This fine medium, our blogosphere, is still in being birthed. Its power is only at the initial "fleshing out". Anti-corporate protests and political campaigns are just the beginning, I'm sure. We have two things combining.
Greater numbers of people, globally, are coming online every day. The vast majority of western school children are well versed in web issues, and most in the global south have a real awareness if not intimate experience. And the rest of the population is getting drug into this world, if for no other reason than to be able to fill out job applications.
This, meshes nicely with the media's desperate need for conflict. They have a ready supply of well thought out critique of -name-your-issue-here-. Anyone who hates something can build a blog or full blown website, and others can coallece about the orbit, via the power of the Google, et al. And the media can easily find these folks, and the might of the Google.
Yes, some of these folks are crack-pots and crazies. However, many (most?) are not. Many have well thought out, and documented, grievances. The media can find these folks without working anywhere nearly as hard as in my youth. Yes, many in the mainstream media hate the blogophere, even they see their power growing.
Any corporate type charged with issue and brand management who wants to ignore this medium is foolish. This realm is only going to grow. This is no "fad", nor simply the purview of chatty teenagers. Real issues are debated, and real information is discussed. Deliberately ignoring this realm, minmizing its influence, or otherwise hiding your face, is foolishly reckless. This will bite anyone in reputation management. I guess I don't feel a great deal of pity for them, though I do for those who will be picking up the pieces.
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