Here’s a great video lecture by Andrew Keen on the democratization of media that has been touted by web2.0 advocates for years now. It points out some of the inherent pitfalls of pulling “the middle man” out of media.
Keen’s argument is pretty simple. By removing the middle men from media, web2.0 is remove the experts in recognizing talent, the experts in tracking down and investigating a story, the experts in marketing talent or content… We need those experts. He also points out that web2.0 inherently lends itself to liars, cheats, con-men, and corporations while traditional media filters all of that out.
It’s more than a little odd to post this to a blog – the primary vehicle for democratizing media, and I don’t necessarily agree with all of Keen’s points, but its something worth considering.
(thanks @dvdsweeney for sending me this link!)
Some very interesting points raised here, which has got me thinking!