Niched Media

From Thomas Paine’s Common Sense to today’s Op-Ed pieces, citizen journalism has played an important role within the American media landscape. Just like any product however, information needs to be “good” in order to even hope to gain a subscription in the world’s most highly competitive market.

In trying to understand the dynamic that is the current state of media in the U.S. the main question seems to be: What is a good media product is supposed to be? Understand this question and we should be able to predict the industry’s direction and growth rate. The answer that is most apparent to me is: good information depends one thing: the specific needs of its audience. For some, a good product is relevant and timely information with an only academically existent or disclosed bias: the stated goal of corporate journalism. For others it’s Brittany Spears’ latest hair cut. Television sources of today seem to try to meet both of these demands. Anywhere I turn, there seems to be no escaping a constant sensationalism and spin.

The need for customized information is an opportunity for niche forms of media. My subscription to The Economist, brings me global weekly updates that are relevant and interesting. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal also provides more daily information. It is difficult to see any non-profit form try to replace this without any of the financial or intellectual resources.

One of the most interesting developments toward receiving niched information is of course – blogging. In Andrew Baoill’s article Weblogs and the Public Sphere, he compares blogging to the model given by Jürgen Habermas of the ideal of a public space. This space is characterized by inclusivity, rank and rational debate. While Baoill presents more arguments as to why blogging doesn’t go to meet these ideals, I wonder just how close we can get?

This ideal public space after all doesn’t have room for the guy with a sign singing off religious verbage in front of the ASU Memorial Union. Although he has a chance to voice his opinion, his niche is likely only a few people on the nation’s largest campus. Most ASU students simply walk past him or find a moment to be amused by his sensationalist speech. In an episode that I witnessesed that was much to the crowd’s delight and the man’s horror, two gay men stop in front of him for a quick make-out session.

To say that traditional forms of media are facing competition from participatory media does not seem relevant. Media outlets have evolved and offer the elements of commentary and easy access that blogging and other forms of internet media have promoted. Blogging does however provide a connection, it's an outlet for a community. More than ever, the opportunity is there for a good information product to be widely distributed.