For the last year or two, I have been writing periodic articles for Media Bullseye, an online (and print) magazine run by my friends at Custom Scoop. Lately, I have been writing a monthly column called “New Tools, Old Rules,” loosely based on the idea that while social media is changing the way we communicate, much of the basics remain unchanged.
My latest is on “The Responsibility of the Audience.” Rather than reprint the article here (you can read the original at Media Bullseye), I thought I would just summarize my idea here.
I have long been an advocate of the audience’s responsibility to be critical media consumers. My feelings on this date back to college media classes, and are not new to social media.
Bottom line? No media, news or otherwise, can be completely neutral. No truth is absolute. Audience must consider the writing and editing history of the media source, vary the sources consumed, and, with new media, participate in th public editorial process.
What is your take on the responsibility of the audience? I would appreciate your comments here or on the original article.