Grounded In Reality

Few would argue that the Internet and blogs (as platforms) lend themselves rather well to facilitating the ability to share personal perspective. So, in that spirit, we’ve got a one-word opinion of Buzz Bissinger we’d like to share: blowhard.

If you haven’t been keeping up with the latest scandals to rock the sports blogging world, you may have missed the recent HBO special on the role of the Internet in the broader world of sports journalism, society and, well, seemingly everything else in the world. Earlier this week, Bob Costas welcomed Deadspin founder/editor Will Leitch to join what was likely pitched to him as a “panel discussion,” alongside renowned author H.G. “Buzz” Bissinger of Friday Night Lights and (somewhat out of left field, or whatever the appropriate football-related pun) Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards. What ensued on “Costas Now” was an ambush that bared no resemblance to any sort of discussion.

However, somewhere between the venomous expletive-laced tirades of “old-school Buzz” lies infinitely fertile ground for countless discussions relevant to modern media, blogging, the role of the Internet and what it all means for PR, marketing and the like. Instead of launching into a dissertation on the topic, take a look for yourself at some of the very cogent, passionate and revealing sentiments from some of the most popular sports blogs on the Web including Fire Joe Morgan (also featured in HBO segment intro), Every Day Should be Saturday, Awful Announcing and Leitch himself (also here). Mainstream journalists have also latched onto the story from Richard Sandomir at The New York Times to Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star (alas, it’s on Barnhart’s…[gasp]…blog!).

So, take a read and form your own opinion. The number of angles from which can tackle this debate are infinite, but one thing is clear for PR professionals. The writing is (and has been) on the wall. Whether anyone likes it or not, blogs, if not the prevailing new media, represent a channel that cannot be ignored. Of course, we all already knew that. Wonder what kind of week Bissinger’s PR folks are doing today? Talk about an interesting “fly on the wall” situation.

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Steve Bonsignore
GCI Sports

The Web is largely hands-off. You click, view, and scroll through information – but you don’t actually feel the content. It’s distant, which is why people often comment about the benefits of print media and say things like “nothing beats holding an actual photo or flipping through a glossy magazine.”

Multi-touch technology like Perceptive Pixel and Microsoft Surface provide a glimpse into how digital media is becoming more tactile. Minority Report provided inspiration. Apple’s iPhone made it a mainstream reality. Now imagine multi-touch applied to the Web and real-world environments. Instead of clicking, you interact by flipping through pages, grabbing pictures, and diving into maps. While multi-touch isn’t exactly new, check out these demos to get a sense of the possibilities.

Does touching and maneuvering digital content make it more real, or is the screen still a barrier? Can people adapt to a 100% screen-based media environment? Before answering no, consider how mp3s have changed the way people purchase, consume, and share music. Also take a look at the latest e-book readers, like Amazon’s Kindle. As user interfaces improve, our perceptions about the differences between “tangible media” vs. digital media will change.

I had the opportunity to attend a discussion this week about the effects of social media on the political and cause landscape. Jeff Berman, SVP of Public Affairs for MySpace, led the session and talked about the evolution of social networks as mobilization platforms.

I haven’t kept up with Myspace lately, so I was pleased to see that the site is doing more than being hacked. Myspace Impact, the site’s hub for social and civic engagement, is empowering users to locate volunteer opportunities, contribute to charities, and register to vote. Its coolest offering by far is the “Presidential Dialogue Series” where users can engage with candidates in real-time via live webcast and Myspace IM. They just announced the next series event featuring Senator John McCain. On December 3rd, the event will be streamed live on Myspace.com and simulcast on MTV and Chooseorlose.com.

This live interaction is taking YouTube’s video Q&A format to the next level. It’s also feeding Gen Y’s desire for open access and personalized experiences. Jeff shared some interesting stats that speak to Gen Y’s strong sense of civic duty:

-61% of 25 year olds feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world
-78% believe companies have the responsibility to join them in that effort
-Price being equal, 89% are likely to switch brand allegiance based on commitment to shared causes

Compared to average internet users, Myspace users are:

-Twice as likely to interact with a public official/candidate
-45% more likely to research politics and campaign information
-59% more likely to view online videos
[Cone/AMP Research: Oct 2006]

These stats aren’t surprising. What remains to be seen is how this surge of online rallying will impact voter turnout.

We’re posting because we have editor rights and you don’t! Very soon a whole team of talented digital media professionals will flood this blog with posts that are grounded in reality. Until then, stay tuned.