Keebler/Blog

So far, the mesh conference has been very much like you would expect. Social networks and the blogosphere are being toted as the answer to everything from news to media, but just like the greater web is struggling to figure out how to navigate the “noise” inherent to those mediums (i.e. trying to figure out who to trust in millions of people all talking about the same thing) and how to monetize them, so to are the speakers. On the whole, everyone seems to be in agreement that they are great, and that “old media” are dinosaurs (but we still need them around for “serious” journalism), but no one is taking a shot at trying to predict the media landscape in even 6 months from now.

After a day of liveblogging, here have been the main points of the day from the best speakers.

Michael Arrington (Techcrunch): In regards to comments, only traditional media (newspaper, TV) thinks you should be able to say what you want without feedback. He just starts the topic and gets the first word; after that, it’s up to the community. If you’re first, you don’t have to be the most insightful to get traction. “[Silicon] Valley needs a downtown” right now because all the money and PR peoeple are overshadowing the true entrepreneurs. Calls the PayPerPost-guy the “most evil person in this room”. Really care about what you’re writing about.

Austin Hill: “People want to start to reflect ‘this is the world we want’ [using social web technology]”. “Nothing is more empowering for childen then thinking ‘I can make a difference somehow.’”

Tom Williams: Web 3.0 will be about facilitating the conversation. Digg attracts flame wars, without meaningful discussion. “Little groups of interest bubble-up then disappear.” We turn bad news into good stories by creating “outcomes we can affect.” Referring to activism, we have to ask ourselves “Do I want to be part of the conversation or do I just want to promote my solution?”.

Paul Sullivan (Orato): There should be a “free market for [news] stories. Quality prevails.”

Steve Herrman (BBC): Speaking on behalf of traditional media, the BBC “open[s] the gates to bring in all the sources you have out there to help you tell the story when you need them.” “Tell us what you know then [we] reflect that out to a much larger audience.”