Mark Glaser has written an excellent piece about the shift of control in media. Consumers are in control now more than ever. This movement will grow as their news and entertainment desires are satisfied by independent sources rather than those from mass media outlets. Consider these three examples from Glaser:
Oldthink: Relying on mainstream media TV coverage to follow wars and conflicts.
Newthink: Reading bloggers or citizen journalists who are eyewitnesses to wars, or soldier bloggers who are participants and can share their own stories in words or video. Seeing photos from people with cameraphones at the scene.
Oldthink: Reading, listening or watching media on the schedules set by executives and programmers.
Newthink: Getting the information, news and entertainment we want, when we want it, on the device we want it, with or without commercials.
Oldthink: Turning on car radios to hear the music or radio shows we enjoy.
Newthink: Getting satellite radio or plugging in portable MP3 players to our car stereos so we can listen to hundreds of commercial-free stations on satellite or thousands of podcasts downloaded from the Internet.
I’d add my own:
Oldthink: It was smart to pay to get to the top of a search list or on the front page.
Newthink: Be where people will want you – they will ignore those who pay extra to be noticed.
Oldthink: People trust the masthead and all it carries.
Newthink: People trust people more – now that people have their own voice.
Oldthink: the price of a classified ad is based on the number of gatekeepers.
Newthink: the price of a classified ad is based the cost of providing the service.