COTA: Resolution-boosting apps help New Year self-help prospects
The good news: We’re living in a world where there are amazing tools available to help guide your way. Here are a few of my favorites:
Web Sites
Articles
Canned Star reporter firing up foodie website
Indianapolis Star food writer Jolene Ketzenberger has been dismissed by the state’s largest newspaper for operating a personal website featuring “back of the notebook” snippets of information about the local food scene.
Websites try to nix nasty comments
After years of encouraging anything-goes online discussion, a growing number of websites are trying to rein in the mean-spirited outliers.
Digital marketer growing Indy headquarters
StrataBlue plans to hire 25 people in early 2014 as the firm adds services.
Rupert’s horror flick to make local-theater debut
The short film series “Rupert Boneham’s Frightmares,” produced by locally based Adrenaline Motion Pictures, will have a local debut at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Studio Movie Grill.
Former Star reporter to head new education website
Chalkbeat Indiana will focus on Indianapolis Public Schools, the Indiana General Assembly and the State Board of Education. Editor Scott Elliott took the reins on Monday.
Angie’s List’s believers, doomsayers dig in their heels
As Angie’s List approaches its second anniversary as a public company, investors remain as split as ever on whether the consumer-review company is wildly overvalued or a revolutionary Internet business still in its infancy.
COTA: Website takes the chore out of getting kids to clean up
With ChoreMonster, kids earn points by completing household tasks set by parents. Reaching point goals earn rewards.
Newspaper for college Greeks in rush to hire
Fast-growing Olympia Media Group plans to hire at least 15 more employees in the next two months—the majority in the next two weeks—as it expands into new markets and rebuilds its strategy for digital content.
COTA: Cutting through clutter of online product reviews
Two consumer websites address product reviews in a helpful, fanatical way.
IBJ collects 8 national awards for print, online journalism
Honored work included Cory Schouten's investigation of problems at the Indy Land Bank, Anthony Schoettle's scoop on the ouster of IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard and Greg Andrews' Behind the News columns.
Former TV news king WRTV seeking comeback under new owner
WRTV-TV Channel 6 is making big changes, many tailored to capturing viewers through digital outlets, in an effort to stage a comeback after a two-decade slide.
Animation firm recognized for children’s book
The youthful animators at The Basement have won the Independent Publisher’s Book Awards’ silver award for their first children’s e-book, “Every Walrus Can Fly.”
Slingshot is shifting aim away from SEO
After Google cracked down on some of the tools companies were using to improve their positions in search results, Indianapolis-based Slingshot SEO opted to launch a sister brand called Digital Relevance that will focus on earning media attention.
COTA: Website helps with difficult but important conversation
The Conversation Project sparks discussion of end-of-life issues.
Young & Laramore launches all-digital campaign for Scotts
The growing preference for online-based advertising, exemplified by Y&L’s new campaign for the national lawn-care service, is helping sow the seeds of traditional media’s decline.
COTA: Learn-to-play website taps into instinctive desire to learn guitar
Instinct aims to make playing music as natural as singing it, because “playing music is one of the most natural things a human can do.”
COTA: Online Smartz helpful in keeping kids cyber safe
If your privacy settings aren’t carefully controlled, you’re not only potentially exposing yourself, but also your friends.
Angie’s List shares soar on first-ever quarterly profit
Shares of Angie's List shot up 26 percent, or $3.65 a share, in trading late Thursday morning as its latest quarterly report showed vastly improved results and indicated the firm might have turned the corner.
COTA: Uber-improvement made to high-tech conference calls
Service offers call summaries, easy speaker identification and even fun hold music.