Gary had this comment on the post that I wrote about my presentation in Geneva on Friday about the Mainstream Media and blogging:

You also say “Why would we chop up content we already produce and put it in reverse chronological order?”

I understand why you say that, but I do have one answer: Because there are millions reading blogs that won’t read the other publication writing you do, but may come across your blog and begin a conversation from there.

You’re right George, but you’re right because you understand that blogs are about the conversation, not just a novel way to publish the same material that we already produce out at our audiences.

Yes, there are millions of people readings blogs. But why? Is it because it’s the same content that the Mainstream Media already produce?

There is no simple or single answer for why people read blogs, but if they are turning away from the MSM because they don’t like our content, I don’t think just because we chop it up and present it in reverse chronological order it will win our audiences back.

I think that they read blogs because they find it more engaging. Why? Because they feel a connection to the blogger. It’s social media not passive media.

For the most part, the MSM has missed the boat in blogging and that is not for lack of MSM blogs. It is because they just see it as a novel way to publish their content while still being stuck in a broadcast model or a passive print model.

It is only when the realise that blogging is about what I’m doing now, accepting the invitation that you, George, as a reader gave me to enter into a conversation with you that the MSM might actually ‘get’ blogging.

But being a MSM insider, I can tell a lot of us still consider any interaction with the audience as a threat not as an opportunity.

Many journalists see it as a nuisance at best and an unwelcome threat to their authority at the worst.

Blogging made me realise that there was a new and really powerful way to relate to my audience.

Many journalists I speak to talk about the public as the ‘unwashed masses’. Wow. How do we expect to have conversation with people we look down on like that? Answer is we can’t.

Our audiences sense that, and I would argue, that is why they are leaving us in droves.

They feel a sense of ownership with their media, but not with the stuff they dismissively call the MSM (the Mainstream Media).

Thanks for the comment Gary.