The editor of The Financial Times has announced big changes at the paper, reflecting how digital is continuing to transform even the most venerable and longstanding European-based news media titles.

An email by editor Lionel Barber to his staff announced that the news organization would cut 35 jobs, relegate print second to digital and hire 10 digital journalists as “old titles” like the FT continue to be “routinely disrupted by new entrants such as Google, LinkedIn and Twitter.” 

The strategy signals a “big cultural shift for the FT that is only likely to be achieved with further structural change,” Barber’s email continued. Journalists need to become “content editors rather than page editors," he said. "We must rethink how we publish our content, when and in what form, whether conventional news, blogs, video or social media.”Continue reading...

Spotify, the free music sharing service that has gone viral over Facebook, just launched an embeddable Play Button so that any Spotify music can live on any website.

"Today we’re giving every blogger and web editor the ability to light up the internet with music. Adding a personalized soundtrack to your website or blog has never been this easy,” wrote chief product officer Gustav Söderström. “You want to give your fans access to any song, album or playlist of your choosing and in its entirety, while ensuring people stay glued to your site. The Spotify Play Button does all of this for free, while making sure artists get paid for every play."

In a strategy similar to what they did on Facebook, moving from mobile to stereo to social, jockeying for position as "the operating system for music" on all digital platforms, Spotify has now pushed its client web-ubiquitous.

“In many ways, the Spotify Play Button is akin to Facebook’s 'Like' button. It’s a way of integrating service across the greater web, while also offering users additional value," writes Mashable's Christina Warren. "This all brings Spotify one step closer to becoming the online hub for music.” Continue reading...