The Unmaking of the Media

In yet another typical American case, newspaper publisher McClatchy Co. has announced its decision to sell its largest newspaper the ‘Star Tribune’ of Minnesota, to private equity firm Avista Capital Partners for $ 530 million. Justifying the decision, McClatchy’s Chief Executive Gary Pruitt has said that “‘I’m sure it will be surprising to many people, but we regard it as consistent with our disciplined, clear-eyed and strategic decision-making that we’ve applied always.” The company has said that the sale will allow it to explore other ‘new opportunities in the newspaper industry’. What these opportunities could be form the subject matter of an elaborate business model analysis. But, Pruitt is not wrong when he says that the decision is clear-eyed and strategic. In other words, it is just another clear – eyed strategy in the process of the unmaking of the media, not just in America but across the world.

This process of unmaking can be given a fitting title, like the many ‘isms’ and neologies analysts are so fond of using. This is the ‘Murdochisation’ of the media (no prizes for guessing the inspiration behind the term). Mr. Murdoch said once “"Can we change the world? No, but hell, we can all try.” Yes, sure we can, Mr. Murdoch. And, we sure will. When New York Times and the International Herald Tribune face tougher times, we sure will. There isn’t much more to write about it – its an unmaking after all. And, its going to make all of us, including Mr. Murdoch, a little bit wise.

Knock Knock, Is It You?

The other day, I caught up with some old friends at the place where I spent three wonderful years of my life to become a Bachelor of Arts. We were discussing about this and that – old relationships, nutty professors and so on. In the midst of it all, a friend of mine broke the news that our class topper had broken up with his girlfriend. It was shocking news indeed, considering the fact that the boy and the girl constituted one of the earliest relationships that had sprouted in the class and, quite obviously, were very deeply attached to each other. But, what was more shocking (and pardon me for saying so) or rather more surprising was the fact that my friend had learnt about it not from any other friend but on a social networking site!! (the name is too obvious to be revealed)

This, in other words, sums up the revolution which has been spurred not by any war cries or slogans but a few clicks of the mouse. And at the centre of it is You - or Me (everybody for that matter) – Time magazine says through the reflective Mylar sheet on the cover of the latest issue. Be it a shocking breakup or that all-too important project report – its all happening on the Web now – Web 2.0 to be more specific. And its all about You – the real people and not the inhabitants of Bel Air or Bandra Reclamation. It is because You no longer care about some crackpot exploding any nuclear bombs but your dog getting a new hairdo. It is because You want your iPods and your Handycams to work exactly as you want them to – to express what you want to. It is because, very simply, You want things your way. This is not too say that the issue of the larger collective can go to hell. It is only to become conscientious of the fact that You are the one who makes up the collective and thus You can decide what is right and what is wrong for you.

I will not blame my friend for checking out a social networking site to find about others’ breakups. Because that is the way we are integrating ourselves with technology, to the extent of two people sitting next to each other in a computer lab chatting with each other on Google Talk ! (not to suggest that this exaggeration should be the yardstick for social conduct). There is much more serious business happening out there of which you and I are an integral part. This is what has driven Wikipedia to share its space with community websites and Microsoft to encourage individual programmers to tweak with the Xbox, legally. Again, it could not be more ironic when the power of You was reinforced by Google’s decision to acquire YouTube. This undersores the fact that your own rendition of Smoke on the Water is not being taken too lightly. Then, You have your own virtual world out there in the form of Second Life avatars. The only difference is you can decide when to walk in and out of such a world. But, it is not too far off the mark to say that you can do it in your life as well, because You are multidimensional and multifaceted, and the world is yet to see the whole of that. When that happens, You and I shall be, a little bit wise.

AND SO ON......

So long.....so much,
You have - been my sunshine,
My elixir, my rejuvenation,
You have - given me so much,
And what have I given you?
Too little, or maybe nothing at all,
Even though you have never asked for much,
Even though you deserved it,
And, you never got it,
But, what can I give you?
What do I have?
Maybe little, maybe nothing at all,
But, there is one thing - I have always tried,
Always desired - to give you,
My love - wholehearted and undiluted,
That is the thing - I have - and all for you,
For you are the one - who has made my life,
My existence, my soul - a little bit wise,if not anything else....