Fast Talk

February 8, 2008

Q: Can a business publication blend journalism and online community to create something better than either by itself? | posted by Lynne d Johnson

10 Total

February 8, 2008 at 7:14am

Robert Scoble

Yes, and when we launch http://www.fastcompany.tv on March 3rd you'll see just how we can mix the two. Already I'm using this service: http://www.qik.com/scobleizer to get feedback LIVE WHILE I FILM INTERVIEWS from the community.

February 8, 2008 at 9:03am

Richard Bray

Yes, a publication can blend journalism - news and comment - with community - people, in their public and private aspects - but the user interface has to be quick and simple, but capable of fairly rich communication. One click to a video reply to a group, for example.

February 8, 2008 at 10:50am

Ralphe Manzoni

Sure. Nowadays every publication has to start a conversation with our readers.

February 8, 2008 at 11:03am

Robert Safian

You better believe it!

February 8, 2008 at 11:24am

Gene Lu

Definitely, but you still have some pretty big hurdles to jump over. All those editors that were schooled in the days of 'old' will definitely present a challenge to such ideas.

Perhaps there's a way to educate them to make some tweaks to the ways they write by having talks / webinars / etc. Or maybe have a renowned editor (with similar schooling experience) to speak out about writing for the Internet? This way, you won't have such a big age gap between speaker and audience.

February 8, 2008 at 11:39am

Jeff Schmidt

probably not Bus Wk - but FastCompany already has the kind of community that takes these kinds of ideas seriously to begin with.

February 8, 2008 at 11:46am

Martin Nickel

I'm quite certain that you must blend the two to remain viable. The combined effect of the Industrial and Information ages has isolated each of us. Online social networking is simply re-allowing the interaction we all crave.

And as Microsoft's chief ad strategist Mike Galgon noted yesterday, journalism is "not worth zero". We need to be trust someone as an information resource.

Combining these two - probably across information sources - is a necessity.

February 8, 2008 at 11:47am

Saabira Chaudhuri

Yes. More and more traditional publications will find themselves having to change their models to do so. Media has become a participatory tool -- equipping one's audience to become actors and speak to an audience of their own is smart because it guarantees are far more engaged and consistent community.

February 8, 2008 at 11:53am

Daniel O'Shea

Of course!

Make it a 2 way conversation... and be sure to invite members as real "business partners", not just treat them as "content consumers".

February 8, 2008 at 11:55am

wood stock

Sure it can. No one trusts journalism as the sole source of the news. The benefits of the community keeps the media honest. An example of this is http://www.gabbr.com where news agency based content is posted and the community is able to post additional content to support or refute the news agencies. This adds more sides to the story and takes readers closer to "the truth".

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