Trendwatch (Sans Dimitri Martin)

First Amazon gets sneaky and thinks to create a podcast network just for the heckuvit. Then Simon & Schuster cranks it up a notch and launches an Internet Video Channel for the sole purpose of marketing. Because kidlit is such a huge business, I know it's only a matter of time before various behemoths get around to including the parent-friendly/child-friendly aspects to these sites. The question is, would kids actually tune into a podcast with their favorite author? Or check out a publisher's "channel" to learn more about upcoming books? It could happen, sure. But somehow I suspect that it would take just as many marketing dollars to promote the site that is meant to, in turn, market a product than it would to just promote that product directly.

Thanks to Galleycat for both links.