News & Opinion

How to Create a Content Strategy (In Only 652 Steps) By Ian Lurie This is a really, really, really long piece. There's no TL;DR version. That's because a content audit has a lot of steps. I've tried to break them down and explain each one, so that a writer who knows their way around a computer or a marketing geek who knows how to write can take this and do a complete audit. http://ow.ly/ozNcX

Cable TV-Broadcaster Dispute Heats Up Interest in Free TV Reception Phoenix, AZ--September 4, 2013 - - Channel Master, a major manufacturer of television antennas and home entertainment equipment, had a huge surge in sales in August, a lift executives attribute to publicity alerting all consumers about ways to maintain their broadcast reception in the wake of the month-long carriage dispute between Time Warner Cable and CBS. Sales of Channel Master’s popular broadcast HD antennas in August were 150% higher than that of July. Its most popular products, the SMARTenna (indoor/outdoor) and CLEARtenna (indoor) and the EXTREMEtenna (outdoor) were its three top sellers for the month. Channel Master also saw website traffic substantially increase in late August on its websites, channelmaster.com and the popular antennachoice.com when Time Warner Cable announced that it would give out free antennas to its customers in three markets Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. “The publicity surrounding the Time Warner Cable/CBS dispute was national in scope and attention. It was one of the best reminders to the general consumer population that much of their most popular programming is produced for free broadcast consumption – and all anyone needs is a good antenna and digital broadcast converter box. We at Channel Master clearly were among the beneficiaries from the dispute,” said Isaac Valenzuela, Channel Master director of marketing. Channel Master is a trusted veteran in the broadcast television space, having created the original patent for the first preassembled aerial TV antenna in 1949. Its product mix has evolved with the times and current offerings include the latest technology, including set-top boxes to enable Internet delivered television, and DVRs. About Channel Master Established in 1949, Channel Master has evolved from a trusted terrestrial antenna manufacturer to a leader in the production of set-top boxes, home networking accessories and digital media devices that connect consumers, businesses and service providers with a multitude of content. Access to streaming media, stored digital content, music and movies on-demand, off-air HDTV channels, and more is possible from Channel Master's expanding lineup and is available from a network of more than 200 distributors and thousands of retail locations worldwide. Channel Master, LLC is a registered trademark and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. For more information, please visit www.channelmaster.com.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Sept. 4, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE: S) has long been the industry leader in cell phone recycling. Now the wireless carrier has a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® achievement to prove it. This week GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS recognized Sprint for shattering the record for the number of cellular phones recycled in one week: 103,582 cellular phones, more than double the previous record. “We are committed to keeping old cell phones out of landfills and are so pleased that our customers supported us during this record-setting week, as they regularly do throughout the year,” said Jaime Jones, senior vice president of consumer sales at Sprint. Through its standard phone take back programs including Sprint Buyback and other device-collection initiatives, Sprint continues to highlight the importance of phone recycling and reuse with its customers. Junk drawers filled with old phones that eventually find their way to landfills contribute to electronic waste, or e-waste, which continues to be the fastest growing waste stream in the United States. Sprint was the first wireless carrier in the United States to initiate a customer buyback program granting instant credit for eligible devices from any carrier in Sprint retail stores. Today, more than four out of every 10 customers in Sprint retail stores participate in the buyback program. These recycling programs have helped create more than $1 billion in cost avoidance for the company, putting more than $100 million back in customers’ pockets in 2012 alone. Since 2001, Sprint reclaimed enough mobile devices to divert 12.5 million pounds of e-waste from landfills. As part of a network-wide updating and decommissioning project, Sprint projects to re-use and recycle an additional 100 million pounds of e-waste in 2013 and 2014 – part of an effort that should improve service for customers and significantly reduce Sprint’s electricity consumption and carbon footprint. “Sprint continues to demonstrate its commitment to mobile phone recycling programs and the benefits they bring to Sprint customers, the wireless industry and the environment,” said Kate Pearce, analyst at Compass Intelligence which ranked Sprint No. 1 overall for its Buyback program the last two years among national carriers. “Its Buyback program and other reuse/recycling initiatives continue to be examples of leadership for the industry.” As part of its industry-leading Electronics Stewardship Policy which highlights Sprint’s efforts to work with only certified recyclers to achieve their aggressive recycling goals, Sprint aims to collect an average of nine devices for every 10 devices sold by 2017. Sprint has also taken industry-leading steps to promote environmental sustainability in production of new devices and packaging. Sprint is the only carrier to partner with the U.S. EPA, as part of the agency’s Sustainable Materials Management Program, and has been ranked No. 3 on Newsweek’s Green Rankings for two years in a row – the only wireless carrier to crack the list’s top 25.

What: Enjoy the gripping regional soccer showdown between Jordan and Uzbekistan for the right to continue in the World Cup qualification playoffs, live and exclusively on ONE World Sports. Jordan and Uzbekistan—who each finished third in their respective qualifying groups after the final full round of games in June—will battle for the right to play a South American team for a berth at 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Also only on ONE World Sports: live action from Nippon Professional Baseball—with games pitting Chiba Marines vs. Saitama Lions and Yomiuri Giants vs. Yokohama Baystars—as well as a North American’s Soccer League match featuring the NY Cosmos vs. the Atlanta Silverbacks under the lights at Hofstra University. When:            ONE World Sports, the English-language global sports network, will carry all of this world-class action live on Sept. 6, Sept. 7 and Sept. 10. Friday, Sept. 6 Time (EDT) Event Competition 5 a.m. (Live) Chiba Marines vs. Saitama Lions Nippon Professional Baseball 12 p.m. (Live) Jordan vs. Uzbekistan 2014 World Cup Brazil-Asian Qualifiers/Playoff Saturday, Sept. 7 Time (EDT) Event Competition 5 a.m. (Live) Chiba Marines vs. Saitama Lions Nippon Professional Baseball 7 p.m. (Live) NY Cosmos vs. Atlanta Silverbacks North American Soccer League Tuesday, Sept. 10 Time (EDT) Event Competition 5 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Yokohama Baystars Nippon Professional Baseball 10 a.m. (Live) Uzbekistan vs. Jordan 2014 World Cup Brazil-Asian Qualifiers/Playoff Where: ONE World Sports is available via DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber.

Penthera Selects Bob Gold & Associates to Lead Its Groundbreaking PR...  http://ow.ly/ohiWA

Bob Gold profiles by USC Annenberg School this month! http://ow.ly/okqGR USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism - Bob Gold

Also Set: Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea in UEFA Super Cup, Arsenal vs. Spurs in Premier League  What: This Labor Day weekend, enjoy coverage of a pair of Nippon Professional baseball games pitting the Yomiuri Giants vs. the Chunichi Dragons, plus four Asian soccer matches from Japan’s J.League and Korea’s K League Classic—all presented live and exclusively in HD on ONE World Sports. The network’s other weekend highlights include delayed gamecasts of the high-profile UEFA Super Cup showdown between European soccer powers Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and a London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League. When:            ONE World Sports, the English-language global sports network, will carry all of this world-class action live or delayed on Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. Saturday, Aug. 31 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 9 a.m. (Delayed) Kashima Antlers vs. Kashiwa Reysol J.League 11 a.m. (Delayed) Omiya Ardija vs. Yokohama F-Marinos J.League 1 p.m. (Delayed) Sanfreece Hirshima vs. FC Tokyo J.League  Sunday, Sept. 1 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Pohang vs. Busan K League Classic 7 p.m. (Delayed) Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich UEFA Super Cup  Monday, Sept. 2 Time (EDT) Event Competition 7 p.m. (Delayed) Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur Barclays Premier League  Where: ONE World Sports is available via DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber.

Also on Tap: 5 Matches from 3 Asian Soccer Leagues, Plus Arsenal vs. Aston Villa  What:             ONE World Sports presents—exclusively and live—a pair of Nippon Professional Baseball games in which the world-famous Yomiuri Giants take on the Chunichi Dragons. The network’s other weekend highlights include exclusive coverage of soccer matches from Japan’s J.League, Korea’s K League Classic and the Chinese Super League, and a Barclays English Premier League game pitting Arsenal vs. Aston Villa. When:            ONE World Sports, the English-language global sports network, will carry all of this world-class action live or delayed during the upcoming weekend.  Saturday, Aug. 17 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Sagan Tosu vs. Omiya Ardija J.League 8 a.m. (Delayed) Urawa Reds vs. Oita Trinita J.League 10 a.m. (Delayed) FC Tokyo vs. Yokohama F-Marinos J.League Noon (Delayed) Liaoning Whowin vs. Shandong Luneng Chinese Super League Sunday, Aug. 18 Time (EDT) Event Competition 1 a.m. (Live) Yomiuri Giants vs. Chunichi Dragons Nippon Professional Baseball 6 a.m. (Live) Busan vs. Ulsan K League Classic 8 a.m. (Delayed) Guizhou Renhe vs. Beijing Guoan Chinese Super League 9 p.m. (Delayed) Arsenal vs. Aston Villa Barclays Premier League  Where: ONE World Sports is available on DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber.

NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) and beIN SPORT announced today that beIN SPORT's live English-language play-by-play of the best soccer leagues in the world – including Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and France's Ligue 1 -- will be available to SiriusXM subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM's dedicated soccer channel, SiriusXM FC, channel 94, and other SiriusXM play-by-play channels. Each week, listeners will hear multiple La Liga matches, including all matches featuring Real Madrid and Barcelona, multiple Serie A and Ligue 1 matches, as well as select matches from the Copa del Rey tournament and select World Cup qualifiers for CONMEBOL South American teams. The SiriusXM FC channel is available to subscribers on all satellite radios, through theSiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com. Additionally, SiriusXM will broadcast Spanish-language beIN SPORT en Espanol on SiriusXM channel 158, starting August 15.  This programming will include live play-by-play of La Liga, Serie A, Copa del Rey and World Cup qualifying matches, exclusive club shows from Barca TV and Real Madrid TV as well as the network's most popular news and magazine shows including The Locker Room and The Express as well as top international sports including Million Dollar horse racing from Dubai, European basketball and cycling and motorsports, like the FIM Superbike Championships. beIN SPORT en Espanol (SiriusXM channel 158) will be available to subscribers on satellite radios, through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com. France's Ligue 1 season begins today, August 9, with Montpellier v. reigning champion Paris Saint-Germain.  SiriusXM will air live coverage of the match starting at 2:30pm ET on SiriusXM FC, channel 94. The La Liga season kicks off on Saturday, August 17.  The Serie A season begins Saturday, August 24.  For a schedule of upcoming matches on SiriusXM visit www.siriusxm.com/soccer. "We're thrilled to work with beIN SPORT to deliver our subscribers more of the world's best soccer and we're particularly pleased to make this programming available to our listeners in both English and Spanish," said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM's SVP of Sports Programming.  "The addition of La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 play-by-play further enhances our already abundant soccer programming and gives our listeners direct access to the world's game through their satellite radios, handheld devices and online." "Carriage on SiriusXM is a major coup for every international sports fan," said Antonio Briceno, General Manager of beIN SPORT.  "We will be offering thousands of hours of exclusive beIN SPORT events to SiriusXM listeners – which is nothing less than a major win for everyone involved." The addition of beIN SPORT's broadcasts to the SiriusXM airwaves expands SiriusXM's soccer offerings to include live coverage of four of the best soccer leagues in the world – the Barclays Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 – as well as the prestigious UEFA Champions League.  SiriusXM FC, channel 94, launched last October and offers listeners a mix of soccer talk and play-by-play 365 days a year.  The channel also carries play-by-play from the FA Cup, the Capital One Cup and the UEFA Europa League, as well as daily soccer talk shows hosted by an expert cast of former players, coaches, executives and journalists from the U.S. and Europe. For more info on SiriusXM FC visit www.siriusxm.com/soccer. Follow the channel on Twitter@SiriusXMFC. About Sirius XM Radio Sirius XM Radio Inc. is the world's largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has more than 25 million subscribers.  SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S., from retailers nationwide, and online atsiriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is also available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android, Apple, and BlackBerry smartphones and other connected devices. SiriusXM also holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers. On social media, join the SiriusXM community on Facebook, facebook.com/siriusxm, Twitter,twitter.com/siriusxm, Instagram, instagram.com/siriusxm, and YouTube atyoutube.com/siriusxm. This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and other statements identified by words such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimated," "believe," "intend," "plan," "projection," "outlook" or words of similar meaning.  Such forward-looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control.  Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.  The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements: our competitive position versus other forms of radio and  audio services; our dependence upon automakers; general economic conditions; failure of our satellites, which, in most cases, are not insured; our ability to attract and retain subscribers at a profitable level; royalties we pay for music rights; the unfavorable outcome of pending or future litigation; rapid technological and industry change; failure of third parties to perform; changes in consumer protection laws and their enforcement; and our substantial indebtedness.  Additional factors that could cause our results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov).  The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.