WAN 2008: The Future belongs to the geeks
June 05, 2008
After having recently returned from covering The World Association of Newpapers' (WAN) Congress and World Editors Forum (WEF) for Journalisten.no - where we were presented with a mix of interesting, insightful and utterly benighted views on the media future - I must admit this cartoon by Hugh MacLeod (via Jackie Danicki) struck a chord with me:
John Thompson has a delightful perspective on certain aspects of the conference here: "A mystery blogger enjoys the comforts of the press facilities at the World Editors Forum in Gothenburg, Sweden, where there was much discussion and dismissiveness about that fly-by-night phenomenon known as the internet" (click through to see the video). Not sure my employer is going to be all that delighted when I present my mobile broadband bill...
The cartoon certainly made me chuckle.
It used to be that the past belonged to the Greeks and some definitely wanted it.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | June 05, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Isn't the mystery blogger, Roy Greenslade himself? :)
Posted by: Marek Miller | June 06, 2008 at 12:34 AM
Is it? Last time I ran into Greenslade was seminar in 2003, so not sure. Too bad we didn't manage to have a chat during the WAN/WEF conference, had to prioritise my deadlines - which, with the often bad internet connection and few and far btw powerpoints at WAN/WEF - meant speeding btwn conference hall and hotel room:-(
Posted by: Kristine | June 08, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Candadai: well, history has a way of repeating itself. Perhaps we are racing headlong towards the past. Racing towards a more representative democracy now that everyone has a voice, can be a publisher/ part of the media, heading towards a more oral culture albeit in cyberspace? Of course, democracy was far from perfect even in old Greece, there where those with no voice, such as women and slaves, just as there are those with no voice today due to the technology divide and other divides. But still, is the technology evolution not creating a more democratic society, making power/competition more asymmetrical?
Posted by: Kristine | June 08, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Kristine, I hope we'll have a chance to meet soon, during some other event. I was pretty busy writing in Sweden as well :)
Posted by: Marek Miller | June 09, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Kristine: Your response is interestingly phrased.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | June 09, 2008 at 05:10 PM