Old Media's Options: Co-opt New Media, Take Its Lead--Or Both

Commenting on a post with this title by Jimmy Guterman at paidContent.org, Jake Shapiro writes:

... Now social media is emerging as a “third zone” - a new space that doesn’t conform to the commercial/noncommercial dichotomy.  ¶  In theory public media should have significant advantages in integrating with and supporting social media. Social media in many ways is the essence of a “public” media, and as a democratic expressive and cultural movement it aligns with the mission of public broadcasting.  ¶  But the reality is that commercial media is beating us (I keep using we/us but I feel like more of a hybrid between the public and social spaces)to the punch and — as this PaidContent post says — is well on the way to “co-opting New Media”. It shouldn’t come as a surprise - commercial mass media have the motive and the means to start harnessing social media. It’s not all a bad thing, but there are real dangers in how it might evolve. ...

Link:  Jake Shapiro.