Packaging the News
As I go across some of my favorite web haunts on the web, I keep seeing reports, stories, and accounts of how the traditional news and media outlets are steadily losing their support base to that evil entity generally referred to as “The Internet”. Every time I read these things I hear a big “DUH!” sound go off in my brain. As I always do, I have been analyzing things and started to look at why individuals are migrating to the web for their information..
As I’m searching around, I’m finding that cable and network news channels are focusing on the interests of specific groups of people based on polling and other forms of collection for such data. Further more, they tend to deliver content to these groups in a way they think those groups want to receive it. In other words, they have gotten away from reporting the facts as they happen and have begun interpreting and presenting selected information geared toward what they perceive as their target audience. The product is no longer the news, but rather the packaging in which it is presented.
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This is not my own original theory and I’m borrowing from many sources, but they seem to have some validity. Look at Fox News and how they have connected with the so called ‘Conservative’ consumer of network & cable news. They are doing the same things as the other guys, but tend to defer to ‘experts’, ‘researchers’, and ‘think tanks’ of a more conservative background than the other outlets. Since they are the only ones following such a format, their base is consolidated and they consistently have the highest ratings over every other individual channel. The key point here is that they are successful because of their marketing skills in packaging a product and not because of the content that they are delivering to their consumers.
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I don’t know about you, but I am not interested so much in fluff and delivery. I want facts, figures, and consensus and the internet is the best tool in the world for getting me the information I want. Granted, the amount of useless information on the net is something to be considered, but just like anything else in life, you learn who you can trust with experience and time. Apparently I’m not alone on this. Regardless of your interests, it is almost certain that you can find a reputable source of news and information for it on the internet.
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Is there any wonder newspaper sales are the lowest they have been since the Great Depression? Hey, uh, newspaper guys – here’s a clue: get online and stop wasting paper. We consumers will decide if what you are posting is worth printing and will do so from our own printers.
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Overall this has got to be a good thing. Since there are so many sources for news, and there are so many places to find facts, truth and opinion on any given topic, the best sources will tend to rise to the top – but only as long as they continually provide timely and valuable information. Gone are the days of the network broadcasts being able to control the content of what you will see. Now we as the consumer can determine what level of complexity, depth of coverage, censorship and specific topics that we choose to see. Those that adapt will be around – those that don’t might wind up as a bullet item in someone’s blog.
posted by Bonzai @ 10:05 AM
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