The (industrial) (r)Evolution of Media

Getting Media Companies to adopt Better Metrics requires honest discussion (part 3)

What truly matters as the business of selling content moves forward to better serve its customers during and after the current recession (whatever it is that comes next) ?  As I've suggested in two previous posts, Better Metrics are essential first steps even if the changes that follow these will be more substantial to the media business model.

Interestingly, this loud discussion about how to measure consumer engagement with old media has made the headlines often (lately) as radio businesses attempt to shift to electronic measurement and away from diary based recall methods. The process has been turned into a political football game borrowing from the social acrimony so ever-present these days. And since most statistical methodology is esoteric (at best) the negative nabobs opposed to change are winning the shouting contest by saying 'it's not fair'.  The result of their efforts is that the industry has been distracted from what truly matters at a crucial time.

Just recently, I read where two competitive industry views considered the results delivered by radio's new electronic measurement system (PPM).  They came to opposite conclusions about electronic measurement while looking at the same data.

It's hard to know what honesty is in this discussion with all the selective whining going on. Let's explore a little because it really matters to all media enterprises - and not only to radio businesses:

What the Viacom - Google/You Tube Suit is telling us (entering year three)

8 08 09 --  updated comment -- The subject of IP (intellectual property) is a big and challenging subject. After confronting it in this annual post series, it has become a topic in two different sections of the book chapters I am writing based on the theme of this blog. I feel the need to address it first from a social trending perspective before injecting anymore of my opinion.  I'll probably do that first over at the Root Trend blog. It is a matter for Boomers and younger generations to confront in good faith. The irony is bound to be in watching the graying Boomers fight their younger (selves) fellow citizens with the same vigor as displayed at Woodstock only to realize that time is now working against their narrow self interest. 

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The subject of this 2007 vintage lawsuit is of particular interest to me because it tells us a lot about where we are in relation to media's evolution as we traverse a period of rapid social change.  Opinions presented here are not based on existing interpretations of laws. Instead, the perspective here is about how we are collectively proceeding toward a set of more evolved media tools that people may use to be better at everything we do as individuals and when gathered into our various formal and informal groups to create. Ultimately, this suit is about social progress and how an antiquated way of seeing content (all kinds) is to be expected and, is sure to see substantial change (in time).