You may have noticed that ABM's MediaPace was quiet for a bit this summer. There were a couple of reasons. The first is that the primary author (me) married in May and took a break from all things business media. This blog is intended as a platform on which ABM members can write and converse, but few have taken advantage of it to date. So, with an author off doing other things, MediaPace didn't get the attention it deserved at the start of this summer. I offer our apologies to those who missed our postings.
Another reason MediaPace was dark: in May ABM's board ratified a new strategic plan that affected the structure of ABM staff. I will detail that plan in the coming weeks because it means more help to member companies in many ways. But it also triggered some new responsibilities for many here. Part of the restructuring includes a change in the role of MediaPace's primary author. A key focus of that new role is to explore the fast-changing digital world and its users, and help members succeed amid those changes.
Because of this, MediaPace will experience a slight shift in voice. We wanted some transitional time for this and needed some transitional time while we worked to implement changes driven by the strategic plan. Since we started MediaPace last year, we have always positioned it as an institutional medium - a voice of the industry and the association, not that of a single person. Many times we spoke of the difference between institutional responsibility and that of an eponymous blogger. You can view one such discussion via video from Top Management Meeting. We won't abandon our institutional responsibility, but there will be a slight shift to include a more personal voice to address the new direction of ABM and the changing media landscape. Part of my new role is to communicate trends and observations to members, and MediaPace is the perfect place for that. We will resume regular postings as of today. So, friends and media fans, this is the beginning of something slightly different and we hope it is helpful. As always, your feedback is welcome, and members are invited to post at any time.
posted by Steve Ennen
Welcome back Steve. ABM's blog is a valuable voice.
Posted by: Tony Silber | July 19, 2006 at 10:29 AM