Category: Digital – AI & Apps

News and media stories that reflect Internet activities via social media, AI, Apps, and digital communication channels.

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Art & Life Digital - AI & Apps Lifestyle

Mike Crispi unafraid joins Salem Podcast Network

IRVING, Texas — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM) announced today that “Mike Crispi Unafraid” has officially joined the Salem Podcast Network beginning today, Jan. 9, 2023. The podcast, which launched in 2022, is hosted by Mike Crispi and will release one episode each weekday.

 

Crispi is an experienced television reporter, talk show host, and political operative throughout the Northeast. During the 2020 election, he provided live coverage of political rallies and grassroots conservative events on Right Side Broadcasting. In the last year, he has hosted one of the most popular live shows on Rumble. He has worked on multiple campaigns at both the state and federal levels, including his own Congressional campaign in New Jersey.

 

“It is a great honor to join forces with Salem Media,” Crispi said. “I have long admired their hosts, programming, and vision for the future of conservative media. This podcast has been a success since we started it last year, and I couldn’t think of a more genuine and authentic partner to help take it to the next level.”

 

“We’re excited to add Mike to our line-up,” said Marcus Brown, director of content strategy for the Salem Podcast Network. “He brings an enthusiasm and energy to our growing roster of young, conservative voices.”

 

The Salem Podcast network launched in January 2021 and is ranked as the 11th most listened to podcast network on the Triton Digital platform, with over 17 million average downloads per month.

 

ABOUT SALEM MEDIA GROUP:

Salem Media Group is America’s leading multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content, with media properties comprising radio, digital media and book and newsletter publishing. Each day Salem serves a loyal and dedicated audience of listeners and readers numbering in the millions nationally. With its unique programming focus, Salem provides compelling content, fresh commentary, and relevant information from some of the most respected figures across the Christian and conservative media landscape. Learn more about Salem Media Group, Inc. at www.salemmedia.com, Facebook and Twitter.

Contacts

Evan D. Masyr

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(805) 384-4512

evan@salemmedia.com

Categories
Business Digital - AI & Apps Lifestyle Science Technology

KBP Brands tests new SMS and mobile wallet program at select KFC restaurants

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — KFC franchisee KBP Brands, one of the largest and fastest-growing QSR franchises in the country, today announced it has partnered with Vibes, the technology leader powering seamless mobile brand experiences, to test a SMS and mobile wallet program at 162 participating KBP-owned Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Texas, New York (Buffalo), New Jersey, Oklahoma and Arkansas. This program enables the ability to meet consumers where they are most active: their mobile devices.

KBP Brands sought to equip local markets with innovative tools to win customers effectively and provide strong, trackable results. KBP Brands turned to Vibes to boost consumer engagement, increase in-store traffic and grow loyalty at its KFC restaurants through the delivery of timely, personalized messages.

 

KBP Brands can now instantly reach consumers through SMS and mobile wallet by sending targeted messages to local audiences based on price, demographic and regional competition. Restaurants can also offer unique promotions to customers, rewarding them for repeat visits or for opting into the SMS program. For example, those who opt-in to the KBP Brands text program from a mobile device receive an instant text alert offer and new offers weekly. To opt-in to the KBP Brands text program, simply text the word “DEALS” to “25899”. A complete list of participating locations can be found here.

 

“The text messaging program fills a gap in our local marketing toolkits, serving as an efficient mechanism to deliver relevant and timely offers to individuals. A broad value at a national level can be a challenge, especially by geographic area. We wanted the ability to activate compelling messaging quickly based on our restaurants’ unique needs,” said Tonya Mangels, vice president of marketing activation, KBP Brands. “The quick-service restaurant industry is highly competitive, and SMS marketing is a cost-effective tool that will help us both attract new customers and retain current customers.”

 

On average, brands see immediate rapid subscriber growth with a 98% retention rate and a 40x ROI with mobile messaging programs. KBP Brands will benefit from being able to deliver SMS messages at scale within a highly specific timeframe. With Vibes, KBP Brands can provide KFC customers real-time updates at the right place and right time, ranging from local store changes such as hours of operation to menu tests and limited-time-only deals, encouraging customers to visit and repeat business.

 

“We’re excited to help KBP Brands extend engagement with KFC customers in a personal, connected and authentic way,” said Alex Campbell, CIO and co-founder, Vibes. “Mobile offers one of the fastest ways to connect directly with a customer, and it will allow KBP Brands to meet individuals wherever they are in the consumer journey.”

 

ABOUT KBP BRANDS

KBP Brands is one of the largest franchisees in North America, operating ~1,000 restaurants across 31 states. Visit www.KBPbrands.com.

 

ABOUT VIBES

Vibes helps brands like Ralph Lauren, Kohl’s, Redbox, Chipotle, Sephora, Ascena Brands and LEGO to grow, activate and optimize consumer relationships with timely, relevant, high-volume mobile messaging at a global scale. The company’s intelligent mobile experience platform enables marketers and consumer loyalty professionals to connect with consumers using a unified native platform of SMS, MMS, dynamic wallet, mobile push notifications, app inbox and performance analytics, to become the backbone for these brands’ overall digital engagement strategies. Gartner recognized Vibes as a Leader in its 2019 and 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Mobile Marketing Platforms.

Contacts

Will Gregory

Gregory Public Relations (for KBP)

will@willgregorypr.com
(816) 645-6116

Maya Halabi

Ketner Group Communications (for Vibes)

maya@ketnergroup.com

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Business Digital - AI & Apps Lifestyle

Altice USA appoints Dennis Mathew chief executive officer; names Dexter Goei executive chairman of the Board

Leadership transition effective October 3, 2022

 

NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) today announces that its Board of Directors has appointed Dennis Mathew to the position of Chief Executive Officer, effective October 3, 2022. Mr. Mathew assumes the CEO role from Dexter Goei who has been named Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, also effective October 3, 2022. All of Mr. Goei’s direct reports will report to Mr. Mathew on the effective date. Founder and current Chairman of the Board, Patrick Drahi, will remain a Director of the Board.


Given Mr. Goei’s intention to return to Europe with his family, with his involvement the Board undertook a comprehensive search for its new CEO to identify the best leader to advance Altice USA into its next phase of growth and ensure strategic continuity.

 

“I am pleased to welcome someone of Dennis’ caliber and mindset to Altice USA,” said Patrick Drahi, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Altice USA. “He has an impressive track record at Comcast, driving transformation and success in highly competitive markets and redefining the role of telecommunications services for customers through a superior service experience, all of which will serve us well. With our fiber network deployment well underway, I am confident that Dennis is the right leader to build on the momentum we have made as we bring the most advanced fiber broadband services to our customers across the country. Dennis’ leadership approach, along with his commitment to our people, our customers, and our communities, will have a tremendous impact on Altice USA today and into the future.”

 

Mr. Mathew joins Altice USA from Comcast where he spent the last 17 years in senior corporate and operational leadership positions, leading the company’s largest regions with a focus on all aspects of the residential and commercial businesses for the entire Comcast portfolio of products and services. He oversaw the organization’s strategic, financial, and operational performance in the Freedom and Western New England Regions, positioning his regions to become best-in-class for customer experience and employee engagement at Comcast. Mr. Mathew has successfully led through business transformation, developing long-term solutions and launching new businesses and products for Comcast to drive improved performance and enhance the customer experience for millions of customers across highly competitive markets.

 

“I am honored to accept the role of CEO at this important juncture for Altice USA,” said Mr. Mathew. “As Altice USA advances its position as a converged fixed and wireless player, I see immense potential to further connect with and serve customers in new ways while elevating the company as the connectivity provider of choice. I look forward to leading such an innovative company that has the right vision and long-term strategy centered on investments in fiber infrastructure and a superior customer experience. I thank Patrick and Dexter for their trust and for the opportunity, and I am eager to begin working with the talented leadership team and employees at Altice USA to build on the success they have achieved and continue to foster an inclusive culture for all.”

 

Added Mr. Drahi, “Dexter has effectuated a business and cultural transformation at Altice USA over the past seven years, building the company into what it is today with passionate employees who are committed to our customers and to each other. Given his intention to return to Europe with his family, Dexter has been involved in our search for a new CEO and I am grateful for his partnership to ensure Altice USA has the best leader to advance the company into its next phase of growth. I have the highest respect for Dexter as a business partner and confidant and am pleased that he has agreed to serve as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors while also supporting Dennis in his transition to CEO and working on key strategic initiatives.”

 

Said Mr. Goei, “Leading Altice USA has been the most rewarding experience in my career. From our fiber network deployment and launch of multi-gig fiber broadband offerings to our diversity and inclusion programs and local community engagement efforts, I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished together thanks to the leadership team and the thousands of dedicated employees across the country who enthusiastically serve our customers and communities every day. In the months ahead, my focus will be on ensuring a smooth leadership transition and working closely with Dennis on our key strategic initiatives. I welcome Dennis to the Altice USA family and have the utmost confidence in him as we continue to accelerate and deliver on our fiber strategy and embark on the next chapter of our story.”

 

Mr. Mathew will be based in the company’s headquarters in Long Island City, NY.

 

About Dennis Mathew

A telecommunications industry veteran, Dennis Mathew spent the last 17 years in senior corporate and operational leadership positions at Comcast, leading the company’s largest regions with a focus on all aspects of the residential and commercial businesses for the entire Comcast portfolio of products and services.

 

He oversaw the organization’s strategic, financial, and operational performance in both the Freedom Region (Southeast Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Northern Delaware) and Western New England Region (Connecticut, Vermont, Western Massachusetts, and areas of New York and New Hampshire), positioning his regions to become best-in-class for customer experience and employee engagement at Comcast. Mr. Mathew has successfully led through business transformation, developing long-term solutions and launching new businesses and products for Comcast to drive improved performance and enhance the customer experience for millions of customers across highly competitive markets.

 

Prior to joining Comcast, Dennis held positions focused on technology risk assessment with both PricewaterhouseCoopers and Andersen/Protiviti.

 

Mr. Mathew earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He is a graduate of the NAMIC Executive leadership Development Program and has been recognized by Philadelphia Business Journal and Multichannel News on their “40 Under 40” lists, as well as being named to the CableFAX “Most Influential Minorities in Cable” list.

 

In addition, Mr. Mathew is Co-Founder and Chairman of Bloom India, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide high-quality education to the underprivileged throughout India and has spent the last decade working with non-profit organizations focused on anti-human trafficking efforts.

 

About Altice USA

Altice USA is one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States, delivering broadband, video, and mobile services to nearly 5 million residential and business customers across 21 states through its Optimum brand. The Company operates a4, an advanced advertising and data business, which provides audience-based, multiscreen advertising solutions to local, regional, and national businesses and advertising clients. Altice USA also offers hyper-local, national, international, and business news through its News 12, Cheddar News and i24NEWS networks.

Contacts

Investor Relations

Nick Brown: +1 917 589 9983 / nick.brown@alticeusa.com
Sarah Freedman: +1 631 660 8714 / sarah.freedman@alticeusa.com

Communications

Lisa Anselmo: +1 516 279 9461 / lisa.anselmo@alticeusa.com
Janet Meahan: +1 516 519 2353 / janet.meahan@alticeusa.com

Categories
Art & Life Digital - AI & Apps

NJPF photographers to host a free informative, networking, virtual conference for artists

Two well-known New Jersey photographers will host a free virtual meeting Sunday to provide an opportunity for other artists to network and share their journeys with younger photographers.

 

The well-known N.J. photographer, author and international instructor, Nancy Ori, along with Andrew Darlow, who is an award-winning author, photographer, and consultant, have joined forces to support other artists.

 

The two photographers have collaborated many times in the past to teach together. They have now written articles for each other’s newsletters on the topic of It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

 

Their newsletters and conference content are a look back at the creative inspiration they gathered from nature and how they generate positive energy and artwork during this past year.

 

“Early in 2020, life suddenly shifted in so many ways for so many people, yet the natural world of my neighborhood, including the birds, flowers, geese, and trees, didn’t seem to notice. During the virtual presentation, I look forward to sharing some of the images and text that helped me, and my family get through that time,” said Darlow

 

The artists have identified the beauty of their collaboration, how powerful their journeys have been, and so they decided that it will be worth sharing with other artists as well as hearing from them about their topics.

 

At 3 p.m. Sunday, Ori and Darlow will host the free virtual meeting with an opportunity for other artists to network and share their thoughts about their own journeys, give helpful tips for younger artists, and help make some plans. To get the discussion rolling, they will be showing their most recent works.

 

The hosts have invited three additional artists to present their work that was inspired and created during the pandemic.

 

The six artists will have time to talk about what inspired them during the pandemic and how that inspiration impacted their lives and work.

 

The three guest artists are: Gerry Heydt, a traditional American impressionist who paints in oil, and whose students inspired her to create in new ways; Charles Chessler, a NYC-based portrait photographer, who has been inspired to photograph from his computer monitor; and Mike Pach, who is an award-winning photographer and author based in Colorado Springs, CO.

 

Anyone interested in joining the discussion will need to contact Ori at nancyori@comcast.net to get the Zoom link. Attendance is open to any artist of any age using any medium. Along with important information about how to manage an art business through trying times, a major part of the conference discussion with attendees will be about what has been learned and how to draw inspiration from difficult situations.

 

Darlow is a Piscataway, New Jersey-based photographer, author, and digital workflow coach. For over 25 years, he has helped people capture, edit, print and backup their photographs and other media. He is the author of four award-winning books. His newest book is titled: Focus and Filter, Professional Techniques for Mastering Digital Photography and Capturing the Perfect Shot, which is available in both English and Spanish on Amazon.

 

Ori, owner of New Jersey Media Center in Berkeley Heights, is respected internationally as a corporate photographer, author, and photography instructor for many years. She teaches workshops both locally and internationally and was affiliated for many years with the Ansel Adams Workshop in California. She currently teaches privately and is on the faculty of several museums and art centers in New Jersey. Her international tours are scheduled to start up again next spring with visits to her typical off-the-beaten-path locations in Europe. Her latest book: 5 Important Elements of a Portfolio and Critique is available on Amazon.

 

Ori says, “I came up with this idea of collaboration with other artists and invited Andrew as the second artist. I would like to continue these conversations with other artists moving forward to share our thoughts on a variety of topics in future conferences. It will be a great networking opportunity for everyone.

 

The Zoom conference is a great way for experienced artists to share their inspirations and realizations to help other artists. The conference will be void of discussions on anything political or negative. I would like the attendees to walk away with some positive energy and tips for how to make some plans. How will they redefine their normal?”

 

For more information on the It’s a Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodConference, please contact Nancy Ori at 908-790-8820 or nancyori@comcast.net to receive the Zoom link to attend. You can visit both artists websites at www.nancyoriworkshops.com for more information and free photo tips.

 

nancyori@comcast.net

www.nancyoriworkshops.com

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Majesco launches new product portal to expand and accelerate customer’s planning and use of Majesco solutions today and for the future

Portal provides faster and easier access to robust product information and insight to product roadmaps and future of insurance technologies

MORRISTOWN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Majesco (NASDAQ: MJCO), a global provider of cloud insurance platform software, today announced a new product portal – providing customers fast and easy access to robust product information and insight to product roadmaps and future of insurance technologies that will expand and accelerate customer’s planning and use of Majesco solutions today and for the future.

“We’re thrilled to provide our customers with a robust resource that allows them to stay on top of Majesco’s latest product advancements, product roadmaps and assessment of future of insurance technologies,” says Manish Shah, President & Chief Product Officer at Majesco. “We’re constantly pushing boundaries and creating products that redefine the next generation of solutions that enable insurers to digitally transform to a new era of insurance. The new product portal enables our customers to keep a pulse on the latest innovative technology and enhancements we’re working on to create the future of insurance.”

Within the product portal customers will have access to the latest information including:

  • Product Roadmap – Visibility into the release schedule of new product features and capabilities
  • Idea Portal – Platform that allows customers and partners to submit ideas for product enhancements and to view and vote on enhancement ideas submitted by other customers
  • Majesco Technology Office – Future of Insurance Technologies – Thought-provoking articles and videos on technology and architecture from Majesco’s Technology Office
  • Release Notes – Information regarding enhancements and defect fixes included in each Majesco product release
  • User Guides – Step-by-step instructions on how to use Majesco’s products
  • Installation Guides – Step-by-step instructions for how to install and configure Majesco’s products
  • API Documentation – Full documentation of Majesco’s APIs including an overview of the API, authentication, response samples, and error handling
  • Product Certifications – Outline of the certified technology stack on which Majesco products should be deployed including recommended deployment topology
  • Performance Benchmark Reports – The latest performance benchmark reports for various Majesco base products
  • Security Assessment Reports – The latest Security Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test results for Majesco products
  • Infrastructure Sizing Guidelines – Usage-based recommendations for infrastructure settings (CPU, Memory) by product

About Majesco

Majesco (NASDAQ: MJCO) provides technology, expertise, and leadership that helps insurers modernize, innovate and connect to build the future of their business – and the future of insurance – at speed and scale. Our platforms connect people and businesses to insurance in ways that are innovative, hyper-relevant, compelling and personal. Over 200 insurance companies worldwide in P&C, L&A and Group Benefits are transforming their businesses by modernizing, optimizing or creating new business models with Majesco. Our market-leading solutions include CloudInsurer® P&C Core Suite (Policy, Billing, Claims); CloudInsurer® LifePlus Solutions (AdminPlus, AdvicePlus, IllustratePlus, DistributionPlus); CloudInsurer® L&A and Group Core Suite (Policy, Billing, Claims); Digital1st® Insurance with Digital1st® Engagement, Digital1st® EcoExchange and Digital1st® Platform – a cloud-native, microservices and open API platform; Distribution Management, Data and Analytics and an Enterprise Data Warehouse. For more details on Majesco, please visit www.majesco.com.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Majesco’s reports that it files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which you should review, including those statements under “Item 1A – Risk Factors” in Majesco’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to: the adverse impact on economies around the world and our customers of the current COVID-19 pandemic; our ability to achieve increased market penetration for our product and service offerings and obtain new customers; our ability to raise future capital as needed; the growth prospects of the property & casualty and life & annuity insurance industry; the strength and potential of our technology platform and our ability to innovate and anticipate future customer needs; our ability to compete successfully against other providers and products; data privacy and cyber security risks; technological disruptions; our ability to successfully integrate our acquisitions and identify new acquisitions; the risk of loss of customers or strategic relationships; the success of our research and development investments; changes in economic conditions, political conditions and trade protection measures; regulatory and tax law changes; immigration risks; our ability to obtain, use or successfully integrate third-party licensed technology; key personnel risks; and litigation risks.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events and Majesco cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by Majesco or any other person that we will achieve our objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this presentation. Majesco disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Contacts

Laura Tillotson

Director, Marketing Communications and Creative Services

+ 201 230 0752

Laura.Tillotson@majesco.com

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Software giant creates company culture by giving back

With a “people promise” to its employees and community, a prominent software company, in Tinton Falls, N.J., demonstrates it has a big heart.

Commvault Cares volunteers make sandwiches for the homeless at Asbury Park homeless shelter Wednesday.
— Provided photo

Commvault, New Jersey’s largest software company, reflects its “people promise” or, its corporate social responsibility (CSR), when it launched a volunteerism and charitable program called Commvault Cares in August three years ago.

Commvault Vice President and Chief Resources Officer Jesper Helt, said they initiated the social program because of “how we perceive our responsibility in the community where we are present…an organization that needs to give back and enrich the community that we are part of.”

Commvault Cares started in August 2017 with volunteers that have grown from about 850 volunteers last year, and is expected to exceed more than 1000 this year.

“We are early in August (now). We’ll get in above the goal we’ve set,” said Helt.

The company expects to surpass its past volunteering and charitable efforts for this year’s third annual Commvault Cares events.

From Aug. 1 through Aug. 27, the company’s calendar is full of events for Commvault Cares CSR within Monmouth County.

Commvault Cares events include the company’s collaboration with Ronald McDonald House, where volunteers cook for families in need; ice-cream social at Arbor Terrace; lunchbreak, where volunteers feed local community members; volunteers also organize costumes at Count Baise Theater; they help garden at Oasis Farms; beach cleanup at Sandy Hook National Park; they make sandwiches for the homeless at Asbury and Hoboken homeless shelters; among other community volunteering and charitable events.

“We do a diverse set of charities and volunteer activities that are done within and outside the office,” said Helt.

He also said that the company does similar activities throughout the year and globally, but Commvault Cares is specifically for August.

“We do many things throughout the year because it is meaningful and important to our company that we are engaged in that way,” said Helt.

He also said the company’s CSR is focused on “sustainability as it concerns the environment, children and health.”

Last year, Commvault Cares received the Horizon Hero Award for its volunteer work, he added.

Helt also said Commvault volunteers because it is entirely dependent on the talent that makes up the company, and that they are responsive to how employees feel when they are at work, and what it takes to make them productive and creative.

Volunteers from Commvault make meals for the needy at Ronald McDonald House in Monmouth County.
— Provided photo

He said that in order to attract and retain talent, the company has to care about the employees’ lifestyles that include work and leisure time.

“We as a company need to cater to your lifestyle…to represent many of the things that you care about as an employee. Part of that is giving back to the community, and getting involved in the community,” said Helt.

He said that Commvault wants to be a force for those in need and for the communities around them.

Commvault wants its employees to have the freedom to make an impact together in the local communities with their community partners during and after work hours, he said.

“It’s at the very core of how we as a company try to create a culture, an employee experience that is attractive and meaningful,” explains Helt.

The volunteers are from among Commvault’s more than 2,500 employees.

Commvault is the largest of its kind in New Jersey, making an impact locally and globally.

This worldwide company delivers backup and recovery software for enterprises and large organizations that need to manage their data.

Click these links to learn more about Commvault’s history and products.

Follow @Michelle_Dryden on Twitter.

 

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

News consumers deserve real News not fake news

Nowadays, everyone has an opportunity to deliver viral news content using social media and blogs as their outlet, but can we really trust all the news we get?

Whether or not news consumers are getting their news from social media, blogs, or mainstream media networks, the odds are that they need to analyze the information before digesting it as facts.

In reality, any news has a chance of being tainted by fake news sources. With news outlets aggregating from varied sources, sometimes viral news such as the “pizzagate” conspiracy about heinous child sex trafficking at Comet Ping Pong Pizzeria in Washington, D.C. spread and can lead to violence. Fact checking does not always happen immediately because the information is usually believable.

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In the case of Comet Ping Pong Pizzeria, the news was believable leading to folks flocking the pizzeria to investigate the propaganda that resulted in violence and thus disrupting business as usual.

There are several other examples of fake news infiltrating the minds and negatively impacting the actions of news consumers.

When President-elect Trump won the 2016 election, an individual, Eric Tucker, from Texas tweeted photos of parked buses alleging there were busloads of anti-Trump protestors demonstrating in the streets.

Mainstream news organizations caught on to this fake news and reported accordingly. Tucker’s tweet was retweeted more than 16,000 times in two days.

Even President-elect Trump responded with dismay, tweeting that, ‘“Professional protestors, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!’’’

However, folks began to question Tucker’s allegations when they could not make connections with the buses of people and the alleged demonstrations.

Tucker then admitted that he did not see people boarding or exiting the buses, and issued a correction as follows: ‘“I strongly value the truth. There’s a pretty good case those buses were for a conference.”’

After his correction, Tucker was surprised that not many folks retweeted it and that he did not get as many likes and followers as he did when he posted the fake news.

The problem with fake News however, is that it usually only serves the point of view of a few and it sometimes can incite violence and rash decisions.

News consumers need to know the differences between what is real and what is fake in order to make better, informed decisions that will benefit the majority.

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Pluses, perils of social media

Today’s society is one that involves lightning fast communications, an overwhelming presence of the Internet, and social media platforms that affect everyday life all over the world.

No longer do you have to wait days for a letter to arrive in the mail, or speak to your friends over the phone in order to catch up. The Internet and social media now allow for people to send emails anywhere, reach out to friends that are thousands of miles away, and more.

There are several positive aspects of social media. However, social media has negative consequences if not appropriately balanced.

Image source: Pixabay - Individuals are fascinated with social media, but struggle to find a balance when using the different aspects of the media that have taken over everyday lives.
Image source: Pixabay –
Individuals are fascinated with social media, but struggle to find a balance when using the different aspects of the media that have taken over everyday lives.

One of the perks of social media also brings to light a negative consequence. With the ability to see what your friends, families, and followers are doing instantly you become attached and feel included. This introduces a false sense of connection that can actually be socially detrimental depending on how a person handles it. Social media should be used to enhance your connections with people, but by solely relying on it, you can quickly acquire a false sense of friendship and interaction.

Brian Jung writes about The Negative Effect of Social Media on Society and Individuals, where he discusses the delusions that are created by social media platforms. He poses a strong argument in pointing out that the relationships reliant on social media are often fake and that social media often times make it difficult for a person to differentiate genuine and hollow relationships

Ali Kingston Mwila also conveyed the positives and negatives of social media. He talks directly about how social media sites can be used effectively to build business relationships and also allow businesses to interact directly with their customers.

Mwila writes the Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Society, and the article is a reference point for those wanting to research the influences of social media as the platforms continue to grow.

Both sides of this argument are important when considering how to balance your personal experiences with social media.

Writer, Damon Beres published 5 Weird Negative Effects of Social Media on Your Brain, which studies how social media can affect your buying habits, appetite, and opinions on many topics.

His article emphasizes the importance of consuming media with caution because free- thinking and being true to one’s self are very important. Beres is aware that the huge influence of social media can affect self-esteems, opinions, and more, in the same way that various news outlets can sway the angle of a story in order to portray a way of thinking.

Technology and social media are amazing and can be implemented in everyday life. They have tons of benefits, like faster communication, creating friendships, enhancing businesses, and more. However, always be cautious in the ways that you allow social media to influence your thinking. Being an independent and confident thinker is much more important than how many followers you have online.

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Data analysis of CrunchBase.com

CrunchBase is an international free database that lists technology companies like Facebook, CrunchFund, LinkedIn, Twitter, Paypal, Tjoos, and Apple, among others. It not only lists these companies, but also gives their statistics about what is hot and trending and funding activities.

According to CrunchBase.com, CrunchBase is a website that also lists those technology companies that are in the news and those with popular pages. The CrunchBase statistics include: the number of companies – 100,481; people – 133,598; financial organizations – 8, 282; service providers – 4, 721; funding rounds – 30, 897; and acquisitions – 7, 137.

This CrunchBase.com database is located in Europe, France and Japan as TechCrunch, according to information on its website. In the United States, CrunchBase has startup offices in San Francisco, New York, Seattle,and Los Angeles. Internationally, in Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and London.

The significance of this data is that CrunchBase.com is an active, growing, trending and relevant website for people looking for various types of data about technology companies.

The following infographics represents the cities where one can find CrunchBase.com startups in the United States.

View CrunchBase Startup Cities in a larger map
–Map by Michelle Dryden
The map shows the four cities in the U.S. where one can find CrunchBase startups.

Categories
Digital - AI & Apps

Traditional news editorial still matters

Accuracy and ethics make good news

While people are concerned with the future of News and are embracing digital media, traditional journalists will still have to be gatekeepers and leaders of this new era.

The journalism business now encourages user-generated content with much audience interactivity in the local and editorial news as well as on blogs.  Several questions emerge about how this is changing the industry.

According to Francine Hardaway, “Today the media-driven by blogs-is assailed on all sides, by the crushing economics of their business, dishonest sources, inhuman deadlines, page view quotas, inaccurate information, greedy publishers, poor training, the demands of the audience, and so much more.”

However, it is those of us who care about the possible decline of good journalism that will help to fix what is becoming “indistinguishable” between real and fake journalism.  When bloggers deliberately publish inaccuracies, they later correct them, just to produce even more page views, writes Hardaway.

Hardaway writes about the digital writers who lure readers in for clicks. And “how blogs-even the most trusted ones-invent stories or publish rumors, just to get a post up and some page views, and then wait to see if anyone comments.”

But she also writes that the future of news is promising because there are journalism schools like ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism that is doing a good job at preparing students for the future.

“So Cronkite is inadvertently turning out students who are trained in ethics, quality and accuracy into a quagmire of media manipulation…,” writes Hardaway. She promises to be a part of the faculty that will help to train these students.

Meanwhile, we have learned that this evolution in the news will be ongoing. The digital era will not be the last stage of the news cycle.  Therefore, some are wondering how far will the interactive nature of news go.

Writers, Penny O’Donnell, senior lecturer in International Media and Journalism at University of Sydney, and David C. McKnight, associate professor of Journalism and Media Research at the Centre at University of New South Wales, ask “whether editorial priorities had changed in response to this greater interactivity with readers…” They report that 46 per cent said that they did not, while 41 per cent “accepted” that they had.

We have seen where even traditional journalists have accepted the blurring of traditional boundaries between audience and journalists. Some of us consider the interactivity very democratic.  But we are reminded that traditional journalists need to be the leaders of this evolution.

O’Donnell and McKnight write that,  “there are persistent doubts as to what journalism will look like when journalist put down their old mantle of ‘gatekeeper’ and instead take up a new role as ‘facilitator’ or ‘curator’ of multi-participant news conversations.”

According to the writers, “professional journalist must maintain strict control over editing and the output.”

Susan Currie Sivek writes about the message Richard Gingras, head of news products at Google, conveyed to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, (AEJMC) in Chicago.

She notes that he encouraged educators to take the lead in shaping the changes that are happening in the media through their curricula. “Educators will also have to take risks in their teaching and advising to help students achieve the skill set and perspective Gingras recommends – and perhaps, to bring about a ‘renaissance’ in the field.”