During these exciting times, hard times, uncertain and confusing times, I find refuge in the wisdom of Marilyn Monroe.
"Everything happens for a reason … and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
I totally embrace Marilyn's hopeful insights about change; after all, life is change.
But I remain mindful of the fact that sometimes they do; other times they don't, alas. Sometimes good things fall apart but worse things fall together.
Sometimes they fall apart for some, for example Tower Records, just as they come together for others, eg, iTunes.
Bearing that in mind, I wonder what will happen as technology transforms the media landscape, rendering old News models and structures obsolete. Will journalists and new media fall together or fall apart?
Exciting times
During the past month, I spoke to hundreds of thousands of people around the world using - with the help of two bright community managers - no more than a smartphone and Facebook. An additional couple of hundred thousand are expected to watch.
Taking questions and comments from every corner of the world and engaging in a global conversation about the complex and controversial issues on the international agenda is an unmatched privilege.
The fact that such uncensored, unedited, improvised - indeed unbound - global conversations could take place any time and from anywhere with minimum effort is testimony to the limitless potential of the internet.
The fact that such uncensored, unedited, improvised - indeed unbound - global conversations could take place any time and from anywhere with minimum effort is testimony to the limitless potential of the internet.
|
The technology and digital revolutions have allowed more voices to be heard and more images watched from more places than ever before. And they have hence allowed people greater choice for more perspectives than they could ever consume. They’ve also allowed for social and political mobilisation like never before. (Watch EMPIRE here about social networks and social revolutions.)
They’ve also allowed journalists better, easier and faster access to news and information thanks to fast communication, vast news gathering, and better archiving. It allows them countless means and platforms to share their stories and analysis.
From Twitter's Periscope to YouTube channels and Facebook lives, Medium etc, the production, dissemination and consumption of news, information and analysis are changing and evolving so rapidly that it is premature - not to say hasty - to try to assess their real long-term effect.
One could argue that the online revolution has allowed for more open and healthy global dialogue and a greater freedom of expression.
But the digital revolution that helped to even the playing field between people and power is neither democratic nor egalitarian.
Digital powerhouses
Like the Industrial Revolution, the digital revolution did away with old, traditional models and structures, but it also led to the rise of new, powerful entities.
Where everyone can speak out, some are much, much louder than the rest. And those with resources have far greater - both quantitatively and qualitatively - influence online as they do in real life.
 |
| Editions of the British newspaper The Independent [EPA] |
The new digital conglomerates are like nothing we've seen before in publishing, broadcasting, distributing or marketing, etc.
They are throwing their weight in all directions and, in the process, redefining the nature of culture, communication, media and journalism.
One is enticed to compare the influence of Facebook on our lives with, say, that of the Pentagon, of Google or The New York Times and all other influential papers. (Let's just say for now, they are far more diversified, with more direct influence).
They own platforms, man websites, distribute products, generate content, control access, and try to monopolise marketing and advertisements.
No comments:
Post a Comment