Politicians and businesses are using social media to talk directly with citizens/consumers, bypassing traditional (and even not-so-traditional) media.
There’s Donald Trump on Twitter; Glenn Jacobs with a Friday Facebook broadcast; Tim Burchett posting Instagram selfies. Children’s Hospital on Tuesday announced a new facility coming to Emory Road near I-75 someplace. The announcement was on Facebook; I’ve not seen a press release nor a story anyplace else.
Why bother with pesky reporters when you can tell your story straight? Cut out the middle person, the filter if you will, and talk straight to your target audience.
Knoxville has more people in public relations than in media. Perhaps they are advising clients to bypass newspapers, television, radio and independent websites, such as KnoxTNToday.com.
Is this trend good, bad or neutral for those affected by the news?
It’s good in the way of the mountain Baptists. Talk straight with God, bypassing the priests and dogma. Sort it out for yourself. Like one person said in reaction to the Revised Standard Version of the Bible: “If the King James Version was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.”
It’s bad if the person talking chooses to slant, distort, omit crucial information or just flat-out lie. That happens. Of course, a reporter/columnist can do those things as well. It’s just that there’s less incentive.
Here’s our county mayor reporting to the people. It’s worth a listen … maybe.
But if you don’t like that one, I guarantee you’ll flip for this one. Big Glenn aka Kane aka The Cat in the Hat. Wow! I’m speechless. See you next week.