Ypulse Essentials: 'Alt-Disney', Back-To-School Spending Declines, Music Industry Revived?
Posted by meredith on 07-20-2009
Demi Lovato: 'alt-Disney' poster girl (The New York Times, reg. required, profiles the rising Disney star and her slightly offbeat path towards tween stardom. Plus the Disney crossover special "Wizards on Deck With Hannah Montana" scores as the most-watched scripted telecast on cable so far this year)
- 'And who was Nancy Drew to you?' (inspired by Judge Sotomayor's shout out, the New York Times asks other prominent female figures about the fictional girl sleuth's influence. Also a thought-provoking argument in response to one librarian's take on the unmet needs of boy readers) (MSN) (SLJ)
- Steroid use on the rise (by Asian teens in the UK. Also positive images of smoking turn up online. And a French condom ad takes a comic approach to spreading the message about safe sex to teens and older couples alike) (BBC) (Gawker)
- 'Twilight Weekly' (ReelzChannel debuts a behind-the-scenes special dedicated to "Twilight." Also the soundtrack to "New Moon" gets a hip upgrade) (New York Times, reg. required) (Paste Magazine)
- Back-to-school spending (expected to take a dip, with retailers projecting the season will generate $47.5 billion, down from $51.3 billion a year ago. Also back-to-school campaigns make a new media push) (Ad Age, reg. required) (Brandweek)
- Hard rock softens up (how one Baltimore band underwent a lyrical transformation to appeal to a younger audience. Plus record companies embrace casual file-sharing sites and the growing trend of streaming music. And the Guardian asks if these changes plus licensing deals have put the music industry back on track. Plus teens turn away from terrestrial radio to discover new music) (New York Times, reg. required) (via PSFK) (Boston Globe)
- More details on the 80 Million Strong Summit (and the proposals towards solving youth unemployment) (Medill Reports)
- Is outside help misguided (when it comes to college admissions? The New York Times, reg. required, explores the lucrative cottage industry. Also students not as software savvy as their reputation) (The Chronicle of Higher Education, reg. required)
- From Degrassi student to rap protege (a newly minted hip-hop star, Drake credits the help of "out-of-the-box branding efforts" and the mentorship of Lil' Wayne. Also 15-year-old Justin Bieber debuts on the Billboard chats) (Los Angeles Times) (Reuters)
- A stand against distracted driving (Gawker translates a New York Times piece, reg. required, directed toward teens [and anyone else] who risks texting on the road)
Categorized under: Ypulse Essentials
