Is anyone even interested?!

"Is anyone even interested?"

That may not have been the exact words but that was the essence of it. I replied with a passionate defence of the opportunities new media brings but I was visibly losing the argument. Now I'm old enough to accept not being right, or not winning every debate, but surprised that my concession was to - apparently - the youngest person in the room!

I know that blogs and online video, podcasts and the finer points of social media are not everybody's cup of tea. They don't have to be. But there are far from inconsequential. In a world were our future is shaped as much by our corporate emotions as by any reliable facts and figures these elements of New Media can swiftly move from the sidelines to being key players in defining the path ahead. Old Media still has the upper hand in some areas - think the Northern Rock fiasco or the Mail's recent hyperventilating about plastic bags - but it was the internet that finally outed Harry's front line engagement in Afghanistan, thereby according him 'hero' status.

Perhaps it a personal choice, to embrace New Media or to ignore it. But, like burying one's head in the sand, the latter is not recommended!

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!