Understanding and Critiquing Old Media
So… I decided to switch gears and head off to the San Antonio room to check out a couple of panel discussions.
Elizabeth Terrell with the David All Group is currently speaking about youtube, ustream.tv, qik.com etc. I’m not exactly sure what this has to do with Old Media, although I am hopeful it will become clear as she continues to speak.
seesmic.com is a new site I haven’t heard about yet – this may bear some looking into – she is billing it as a youtube plus microblog site.
Other new sites to check out: live.yahoo.com eyeblast.tv showmethespending.org sunshinereview.org
I will definitely be checking these out!!!
One of the gentleman talking now really gets it. At least part of it. His name is Eric Banco – the difference between the internet and the tv is that people on the internet want to engage and interact. They are looking for a community to be a part of, not preached at. He had my interest until he brought up the Gore energy wasting speech I’ve seen three times so far today. Please someone save me from this false Left-Right Dichotomy!!!! I guess I should not be surprised given the forum. But people! Censorship knows no boundaries, be they red, blue or green!
Eric Odom – Sam Adams alliance. Sunshinereview.org – Creating a site where people can log on anywhere to get information about their local government. It allows people to get active on the local level and spread the information, possibly exposing problems in order for the community to address them.
I went to the Texas Republican State Convention a few weeks ago. Something that really stuck out to me – I asked tons of people who they voted for. 2 people said McCain. It’s all rah rah McCain here – and I hear the “He’s better than Obama” rhetoric all over the place. My question is this. If hardly anyone at the convention or this republican summit voted for McCain – WHO DID????? Can anyone say votefraud? Voting for the “lesser of two evils” is still condoning evil!!!!!!!
Katie and I stopped at the Veterans for McCain table at lunch and talked to the very nice Vietnam veteran and his wife manning the booth. He was called to man the table and he responded. We asked him what he thought of McCain’s past antics and stance on the evidence there are still POWs in Vietnam being held. He didn’t know anything about it. He didn’t know much at all about McCain’s platform at all.
The biggest problem I keep hearing – not that anyone has brought it up until I did just now – is that everything is “divide and conquer”. I lost count of how many times I’ve heard “the kids” or “those kids” or “that generation”. It’s important to recognize first that some in the older generation are creating and or continuing the gap between the generations. US kids are still Americans and the divide has to be bridged. That means all the divides. Young/Old, Republican/Democrat, Conservative/Liberal.
And, it would be nice for the American people to grow up. The older generations need to take responsibility for the mess that’s been left for the younger. The younger needs to grow up and help fix the problems. If you were to ask me, the one biggest problem we face today is people’s lack of willingness to be responsible for their actions. Or their inactions.
Oh, right – supposed to be talking about the session here. Overall it was pretty interesting, there was quite a bit of debate and interaction with the audience. The key message is to use the social networking sites to create interest and reach more people through building communities. Style can trump substance, but not forever.
