As newspapers continue to wither, so are blaming (or at least bemoaning) the advent of "citizen journalists" and the development of web sites, related social media and blogs such as this one.
Here's my response:
"Citizen journalists" are performing a vital daily service, especially in reporting on news in small towns, regional hubs and other localities. They are attracting interest, stimulating debate and discussion and bringing news and information that might not otherwise be available to people who want and appreciate that news and information. They force consumers of media to range over wide areas and (hopefully) become more discriminating And of course, they also help to bring stories to traditional media.
So, their actions should be a wake-up call to traditional media.
But sadly, as social media grew and grew, much of Big Media simply became increasingly smug and elitist making them more and more disconnected from the people they were supposed to serve. They became the comfortable they were supposed to afflict. And they forgot as well that the afflicted include many, many ordinary, hard-working people who don't think America must be "fundamentally transformed" and who already feel they pay enough in taxes.
These are the people that Big Media forgot -- the people who pay the bills.
This disconnect has done as much to undermine traditional media as the technological revolution.
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