New Media versus Old Media

I know which side I'm on. Sure, Old Media still has its place, somewhere. But so much media today is throw-away. When shelf-lives are barely longer than the time it takes to put in on the shelf and take it off again there's little point in committing hours to perfecting production values.

Sure, someone out there wants to make art and good on them. I like art - but I also like communication. Often timeliness is next to godliness when it comes to getting something out there.

And so I present two videos to illustrate my point. Neither is art. Both quick, throw-away bits of new media. The first shows the New Media/Old media argument being played out in my living room.




The second is a clip of my brother's reaction to the last minute of extra-time during last weekend's Carling Cup Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. It gained thousands of views mainly, I believe, because it was online within an hour of the final whistle. OK, so that and some careful titling and tagging!

I have not lost Hope!

It seems ridiculous that it is that 'spare' day that only occurs every four years and it is the first time I post here in 2008. I have been too slack and, yes, I am repentant!

There are several reasons for my return to typing - not least the growing success of my brother in this arena. There's nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry to encourage overdue action.

But last weekend I allowed him to share the platform with me as I delivered a session on Online Video to the assembled camera crews for the Hope News training organised by Vivid Broadcast. It was a laugh - or at least we had a laugh. However it was the realisation that what to us was elementary was online video revelation to our audience. At least that's what people were telling us. So it seems my work here is far from done.

I've never wanted to be just another voice shouting off the same song-sheet as a dozen other bloggers I shall once again turn my attentions to expounding 'The Gutenberg Effect'. And I guess as I'm away on Monday, speaking on New Media at CGI's Leadership Institute now is as good as a time as any to pick up this blog again. Ironically, people stopping good projects they've started is a pet hate of mine. See I told you I was repentant!