Hi Amy, I can certainly second that. I tried to lead my magazine
publishing house into the digital age back in 1995 and couldn't believe
how little interest there was in interacting with readers. I then wrote
a PhD around the (often limited) attempts that media companies were
beginning to make to exploit the potential of networked communication
and the lack of vision that put many publishers several years' behind
other website providers in terms of 'experience design'. There were the
zealots (and I guess I was one) who left to go somewhere where it was
actually happening, and then there was everyone else in the company,
clinging to the old ways.

Now, I see media workers behaving like cultural tourists in 'social
software' land instead of getting on with using the new tools. They know
there is something going on, but they are damned if they are engaging
with it for longer than it takes to be able to mention the right terms
at dinner parties... Which is why there is so much poor journalism
written about blogging, etc; so much inappropriate appropriation of
media forms without a regard for context; and so little understanding of
the changes that are happening to 'readerships' and 'audiences' and just
how these might be harnessed to create meaningful media of the future.

In fact, some of the most obtuse conversations I've had about the
potential of networks have been with friends who are journalists.

Strange behaviour, as you say, for people whose livelihoods depend on
it. Why?

Ann

-----Original Message-----

I never cease to be amazed at how technophobic most journalists are --
especially when it comes to new and better ways to communicate,
research, and collaborate online. This baffles me. These are people who
have perhaps the strongest reason (story deadlines) to learn to use the
net effectively and efficiently. Also, they are PAID to be curious!
However, every time I try to explain topics like feeds, wikis,
Technorati, etc. to journalists, it's like banging my head against the
wall. They totally resist having to learn anything new related to
technology. Drives me batty.

- Amy Gahran