^ < @ T H E S C E N E >
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^ With Courtney Pulitzer
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^ THE NIGHT WAS WARM and all of digital New York was out on September 11. Unlike other industries, ours didn't slow down for one moment this summer, and all newbies needed to just hop on the Merry-Go-Round when the opportunity was there. That's what newly appointed American citizen Tami Zori did anyway. Local recruiting firm Silicon Alley Connections (http://www.salley.com) and many guests celebrated her new status at Ludlow Bar. Free drinks, foods and Acid Jazz spun music.
Earlier in the night, as the sun was setting over our beautiful Hudson River, Pathfinder hosted a party for advertisers and clients. Time Inc. New Media's Nancy Maloney explained how she found the Upper West Side's recently opened Boat Basin Cafe at 79th Street this summer. While nice for mariners and Upper West Siders, this was not the choicest spot for a new media event. Unlit dirt paths, and sidewalks on main onramps to the highway made this trek inconvenient. Not as high as wide, the flagstoned space was cavernous going from an outer courtyard entrance with dry fountain to patio (under the West Side Drive) with blue cloth-covered tables and a bar at the north end, and steps leading down to a narrow balcony overlooking a marina and the river. The aroma of grilled hamburgers out in the open whet our appetite, and like Pathfinder's Website, the spread was impressive: endive with crab dip, spicy grilled chicken on skewers, crudite, fine cheeses and crackers, chips and salsa, and big drinks in plastic cups ... Abigail Hornik, an account rep, breezed by Valerie Martinez (Brand Dialogue) and Bob Liu (CNNfn), who was slicing some cheese with his www.NYTimes.com Swiss army knife. Amanda Hanes, who is the postmaster and does chats, RealAudio and Video on Pathfinder, was enjoying the night with Michael Coble who spoke cryptically of his role at Pathfinder: he manages reporting and analysis and sees what things are getting traffic from the Web surfer's POV. I ran into Olivia Gushin (Kokonet), who is my partner-in-crime for forever trying to plan the next WWWAC party (soon).
Heading further north, I continued to Columbia University's Center for New Media's panel: "News in the Digital Age: Journalism versus the Bottom Line." Moderated by Jeff Greenfield of ABC News, this taut exchange of ideas at the top of the industry brought some of new media's cream of the crop to the helm of the J-School's ship. Panelists included former CourtTV honcho Steve Brill, media tycoon Barry Diller, Time Inc. New Media president Linda McCutcheon-Conneally, CKS CEO Mark Kvamme, and Bertelsmann CEO-designate Thomas Middelhoff. To see someone of Barry Diller's stature (ABC, Paramount, Fox, QVC, Home Shopping Network, and his upcoming network of local news) debate the merits of online publishing with other notables was well worth the trip uptown. The panelists gave the audience some meaty morsels to muse on at the reception following in the Pulitzer World room, where a virtual who's who of the New York media world indulged in the mouth-melting scrumptious apps being passed and the bevy of beverages available at the site.
Oh. . .and when is a party not a party? Apparently when MSNBC is footing the bill. You'd think with all the cash Microsoft has to spend there'd be a little largesse when it comes to party invites. But no. MSNBC sent out a memo this week to New York's cybercognescenti under the heading "Oops, you're NOT on the list."
"We are delighted by New York's enthusiastic response to our party celebrating the re-design of MSNBC.com. But unfortunately the response has been just too overwhelming," the note read. "In checking the invitation list, we've noticed your name is NOT included. The party is limited to those on the invitation list only."
But from what we hear dozens or more non-invitees showed up anyway and were left out to cool their heels on the sidewalks of Leonard Street.
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Pulitzer Prizes: Courtney's @NY Web links:
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* SCARS OF CYBER BARS and their demise has been discussion of late on the ever waxing and waning WWWAC list. Read more about this trend at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#scar
* MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Check out who's cool and what they're up to at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#mv
* UPCOMING EVENTS: Check for where to go in the coming weeks at: http://www.atnewyork.com/scene.htm#ev
A chronicle of the people and events in technology, internet and media since 1997, mixed in with snapshots of musings and observations.
