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4 Minute Roundup: FTC's Blogger Rules; Charging for iPhone Apps

Here's the latest 4MR audio report from MediaShift. In this week's edition, I look at the new FTC rules for blogger disclosure, when they are reviewing a product or service. They are now required to disclose if they are being paid by the company or if they get a freebie. And what's up with all the new paid news apps for smartphones? CNN's new mobile app costs $1.99 and includes ads, plus there are paid apps from the BBC, Spectator magazine and the Financial Times, and more are on the way. Plus, I asked Just One Question to BuzzMachine blogger Jeff Jarvis about the FTC's rules.

Check it out:

4mrbareaudio10909.mp3

Background music is "What the World Needs" by the The Ukelele Hipster Kings via PodSafe Music Network.

Here are some links to related sites and stories mentioned in the podcast:

FTC regulates our speech at BuzzMachine

The FTC's Mad Power Grab at Slate

More Problems With The FTC's New Disclosure Rules: Free Speech And Liability Problems at TechDirt

FTC Responds to Blogger Fears at Fast Company

Legal Expert Questions FTC's New Blogger Rules at MediaPost

Save Us From the Swag-Takers at WSJ

FTC Cracks Down on Blogger Payola, Celebrity Tweets at AdAge

FTC's Endorsement Guide Notice [PDF file] at the FTC

Smartphones put paid to 'no pay' news at The Age

CNN's new iPhone app takes mobile news to the next level at LA Times

CNN's iPhone News App is Informative And Empowering at Wired Epicenter

CNN and The Spectator charge for applications at Editors Weblog

Media organizations turn to mobile phone applications to raise revenue at Guardian

The FTC Tête-à-Tête on Twitter at The Flack

Added Bonus: Here's the entire interview with Jeff Jarvis:

Here's a graphical view of last week's MediaShift survey results. The question was: "What do you think about the new non-profit venture, the Bay Area News Project?"

survey grab bay news project.jpg

Also, be sure to vote in our poll about what you think about the new FTC's blogger disclosure rules.

Mark Glaser is executive editor of MediaShift and Idea Lab. He also writes the bi-weekly OPA Intelligence Report email newsletter for the Online Publishers Association. He lives in San Francisco with his son Julian. You can follow him on Twitter @mediatwit.

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