In FDIHs network group that works around “media and content” we had a very good (not to say excellent) discussion around Chris Anderson’s “free” concept and why it emplies to the media companies in particular. The discussion was facilitated by Mads Kristensen of Vadnu.com.

Anyway I got out of the group meeting with one thing completely clear to me. The media needs to change and journalists need to change ( nothing new in that) - but my take on how they should change is to become aggregator instead of a content creator themselves. as Clay Shirky also points out in his book “here comes everybody” - it’s not really about content anymore. It’s about putting up filters that delivers the right content to the right person.

I can give you some examples from my everyday life at good “filters” for my cravings and likings.

for inspiration I have my art bloglines folder that I look through several times a day (crafting, vintage, clothes - you name it)
for my shoe addiction I have shoewawa.com
for cooking I have several blogs -but I love thepioneerwoman and chocolate and zucchini.

I have clearly defined and categorized my own filters in my RSS reader.

Could this be the take that the media companies should have in the future ? - filters ? giving us very niche targeted content after which subject we are interested in right now ?

I am a bit in doubt how you would make such a setup - but I think it’s the closest that I can gather my thoughts on media for the time being

Update: after further reading i am sure that what the media companies need to keep in mind is:

1. in the media “hooray days” there was only one or two places where you could go if you wanted to be outside of the mainstream ( and not be generalised as a part of the public) - the bookstore or the library where you could choose yourself what you wanted to be seeing/reading - you where only in complete control at the bookstores/movie rentals and the library. (Chris Anderson writes a bit about this in the long tail)

2. Today you can go everywhere to be outside of the mainstream - in fact I think I that could even argue that web killed the mainstream… =)

please do keep that in mind when you make your survival strategies.