Content is not king
Being a former newspaper reporter it is hard for me to accept and get over the fact that content is not king when it comes to the Internet.
I used to be on the bandwagon that thought content was what brought people online, but that is no longer that case and the reasons are too many to cite here.
People use the internet as a way of life and come to expect certain standards. Facebook and MySpace are about relationships and connecting. Content is a catalyst for those connections, but anymore that is about it.
Jeff Jarvis who writes the BuzzMachine blog said in a recent post that the “old media” way of thinking is hard to break away from, even with the most innovative people in the media industry who are attending the Always-On OnMedia Conference in New York.
The problem with that, I think, is that the internet is more about connections and relationships — that’s where the core value is and content is a vehicle for that.
Jarvis concludes his post with an interesting point about advertising, which we all need in some form to make money.
But someone on the panel pointed to Nike, which is moving away from CPMs and GRPs and heading to providing the infrastructure for communities to do what they want to do. Nike is turning from a manufacturer and marketer of products into a platform.
The overall point is that online is still not fully understood be even the most innovative people in our industry. That is both scary and exciting at the same time.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Good point.
This is something that’s hard to grasp even by the most committed folks in our business.
There’s another aspect to this (the network and connections issue) that is worth a look, too.
Howard Owens (howardowens.com) slaps MSM around a little today for restricting discussion and then complaining that blogs are so well-trod:
“Most blog owners apply high standards for the conduct they will allow. They monitor closely. They participate in the conversation. In other words, they are actively engaged and involved. They are owners.”
Until we own our work on the Web (and, arguably, own our respective communities) newspapers will miss the mark. We’re moving in the right direction, though.
We’re changing culture, after all, not just technology.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Nez,
Thanks for the comment. I agree the industry is moving in the right direction. Part of my frustration ties into the recent series of IBM commercials. I want people to “Stop Talking. Start Doing.”
But I also have to be more understanding that not everyone operates the same way.
Jason
January 30th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment and it’s hard to stand there tapping your foot while those who make the “big decisions” sit around and discuss how to get off the dime.
I also don’t want to imply satisfaction with the pace of change.
Maybe it’s better to say “Stop Talking. Do Anything.”
Sure we’ll make mistakes, but stumbling through missteps is better than not moving at all.