Strategy in TECH...
Last week, I noted the top posts on Strata-gee based on page views – quite simply, those articles that attracted the most eyeballs. We could have called that post – the Readers Choice Awards…as these were the stories that…collectively…so many of you read.
Now, I’d like to share with you those stories that I think are significant or important stories – or themes, really – even if they were not the most read. So this version I’m calling the Editor’s Choice for Top 2018 Stories.
Just What the Heck is Going On Here?On Tuesday we learned that select properties of EH Media – owner of CEPro, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales & Integration, Campus Safety and others – had been acquired by Emerald Expositions (the new owner of the CEDIA Expo). Earlier this year, U.K.-based Future plc, a global media company, acquired U.S.-based NewBay Media – parent of Residential Systems, Sound & Video Contractor, AVTechnology and others. And almost exactly one year ago, IFA – producer of the largest consumer electronics trade show in the world (held in Europe) – “partnered” or acquired a significant stake in NAPCO Media’s consumer technology division – parent of Dealerscope, Technology Integrator, and Connected Design.
So that’s three of the top custom integration trade media companies all acquired within the last 12 months. What the heck is going on here?
This week, subscribers of the digital version of Residential Systems Magazine are getting more than the usual expert advice and latest news on the custom integration business in their newly received June issue – they’re getting a farewell message from the magazine’s editor-in-chief – and founding editor – Jeremy Glowacki. In a surprise move, new owners Future Plc, a global British media company, has launched an aggressive restructuring program which, as is typically the case, has resulted in staff cuts at multiple levels, up to Glowacki’s senior position.
A report by Rolling Stone magazine says that Tidal, the troubled streaming service owned by rapper Jay Z and a consortium of music industry personalities, has been accused of faking their data, manipulating stream counts to artificially boost figures for certain Beyoncé and Kanye West projects. Although Tidal denies the reports, some of the facts being reported are indeed troubling.
Wow…what a way to wrap up our TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! My head is spinning! At the risk of sounding boastful, please indulge me for a few moments while I share with you what I think are some remarkable results from 2017 for Strata-gee.com. First and foremost, let me say that it is completely thanks to you…our readers…that we have just had the best year in the history of our website.
Recently, we were publicly called out on Twitter with a somewhat snarky tweet about the Strata-gee “Comment Policy.” Or rather, to be more precise, a tweet appeared that slyly inferred that our policy was toothless. This tweet was in response to a social media post we had made promoting our article titled What We’ve Discovered about CEDIA’s Sale of the Show.
It wasn’t the article that upset the Twitter poster, but rather, it was apparently a comment placed on that article that he appeared to feel violated our Comment Policy. So, let’s talk about that…
Ask any marketing professional, the last ten years have brought a dizzying array of all-new 
advertising options thanks to the continued development of digital and online marketing tools. Strata-gee has reported on several occasions the rapid ramp-up of big- and small-business investment in email marketing, social media marketing, digital media marketing and more. More companies have been investing more dollars in more different types of largely digital marketing methods.
So a new consumer survey really caught our attention when it showed which advertising method consumers most trust. It really kind of blew our mind.
ResiWeek, a podcast from AVNation.tv focused on the residential audio/visual market, once again invited Strata-gee editor Ted Green to participate on this week’s episode, recorded on Monday, January 9 and hosted this week by AVNation founder Tim Albright. The show, which has a strong bias towards the integration community, is known for its at-times vigorous and at-times humorous conversations with a rotating series of guests commenting on the topics of the day.
