Comments on HighTouch: Business Week on the death of old-media

--I like that frontpage headline which says "hey, ...

2007-10-28T14:12:00.000-05:00

--I like that frontpage headline which says "hey, I think you should see this one."--

I rarely if ever read an analog newspaper. I probably read 10 or more online everyday.

My personal, "I think you should see this..." comes through my social network. People I know and trust.

I disagree on this one. There's plenty of room for...

2007-10-28T13:14:00.000-05:00

I disagree on this one. There's plenty of room for both electronic and printed "news." There is a value-add associated with the printed page which is undeniable for me. I subscribe to a local paper via RSS, but never read it. I find it much more efficient *AND* enjoyable to wander up the driveway reviewing the news. When confronted with the piles of information we now have access to, I like that frontpage headline which says "hey, I think you should see this one."

I liked the new Mike Wesch video for sure.I'm stil...

2007-10-28T11:28:00.000-05:00

I liked the new Mike Wesch video for sure.

I'm still thinking the only reason for aggregation is to help a "big" site improve its google juice and thereby their discoverability.

I still think the best strategy for a content producer is to flow their content to where the communities are already gathering. I'd rather see resources put toward the production of content rather than distribution. Then syndicate it so it can go as many places as possible -- viral.

Perhaps even newspapers can get a clue or two from...

2007-10-27T14:30:00.000-05:00

Perhaps even newspapers can get a clue or two from Mike Wesch's digital ethnology work at KSU.

For a taste of it, have a gander at The Machine is Using Us or A Vision of Students Today.

Dead on, for newspapers at least. But I can envisi...

2007-10-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

Dead on, for newspapers at least.

But I can envision a new role for re-intermediating (or, more accurately, aggregating and integrating)information resources, particularly local resources organized around a strong public need (e.g., family-based eldercare, energy efficiency).

Such sites could help frantic seekers wend their way through thickets of fragmented information that's currently available online, but often almost impossible to find, even with good search skills.

Such sites could incorporate many forms of discussion, communities-of-interest-or-need organizing, and online support groups. Motivated users would continuously help build the site.

Family elder-caregivers, for instance, may need medical, pharmaceutical, financial, nutritional and legal advice--sometimes all of it at once, and suddenly. They might need information about, or access to, government programs, adaptive tools and appliances, respite services. They might profit from help/advice from peers, decision trees, or online tutorials.

Such sites might run like quasi-public utilities, perhaps with the state or county CE acting as lead organizer in the John MCKnight model of community development ("leading by stepping back," using needs assessments and assets inventories developed from within the participating community itself).

I can think of ways to fund such integrated sites, as well as imagine a development model of distributed leadership that wouldn't rely on (or need) a body of credentialed subject-matter experts to vet the resources.

I can also envision ephemeral, ad hoc local online aggregating efforts organized quickly around some emerging local crisis and disappearing along with the need for it.