MediaFlect

A major B2B publisher is revamping one of its major verticals and plans to go online with a new design, charging for what’s now free, by June 2006 ….

That a major magazine publisher, involved in acquisitions, is seriously looking at video strategies …

That a venerated magazine publisher affiliated with a historical institution is launching a redesign to drive more usership and revenue, and generally raise its profile….

Not only in New York, kids, not only in New York.

… A traditionally black media company is closing on funding to launch free newspapers, with Web sites, in at least three U.S. urban centers.

… A former top MSNBC exec, a former top CBS exec and at least three other well-known media people — one of whom just recently assumed a high-profile job, another of whom was in the NY Times — are teaming up to try to add some venture funds to a network of blogs.

… Technorati is looking more at how to get into content.

… Dow Jones has named a general manager to oversee the integration of Marketwatch, WSJ.com and Barron’s online. The new GM comes from Yahoo! Finance.

… TV search experts that got one round of financing are closing on more financing and are going to make an announcement soon of a new client.

Vague, yes, but details when it’s better nailed. Or anyone care to guess?

I’ve been making a lot of rounds, scaring up consulting gigs, (selectively) looking at job opportunities, doing a lot of networking (which I no longer consider a dirty word). It can be a fascinating way to learn a lot about what’s going on, who’s planning what, all without signing an NDA. Nevertheless, I don’t want to give away any confidences, so as I eke stuff out here, I’ll probably do it Cindy Adams style (”We hear there’s a company …”) and not name names, to avoid embarrassment — my own or others’.

But when it’s open, it’s open, and Microsoft is looking for bloggers. Anyone who thinks Microsoft is not a media company, or will not become one, probably has a reason for not wanting to look at it openly.