Extra, Extra, Wall Street Journal on Facebook

Move over paper-boy, there's a new way to get your morning news. The Wall Street Journal has unveiled WSJ Social Beta, a novel way to consume news combining social media and their "WSJ Everywhere" strategy, which aims to make its content more ubiquitous.

The newspaper has launched WSJ Social, a Facebook app that republishes Journal content on Facebook. Thanks to sponsor Dell, all the content on the app will be free for the first month. After that, however, the app will contain the same mix of free and paid content as the WSJ's website.

The basic idea of WSJ Social is to create a news hub where you can read articles recommended by others, as well as share them easily with friends. Creating all of this content within the walls of Facebook also seems to fall in line with the social network's rumored strategy of including more original content such as music and video within the site.

The social aspect of WSJ Social is the crux of the app. For example, the stories you see depends on the likes of other readers who you choose to subscribe to. Other people can also add you as an editor, meaning they will see your Facebook likes of Journal stories. Your role then, becomes that of both editor and reader. Liking stories not only engages you with the article, but shares that content with your followers.

WSJ Social is an original way to really capitalize on the social aspect of news. Choosing the most popular social network site in the world as their platform was a good choice. Now we will see if people stick around to pay for the service, and if other news sources will start launching their own versions.

Here is snapshot of the front page:

Clash of the Titans

Having studied journalism in-depth throughout college, I've practically grown up reading articles from both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and both publications have become news media icons.

But for the last few months, the long-standing rivalry between these journalistic giants has really been heating up. And while some think that both newspapers should stop bickering and focus on surviving in an increasingly-paperless world, I believe this feud could actually help both sides stay afloat.

Back in late 2009, when the feud was simply a war of words, all newspapers (WSJ and NYT included) were sweating the massive industry-wide losses and questions about the future of newspapers as a viable business option.

This led to the WSJ and NYT to escalating their efforts to beat the other into submission, and the latest moves to expand social media integration could prove extremely valuable to both papers.

Both papers have taken big steps to one-up each other with their social media use, with competing Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. But the NYT upped the ante in February, when they partnered with Foursquare during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

And over the weekend, the WSJ retaliated with a Foursquare partnership of their own, allowing users to access restaurant reviews and earn 3 new badges through the popular location-based servce.

And although many critics say these social media developments are nothing more than a case of anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better, they are also making both publications stronger in the long run.

So could these battling heavyweights knock each other out in their fight to be on top? Of course, but there's also the chance that this clash of newspaper titans could force both sides to continue to evolve and innovate.

Interns or VPs: Should Passion Trump Experience?

A while back, I held the position that interns should clearly not tweet on behalf of a company. And if companies are looking to hire social media interns, what should the criterion be? Jay Baer of the Convince and Convert blog brings up a valuable argument about the issue of being passionate – as opposed to my formerly held view: experience.

I’d still be biting my fingers to suggest that an intern should be the social media point person or spokeperson, which is why I’ve bawked at several companies hiring ‘social media’ interns instead of holistic learning and involvement recurring at all levels.

BUT if you are passionate about social media, should that be more important than experience? Do interactive marketing VPs know more about site infrastructure and less about building conversations online ? Are there search-marketing analysts who can provide sound strategies on e-commerce distribution channels and not necessarily sound strategies on how to build a Facebook Page that will act as a mechanism to promote FREE product giveaways? Do C-suite level executives understand the importance of FREE STUFF in general anyway? Southwest Airlines does. Coke does. Why do they get it and so many companies don’t? Who’s running the show and does that really matter?

In the summer of last year, I learned more from the online behaviors of one of Axiom’s interns who had a real passion for social media than I have from listening to a VP of Digital Marketing for a leading integrated PR/advertising agency. While this intern had some experience, he didn’t boast 20 years like the other guy did. He just had passion and that was enough to really listen to him.

Suddenly, 20 years of the baby boomer methods become somewhat obsolete and Gen Y soon take the lead as the most sought-after contributors to the social media space that... actually know how to keep fans on a Facebook Page, provide comment-geared content for a blog, acquire 2,000 followers on Twitter by simply talking more off-brand than on-brand – a strategy that is looked down upon by most experienced brand marketers. So regarding experience, I stand corrected when it comes to truly knowing social communities.

Who are we listening to now that social media is never going to go away? Gen Y interns or baby boomer VPs?

Fred: Media's Chew Toy

Today's Wall Street Journal article revealed the seventh grader behind "Fred," a long-running YouTube series and quite frankly the most popular, garnering over 9 million views on some episodes like "Fred Loses His Meds" (shown above). Now since Lucas Cruikshank has been revealed time and time again, will his faithful fan base increase or decrease?

The majority demographic of "Fred" viewers seems to suggest 14+, though some video comments appear more mature than the typical teen text message (I'm hoping it's just due to the extraordinary education middle-schoolers are receiving nowadays). Nevertheless, this is the type of audience who could care less about newspapers. Myself-- I read the WSJ and am now a follower of "Fred." It just goes to show the generation media gap all the more.

"Fred" is nothing but teenager ADHD creativity at its finest degree, and the boy Lucas really knows how to captivate his audience by elements of surprise and downright hilarity. What really keeps the attention of his viewers is his chipmunk voice-- produced by speeding up the taping. Screams and shrieks, zany faces, and quirky mannerisms are among the traits that make "Fred" so appealing.

Now since he's been called on to promote "Ember, an upcoming movie featuring actor Tim Robbins, will this make his follow-up YouTube videos too commercial? I'm sure he has a number of advertisers phoning his new agent, calls about Nickelodeon "Kids Choice" Awards and perhaps the role of Shaggy in a Scooby Doo Kids series. "Fred" unknowingly has become a celebrity and is destined for Hollywood stardom. Lucas, you made it, but choose wisely.