A eulogy for premium publishers is certainly premature or even misguided, but I can't help but think one will be needed as long as premium publishers continue to sell off unsold inventory on the exchanges (open and private). As much as people explain why this "barbell" strategy makes sense, I can't stop seeing it as a dumbbell.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when the term "big data" was invented, but about 18 to 24 months ago the "big data industry" started receiving a lot of attention and was trumpeted as the next big thing. Headlines blared, projections were made, and excitement bubbled over. Recently however, there has been some retrenchment and second-guessing the big data space, with articles talking about "big-data disappointment." This seems to be right on schedule with most shiny-new-object hype cycles, so perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between irrational exuberance and utter disappointment. So what does this market shift mean for online publishing …