Thomas Tales

The fact that services like twitter and mento haven't been hijacked by the pornography market probably explains why they're still a niche on the net. After all, in the battle for high-def DVD, Blue Ray won out because it was backed by every respectable smut-house in the San Fernando Valley.
Yet the ease with which twitter can be integrated into existing news operations means headlines, developing stories and alternative angles can be delivered quickly to a wide audience, without forking out on a big PR push.

The blunt truth remains that only those organisations who embrace developing technology can survive in a news environment driven by user choice and audience interaction. Some are already taking this on board - in commercial radio, for example, the need to send listeners to their websites has actively encouraged editors and management to develop websites that engage with listeners (and target advertising accordingly).

The GCap (now Global) radio group have invested heavily in their online news operation over the last two years, syndicating ITN national and world news in text and video format, and complementing it with locally produced news stories and features. In Wales, compare and contrast Red Dragon in Cardiff with Swansea Bay Radio, and you'll soon spot the online difference.

It's embrace and survive, or reject and be damned. Audiences will choose with their feet, and when viewers and listeners start turning to the web for news, broadcasters have to make sure they're already there.

Image courtesy ComicBase @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/comicbase/2531094926/