One of the telling signs of an imminent crisis is when the old media, defined as the medium which holds the power in politics, begins to turn on itself.
We’re seeing that now on cable television, in all its glory. After years of marching in lockstep — similar formats, similar presentations, even similar positions on issues — the cable networks have turned on one another with increasing viciousness.
MSNBC, which as the #3 network would be expected to shake things up, is rumored to be going all-left, but more important Keith Olbermann (left) is being given an ever-longer leash and the chance to name names. Perhaps more telling is how CNN is all over the Judith Regan story as well, trying to puzzle out which Fox News executive is "going down" for suborning perjury. (More important they’re doing this on-air, not online.)
In behaving this way, of course, both networks are just imitating #1 — and there’s no doubt that Fox is the leader in the ratings. They achieved leadership by essentially running a Talk Radio Network, filled with ego-driven talking heads always anxious to start a fight. People like Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, as a result, have become the modern-day equivalent of rock stars, complete with adoring fans, and a feeling of immunity concerning what they say and do.
Or, perhaps, they’re the equivalent of AM deejays.
This was, in business terms, brilliant. It targeted the audience, giving Fox exclusive access to a sizable slice of it. And it costs very little money. It costs a heck of a lot less than newsgathering does.
In many ways, Fox has become what WABC radio in New York was back in
the 1960s, when DJs like "Cousin Brucie" Morrow had the power to
make-or-break music acts, and where the audience had to listen closely
for an hour to hear a few snippets of song. It’s important to note what
happened to WABC — it was killed by the greater choice (and higher
sound quality) of FM radio.
That’s what is happening to Fox, and to the other cable news outfits
(which is why they’re all so desperate), only FM in this case is the
blogosphere. On the blogs you can listen to whatever voices you want,
whatever rattles around in your head. (Even me, although if I rattle
around in your head all day please seek professional help.) There is
unlimited selection, but until now that selection has been limited,
mainly, to text and pictures.
That is changing, slowly, and the most important new factor in this is tools like Miro.
Miro is a free, open source, video application which doesn’t just show
videos but acts a bit like a TiVo, allowing you to subscribe via RSS
feed and get stuff in the background using BitTorrent. Despite all the
attempts by the Administration, and the monopolists, to close down the
Video Web, it keeps popping up, bigger, better, and more dangerous (to
their business models) than ever.
Eventually it has to break through. Eventually the old order has to
die. Eventually, in American history, usually means around a time of
crisis.
Eventually may mean now.
