There's no denying that the Internet has taken its toll on the boob tube. Scanty television viewership shows no sign of improvement; instead, people are going online for their video news fix.
Few news stations have taken advantage of the Web 2.0 philosophy as much as they've exploited the technology of sites like YouTube. Instead of merely slapping content to video-hosting sites, why don't networks encourage more user-created content?
So if YouTube replaces TV news, can my dad's manly televisions be used only for the Superbowl and Miami Vice reruns?Photo illustration: Brian Lewis-Jones
For an example, let's look at my dad: his video news fix is primarily satisfied by a hefty cable package and three big screen televisions (a healthy contribution to the 300 million or so TVs in America). However, he further engages with his news by working part-time for the local newscast as a videographer.
My dad's no web-savvy dude, but his news contribution is exactly the type of thing Web 2.0 encourages: interaction, not merely ingestion. Way to go, Dad.
Instead of television networks based solely on "reliable" reporters with "credible" information, news networks should encourage users to create blog-like videos with humanized editorial content.
Current TV, co-founded by Al Gore in 2005, is one media company that relies on user-created material from news to ads. Videos are uploaded through their Web site and aired at the discretion of editors.
Organizations that create a dynamic and interactive atmosphere also create loyal users who will both visit their Web site and watch their television station. ‘Course, this gives those pesky, lie-filled bloggers a shot at cable TV.
YouTube isn't the demise of television news; it's just another media evolution that television will undergo if they want their demographic to be more than that of the AARP. News networks shouldn't be fearful of the Internet – they should just exploit its users as much as possible. Is that so much to ask?
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