The Internet’s Creative Destruction… Of Porn?

[Valin]

Via Meadia:

Walter Russell Mead

6/11/12

 

It turns out that pornography and journalism have even more in common than media critics think: the Internet is wrecking business models in both industries in similar ways.

 

The woes of journalism get the most ink. Lines upon lines have been written about the inexorable decline of the journalistic profession—most of them scribbled by nervous, hand-wringing journalists. The perceptive among them have the outlines of the story about right:

 

The Internet has undermined the authority of legacy media’s voice by empowering a large community of amateur bloggers who have not only been able to fact-check mainstream media claims in near real-time, but have in some cases been able to outdo the old organizations’ coverage of various stories in depth and nuance. Savvy news consumers realized that they could increasingly rely on these new media outlets to supplement and in some cases completely supplant the coverage of newspapers like the New York Times and cable news outlets like CNN and Fox News.

 

The Internet also gutted the value of advertising (and continues to do so relentlessly), as Google and other ad networks revealed just how ineffective most of it actually is. It used to be that companies wouldn’t flinch to drop several million dollars on campaigns in glossy magazines, convinced that the “eyeballs” passing over their slick branding were being converted into customers. With the advent of online analytics, and with conversions becoming a hard statistic rather than something measured through market surveys, this illusion became harder and harder to sustain.

 

 

(Snip)

[RandyM]

Wow. Just........ wow.

[pollyannaish]

@Valin, when it comes to the BIG changes in the way our society functions that we've been discussing these past few months, the way we market and advertise our endeavors is changing EXTREMELY quickly—some of it for the better, and some for the worse. Traditional means of advertising (including things like banner ads, which use the same paradigm as newspaper advertising with an added layer of relevance) is proving to be completely lost on people. We no longer watch broadcast TV or listen to broadcast radio. Everything is starting to be "on demand."

 

Because of this, reaching an audience is harder...and easier. Reaching an existing audience will continue to become easier because marketing to each of us will become more relevant. BUT, reaching a new or different audience will become increasingly difficult.

 

As a result, a new "backyard fence" has been created that will change everything. I'm not exactly sure where it is headed, but as a marketing professional I am neck deep in figuring it out. I think we'll have a better idea in about ten years...but until then we are drifting in an angry sea.

 

THIS article is absolutely on target. And remember, the things you see on the internet, are very tailored to what you are looking for. If you want to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to ideas it is increasingly difficult. That will result in a furthered splintered culture, and groups who are connected only through ideas, rather than geography and genetics.

[Valin]

@Valin, when it comes to the BIG changes in the way our society functions that we've been discussing these past few months, the way we market and advertise our endeavors is changing EXTREMELY quickly—some of it for the better, and some for the worse. Traditional means of advertising (including things like banner ads, which use the same paradigm as newspaper advertising with an added layer of relevance) is proving to be completely lost on people. We no longer watch broadcast TV or listen to broadcast radio. Everything is starting to be "on demand."

 

Because of this, reaching an audience is harder...and easier. Reaching an existing audience will continue to become easier because marketing to each of us will become more relevant. BUT, reaching a new or different audience will become increasingly difficult.

 

As a result, a new "backyard fence" has been created that will change everything. I'm not exactly sure where it is headed, but as a marketing professional I am neck deep in figuring it out. I think we'll have a better idea in about ten years...but until then we are drifting in an angry sea.

 

THIS article is absolutely on target. And remember, the things you see on the internet, are very tailored to what you are looking for. If you want to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to ideas it is increasingly difficult. That will result in a furthered splintered culture, and groups who are connected only through ideas, rather than geography and genetics.

 

Thank you! It heartens me to see some people see what is going on. I am and have been for some time held the belief that we are in the middle of a major change in society, I'm talking rise of the industrial age, end of the medieval world, kind of change.

 

Welcome to my new obsession.

This thought now colors my view of politics, the economy, culture...how we live.