Out of the Newsroom

A recent discussion over a name that included the word “media” got me going about why I think we should retire that word from it’s current general usage, along with all of its’ current mutations.

Because “the media” is a broad and seemingly pejorative term. It isn’t what most of the people that I would call colleagues, actually work in either.

I’ve worked in local radio, TV and cable for most every moment of my three and half decades-long professional life. I make the income to cover my daughter’s college tuition payments and the occasional fast food meal working in what is typically referred to as “old media”.

While yes, I have some responsibilities over various web properties (including the ones I own), I’ve never made the contemporary distinction between “new media” and the older kinds. A friend and colleague actually holds the title in his consulting firm of Senior Vice President of Media 2.0, as if we have the need to define this transition in a numerical sense. (A post-publish note: Title notwithstanding, he’s a smart guy about where the future of the media may be headed, whom I respect greatly. Lest there be any confusion about man vs. title.)

This leads, of course, to the question as to just what will be designated as Media 3.0. Brain implanted, holographic receptors anyone?

Well my friends on this Independence Day, I have declared my own independence from the tyranny of being “in the media.”

New, Old, Digital, Mass, Social, Free, Paid, Mobile, Liberal, Right-Wing, Drive-By, News, Conversational, and even the Packaged Goods kind (whatever the hell THAT is) to name but a few. Whether housed in Labs, Salons, Conferences, Centers, or even the occasional dedicated room. I won’t be converging, making, moving, managing, reviewing, redefining, redesigning, reinventing it anymore.

That’s right. Media–in all its forms, in all its mutations, in all it’s known and still-to-be discovered permutations, is now dead to me.

Thus on this July 4th, it seems appropriate that I declare these following truths to be self-evident. At least they are to me.

That I work at creating content. My endeavor is to create interesting, compelling, thoughtful, entertaining, informative–and yes, on occasion even original content to be consumed by an audience, be it either one or one million.

That I create content to be consumed by that audience. I don’t really care whether they consume it on paper or through the air. Whether on their television set, or their wireless mobile device. I don’t care whether it’s first thing in the morning or the last thing before turning in for the night. I don’t need to be concerned as to their education, vocation, location, or even their socio-economic stratification. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether it’s something I did five minutes ago or back when I was a teenager.

That’s right, it doesn’t matter where, when, who, or how, that as long as somebody, somewhere actually gets something out of what I have worked to bring forth. If the oft-used quote of “content is king” is accurate in any sense, then I hope someone is rewarded with the proverbial “king’s ransom” by that content that I have created. (Heaven knows I’m not noble about it. My hope is that I am likewise rewarded, I am about to have a second daughter in college.)

So yes, I create content. Content that goes on, out and over various forms of media, to be sure. But it doesn’t matter what kind of media, the content is the raison d’etre for using it to reach the audience.

Media may be the kingdom, but content is king.

With that settled, I now plan to go have some charred food from a grill, a few cold beverages (that likely will have some percentage of alcoholic content), a few laughs with family and friends, and some momentary excitement as we blow up small amounts of gunpowder in celebration of this day when our nation was born.

Many thanks to all those true patriots who have come before us and made it possible for us to enjoy this freedom to be who we wish to be and believe what we want to believe.

Happy Independence Day.