Dan Morelle

Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds.
Albert Einstein

At five to nine Monday on BBC Radio 4 a full frontal assault on user-generated content was made by the new self-styled (user-generated?) ‘anti-christ of silicon valley’.

Andrew Keen has written a book entitled ‘Cult of the Amateur‘, he discussed his belief that “the Internet is killing our culture and assaulting our economy”.
Maybe he is right, are either of his conclusions a bad thing?

Andrew said that the traditional editor is being undermined (read: not paid). Music business is in free fall by corrupt user generated content. What? The music industry in free fall? Oh dear. People losing jobs? I’m so sad. No really, I am. But (and yes, I can start a sentence with ‘but’ if I want – the only editor here is me) isn’t it about time for the music industry to tear itself up and start again. Even Alan McGee thinks pimping artists copyright is disingenuous in a digital age.

User generated content is not in a ‘novelty phase’ as Appleyard, the other interviewee describes it, its in an emergent phase. Its going to get bigger. If businesses can’t figure out ways to make money from it then they don’t deserve to be in business. Some kids will soon come along and make billions from their ideas because music industry 1.0 is too busy wondering what the hell is going on. iTunes is for selling iPods not music.

Content is more accessible and its swelling. This is the most creatively inspired and revolutionary periods in history. Mankind is becoming more interconnected than ever. Everything is in flux. The people that figure out how the future will look will make a lot of money but in the future I don’t think money will be so important, I think it will be more about what you create and contribute. I haven’t seen any hard facts that user-generated content is damaging the economy but perhaps its just redistributing it more evenly? New big business will be small.

Keen describes this period in time as ‘a pretty stupid – temporary phase.’ He finds user generated content an ‘enormous threat – especially bloggery’, which is ‘potentially its destroying all forms of authority’. He also argues that we are creating a media illiterate culture. He goes on to say that ‘giving laptops to kids is stupid’. Finally, calling blogs an ‘absurd kind of media’. Controversial statements like these are great for drawing attention to yourself. Polarizing opinion is a great marketing tool, especially for selling books.

Instead of complaining that there aren’t ways for journalists to make money (except for bitching in provocative books like this). They should join the revolution and start looking for and inventing ways. If they create relevant and compelling content the audience will find them and if its what your after: the money will follow.

You can read more about Keen and his ideas, ironically, on his blog, or can listen to the programme here.