• FIR #204: Won't You Join Us In Our Clubhouse?

The February installment of The Hobson & Holtz Report includes reports on these stories:

• Can anyone moderate podcasts the way we expect Facebook and Twitter to moderate content?
• How communicators can make a difference when IT introduces new software or systems
• There’s a right way and a wrong way to engage in newsjacking
• Can “branter” build long-term brand value (and what the hell is it, anyway?)
• A deep dive into Clubhouse, the hot new audio social networking app

Our FIR recording sessions are now being streamed live, because why not? We already stream it in order to capture a backup recording on YouTube; we’ve just been making these restricted streams. We have decided to make them public so you can watch and comment. Our next recording is Sunday, March 14 at noon ET. You’ll see our pre-recording conversation as well as seeing how the sausage gets made. Watch live here.

We are hosting an FIR Communicators Coffee Break on Zoom each Thursday during the stay-at-home period at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly or request the credentials in our Facebook group or send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Spread the word to your communications community.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Neville’s link blog, Outbox, is available, as well.

Links from This Month’s Episode

• Why wellness at work looks different in 2021 (from the Politemail blog)
• Can anyone moderate podcasts?
• Research: When New IT Systems Shift the Burden onto Employees
• There’s a right way—and a wrong way—to leverage newsjacking
• Does ‘branter’ ever really build long-term brand value?
• The Future of Social Audio: Startups, Roadmap, Business Models, and a Forecast (by Jeremiah Owyang)
• The Problem With Clubhouse
• Is Clubhouse the Next Big Social Media Platform for Brands?
• Clubhouse Is Suggesting Users Invite Their Drug Dealers and Therapists
• Why Is Everyone Talking About Clubhouse?
• How Media Companies Can Capitalize on the Clubhouse App
• Audio Takes Off During the Pandemic
• Mark Cuban is co-founding a podcast app where hosts can talk to fans live and monetize their conversations
• The Bull Case for Twitter Spaces
• You’ve Been Invited to Clubhouse. your Privacy Hasn’t.
• Clubhouse’s Inevitability
• Why Marketers Are Flocking to Clubhouse to Tout Their Expertise—and Brands
• Burger King Parent RBI Chats with Consumers on Buzzy Clubhouse App
• Clubhouse, a Tiny Audio Chat App, Breaks Through
• The Wrong Clubhouse App is Getting Review-Bombed on Google Play

Links from Dan York’s Tech Report

• In League with Murdoch
• In the case of Australia vs. Facebook, the Internet is the casualty
• America Needs a Public Interest Approach to Solving Big Tech Harms to News
• Changes to Sharing and Viewing News on Facebook in Australia
• Dan’s initial thoughts on TwitterSpaces
• The signup form for joining the list for TwitterSpaces