Szish joins the current NonSociety team — founders Julia Allison and Meghan Asha, plus more recent “domestic bliss” expert Jordan Reid— becoming the site’s style expert (or “Posh Pundit“) and fourth ‘personality’ of the site, documenting her various thoughts, opinions and experiences in a “life-cast” on the site at katrina.nonsociety.com. The announcement comes just before Fashion Week, which Szish will cover for the site.

Szish is no schlep — she’s an extremely familiar face on the topics of celebrity, fashion, trends, style and the like, owing to her stint as the on-air personality for Us Weekly and In Style, as an anchor for ABC News Now and ABC News on MTV-U, and a correspondent for E!, plus her ridiculously many and varied appearances on pretty much every network and show, numbering over 2,000, according to her site (it’s exhaustively detailed here). I just saw her the other morning on the CBS Early Show from Miami, talking about bathing suits for an online fashion site called PinkMemo.com, of which, NonSociety’s press release informs me, she is the Editor in Chief.

Szish has known NonSociety co-founder Allison for years now — they were both in the same line of work for a while, while Allison was the face of Star magazine — and it’s clearly a great get for NonSociety, since Szish is a pro who has not only been on pretty much every network, but has racked up bylines and/or titles everywhere: GQ, Vogue, YM, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Style.com, InStyle.com, Glam.com…the list goes on. NonSociety, while garnering all sorts of press in its two years of life, still has modest traffic, topping out at 24,400 uniques per month according to Quantcast. According to NonSociety Chief Operating Officer Megan Alagna, Szish is under contract as per other NonSociety contributors, though she declined to specify the terms. She did, however, elaborate on how NonSociety bankrolls people like Szish: “NS makes money through sponsorships, and contributors get paid for everything from blog posts to personal appearances to panels to TV appearances.”

So far, Szish has gotten off to an enthusiastic start, offering the kind of tips and tidbits that make a style blog compelling (interview with Robert Verdi, insider access, hot platform shoes, hair tips). Here’s what Szish says about coming on board, per the NonSociety press release:

“NonSociety is not only a frontrunner in the ongoing evolution of media, but it is a smart, witty, honest approach to the genre. Nothing says ‘success’ like a group of intelligent women sharing their experiences in a candid yet sophisticated forum. I am thrilled to be part of such a distinguished group and can’t wait to dish on all my passions using my unique voice and vision.”

I am betting that a few Fortune 500 CEOs would think other things say “success” better, but if you can make money off it, I’m down. Either way it’s clear that Szish is a fan of the NonSociety platform and that she is clearly an asset (she will also likely be covering the Oscars for the site). What’s not clear is how NonSociety plans to leverage this new addition for growth and development — or if this is the growth and development, in the form of a strong new contributor to build followers and bring in some sponsorship bacon (Alagna said that Allison has been “talking with some networks about working with NS” but declained to say more for the record). Either way, so far it looks like a win, for all concerned (and for the smaller PinkMemo.com, which will enjoy some ancillary exposure from the deal). I’m interested to see where they all go from here.

Top pic of Szish from NonSociety; pic of Julia Allison with Szish from Time Out New York.

Sarah Lacy, tech journalist, author and columnist for Tech Crunch took a hard line stand in regards to compensation for reviews where she is concerned:

“let me address this publicly, to save the time of future Izea employees cutting and pasting the email and sending it to me again: There is no time during my life on planet earth or beyond that I will *ever* consider accepting payment for coverage. There is no circumstance or situation where I will respect a journalist who does, especially if the details of that conflict aren’t clearly disclosed. P.E.R.I.O.D.”

Lacy is a friend of “lifecaster” Julia Allison, whom MediaBistro and Gawker called out for not disclosing her relationship with Izea when she began promoting one of their clients. Izea CEO Ted Murphy called it “an honest mistake.”

It’s unclear if she had Ms. Allison in mind when she made her statement or not.

The FTC apparently doesn’t think that the marketplace alone can properly regulate itself, as part of the actual text of the FTC guide reads:

The extent that consumers’ willingness to trust social media depends on the ability of those media to retain their credibility as reliable sources of information, application of the general principles embodied in the Guides presumably would have a beneficial, not detrimental, effect. And although industry self-regulation certainly can play an important role in protecting consumers as these new forms of marketing continue to evolve and new ones are developed, self-regulation works best when it is backed up by a strong law enforcement presence.

It will be interesting to see how the FTC manages to keep an eye on such a vast network of bloggers who could potentially fall under this law. It is likely they will look to target the most flagrant offenders in order to make an example of them, and to ensure consumers aren’t being deceptively marketed to.

Upshot: When in doubt, disclose.

Rambin bowed out of the personality-driven lifestyle startup earlier this year (consensus from all parties: amicably) to move to L.A. and start her own site, More than Mary, but remains a co-host with Allison and Asha for their web series TMI Weekly.

So: Who is Jordan Reid, and why should you care about her? NonSociety readers are familiar with Reid, who cropped up on Allison’s blog in May when they met at a party, and has remained as a fixture since. Readers know that Reid, 27, is a Harvard-educated former actress who was recently married, has tattoos, also has a shih-tzu puppy and can cook chicken; Google knows that her full name is Jordan Reid Berkow (she has gone by variations thereof), has appeared on Law & Order and was part of the original gang who created It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and played Sweet Dee in the original, shot-for-$500 version of the pilot. (Also, Craigslist knows that she was looking for an intern, which means Reblogging Nonsociety knew she was the new contributor before all of us.)

All of this will come into Reid’s lifecast, which is billed as “Domestic Bliss Done Differently” but which will be personality-driven like the rest of NonSociety. The official press release is light on details of Reid’s qualifications, because they are not, themselves official. Her quote:

“Am I a chef? No. An interior designer? Hardly. I consider myself a somewhat talented amateur in these arenas, and for me this lifecast is an exciting journey and an on-going learning process. I’m hoping my readers will benefit from seeing someone just like them who is unafraid to try…well, just about anything.”

This will probably get the NonSociety haters out in droves – surprise, surprise, another girl who looks pretty in pictures and thinks she’s an “expert” – but a quick survey of her beta-content shows that she won’t be so easily dismissed. She’s an easy writer, with unpretentious tastes, practical advice, recipes and good suggestions, and cheerful about DIY projects. (Disclaimer: I know nothing about cooking, but she does seem to know what she’s doing.)

She’s also incorporating an interesting new area into the home-decor-cooking-lifestyle arena: Marriage. Reid’s blog, which goes back a full month, is filled with her husband, indie musician Kendrick Strauch, and part of her ‘expertise’ will focus on “advice for couples in committed relationships.” (This is an area of expertise that has, shall we say, not been showcased on NonSociety thus far!).

This is how Allison pitches it in the press release: “Jordan is what would happen if a Harvard-educated, twenty-something Martha-Stewart-in-training married a rocker, rode a motorcycle, and refused to wear any skirt that hit below mid-thigh.” And there you have it: The package, ready-made, to fill a gaping hole that exists in the demo below Martha, Rachael Ray, Nigella and Julie & Julia, morning-show and red-carpet ready. And in the meantime, it will be hard to argue that she’s not walking the walk with her content. In fact, it may soon be hard to dismiss NonSociety at all; Reid could be the servicey, down-to-earth ingredient that the site has been missing — while still, of course, posting many pictures of herself looking fabulous.

Speaking of Reblogging Nonsociety, it actually just rightly noted that I am a friend of Allison, the site’s founder; however, I met Reid for the first time two days ago to hear about the project. She spoke in detail about home renovation, her former job as the administrator for a law firm, and wore fishnets. Allison beamed at her newest hire, uncharacteristically letting her do most of the talking, and suggested a good reason to be optimistic about her success: “All the mistakes that I made, we’re not gonna make with her. “

Related:
Introductory Post: Jordan Reid [NonSociety]
The Day I Quit [NonSociety]
Lucy, The One-Eyed Shih-Tzu [NonSociety]
It’s Official: Jordan Berkhow Is The New NonSociety Contributor [Reblogging NonSociety]

Reid’s Law & Order clip:

What: Gelf Magazine’s Media Circus “Overlooked: Women in Media”

Where: JLA Studios Art Gallery

When September 10, 2009

Thumbs: Up

There’s an inherent irony to promoting gender diversity by having only female panelists, but last’s night Gelf Magazine panel was not about resetting the balance for this one discussion. The goal was to demonstrate to future conference planners and columnists that women offer a unique voice and belong on the panelist circuit. While acknowledging that workplaces have moved in the direction of becoming gender-neutral, moderator Rachel Sklar said that there is still a lack of female participation at public events and an underrepresentation of women in lists of accomplished people. Aloud, she wondered why that is the case and how can it be fixed.

Women must continue to speak up and step up to opportunities, the panel said. Glynnis MacNicol urged women in positions of power to take on the responsibility of helping others rise to the top. To this end, the panelists each shared names of women in the media they deem overlooked.

The panel offered several explanations for this media cultural imbalance. Anna Holmes said that most of the time women are forced to take whatever opportunities they can get, which often means working at women-focused magazines that aren’t taken as seriously. Jessica Grose agreed, but cited a more systemic problem. She speculated that women pursuing positions of power may be sidetracked by editors encouraging them to reveal personal details in their writing.

Caroline McCarthy put a different spin on it. She believes that women, far more than men, prefer to stay out of the public eye. Holmes added that writing requires you to be confrontational and confident while many women tend to be apologetic and uncomfortable.

Social barriers are partially to blame but so is the harsh judgment of Internet trolls. MacNicol revealed that there’s always a concern that responses will skip criticism of the details of your piece, and focus instead on the merits of your physical appearance. McCarthy worries that any differences of opinion between two women will be tagged as a bitch fight. Even if you escape being identified in that way, you can still be called anti-feminist.

Men don’t face the threat that one public comment might earn them an undeserved and unwanted label. The only labels that men wear at panels have their names on them.

What They Said

“Women are hesitant to grab the bull by the horns and run with it.”

- Glynnis MacNicol is disappointed more women aren’t jumping at the opportunity to be heard online and on panels

“Because the pickings are so slim, no offense to my gender, women don’t do as well.”

- Caroline McCarthy says that sometimes underqualified or unprepared female panelists are chosen to fill a quota and wind up being sub-par panelists

“Letting them affect your work, unless you’re factually wrong, is a mistake.”

- Jessica Grose advises women to not read or care about comments left on blogs

“I think that there’s room for everybody. I think we can make room for everybody.”

- Anna Holmes fears that some women think there are a limited number of spots available for female writers, making them less inclined to help the next one

“I actually chose this panel based on how hot they were.”

- Rachel Sklar mocked those who elevate looks ahead of ability. (We think…)

What We Thought

• We enjoyed watching the way the panelists displayed genuine signs of friendship and admiration for one another. Holmes pointed to Grose as an example of someone who is helping to make positive changes for women in media. Community, for them, is valued ahead of competition. We doubt, for instance, whether a man on a panel would have complimented another’s shoes.
• It was interesting to see the way the panel dealt with talking about women ranging from Maureen Dowd to Julia Allison to Helen Gurley Brown. Each of these women contributes to the discussion of how the female gender is perceived in the media today. It shows how deep this discussion goes, and also how broad a range of women are impacted by the accomplishments and decisions of others.

PANEL RULES!

Some audience behavior seems to repeat itself panel after panel. We’ll be updating a running list of “PANEL RULES!” that will help ensure that you are not the dweeb of the Panel Nerds.

Panel Nerds don’t like… One Republic

When it comes to introducing your question, it’s always too late to apologize. Don’t preface your thoughts with a disclaimer that this might be a “dumb question.” You shouldn’t apologize for not already knowing the answer. If we already knew all the answers, there wouldn’t be a need for a panel. And if there were no panels, where would that leave the Panel Nerds?

[Disclaimer: Mediaite's Rachel Sklar, who recruited us and who edits our columns, was one of the members of this panel. While she reviewed the post prior to publication, the opinions expressed were untouched and we were not edited for content. We decided to attend this panel on our own; that Rachel was one of the panel members speaks to our dovetailing interests, and we are in favor of anything that dovetails.]

Panel Nerds Etan Bednarsh and Danny Groner are New York-based writers and avid panel-goers. Want them at your panel? Email them here: PanelNerds@mediaite.com