Condé Nast announced that it will close four magazine publications. The publishing giant will shutter Gourmet, first published in 1941, along with Cookie, Mondern Bride and Elegant Bride. Condé, which has relied on luxury brands to advertise in its magazines, has shuttered five publications already in 2009, with CEO Chuck Townsend noting that many fledgling publications simply aren't sustainable.
The FTC is going after bloggers on disclosure issues. The Federal Trade Commission will attempt to regulate bloggers, making them disclose gifts and anything given to them for free, or else be subjected to an $11,000 fine. The big question is exactly how will the FTC regulate blogs and exactly where does one draw the line with free gifts?
Adobe is bringing Flash to a plethora of smartphones. While Flash will be available on many offerings, including RIM's BlackBerry, Google's Android and Winodws Mobile, it will still not be fully supported by Apple's iPhone. However, even though the iPhone will not support Flash in the Safari Browser, application developers will be able to bundle Flash inside apps used on the iPhone, giving users the ability to view Flash content and games on the iPhone, albeit, only through downloaded applications.
Universal Pictures announced that Adam Fogelson and Donna Langley will replace Marc Shmugar and David Linde as Chair and Co-Chair of the studio. The decision was made after Universal produced and distributed a bevy of high-cost flops, including Funny People and Land of the Lost. Fogelson and Langley have the tough task of evading the failures Universal experienced this year, while trying to revitalize the record profits Universal enjoyed while Shmugar and Linde were in charge.
In other studio news, Rich Ross was named Chairman of Walt Disney Studios. Ross, former president of the Disney Channel, will now oversee Touchstone, Miramax, Disney/Pixar, as well as the company's flagship studio, theatre division and music division. CEO Robert Iger noted that Ross "has an outstanding record of creating high-quality family entertainment that delights audiences around the world."
Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV. Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. You can join the MediaBytes mailing list here. Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net For information about Get Digital Classes, visit www.shellypalmer.com/seminars