The conclusion is inescapable: online, promiscuity can be profitable. And not just when it comes to porn!

To its credit, CBS and other major players are finally realizing that the key to online success is community, community, community.

And you can't build community without showing your users that you are in the relationship for the long-haul, and not just a quick buck -- the online equivalent of a one-night stand.

Comments

[twilight]

Arianna: I for one was furious when THE NY TIMES created Times Select. As a result, I no longer read most of their columnists except when I pick up a TIMES or pick up an OpEd through one of many websites I receive online. I didn't know how to project what their losses would be by going that route but I knew that it would be counterproductive. I just didn't know that they would drop Times Select so soon so it must have had an incredible impact in so short a time. Sometimes greed just doesn't work. Too bad Washington hasn't figured it out yet.

[QueenCeleste]

Your injury sounded painful! I'm sure it's not easy for you to slow down, so please try to take care of yourself Arianna.

By the way, recently I cancelled my newspaper subscription after realizing I get almost all of my news from the HuffPo! What a tremendous service you provide. I know I extremely grateful and appreciative. Thank you and brava!

[Ono4Hoopono]

Thank you for the concise insights. A little bit of a "paradigm shift" moment.

[lamarguerite]

That's right. We are relational beings above anything else. Mothers, wives, friends,. . . That's why Facebook is such a huge success. Trying to make up for our broken up communities of origin.

[allwarisbad]

Dear Ariana
I would like you to look at this hypothesis which has been brewing in my mind of late. There seems to be an alliance built between the Bushes and the Clintons. All the joint campaigning for Katrina victims by Bush Sr. and Bill has brought them close. With the present state in the country it is pretty obvious that a Rebublican cannot win the next election. So who is the best to carry on the legacy, Hillary of course and Bill himself is liable on Iraq, as the first resolutions were passed during his time. Thus the deal. Hillary will see to it that the pro-war policy goes on and no war crimes/etc. items are ever brought up against Bush. Hillary/Bill are also very pro AIPAC/lobb­ies/big-bu­siness. This represents a win-win situation for both these families. Hillary can go on bashing Bush in her speeches, which can be attributed to pure politics. And you will also see Bush talking positively of Hillary.
You will recall the Bushes met at KENNEBUNKPORT in August with French PM. That is the time I think this deal was hatched. If someone could reseach a bit on this it would be very useful in unravalling a great deceit being played on the American people...

[Jane22]

Greetings Arianna: You are a true treasure! I hope you are feeling better. It is most encouraging to hear that some of the MSM folks are coming to realize that the public will respond with non-payment when being strong armed by profit-driven companies. The media of all kinds need to make a profit, but the "public" air-waves are owned publicly? That is truly a lie. Now with the proliferation of the Net, they must respond to stay in business at all. Thanks for your work. The next year+ is a decisive time for our nation. We all, in the progressive arena, must get out the facts and mobilize the apathetic, uninformed, disaffected et al to reclaim ALL of this Nation. CBS owns my local radio affiliate for Air America AM1090Seattle. It is an extremely effective station in this network. Come on Thom Hartmann more, please?

[Karmaten]

The juggle and struggle to achieve while still maintaining a meaningful life is indeed a challenge.
Some are forced to make hard choices when bodies no longer keep up with a mind on fire yearning to make a difference in our world. Others faint in response to the sheer exhaustion of attempting to do it all, be it all as failure self-defined is not an option. Then there are the others rebuilding lives as illness, life transitions or injuries has ripped their world apart. Having been in recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained in a limo accident, I know first hand how one's life can change in an instant. I am still aware and constantly reminded by others of my pre-injury make it happen, be the ball, spitfire talent once admired. I have recently come to the realization, the accident may be a gift. I was all things to all people, but never there for myself. I ran 24/7 thinking that if I could squeeze in just one more thing each day, someday there would be something left, some time, for me. Now, I have the time and I struggle to make it meaningful. I wonder, if I had gained more balance earlier on would the life change been more bearable? When work is your life and you no longer are able to work, you have no life.
Arianna, your broken cheekbone is your wake up call. It is much easier to heal a broken bone than a broken spirit. I still believe we are called to do our part and reach out to others. But there is a huge difference between being connected and caring versus overextended and burned out. No one on a deathbed has ever said they wished they had worked more. Many have said they longed to see a loved one's smile or a sunset. Arianna, make sure your feet hit the sand now and then. Even if you still keep pushing yourself, blackberry texting into oblivion; when you fall on the beach, at least there will be a soft landing.

[transendentilist]

"Fame or self: Which matters more?
Self or wealth: Which is more precious?
Gain or loss: Which is more painful?

He who is attached to things will suffer much.
He who saves will suffer heavy loss.
A contented man is never disappointed.
He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble.
He will stay forever safe."

[cynic]

Dearest Arianna,

Your absence from the day to day editorial decisions are sorely missed. Please come home soon.

The NY Times reports that the administration is still torturing. Bush and Cheney still support the legal mangling of the law that is used as an excuse for the US to continue to torture its prisoners. Bush and Cheney still refuse to allow anyone, Congress included, to even see the legal rationale behind this super-secret absolution of torture.

Please, run with this 24/7 and don't play the same "run away, it's the homos!" game that Rove and the Republicans play.

Come home Arianna. Come home and kick some administration butt!

ITMFA

[realistic2008]

I just wish any injures to your face and/or your body will not affect your good looks and as painful as they are the actions of our president I trust they will not affect your spirit and therefore continue hoping and deliverating for a cure of his insanity.

[Marlyn]

The website that real annoyed me was ABCNews. In order to post a comment you had to agree to pages of fine print legalese generated by Disney lawyers.

And you couldn't even COPY a phrase, as in command-C.

[splashy]

I hate those that want your home phone number, address and what kind of toilet paper you use before they let you comment!

In fact, I hesitated to comment on Oprah.com for that very reason, but did it anyway. Hopefully it won't be used against me.

[Ryter]

Sorry to hear about your broken cheekbone (ouch). There is a good, logical reason why instructions on airplanes say to "fasten your own oxygen mask before you assist others." It makes sense. You can't do for others unless you have done for yourself first. Taking care of yourself is an investment in caring for others.
Heed the warning, my dear. And that's some free information for you!

[Semper]

Well its a no brainer, Freedom of information and free information is what people want. If they like what you provide them, they will give you their money in appreciation of your efforts to be informative, intelligent, accurate and knowledgable. The old was pay me for my efforts you dog. And you had to accept what they gave you. And most of what you got was low level intellect. That goodness businesses are getting it.

[situationcritical]

Isn't Laguna still the land of the Gay Republican?

Sorry to hear about your broken cheekbone. Heal fast my dear.

[dadw5boys]

I disagree. Long ago Newspapers and Magiznes started making so much money they could have given thier product away free and still made money.
With the interent they now do not have the printing cost or the shelves space to pay for.

[MikeStrong]

Re-circulating news has been with us as long as people and gossip and printing presses. In the early part of our country, because of the Postal Act of 1792 (the direct ancestor of net neutrality), printers could freely exchange (no charge) newspapers with each other.

By 1830 the average printer was getting 4,500 newspapers a year (4500/365=12.3 per day). Printers shared information and printed what was shared along with their local stories. Current blogs, do much the same thing.

[MagisterLudi]

Agreed, and it took Google's success to turn online business towards advertising model of content.
Google's profits allowed advertisers to believe again.
It also made investors believe it is alos possible to made serious profit by NOT providing any original content. There was a realization that providing what I call "passive content" (second-source content feed) is much cheaper and can also generate serious profits. Ergo, we have Flickr, Huffington Post and many more.