Why Can’t MSM and Social Media Be Friends?
Monday, December 8th, 2008There’s been an excellent discussion over at Joe Thornley’s blog about the Canadian Institute Conference on Social Media.

Joe Thornley
I felt compelled to add my two cents for the record, and figured I might as well repost my comments from “Mainstream Media Challenges Social Media” here:
I’m ready to declare a winner.
Me.
Why am I coming out ahead? Because I wasn’t at the CndInst Conference. I wasn’t even paying attention to all the chatter on Twitter at the time. But when I got on the bus this morning, one of Joe’s tweets pointed me to this discussion, and a few hours later here it is, still awaiting my comment. And what a lively and valid discussion it is.
All this MSM vs. social media nonsense is silly. Let’s everyone get over ourselves and move on. Neither are going away soon, and there is still plenty of potential for both if we stop thinking of them as enemies.
“Journalists” have their processes, ethics and oversight, but media companies still have their bias too. As a consumer of information, I’m always making my own decisions about whether to trust the source, regardless of the media in question. Along the way, I’ve come to trust and respect many a blogger and journalist alike, and lost faith in many as well. The important thing is that now I have plenty of choice, and plenty of avenues to express my opinion as well. And I do. When I do, I understand that I leave myself open to being challenged, and as a responsible “social media guy,” I invite that debate.
Joe, you were obviously well within your rights to challenge Mr. Basen’s statements, and the two of you are to be commended for airing it all out here. The fact that such discussion has occurred should serve as proof that you are indeed onto something with this whole idea of social media.
Speaking directly to journalists: We understand that your competitive advantage is your ethical code, your research and your accurately cited sources. People respect what you do, and some still even consume your information through the traditional channels. For your own good though, you’d do well to open your eyes to the way information is currently exchanged, and focus your considerable professionalism and influence to join (and dominate!) that space while you still can. Railing against it will only bring your untimely demise.
I think its time we stopped all the name calling and started talking about ways we can work together. While my heart doesn’t bleed for any of the large media companies (read: monopolies) in Canada (save perhaps for our publicly funded CBC), I wish for their sake that their business don’t continue to circle the drain. I hold out hope that we can break new ground on a media environment in Canada that encourages and embraces a two-way discussion. Maybe the “alternative media” group forming in Vancouver is a step toward this end?
Update/Signs of the times? :: I should have pointed to these items in the original text, but two things happened today that are anything but trivial in the evolution of media. The Chicago Tribune filed for bankruptcy, and Pulitzer prizes will now be available to online journalists too.













