News influences in a Social age

Ever since joining the facebook/twitter bandwagon I've been fascinated by the colored commentary on the 'news'.

10 years ago, I would have never imagined I'd be getting a lot of my news updates the way I am today. Not just the fact that it is coming from the 'internet' (which I actually did anticipate 10 years ago), but that the news is originating from sources that are within my 'social circle' that are delivered to me nearly instantaneously.

Not to mention the fact that 'Social Circle' actually needs a broader definition now. People I know in 'Real Life', people I played WoW with once, family members who I see a few times a year (or less), people I haven't seen since I was 5, or random c-list celebrities I follow on twitter because I find their updates funny. All of these people are broadly defined as 'friends' on social media outlets.

Bizzaro.

As an example of this Social media 'news coverage', I found out about Michael Jackson's death via an IM from a co-worker, which was confirmed in the next 30 seconds by a twitter update from a cable-TV 'minor' celebrity that I happen to follow. Following the news, I heard color commentary from a lot of the people I follow on Twitter, which were mixed with tributes, jokes, and rants about how much media coverage it was getting.

I then went to cnn.com and caught up with the 'official' story, where they were reporting that an ambulance had made it to the Jackson residence and that he had been taken to a hospital. About 30 minutes later they finally confirmed it...MJ was worm food.

Throughout the next week, more commentary followed including news on the memorial service, rants about the cost of funeral arrangements, a few tributes, and more than a few sarcastic jokes (this is the internet after all).

Of course, I also heard about Jeff Goldblum's death on twitter (and later the argument that in fact, he was not dead), so I'm not going out on a limb as to the 'accuracy' of the reports heard through this virtual 'grave-vine' of up-to-date information, but accuracy aside, it is still an interesting phenomena.

The company I work for just published a report about how to market via social networking sites, arguing that brand definition is, in many ways, out of the hands of "Corporate America" and their top-down marketing strategies and into the hands of commenters on these social networking sites.

It is an interesting proposition, and probably very true. After all, a product recommendation, restaurant review, or thoughts on the level of service received from a septic pumping establishment from a friend on Facebook is definitely worth more to me than a commercial I saw on Television or any radio or print ad in the world.

Interestingly, I think the same applies to news coverage. All journalism, be it from CNN, Fox News, ABC, or your local sports anchor all comes with a certain bias. No one network or individual is completely impartial. Not that it is a bad thing. Racism for example, is painted as evil by almost all media in the US. I certainly do not consider that a BAD thing, even though it is technically not 'impartial' to paint it that way.

That being said, the people I follow online all have biased opinions about the news, which they are more than happy to share (or less likely to hide...depending on how you look at it), and I take those opinions pretty seriously. In effect, it is much the same way I take a brand endorsement. I may not always agree with the opinion, but if the people I'm following are putting it out there, I'm going to read it.

I wonder how this 'social' news coverage will start to cloud my opinions on issues. My views on many issues tend to swing liberal for the most part. Generally during a presidential election, I watch the debates, and decide who to vote for based on the issues at hand. More often than not, that swings to a more liberal standing, but I have been known to go the other way on some issues as well.

To be honest though, I'm not really seeking out much in the way of political commentary. It tends to get boring (to me). The Rush Limbaugh's, Al Franken's, and Bill O'Reilly's of the world just aren't going to be something I'm ever in to.

But...a lot of my family and friends are fairly conservative, and will be posting, tweeting, and updating with the news seen from their perspective. Will that cloud my view to the point where in a couple years I'm marching in a 2nd amendment gun rights parade and supporting the rights of Americans to a home-based nuclear arsenal? (For sport-nuking purposes only of course)

Somehow I doubt it, but it is the thought that hit me today. I can't think of any issue thus far where my opinion has been swayed due to opinions read in social media, but I have really only participated for a few months in the trend, so it is still early.