| This
is David's last column for a while and he's going out as one of the
most popular Spin writers since the newsletter's inception. His
column last week on Media Impressionism generated an abundance of
feedback.
Robb Lewis wrote: "It's comical that a known fact for anyone that uses the Internet on a regular basis gets mentioned as 'interesting and enlightening' when mentioned by a CBS exec. C'mon David, I know you know what's going on. You just wanted to stroke Heyward's ego. What you really wanted to say but didn't was 'no sh*t sherlock! I've been trying to tell you guys this for the last 5 years'. There, feel better? You can't earn a man's respect if you can't tell him what you think and needs to hear." The debate is hot, so join the discussion on the Spin Board. On a housekeeping note, Mark Naples, Managing Partner, WIT Strategy, whom you know from his column in MediaDailyNews, will take over the Friday Spin from now on. The Spin will not publish next Friday due to the holiday, so look for Mark's first column on July 11. |
Friday, June 27, 2003
Goodbye for now...
By David L. Smith Quincy Jones wrote that "Everything Must Change." In my book, change is a good thing. It keeps life interesting. And given that everything is a little different in California, interesting times is a blessing, not a curse.
This will be my last Spin for a while. I'm not going anywhere. It's just time to take a break. The press of business is such that I need to devote more time to my company and my clients. This is a good thing. My company, Mediasmith, has survived and is actually profitable again. Clients stopped disappearing some time ago. Most are growing again and we are picking up new business at a very acceptable rate. Our latest challenge should be among the coolest of all, handling the media for the reintroduction of Napster over the next year.
I'll be around and writing in this space and others from time to time. I've got a lot more to write about. Included in my personal queue of things I intended to write are an article on the need for more post analysis in all media, comments on the recent Cisco development of an Internet phone tap, one on optimizing online spending, one on auditing, and many others. But I need to do so on my own timetable.
Writing weekly for almost three years has been a challenge. I have learned a tremendous amount in just trying to put thoughts down on paper. I've also learned that if you don't have your thoughts together, one of you will gladly point out where I am off base. For this I am grateful, as you readers have taught me a lot too. I've even used this column for my own purposes, writing about an area where I think there should be a solution when none was apparent. The resourceful readers of Spin are only too happy to raise my consciousness and point me in the right direction.
Sure, there have been critics. And some of you can be quite cutting. To those I would say, you try to make a weekly deadline, even for a month and keep egg off your face. It's not easy. But the compliments and positive vibes, whether posted on Spin, through emails to me directly, or comments in person are some of the most gratifying experiences I have ever had.
Thanks, Masha, for the opportunity, and good luck to Seana, Tom, Cory, Jim and Mark.
You can still communicate to me via email. You can also go to the Mediasmith site and sign up for our "almost monthly" Anvil. (shameless self-promotion). And, as mentioned above, I will write for The Spin and other MediaPost venues from time to time. In the meantime, "I'll catch you on the flip-flop." Take it easy.
David L. Smith is President and CEO of Mediasmith, Inc.
