Teens turn away from e-mail

[Tags: web design, new media]. Typing, clicking, and waiting for a reply is "too complicated", apparently, as instant messaging and SMS increases their appeal.

New Online TV Network Aims for Young, Affluent

[Tags: web design, online media]. Another day, another new online TV station. Brandweek reports on "Code.tv, an online television network set up by two former executives at MTV.

"The venture aims to fill what its creators say is an underserved television demographic, 25-to-49-year-olds who earn $100,000 or more a year. There are about 5 million such people in the U.S., said Joseph Varet, co-founder and CEO.“That’s a decent sized audience, but it’s too small to support a 24 hour
cable channel,” Varet said. “We don’t have to fill airtime because it’s on demand.”"

Meanwhile, the latest IWantMedia mailing contains a number of other stories about online TV. Here's the rundown:

Former Elle publisher John Rollins is joining ManiaTV.com, which offers original online television programming.

http://www.boston.com/business/personaltech/articles/2006/06/12/internet_stealth_company_steps_out/

http://www.wwd.com/issue/article/107013

Study: Web is the No. 1 media

[Tags: web design, new media]. ...at work, and no. 2 at home, according to this CNET piece.

F-Shaped Pattern For Reading Web Content

[Tags: web design, new media]. On paper it's from top left to bottom right, but online it seems we read differently: an F-shaped pattern according to Jakob Nielsen (image is from his site) who sums up the implications as follows:

• Users won't read your text thoroughly in a word-by-word manner. Exhaustive reading is rare, especially when prospective customers are conducting their initial research to compile a shortlist of vendors. Yes, some people will read more, but most won't.
  
• The first two paragraphs must state the most important information. There's some hope that users will actually read this material, though they'll probably read more of the first paragraph than the second.
  
• Start subheads, paragraphs, and bullet points with information-carrying words that users will notice when scanning down the left side of your content in the final stem of their F-behavior. They'll read the third word on a line much less often than the first two words.

More TV on the web

[Tags: web design, new media]. I Want Media reports: "The latest trends among local television news stations: distributing programs via mobile devices and the Web as they try to hold onto fickle audiences. "This is absolutely going to be a vital part of any station's future," says Steve Safran, head of digital media at New England Cable News."
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/05/31/local_tv_news_when_you_want_it/