We the Media - Dan Gillmor. Blogs challenge mainstream media.

Books, newspapers, radio and television traditional media evolved, and with it the vested interests of big business and its own agenda.
Now the Internet is changing all that - grassroots journalists, or 'citizen journalists' as they are dubbed, are eroding the monopoly held by 'Big Media' on news and information.
This shift in how news is made and consumed is explored in some detail in 'We the Media: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People' (US link, UK Link) by Dan Gillmor. He's an established technology journalist in the US both traditional and new media. In the book he explores how this shift in power is affecting consumers, business and journalists.
The main thrust is that blogging is changing the face of the media, and that journalists and big media need to embrace this development rather than fight it. The new technology enables newsmakers to connect directly with the audience in many ways.
Gillmor explores what it means when more and more information is available to citizens he quotes many examples. One he cites is the BBC iCan site where the BBC brings together local campaigners to effect change in their local area it also happens to generate news stories for BBC outlets.
Gillmor believes the Internet will mean that in future, journalism: "will be more of a conversation, or a seminar. The lines will blur between producers and consumers changing the role of both."
Rather than fighting this shift, he suggests that big media should embrace it saying: "the readers know more than I do". He argues that input from citizens can strengthen established journalism and that readers can become co-authors.
Gillmor doesnt just stick with blogging he explores the power of the RSS feed, and how these new citizen journalists can get their content out there.
The book briefly considers the implications for big business, and corporate communications. If journalists cant get away with getting things wrong (think about the Dan Rather debacle), can corporations get away with being less than transparent? (Its something which could do with more exploration and has prompted some thought for my dissertation).
Gillmor is an out-and-out fan of blogging, and what it can do for journalism. There have been many claims made for the Internet, and how it will create fundamental shifts in the way that business operates. It seems that were only just beginning to see what it can do for the traditional media landscape. Gillmor gives us an insight into some of the possibilities here, and its an exciting future. Its well worth a read and raises interesting questions for all in Corporate Communications.

Matt