December 10, 2009
Many Automotive Brands are Losing Buyers to Competitors Due to Poor Customer Treatment though they have High Customer Satisfaction with the New-Vehicle Sales Process: J.D. Power
Overall satisfaction with the new-vehicle purchase experience has improved from 2008, but automakers are losing 12 percent of new-vehicle sales to other brands, on average, as a result of poor customer treatment at dealerships, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study.
The study is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase experience. Overall customer satisfaction is measured for five factors:
Dealership Facility;
Salesperson;
Paperwork, Finance Process;
Delivery process; and
Vehicle Price.
Overall satisfaction averages 836 points on a 1,000-point scale in 2009, up by 11 points from 2008. Satisfaction with each of the five factors improves from 2008, with the greatest improvements in the two areas that are most within the dealer's control -- the salesperson and delivery process factors.
According to J.D. Power, salespeople have improved most notably from 2008 in helping buyers stay within their budgets and in negotiating prices quickly. Within the delivery process, dealerships have improved considerably in providing complete explanations of the owner's manual and explaining vehicle features.
"In this difficult economy, dealerships are working particularly hard to close sales, but need to be attentive to customers without exerting unwanted sales pressure," said Jon Osborn, director of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. "Nearly one in four buyers in 2009 reports experiencing sales pressure from their selling dealer."
The study finds that more than one in five shoppers who leave a dealership without purchasing a vehicle do so because they experienced poor treatment or dealer performance issues such as pricing games, sales pressure tactics or discourteous treatment. While 43 percent of these buyers ultimately purchased from a different dealer of the same brand, 57 percent decided to purchase from a different brand altogether. For the industry as a whole, this equals a 12 percent loss of retail sales to other brands.
"With the billions of dollars that automakers spend designing, producing and marketing new vehicles, as well as in driving customers to showrooms, it is critical that potential buyers are not pushed out the dealer's door because of a poor customer experience," said Osborn. "Manufacturers and dealers should be concerned with the experiences of all shoppers, whether they purchase or not. From a buyer's perspective, recollections of their shopping experience include not only the selling dealer, but also all of the other dealers they visited."
The 2009 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study is based on responses from approximately 48,000 new-vehicle buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicles in May or June 2009. The study was fielded between August and October 2009.
Sales Satisfaction Index Ranking --------- J.D. Power Circle Rating
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
• Luxury Brands
Jaguar ---------------------- 898 ---------------- 5
Cadillac ---------------------- 893 --------------- 5
Lexus ----------------------- 877 ---------------- 4
Mercedes-Benz ------------ 877 ---------------- 4
Land Rover ------------------ 872 --------------- 4
(Average) ------------------- 864 ---------------- 3
Lincoln ----------------------- 863 --------------- 3
BMW ------------------------ 861 ---------------- 3
Porsche ---------------------- 861 --------------- 3
SAAB ------------------------- 857 --------------- 3
Acura ------------------------ 856 ---------------- 3
Infiniti ------------------------ 845 --------------- 2
Volvo ------------------------- 842 --------------- 2
Audi -------------------------- 828 --------------- 2
• Mass Market Brands
Mercury ---------------------- 867 --------------- 5
smart ------------------------- 865 --------------- 5
Buick ------------------------- 864 --------------- 5
Pontiac ----------------------- 864 --------------- 5
Chevrolet -------------------- 863 --------------- 5
MINI -------------------------- 862 --------------- 5
Saturn ------------------------ 858 --------------- 4
HUMMER --------------------- 856 --------------- 4
GMC -------------------------- 853 ---------------- 4
Ford --------------------------- 847 --------------- 4
Subaru ------------------------ 834 -------------- 3
Suzuki ------------------------ 832 --------------- 3
(Average) -------------------- 832 --------------- 3
Honda ------------------------ 830 --------------- 3
Volkswagen ------------------ 828 --------------- 3
Scion -------------------------- 826 --------------- 3
Kia ----------------------------- 823 -------------- 3
Toyota ------------------------ 823 --------------- 3
Chrysler ---------------------- 822 --------------- 3
Hyundai ---------------------- 819 --------------- 3
Nissan ------------------------ 815 --------------- 3
Mazda ------------------------- 809 --------------- 2
Dodge ------------------------ 805 ---------------- 2
Jeep -------------------------- 805 ---------------- 2
Mitsubishi ------------------- 778 ---------------- 2
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
|GlobalGiants.Com|
"A typical car buyer trusts others' advice rather than any traditional advertising.
Hence, the Word of Mouth is the forgotten most powerful publicity tool that an automobile manufacturer may explore and employ to advertise its products as well as to promote its dealer showrooms."
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Posted by Editors at 11:58 AM
August 26, 2009
Nokia Launches Mini-Laptop: Booklet 3G
• Nokia is bringing its rich mobility heritage and knowledge to the PC world with the new, Windows based, Nokia Booklet 3G. This was announced by Nokia at its headquarters in Espoo, Finland.
"Powered by the efficient Intel Atom processor," says Nokia, "The Nokia Booklet 3G delivers impressive performance with up to 12 hours of battery life, enabling people to leave their power cable behind and still be connected and productive."
Delivering the rich experience of a full-function PC inside an ultra-portable aluminum chassis, the new mini-laptop weighs 1.25 kilograms, measures slightly more than two centimeters thin, and has the features one would expect from the world's leading mobile device manufacturer. A broad range of connectivity options - including 3G/ HSPA and Wi-Fi - gives consumers high speed access to the Internet, including Nokia's broad suite of Ovi services.
"A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility," said Kai Oistamo, Nokia's Executive Vice President for Devices. "We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal."
The mini-laptop also comes with an HDMI port for HD video out, a front facing camera for video calling, integrated Bluetooth and an easily accessible SD card reader. Other premium features include the 10-inch glass HD ready display and integrated A-GPS which, working with the Ovi Maps gadget, can pinpoint your position in seconds and open up access for a truly personal maps experience. The Nokia Booklet 3G also brings a number of other rich Ovi experiences to life, whether its access and playback of millions of tracks through the Nokia Music Store, or using Ovi Suite to sync seamlessly from your Nokia smartphone, to your mini-laptop, to the cloud.
While the Nokia Booklet 3G would widen the Nokia portfolio in its move towards becoming a mobile solutions company, further information, including detailed specifications, market availability and pricing, will be announced by Nokia at 'Nokia World, Stuttgart' on September 2.
• On August 12, Microsoft and Nokia announced that they will collaborate to bring Microsoft Office Mobile and related communications and collaboration software and services to Nokia smartphones.
Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will begin collaborating immediately on the design, development and marketing of productivity solutions for the mobile professional, bringing Microsoft Office Mobile and Microsoft business communications, collaboration and device management software to Nokia's Symbian devices. These solutions will be available for a broad range of Nokia smartphones starting with the company's business-optimized range, Nokia Eseries. The two companies will also market these solutions to businesses, carriers and individuals.
"With more than 200 million smartphone customers globally, Nokia is the world's largest smartphone manufacturer and a natural partner for us," said Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop. "Today's announcement will enable us to expand Microsoft Office Mobile to Nokia smartphone owners worldwide and allow them to collaborate on Office documents from anywhere, as part of our strategy to provide the best productivity experience across the PC, phone and browser."
|GlobalGiants.com|
"NOKIA
Connecting PeopleAnd now it may be:
NOKIA
Connecting People
& Businesses"© GlobalGiants.Com. All Rights Reserved.
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Posted by Editors at 10:15 AM
June 3, 2009
U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Monitor GM and Chrysler Restructuring
Photo: Evolution of Motor Car: The original Benz patent motor car of 1888 in the Dr. Carl Benz Automotive Museum in Ladenburg, Germany. (Photo © Daimler AG)
Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has issued the following statement on the U.S. Federal Administration's plan to restructure General Motors and the impending ruling on Chrysler:
"The future success of General Motors and Chrysler ultimately depends on whether they can profitably design and build cars that Americans and other consumers actually want to buy.
Our biggest concern with the restructuring plan announced today is the potential for governments and unions to influence production, product, workforce, and management decisions in ways that could jeopardize the automakers' chances for survival, put politics and special interests above sound business strategy, and disrupt our nation's trading relationships across the world.
For example, the UAW has said that it pressured GM to change where the company plans to produce a new line of smaller cars. And as part of the GM restructuring, the administration has reportedly closed the U.S. market to Opel and blocked Opel's forays into China so it could not compete with GM -- clear examples of market manipulation and protectionism.
If members of Congress, along with government officials from the United States to Germany to Canada, are allowed undue influence over management's decisions, then you can write this down: These companies will not return to profitability and their survival will be seriously challenged. The global talent that exists in the automotive sector must be allowed to do its job and be paid on a competitive basis. Management must be permitted to make tough decisions in a competitive global market without political interference.
So going forward, the U.S. Chamber will carefully monitor the activities of the new GM and Chrysler boards, and we will expose and fight any counterproductive influence by government, unions, or politicians over decisions that should be left to management. And we will continually insist that government reduce and eliminate its ownership stake as soon as possible."
(The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.)
Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
|GlobalGiants.com|
"The future success of General Motors and Chrysler ultimately depends on whether they can profitably design and build cars that Americans and other consumers actually need, NOT 'actually want to buy', as the automakers have been saying all along and what the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has set forth in its statement above.
If the American Eskimos want to buy Refrigerators, do not proceed to set up Refrigerator Factories. You would have to shut them down soon.
What about giving Microwave Oven Demonstration to the American Eskimos?
Diverse key considerations such as technology, powertrain, fuel consumption, safety, design, utility, environment friendliness, driving maneuverability, rising city traffic, parking problems, car buyers' purchasing powers, consumers' general likings, government regulations, practicality, and so on should lead the automaker to correctly identify those who need small cars, correctly identify those who need compact cars, correctly identify those who need SUV's, correctly identify those who need trucks, correctly identify those who need luxury cars... .
© GlobalGiants.Com. All Rights Reserved.
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Posted by Editors at 2:39 PM
April 27, 2009
Web Dominated the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Breaking News Stories: Nieman Journalism Lab
According to Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, the three newspapers honored by the Pulitzer Prize Board for breaking news all shared a common thread: They used the Web as their primary outlet, not ink-on-paper.
The New York Times -- which won the prize -- and finalists the Houston Chronicle and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch each shifted to a web-first mentality when faced with big breaking news. That was true whether the news was a prostitution scandal (Times), a hurricane (Chronicle), or a shooting (Post-Dispatch).
"We cover news any way people need news," Chronicle editor Jeff Cohen told the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard. "We cover it online, analog, digital, straight media -- any way you can serve it up, our staff is serving it up."
"The Internet has brought forth an unprecedented flowering of news and information," explains the Harvard Lab. "But it has also destabilized the old business models that have supported quality journalism for decades. Good journalists across the country are losing their jobs or adjusting to a radically new news environment online. We want to highlight attempts at innovation and figure out what makes them succeed or fail. We want to find good ideas for others to steal. We want to help reporters and editors adjust to their online labors; we want to help traditional news organizations find a way to survive; we want to help the new crop of startups that will complement -- or supplant -- them."
The Nieman Journalism Lab is a project at Harvard University to figure out the future of quality journalism online.
Source: Nieman Journalism Lab
|GlobalGiants.com|
"I am deeply interested in the progress and elevation of journalism, having spent my life in that profession, regarding it as a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its influence upon the minds and morals of the people."
-- Joseph Pulitzer
"Journalism is popular, but it is popular mainly as fiction. Life is one world, and life seen in the newspapers is another."
-- Gilbert K. Chesterton
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Posted by Editors at 6:06 AM
March 18, 2009
Reputation Risk Management Is on the Rise in U.S. and European Corporations -- The Conference Board
But Many Companies Still Have a Long Way to Go in Protecting Their Reputations.
According to a new report from The Conference Board (global business research and membership organization), a growing number of major global companies are investing substantial resources to manage their reputation risk and have increased their efforts to do so over the last three years.
"Safeguarding reputation is even more critical today because companies have developed successful ways to make reputation risk management part of their overall risk management," says Ellen Hexter, Director, Enterprise Risk Management at The Conference Board and co-author of the report with Sandy Bayer, President of Bayer Consulting. "In addition, different stakeholder groups are becoming more sophisticated in how they drive corporate reputations. Critics on the Internet can now transmit their opinions and complaints around the world with ease. Most importantly, consumers have high expectations that companies will not only produce quality products and services, but also will act ethically in their creation and distribution."
The report defines reputation as how a company is perceived by each of its stakeholder groups and reputation risk as the risk that an event will negatively influence stakeholder perceptions. Many reputation risks are the secondary result of other, more traditionally recognized risks. For example, if a manufacturer produces an unsafe product, it may lose customers and is likely to suffer financial costs due to a product recall, both of which impact reputation. Reputations may be damaged for any number of reasons, including that stakeholders perceive a company to be unethical.
"Although reputation is the quintessential intangible asset, a strong corporate reputation yields concrete benefits - higher market value, stronger sales, and an increased ability to hire the best and the brightest," says Bayer.
The report is based on the findings of The Conference Board Reputation Risk Research Working Group and a survey of 148 risk management executives of major corporations. More than three quarters of the respondents to the survey said their companies are making a substantial effort to manage reputation risk (82 percent) and they have increased focus in this area over the last three years (81 percent).
Other key findings of the study:
• Reputation risk should be managed throughout the organization. Although communication is of critical importance in responding to a risk event, a company's reputation should be considered during the preparation and execution of strategy and new projects, which hasn't been the case in most companies.
• Reputation risk is often not incorporated into risk management. Only 49 percent of executives surveyed said that the management of reputation risk was highly integrated with their Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) function or another risk oversight program.
• Assessing reputation risks is a top challenge. Fifty-nine percent indicated that assessing the perceptions and concerns of stakeholders was an extremely or very significant issue, making it the highest-ranked challenge.
• Media monitoring has become more sophisticated. Today, there are tools to assess whether coverage is positive, neutral or negative; the credibility of publications; the prominence of coverage, etc.
• Efforts are being made to quantify the value of reputation. A select group of companies is making progress in this area by working with specialist consulting firms to quantify the impact of reputation on share price.
• Social media are gaining influence, but most companies are ignoring them. Although consumers and investors are increasingly gathering information from blogs, online forums, and social networking sites, only 34 percent of the survey respondents said they extensively monitor such sites, and only 10 percent actively participated in them.
The findings spurred the following recommendations from The Conference Board Research Working Group:
1) Actively involve boards of directors in reputation risk management.
2) Demonstrate to leaders and management teams in business units the impact of their actions on reputation.
3) Integrate reputation risk management with ERM or other risk management programs.
4) Quantify the value of reputation.
5) Use and nurture employees as corporate ambassadors.
"Boards of directors, senior management, and operating management should demonstrate an active commitment to strong reputation management," conclude the authors.
Source: The Conference Board
|GlobalGiants.com|
"Our reputation is more important than the last hundred million dollars."
-- Rupert Murdoch
"From the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one step."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte
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Posted by Editors at 12:59 AM
August 8, 2008
United States Postal Service Issues Most Popular Stamp Series of All Time -- The Art of Disney: Imagination
Photo: U.S. Postage Stamp on 2008 Olympic Games
Photo: The United States Postal Service delivers 212 billion pieces of mail to over 144 million homes, businesses and Post Office boxes every year. It handles more than 44% of the world's mail volume--delivering more mail to more addresses and to a larger geographic area than any other postal administration in the world.
Although Elvis remains king as the single most popular stamp subject of all time with an estimated 124.1 million collected, Mickey Mouse and his friends rule as the most popular stamp series with 211.5 million collected. Originally scheduled to be introduced as three sets during a three-year period, the fifth and final debut for the Art of Disney series took place Aug. 7 in front of the Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland when the Postal Service dedicated the Art of Disney: Imagination stamps. The 42-cent first-class commemorative stamps went on sale nationwide that day.
"The Art of Disney stamps have connected many Americans with friendship, celebration, romance, magic and now imagination through the mail," said U.S. Postal Service Chief of Staff Mike Spates, who joined Mickey and his friends in dedicating the stamps. "It's easy to add an imaginative touch to cards and letters with these beautiful stamps. We want to thank the many Disney characters for helping the Postal Service commemorate Walt Disney throughout the years."
Spates said 125 million Art of Disney: Imagination stamps were printed and are available in sheets of 20 and include four stamp designs:
• Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie. Walt Disney once said that Mickey was "created for the purposes of laughter." From the moment Walt Disney first imagined him, Mickey has been a happy reminder that a little laughter goes a long way; it's hard to imagine the world without his familiar smile.
• Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and her helpers Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather from Sleeping Beauty. Everyone dreams of living "happily ever after," but not everyone has such enchanting helpers as Princess Aurora's tiny guardians, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Despite their delightfully dithery ways, the good fairies protect the princess and help her find the true love she has always imagined.
• Pongo and one of his pups from 101 Dalmatians. Imagining a dog's emotional life requires a brilliant creative leap, but 101 Dalmatians gives us a unique dog's eye view of the world. In the loving bonds between Pongo and his pups, we see our own human ties brought to life -- spot on.
• Mowgli and Baloo from The Jungle Book. Who could imagine a jungle as jazzy as in The Jungle Book -- or a more free-wheeling, upbeat buddy than Baloo? His lighthearted relationship with Mowgli reminds us that friendship and laughter really are among the "bare necessities of life. "
Spates added the series has proven to be popular with both stamp collectors and Disney enthusiasts.
"After the success of the first two Art of Disney sets with 47.7 million Friendship stamps collected in 2004 and 52.8 million Celebration stamps in 2005, we sat down with the Disney team to explore the possibility of extending the series. We feel the Art of Disney: Imagination stamps will finish the series as a cherished collectible."
The Postal Service randomly surveys approximately 10,000 customers four times annually to gauge the number of stamps collected. Spates said 57.2 million Romance stamps were collected in 2006 and 53.8 million Magic stamps in 2007.
The Disney relationship with the U.S. Postal Service began in the summer of 1918 when Walt Disney sorted and delivered mail in the Chicago Post Office. Next, Mickey Mouse worked for the Post Office when he starred in the 1933 animated short "Mail Pilot." The achievements of Walt Disney were first recognized on a stamp in 1968. On the stamp, a parade of children, hand-in-hand, appear from a tiny castle to surround a portrait of Walt Disney. The children, representing many nations of the world, are garbed in national costumes.
Source: U.S. Postal Service
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 1:43 PM
July 10, 2008
Apple iPhone 3G on Sale Friday, July 11
Over 500 Native Applications for iPhone & iPod touch Available at Launch.
Apple® today announced that more than 500 native applications will be available on the iPhone's App Store when Apple's iPhone™ 3G goes on sale tomorrow. These applications will be available on Apple's new App Store, enabling customers to wirelessly download them directly onto their iPhones and start using them immediately. More than 125 applications are being offered to iPhone customers for free.
The new iPhone 3G combines all the features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast*, built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs hundreds of third party applications available through the new App Store which is a built-in application on every iPhone running iPhone 2.0 software.
The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so users can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Applications are free or charged to the user's iTunes® account and the App Store notifies the user when updates are available for their apps. The App Store is also available in iTunes (www.itunes.com) running on a Mac® or PC, which syncs applications to the iPhone or iPod® touch using a USB cable.
The App Store will offer over 500 native applications from hundreds of companies around the world in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.
In addition to the App Store, the iPhone 2.0 software update includes enterprise support, contact search, complete iWork® and MS Office document viewing support, the ability to delete or move emails in bulk, saving images from emails, a scientific calculator, parental controls and support for 16 additional languages.
iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries--Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US--on July 11.
"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
According to Apple, iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.
Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac® or PC. According to Apple, iPhone 3G delivers a 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.
iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe™, a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online "cloud" to native applications on iPhone, iPod® touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices.
Source: Apple
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 2:08 PM
March 29, 2008
SABEW 13th Annual Best in Business Journalism Contest Winners
Recognizing top publications and the best business news reporting during 2007, The Society of American Business Editors and Writers Inc. (SABEW), a not-for-profit organization made up of business journalists in North America, has announced the winners in its 13th annual Best in Business Contest. SABEW is headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
SABEW started the contest in 1995 to help set standards and recognize role models for outstanding business journalism. It has grown steadily since then. Categories for magazines and online sites were added this year. A record 842 entries were submitted for work in 2007 by daily newspapers, business weeklies, magazines, wire services and news Websites.
SABEW will hand out the awards during a ceremony at its annual conference, at 6 p.m. April 27 at The Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
Following is the full list of winners:
Overall Excellence
Giant Newspapers
(Average daily circulation above 325,000)
Arizona Republic
Los Angeles Times
The New York Times
USA Today
Certificates of Merit:
The Boston Globe
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)
Large Newspapers
(circulation from 225,000 to 325,000)
The Miami Herald
Rocky Mountain News (Denver)
The Seattle Times
Certificates of Merit:
The Indianapolis Star
The Orange County Register
Detroit Free Press
Mid-sized Newspapers
(circulation from 125,000 to 224,999)
The Charlotte Observer
The Des Moines Register
The Detroit News
Grand RapidsPress
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Certificates of Merit:
St. Paul Pioneer-Press
Salt Lake Tribune
Small newspapers
(circulation under 125,000)
Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, Ariz.)
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Certificates of Merit:
The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.)
The Post & Courier (Charleston, S.C.)
Weekly Business Newspapers
Advertising Age
Boston Business Journal
Crain's New York Business
Financial Week
Triangle Business Journal (Raleigh-Durham, N.C.)
Certificate of Merit:
Mass High Tech
Small Magazines
(circulation under 500,000)
Bloomberg Markets
Large Magazines
(circulation 500,000 and over)
Fast Company
Small Websites
(up to 500,000 average monthly unique visitors)
Wired.com
Certificate of Merit
Crain's Chicago Business
Mid-sized Websites
(500,000-2.5 million average monthly unique visitors)
AdAge.com
Certificate of Merit
Azstarbiz.com, Arizona Daily Star
Large Websites
(more than 2.5 million average monthly unique visitors)
MarketWatch
The New York Times Dealbook
The Wall Street Journal Online
Business News Reporting
Breaking News
Giant publications
• Patti Bond, Robert Luke, Tom Walker, Maria Saporta, Matt Kempner,
Marilyn Geewax, Duane D. Stanford, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"Nardelli's departure from Home Depot"
• Krishna Guha, Michael Mackenzie, Saskia Scholtes and Gillian Tett, The
Financial Times: "Federal Reserve"
• Robin Sidel, Aaron Lucchetti, Monica Langley, Carrick Mollenkamp, David
Reilly and David Enrich, The Wall Street Journal: "The fall of a
Citigroup Prince"
Large publications
• Staff, Detroit Free Press: GM/UAW settlement
• Staff, Detroit Free Press: Pfizer breaking news
• Roger Fillion, Chris Walsh, David Milstead, Charles Chamberlin,
Joyzelle Davis, Rob Reuteman and Jane Hoback, Rocky Mountain News:
Coors-Miller merger
Mid-sized Publications
• Stella M. Hopkins, Adam Bell, Gail Smith-Arrants, Sharif Durhams,
Christopher D. Kirkpatrick, Tommy Tomlinson, Kat Greene, Marion
Paynter, Mark Johnson and David Ingram, The Charlotte Observer: "Philip
Morris quits North Carolina"
• Amos Maki, Commercial Appeal (Memphis.): "Toyota's decision"
• Sharon Terlep, Bruce G. Hoffman, Eric Morath, Christine Tierney, Daniel
Howes, Louis Aguilar, Nathan Hurst, Brian J. O'Connor, Josee Valcourt
and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News: "UAW strike"
Small Publications
• Jack Gillum, Christie Smythe and David Wichner, Arizona Daily Star:
"First Magnus meltdown"
• Kathy Jumper, George Talbot, Russ Henderson, Sebastion Kitchen, Dan
Murtaugh, Kaija Wilkinson and Jeff Amy, Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.):
"Towering triumphs"
• Carol Benfell, The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.): "Hospital
closure"
Weekly Publications
• Brent Snavely, Crain's Detroit Business: "Icahn on Lear: company
positioned well in industry"
• Andrew Osterland, Marine Cole, Matthew Quinn, Nicholas Rummell and
Frank Byrt, Financial Week: "Credit crunch"
Real-time News Organizations
• Scott Lanman, Brendan Murray, Matthew Brockett, Caroline Salas, Anthony
Massucci, Lynn Thomasson and Shannon Harrington, Bloomberg News:
"Bernanke's world unravels"
• John D. Stoll and Stephen Wisnefski, Dow Jones News Service:
"DaimlerChrysler stock moves into high gear"
Enterprise
Giant Publications
• David Barboza, The New York Times: "A Chinese reformer betrays his
cause, and pays"
• Gretchen Morgenson, The New York Times: "Crisis looms in mortgages"
• Kate Kelly, The Wall Street Journal: "Bear CEO's handling of crisis
raises issues"
Large Publications
• Jeffrey Tomich, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Bet the farm"
• Pete Carey, San Jose Mercury News: "Harsh side of the boom"
• Kristi Heim, The Seattle Times: "China's eco-city"
Mid-sized Publications
• Rick Rothacker and David Ingram, The Charlotte Observer: "Is this a
conflict?"
• Sharon Terlep and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News: "Inside story"
• Rebecca Mowbray, New Orleans Times-Picayune: "Same house. Same repairs.
Same insurer. Why different prices?"
Small Publications
• Becky Pallack, Arizona Daily Star: "First Magnus: Boom to bust in three
weeks"
• Dan Kelley, Corpus Christi Caller-Times: "Is the city growing or
stretching?"
• George Talbot, Press-Register (Mobile, Ala.): "Several factors are key
to deal"
Weekly Publications
• Ron Leuty, San Francisco Business Times: "The fight of his life: Bay
Area tech execs and VCs rally to aid one of their own battling a rare
disease"
• Daniel Kaplan and Mark Mensheha, Street & Smith's SportBusiness
Journal: "American invasion: What's driving the gold rush to English
soccer?"
• Dan Monk and Tom Demeropolous, Business Courier of Cincinnati: "Dark
side of progress: The transformation of UC has taken more of a
financial toll than many in the campus community realize"
Real-time News Organizations
• John Schoen, MSNBC: "Mortgage mess"
• John Lippert, Bloomberg News: "Fall of Detroit"
• Melissa Davis, TheStreet.com: "Shattered hopes"
Columns
Giant Publications
• David Leonhardt, The New York Times
• Joseph Nocera, The New York Times
• Michelle Singletary, The Washington Post
Large Publications
• Eileen Ambrose, The Baltimore Sun
• Mary Jo Feldstein, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
• Al Lewis, The Denver Post
Mid-sized Publications
• Mitchell Schnurman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
• George Gombossy, The Hartford Courant
• Liz Benston, Las Vegas Sun
Small Publications
• Gregory Karp, The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)
• Dan Voelpel, The News-Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
• Susan Miller, Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.)
Weekly Publications
• Brian Kaberline, Kansas City Business Journal
• Greg David, Crain's New York Business
• Steve Symanovich, San Francisco Business Times
Real-time News Organizations
• Jon Markman, MSN Money
• James Saft, Reuters
• Brett Arends, TheStreet.com
Projects
Giant Publications
• Patricia Callahan, Maurice Possley, Michael Oneal, Evan Osnos, Ted
Gregory and Sam Roe, Chicago Tribune: "Hidden hazards"
• Charles Duhigg, The New York Times: "Golden opportunities"
• Walt Bogdanich, The New York Times: "Toxic pipeline"
Large Publications
• Suzanne Rust, Meg Kissinger and Cary Spivak, Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel: "Chemical fallout"
• Mike Casey and Rick Montgomery, Kansas City Star: "Fatal failures"
• Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News: "Ethanol boom: Kernel to car"
Mid-sized Publications
• Binyamin Appelbaum, Lisa Hammersly, Ted Mellnik, Peter St. Onge, Stella
M. Hopkins, Liz Chandler, Mike Drummond, Pam Kelley, Gary Schwab and
Patrick Scott, The Charlotte Observer: "Sold a nightmare"
• Lee Rood, Lynn Hicks, Philip Brasher, Paula Lavigne, Jerry Perkins,
Perry Beeman, Jon Benedict, Jeff Bruner, Suzanne Behnke and Don Tormey,
Des Moines Register: "Fueling Iowa's future"
• Christine Tierney and Bill Vlasic: The Detroit News: "Death of a
Merger"
Small Publications
• Winston Ross, The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.): "Big fish in a big
pond"
• Richard M. Hogan, Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press: "Southwest Florida real
estate sellers beware"
• James L. Martin, Erie (Pa.) Times-News: "Made in Mexico"
Weekly Publications
• Bryant Ruiz Switzky, Katharine Grayson, Nancy Kuehn, Eric Johnson and
Dirk DeYoung, The Minneapolis- St. Paul Business Journal: "Operation
reintegration"
• Jeanne Lang Jones and Steve Wilhelm, Puget Sound Business Journal:
"Industrial land"
• Christopher Tritto, The St. Louis Business Journal: "Fig"
Real-time News Organizations
• David Dietz, Gary Cohn and Darrell Preston, Bloomberg News: "The
insurance hoax"
Magazine Cover Stories
Large Magazines
• Brian Grow and Keith Epstein, Business Week: "The poverty business"
• Ellen McGirt, Fast Company: "Al Gore's $100 million makeover"
Small Magazines
• David Evans, Richard Tomlinson, Seth Lubove and Daniel Taub, Bloomberg
Markets: "Toxic debt"
Online Excellence
Breaking News
Large Websites
• Tom Krazit, Caroline McCarthy, Erica Ogg, Kent German, Leslie Katz,
Brian Cooley, CNET News: "Launch of the iPhone"
• Staff, CNNMoney.com: "Turmoil in the mortgage and credit markets"
Small Websites
• Steve Daniels, Senior Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business: "LaSalle's
Richman near deal to join private bank"
• Alby Gallun, Reporter, Crain's Chicago Business: "Kennedy, developer
plan big Wolf Point project."
• Chad Eric Watt, Staff Writer; Dave Moore, Staff Writer, Dallas Business
Journal: "Questions dog press club"
Projects
Large Websites
• Rex Nutting, Amy Hoak and Alistair Barr, Marketwatch: "Subprime
shakedown: Will 'lemming loans' drive economy off cliff?"
• Art Lenehan, Anh Ly, Suzanne McGee and Chris Oster, MSN Money: "Keeping
up with the Wangs"
• David Barboza, Keith Bradsher, Howard French, Joseph Kahn, Jim Yardley
and the staff of The New York Times and nytimes.com: "Choking on
growth: China's environmental crisis"
Mid-sized Websites
• Ted Mellnik, Bill Pitzer, Phillip Hoffman, David Enna, The Charlotte
Observer: "Sold a nightmare"
Small Websites
Certificate of Merit
• Rich Laden, Nichole Montanez, Mark Reis, Christian Murdock, David
Bitton and Joanna Bean, The Gazette (Colorado Springs): "Academy
Boulevard at a crossroads"
Audio/Visual Reports
Large Websites
• John Authers, Financial Times: "Short view"
• Jenalia Moreno and Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle: "Olive oil"
• David Pogue, The New York Times: "The iPhone challenge: keep it quiet"
Mid-sized Websites
• Hoag Levins, Ad Age: "3-Minute Ad Age"
• Stephanie AuWerter and Stacey Bradford, SmartMoney.com: "Smart Advice
video: avoiding foreclosure"
Blogs
Large Websites
• Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle: "Techblog"
• Staff, The New York Times: "Bits"
• Staff, The Wall Street Journal: "Deal Journal"
Mid-sized Websites
• Bill Bowen, Jim Fuquay, Dianna Hunt, Mike Lee, Richard Stubbe and Scott
Nishimura, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Barnett Shale: Drilling for
answers about the natural gas boom in North Texas"
• Jonathan Lansner, Orange County Register: "Lansner on real estate"
• Todd Bishop, Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Todd Bishop's Microsoft Blog"
Creative Use of Online
Large Websites
• Roben Farzad, Business Week: Narrated slideshows
• Staff, MarketWatch: "The heat is on"
• Staff, CNNMoney.com: "2007 best places to live"
Student Contest
For stories written for professional publications
• Daniel Johnson, Seattle Times: "Grape-growing town not on wine lovers'
map"
For stories written for student publications
• Jessica Nunez, Columbia Missourian: "Funding farming"
Source: The Society of American Business Editors and Writers
|GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 3:01 PM
December 12, 2007
Software Identifies Age of Callers : GlobalGiants.com
Language dialogue systems could in the future provide more individualized service for people who call into call centers. Software from Siemens enables a language computer to sort callers according to gender and into specific age categories. This means the system can more effectively respond to customer's expectations. The prototype was developed by language recognition experts from Corporate Technology (CT) in Munich together with Siemens Enterprise Communications. It is currently being tested by a number of companies. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 9:38 AM
November 22, 2007
Avistar Expands the Technical Superiority of Its Video-Centric Unified Communications Software
Photo: Avistar is unique in offering enterprise-wide desktop video.
Avistar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:AVSR), is now capable of supporting up to 100 locations and thousands of simultaneous multi-party video calls from one server, following the latest upgrade to its desktop communication and collaboration software. Building on Avistar's software- and video-centric view of unified communications (UC), version 9.3 features patented technology that delivers enterprise-wide desktop videoconferencing without degrading network performance. Avistar technology supports high volumes of video calling without requiring costly network upgrades. Avistar is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with offices in New York and London. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 8:34 AM
September 5, 2007
U.S. Postal Service Awards Siemens Contract Expansion for Mail Sorting Equipment : GlobalGiants.com
Photo: Siemens Mail Sorting Equipment. Here mail is being processed in Switzerland, where Siemens is already supplying the equipment and serving as project partner.
ATLANTA, Sept. 5 -- Siemens announced today that it has been awarded a $54.6 million contract modification from the United States Postal Service (USPS) for additional mail sorting equipment.
The award encompasses an additional 110 Delivery Bar Code Sorter (DBCS 6) machines to expand USPS' existing fleet of letter sorting equipment. Siemens will provide installation and associated integrated logistics support services for the new machines in addition to carts used to transport trays of sorted mail. Production and installation of the DBCS 6 order is expected to be completed by April 31, 2008. This is the second order for the DBCS 6. In November 2006, Siemens was awarded a $109.4 million contract for 211 of those machines.
The DBCS is the most widely deployed mail-processing platform for letters within the Postal Service with more than 6,000 machines operating nationwide USA. Almost every letter will pass through these machines several times as it makes its way through the postal network. The need for additional equipment is driven by the 2 million delivery points, comprising U.S. households and businesses that the Postal Service will be adding to its service over the next year.
Siemens Postal Automation, a division of the Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group, is a global market leader in mail sorting, reading and coding as well as parcel and freight handling solutions. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 10:39 AM
June 28, 2007
Cox Communications' National Teen Summit on Internet Safety : GlobalGiants.com
John Walsh, Christina Johnson, student delegate from Rolling Hills, CA and Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson address media at Cox Communications' National Teen Summit on Internet Safety held June 28, 2007. Credit: Kaye Evans-Lutterodt. (Cox Communications) |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 9:45 AM
May 21, 2007
AT&T Kicks Off Accelerated Branding Campaign : GlobalGiants.com
AT&T Gears Up for iPhone Launch.
All Company Wireless Stores Converted to AT&T Branding as Consumer Reaction Soars.
Photo: Overnight, AT&T kicked off a new phase of the company's branding strategy by replacing the Cingular brand with AT&T on all in-store signage, store kiosks, and point-of-sale materials in approximately 1,800 company-owned wireless retail stores. Key stores in major markets also installed new exterior signage displaying the new brand. (AT&T Inc.) |GlobalGiants.com|
SAN ANTONIO, May 21 -- Beginning today, customers of the largest U.S. wireless carrier will be seeing more of the new AT&T than ever before as the company prepares to launch the Apple iPhone, one of the most highly anticipated wireless products in recent history. And, according to recent surveys of customers, that's just fine with them.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) today announced a new phase of the company's branding strategy. Overnight, AT&T kicked off this phase by replacing the Cingular brand with AT&T on all in-store signage, store kiosks, and point-of-sale materials in approximately 1,800 company-owned wireless retail stores. In addition, key stores in major markets also unveiled new exterior signage displaying the new brand.
The decision to move to this phase of the branding campaign is based on research that indicates that consumer awareness of AT&T is high and ahead of expectations.
The store makeovers are also critical to prepare for the late-June launch of the Apple iPhone, for which AT&T will be the exclusive wireless provider in the United States.
Over the past several months, the new AT&T brand campaign has had a notable marketplace impact. Consumers and businesses worldwide consider AT&T as a leading communications brand and recognize it for meaningful innovation, a commitment to customer service, high quality and exceptional reliability. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 3:47 AM
March 28, 2007
US Postal Service Helps Drive Development of Alternate-Fuel Technologies : GlobalGiants.com
Demonstrates Zero-Emissions Mail Delivery Vehicles at White House Event.
Photo: Julie Rios, Director of Energy Initiatives, U.S. Postal Service, talks to President Bush about the Postal Service's 30 zero-emissions electric trucks, which deliver mail in New York City. Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman looks on.
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The U.S. Postal Service has a long history of exploring cleaner, more energy-efficient, and more cost- effective ways to deliver the nation's mail. And, as such, it has acquired the nation's largest fleet of alternate-fuel vehicles -- some 38,000 cars, trucks and minivans -- powered by electricity, compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas, ethanol (E85), biodiesel fuel, and hydrogen fuel cells.
To help promote the development of alternate-fuel technologies as well as to encourage the availability of alternate fuels, the Postal Service participated in a White House event today, demonstrating the technology behind a hydrogen fuel-cell minivan and an electric two-ton truck -- both zero- emissions mail-delivery vehicles.
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the USA, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. The US Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 1:07 AM
March 12, 2007
Mail processing in Switzerland : GlobalGiants.com
Photo: Mail processing in Switzerland is becoming even more advanced and efficient. Siemens is supplying the equipment and serving as project partner. To ensure that the Swiss postal centers and their new technical equipment operate smoothly, Siemens set up an identical facility for testing purposes in Nuremberg. The site enables experts to optimize processes and check in advance whether the system components of all of the manufacturers are compatible with one another. |GlobalGiants.com|
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Posted by Editors at 6:53 AM
February 12, 2007
POLYCOM V700: HIGH QUALITY VIDEO CONFERENCING AT THE DESKTOP : GlobalGiants.com
Polycom V700 ideal for small and medium businesses, teleworkers, and broad deployment at large organizations.
PHOTO: POLYCOM V700
PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb. 12 -- Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLCM) , the world's leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced a new executive desktop video conferencing and collaboration solution designed for businesses wanting to add the productivity enhancing benefits of video communications at the desktop. The Polycom V700(TM) is a complete, all-in-one system featuring business- quality video conferencing, an integrated display that can double as a PC monitor, integrated camera, microphones and speakers, and content sharing capabilities. The Polycom V700 is currently available for order worldwide through qualified Polycom channel partners. [GlobalGiants.com]
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Posted by Editors at 11:54 AM
January 2, 2007
Nokia New Year's Eve celebrates the start of 2007 in global style : GlobalGiants.com
World's largest New Year's Eve celebration draws more than 2 million music lovers to 5 "party capitals" of the world.
More than 150 million viewers tune into global TV and Internet broadcast.
Performances by The Black Eyed Peas, Scissor Sisters, Nelly Furtado, John Legend, Sugababes, Atomic Kitten, Ludacris, Rihanna, KT Tunstall, Sergio Mendes, among others.
Photo: Firework effects mesmerized the audience after countdown in Hong Kong
Espoo, Finland - On December 31st, Nokia New Year's Eve delivered on its promise to connect millions of people around the world through five spectacular events being held as part of the biggest New Year's party of 2006. Five party capitals -- Hong Kong, Mumbai, Berlin, Rio and New York -- all played their part to celebrate the beginning of 2007. Those in attendance at the live show, or watching the global broadcast on television or online saw some of the biggest names in music celebrating a truly unforgettable night.
Photo: Grammy-Award winning artist Nelly Furtado performs at Nokia New Year's Eve in Mumbai.
Nokia New Year's Eve began at Hong Kong's Ocean Terminal with Atomic Kitten topping the bill and making their first international appearance since splitting in 2004. They performed hits such as Whole Again and Tide Is High after an impressive roster of local stars including DJ Jamaster A, Eason Chan, Grasshopper, Hacken Lee, Joey Yung, Josie Ho, Jun Kung, Paul Wong, Soler and Twins entertained the crowd throughout the evening. Despite the massive Internet challenges created by the recent earthquake in Taiwan, Hong Kong music fans were also able to stream the live concert footage directly to their mobile thanks to a select group of local operators.
Photo: Nokia New Year's Eve party in Berlin.
Moving west, Mumbai's Andheri Stadium played host to a star-studded celebration that featured performances by Grammy Award-winning Nelly Furtado, Indian music maestro A.R. Rahman, and Bollywood superstars Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Koena Mitra, among others.
Photo: The Black Eyed Peas and Sergio Mendes at Nokia New Year's Eve party in Rio
The night rounded off in New York with performances from Rihanna, Ludacris and KT Tunstall appearing in "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007". [GlobalGiants.com]
Furtado, a Canadian performing in India for the first time, captivated the crowd by singing two Hindi ballads, Kabhi Kabhi and Yeh Sama, in addition to her international hits Powerless, Maneater and I Am Like A Bird. Nokia New Year's Eve also marked the public debut of the first English language composition by Indian musical legend A.R. Rahman - Pray For Me, Brother - an anthem dedicated toward the eradication of world poverty. As the clock closed on midnight, Rahman, also known as the "Mozart from Madras", got the crowd into the party spirit with his all-time hit Humma Humma as well as his Oscar-nominated single Khalbali.
"Thank you Nokia for making this happen. I have wanted to come to India all my life," said Nelly Furtado after the show. "The crowd was amazing and it was so much fun to perform on the same bill as so many talented Indian artists."
Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was the largest Nokia New Year's Eve celebration with an estimated 1.2 million party-goers in attendance. In front of this massive audience, headline act Scissor Sisters played their hit singles I Don't Feel Like Dancin' and Comfortably Numb in a ninety-minute set that wowed the audience before a spectacular 10-minute pyrotechnics display erupted at midnight. Sugababes then took to the stage to carry on the party well in to the night.
"This will be the biggest audience we've ever played to so we were really excited! We love coming to Berlin simply because nobody parties harder and longer than the Berliners," said Ana Matronic from Scissor Sisters before they took the stage. "After the show we plan on having an excessively fun and ridiculous evening which we hope will set the tone for the rest of 2007! Happy New Year everyone!"
In Rio, Brazilians showed that a bit of rain would not stand in the way of an amazing night. More than one million people celebrated Nokia New Year's Eve in a nine hour concert on Ipanema beach. The crowd was treated to unforgettable performances by the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Brazilian music legend Sérgio Mendes as well as local artists Funk'n Lata and DJ Marlboro, amongst others.
The Black Eyed Peas played all of their hits including Where Is The Love? and Pump It as well as an unforgettable collaboration with Sérgio Mendes for the hit song Mas que Nada. Sergio Mendes was making his first Brazilian live performance for 28 years and treated the crowd to a host of hits from his country's musical history. Speaking after the show, Mendes said "This was a night of magic. Sharing my music with the Brazilian audience was emotional and unforgettable. This was without a doubt one of the happiest days in my life".
"With more than 2 million music lovers celebrating with us in person, and more than 150 million television and Internet viewers, Nokia New Year's Eve was certainly the biggest New Year's party of 2006," said Jo Harlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Nokia. "Nokia New Year's Eve clearly lived up to our mission of "Connecting People" and delivered on our promise of leveraging the power of television, the internet, live events and the world's most exciting music artists to get people talking, sharing and celebrating on one incredible night. Our thanks to the artists who performed -- and the millions of people who celebrated with us in person and around the world." [GlobalGiants.com]
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Posted by Editors at 10:28 AM
January 1, 2007
AT&T and BellSouth Join to Create a Premier Global Communications Company : GlobalGiants.com
Deal Consolidates Ownership of Cingular Wireless.
BellSouth and Cingular Brand Transition to Begin Soon.
PHOTO: New Year, New Company -- Workers install the new AT&T logo at the former BellSouth Atlanta headquarters over the weekend. BellSouth and Cingular came together Friday to form a premier global communications company. (AT&T photo by Michael Pugh).
San Antonio, Texas, -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) has closed its acquisition of BellSouth Corporation, creating a premier global communications company committed to driving convergence, continued innovation, and competition in the communications and entertainment market.
The transaction consolidates ownership and management of Cingular Wireless, the USA's leading provider of wireless voice and data services, and YELLOWPAGES.COM, a leading Internet Yellow Pages and local search site.
PHOTO: Wireless home networking lets families share their AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet connection.
AT&T will immediately start to implement a carefully planned integration process to converge the AT&T, BellSouth, and Cingular wireless and wireline Internet Protocol (IP) networks, combine product portfolios and integrate customer care capabilities. The new company will be able to accelerate the introduction of innovative broadband services, such as IP-based services, while expanding the reach of broadband access in remote and rural locations in the traditional BellSouth region.
PHOTO: A Cingular store employee demonstrates the simplicity of recording up to four programs simultaneously with AT&T U-verse TV. The red dots next to the program titles indicate that the program will be recorded.
With the merger complete, AT&T enhances its U.S. leadership position in broadband, wireless services, voice services for consumers and businesses, and data services to Fortune 1000 companies.
In the coming days, AT&T will launch extensive new advertising, which will begin the transition of the BellSouth brand name to AT&T. AT&T will re-brand Cingular through a co-branded transition, which is scheduled to start in 2007.
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United States and worldwide, with operating subsidiaries providing services under the AT&T brand. [GlobalGiants.com]
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Posted by Editors at 2:47 AM
December 23, 2006
Nokia New Year's Eve Celebrations from Around the World to be Webcast on MSN
Streaming videos of concerts featuring international artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, Scissor Sisters, Nelly Furtado among others.
Espoo, Finland, - Nokia has announced MSN as the exclusive online distributor of the highly anticipated Nokia New Year's Eve, a global music celebration which will take place in five party capitals of the world on December 31. Exclusive performances from international artists including the Black Eyed Peas, Scissor Sisters, Nelly Furtado, John Legend, and Atomic Kitten will be streamed live and on demand at no cost to viewers through a Nokia-branded experience at http://www.nokianewyearseve.com.
"Nokia New Year's Eve embodies our objective of connecting people to their passions. We expect this will be the biggest global New Year's Eve music celebration with more than 1.3 million expected to attend," says Jo Harlow, senior vice president, marketing for Nokia. "With MSN, we are greatly expanding the global reach of Nokia New Year's Eve. Now, music lovers around the globe can enjoy their favourite artists -- live, as they countdown the final seconds of 2006, or on demand when the moment strikes them."
Nokia New Year's Eve will bring viewers on a journey from east to west; starting in Hong Kong's Harbour City Ocean Terminal, followed by Mumbai's Andheri Stadium, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro and rounding off the night in New York. Each venue will feature a strong lineup of local and international musicians.
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Posted by Editors at 10:15 PM
December 20, 2006
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS POSTAL LEGISLATION INTO LAW
PHOTO: President Bush today signed postal legislation into law that benefits residential and business customers by ensuring predictable price increases tied to the rate of inflation. With the President are (from left): Postmaster General John E. Potter, Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE), Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), James Miller, Chairman, Postal Service Board of Governors, Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL), and Rep. John McHugh, (R-NY).
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Posted by Editors at 11:05 PM
