How can tech support quality journalism?

(Photo credit @nickmorrison)

#techtopic

With the rise of online advertising, social media, amateur news bloggers, and online news sites, the state of quality journalism has declined. First problem: how do we define news these days? 

The Pew Research Center includes a huge variety of things under “news media” (including audio, podcasts, network news, cable news, digital news, newspapers and public broadcasting) - all with the goal of providing news and information to inform the public about the important events of the day. Digital news is probably the murkiest area of news as it’s so hard to know who wrote the articles you’re readying and where they sourced their articles. 

Second problem: how do we know if we can trust the news we read online?

One step is to identify who owns the outlets from which you’re reading. You can also check out my recent blog on combatting fake news. For the recent US presidential election, the AP News used blockchain to help certify results and distribute them widely through their API. 

Third challenge: what tech is being used by tech companies, journalists & news media to do the work of news-making more effective & efficient? My college friend Jeremy just wrote up an article describing Google’s new Journalist Studio, a suite of tools to help journalists with data visualization. Another former Google colleague’s startup Brief is a news app that combines content from journalists and organized by algorithms (and recently launched a Supreme Court tracker). This is similar to SmartNews and Flipboard who are sites which aggregate the news -- but I found SmartNews to be actively combatting the ‘echo chamber’ problem by using algorithms to encourage discovery, especially with local news. There are definite pitfalls to be aware of (see the huge bust of JImmy Wales’ WikiTribune) but more needs to be done to bolster local and national news media to ensure important news of the day is being reported on properly. 

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Take a listen to these podcasts on leadership, company building, & creativity

(Photo credit @cdx2)

Last week was the longest year of my life. (Yes, I am so tired that I’m quoting memes!) 

Last week drained many of us in the US, so this week is aimed at getting you advice via voice. Take a moment to check out a couple of podcast episodes that I really enjoyed recently. Listen and enjoy! 

#techtopic

Earlier this week, Jessi Hempel of LinkedIn interviewed Natalie Nixon about cultivating creativity on the podcast ‘Hello Monday.’ I really enjoy starting my week listening to these conversations as Jessi does a great job connecting with her guest, and bringing unique stories and perspectives to the conversation. Creativity is such an integral part of the DNA of how a tech company operates that I wanted to highlight this conversation. 

• Podcast episode (~30min)

• Highlights:

  • The definition of creativity: "It’s our ability to toggle between wonder and rigor to solve problems."

  • On fostering creativity: "It's much more about being equipped to fall in love with process versus being solutions based and solutions-oriented.  We can exercise and cultivate creativity through what I call the three 'I's. And the three 'I's are inquiry, improvisation, and intuition."

  • Creativity is a muscle that anyone can exercise, and more people should as it will help you to be a better employee.

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How many steps did your pet’s wearable track today?

(Photo credit @jaywennington)

Many of you know that I got a new rescue dog this summer (cute photos of her!) and being the tech nerd that I am, I am always looking for new ways to entertain her, feed her and generally spoil her rotten. Given all the anxiety-raising news right now, I decided to focus on the enjoyable & lucrative “pet tech” space for this week, with a few gratuitous pet video links included!

#techtopic

Yes, Americans spend a ridiculous amount on their pets: almost $100 billion in 2019, up from $66 billion in 2016. About one-third is spent on pet food & treats, another third on vet care, 20% on OTC medicine/supplements and 10% on other services. First, let’s consider the ecommerce pet food/treats/toys side. Some may remember Pets.com from the late 1990s as an early tech company who tried to capitalize on making it easier to purchase pet food online - but their business model was hugely flawed (consumers weren’t ready to buy online and the shipping costs for big bags were enormous). Now, Chewy.com is often heralded as the online marketplace to purchase pet products and it IPO’d in Jun 2019. The pandemic has been good for Chewy's business (owned by Petsmart), and this week, they launched a new telemedicine service for vets to connect with pet owners for ‘tele-triage.’ The new service is free to Chewy autoship subscribers - and we’ll see if this value-add helps keep consumers subscribed! 

In terms of services, Rover and Wag are very popular apps that help connect pet owners to dog walkers/sitters. As a user of Rover, I found Wag annoying in that I wasn’t able to choose who takes care of my pet (they would “match” me to whoever is available & meets my basic criteria). Wag succumbed to the lure of Softbank investment, taking $300 million in 2017, and was looking for a buyer in fall 2019. Rover was flourishing (purchasing competitors & expanding into Europe & LatAm) until covid caused layoffs this spring. 

And human owners also want to keep track of their pet’s health stats, steps walked, etc -- so pet wearables have a passionate niche market. Whistle is probably the best known brand among the trackers, but there are many on the market. You can even get your pet’s DNA report to figure out if she’s really a purebred pet! If you want to spoil your pet, I suggest checking out the latest pet tech innovations. 

This video brings all the feels: Corgi living his best life

And this cat is a feline queen.

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