Originally posted at Blog for Democracy on 20 March, 2007.
I've been a little reluctant to step into this debate, since it's clear I'm in the minority, but this recent post from GriftDrift has pushed me over the top. Granted, I was a little slow catching on to the whole unconference thing, but even so, playing the contrarian in a room full of strangers isn't my style. So here's my take:
The conventional wisdom in the local blogoshere seems to be that the MSM, or at least the local MSM, just doesn't get it when it comes to new media or, if you prefer, web 2.0. While I can't completely disagree, I'm pretty sure this condition is temporary. Big media has never lacked the resources to make major leaps in technology (when needed or mandated), they've only occasionally lacked the will. I think this is about to change.
The same companies that lay out huge capital expenditures for digital presses or new HDTV control rooms and digital towers are beginning to take to the web in earnest. If they don't "get it" now, they'll just buy it later, and you'll foot the bill. And if you blog, podcast, vlog, or engage in an online community, you are their unpaid, unacknowledged and highly unappreciated R&D staff. They're going to school on you.
Here in Georgia, some of us watch with amazement as the AJC flails about in search of a clue. But to extrapolate the AJC's problems to all MSM is to miss the larger picture. Although the AJC and other Georgia news sources are farther behind the National curve than most, my guess is they won't stay that way for long. I know of several projects currently underway by large media companies that will indeed revolutionize the way people get their news. One such project is Rob Curley's retool of the behemoth Washington Post. Newsweek Interactive, aka WPNI. Others are currently in beta and still tightly under wraps.
Recent Comments