The New Media Discussion

[Wolfy]

So some of you know about the issue some of us have with new media groups such as the Nevada New Media thing, and some of us have already weighed in on it. The issue is fairly simple to me. If your goal is to coalesce a movement around new media, social media and online communities in nevada, wouldn't you start here in this forum? Wouldn't you engage the local bloggers? wouldn't you consult with the experts who already have a forum up, running and vibrant?

Having attended the New Media Expo in Las Vegas last August I can tell you that the only good presentations were the ones which focused on person experience, stories, creativity and craft. The ones that dealt with tactics, strategy, and tools were boring, salesy and lame. That's what i see is missing from most new media, social media groups, blogs, videos, podcasts and what not i come across. You learn more by doing and paying attention to what others are doing well.

-M

[Ryan Jerz]

I don't necessarily think Reno Baby! is about new media. I think it's more a place to just get together and talk about Reno. I have many of the same issues as you do with the group--one of which is that this site has been around and rolling for over a year, but neither of the founders of NNM are on here. They know about it, but they've chosen not to join and participate.

This site is perhaps an embodiment of what makes new media special. People from other towns have looked here for information and found answers. That's great. I hope we on Reno Baby! keep that up for a long time.

[Wolfy]

yeah, but that's my point. this isn't about new media, but you can learn a lot about new media by starting here and engaging the people here rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with another blog.

It's the non-participation that bugs me too. If all the marketers, strategists, and professionals (ourselves included) disappeared, all this would still be around and no one would miss us.

-M

[Ryan Jerz]

But if you do it here (and not on your new blog), how can you claim credit and build a business on it?

[Wolfy]

if no one wants to participate in your blog cause they think you're a carpetbagger... ah nevermind.

[Elisa Maser]

OK - I've been following this conversation on Jerz / Wolfy / twitter / NNM etc for a while. Guess I could respond on all of them, but this is the "new media" tool I've contributed the most to (well, invited the most people to join).

Here's my $0.02:

#1 - I think I would get 1000 x more out of coffee or beers with you two than I would get from two days at a "new media conference"

#2 - I think a lot of this conflict can be boiled down to this: CAN you institutionalize new media? because, honestly, the power of these new mediums (media?) ... is that it puts the act of creation in an individual's hands. It's not just fluke photos or films that make the news anymore ... individuals making the news happens every single day. Individuals can also make or break companies / marketing efforts / art / etc.

#3 - My question is ... how to bridge the gap between those who do on & offline tech or marketing for a living (like the two of you, yes?) and those of us who don't (like me). I got on line to keep up with teenagers (who I still haven't convinced to get on twitter, sigh) ... but how do you bring others along?

[Ryan Jerz]

That's what we try to do when we get together. Tallcan.tv is one attempt. It's not exactly the most serious thing, but by building it and bringing in people who are interested, it has started to gain a little momentum. I personally try to help anyone and everyone who asks. I think Mike does too. I truly enjoy answering emails and just talking about this until people start looking for an escape. I think you're exactly right about beers. So much more honest and useful discussion comes from that than a sterile setting.

This might illustrate the demolition of the expert model. When I go to tweetups, there are tons of people who understand this. I don't think they'll respond to institutionalizing it because that's not the spirit that got them involved. They just do it. They don't need to be told anything about it. With that, experts are dead.

[Elisa Maser]

Think we need a new word for it ... it's not that experts are dead (most ivory towers are still packed - here's an example:

"Help Me Explain Twitter to Eggheads
I have a nifty assignment fro...

But you're right: "They just do it. They don't need to be told anything about it." That's what I mean about individuals owning it themselves. Almost sounds Marxist, eh? Now individuals do own the means of production.

[Ryan Jerz]

I understand that experts are still out there. Their relevance is diminishing, though. I'm equating this to attempting to set up an expert model that is being broken down before it starts.

Just the other day I got an email offering a seminar or something that teaches you how to set yourself up as an expert in your field so the media will interview you. My question was, "Why does the media need to find an expert?" In the case of this email, I would guarantee you the majority of people who would show up are looking to be known as either the marketing or real estate expert. Except there is so much information about both of those that the media can learn it themselves (and probably better, considering the diversity of sources) in no time and forget that model entirely. What I'm saying is probably a little radical, though. The media uses experts because that's just how it's done, and people seem to demand it. Even though they're often completely full of shit.

Putting on a conference is part and parcel to positioning yourself as an expert in the field. Considering that the new media thing is largely devoid of experts (they haven't even defined new media yet), and that the point is minimize the need for them (Wikis, blogs, all of it does that), it seems to me the spirit of the entire movement is being violated.

[Elisa Maser]

I agree that the relationship between media and "experts" hasn't evolved all that much. Which is one thread here ... the evolution of journalism itself (and not necessarily the way 'news' is transmitted). I agree we could largely get away from experts (altho I think the question remains ... who does the fact checking? GIGO. So much junk gets repeated.)

And there is the other thread / trend / whatever you want to call it - of people creating so much more than just news ... with all the transmission tools available.

[Wolfy]

Thanks Elisa! You get it. This is new media. Your decision to make a comment here illustrates a point i make often perfectly. You have to go the forum that people use and are comfortable with in order to get good response. Often that means going to more than one. So far this debate spans 6 blogs and two ning communities, I've had two beers over it, several chats and dozens of emails. There is no right here or right now in new media.

-M

[bobc]

Part of the issue is the WHAT.

The other part is how it's all being handled -- like out of the George W. Bush Book of Leadership and Constituent Buy-In.

[Elisa Maser]

Geez, I need to get that book!