Traditional media is dead. Media generated by users, content created by consumers, killed it. Fox News, CNN, ABC – the media old dogs – are being replaced by Twitter, Reddit, Wikileaks, Facebook, Youtube, Google+, and countless other sites that host user-created content. It’s more likely for a story to break on these alternative news sources than it is on the traditional ones because the alternative sources are better situated to break stories. They’re faster, more adaptable and literally, every consumer or viewer that accesses the content is a potential reporter.
Hosting 24-hour cycles, traditional media has created the engine of its own demise. Despite the size of their platform, or perhaps because of it, and the potential power these organizations have, instead of coverage that encourages deepened understanding and insightful debate, these organizations trivialize themselves and stick to soundbites in lieu of fulfilling reporting.
Now the old guard has its 24-hour cycle and how do they fill that time? With “analysis” of user-generated content.
When election season rolls around, news outlets shift into a fever-pitch and the video above shows just how desperate the outlets can get for content. The video below is great example of the kind of “hard-hitting” and “informative” news that the outlets are coming to be known for.
Will the old dogs learn from the rise of these alternative sources? If the past record is any indication of the future, the outlook is grim.
