Delivering Content In 2033
December 3, 2008 Before the Internet, the way we shared information hadn’t changed too much over the last 100 years. Though the technologies and mediums have evolved, the media operated in a one-to-many model – I’m one person talking to many of you. The Internet has changed all that.
A Glimpse Into The Future
As I write this, my husband is at a software developers conference. Thousands of computer geeks are there, attending several sessions over five days, and milling around a pretty good-sized trade show.
There’s really little need for traditional magazine coverage of the show to get the gist of what happened, though. Why? Because of Twitter – the microblogging site used by people all over the world to make their voices heard. Attendees themselves are reporting from cell phones and laptops. Hundreds of posts per minute, on everything that’s going on. And I mean everything – whether the speakers are interesting or not, opinions on software demos they’re seeing, where to get food at the show and who’s giving away the best T-shirts. I’ve heard more about what’s happening at the show than my husband has, because I’ve read about it from the perspective of at least 100 attendees.
These guys are the early adopters, giving us a glimpse into the future of information sharing. In the future, everyone will use tools like Twitter.
This is all part of you as readers changing the flow of information for the media from a one-to-many model (one editor communicating to all of our readers) to a many-to-many model (readers talking to readers). Mainstream media outlets like CNN and FoxNews have adapted their news flow to incorporate more news as their readers see it. CNN’s iReport and Fox’s U Report turn readers into reporters. While it’s a bit of a scary new frontier as a journalist, it’s very exciting. It’s a way to report from every angle. It’s reporting in a way that we’ve never been able to accomplish before, because there are no limits.
In 25 years, the lucky ones among us will be retired, the babies being born today will be new to the working world and today’s kids, the 20-year-olds, will be running your businesses. Businesses everywhere. The way they communicate won’t change just because they’re in the corner office. To the contrary – the way they gather information will be what keeps them there.
Not Starting From Scratch
The good news is you can start getting ahead of the digital curve now. Here’s what we offer at GreenhouseGrower.com that will help you connect with other growers.
• Fresh Air Forum: The place for growers, retailers and landscapers to get together on the Web. Go to www.freshairforum.com to chat with other growers on the issues that are important to you and look for solutions.
• GGTV: You’ll soon be able to see all our videos in one place on our website. GGTV will feature videos from suppliers, growers and even Greenhouse Grower editors.
• Twitter: Follow our Twitter microblog feeds. Go to www.twitter.com/stambascio or www.twitter.com/richardljones to follow what’s important to us. You can even have messages sent to your mobile device.
Hunters And Gatherers No More
As an information gatherer, online search is a blessing, but technologies that deliver information to me, like RSS and Google Alerts, are saviors. The Internet is so vast and there is so much content out there, it’s easy to fall behind the absolute latest information, especially if I have to remember to go looking for it. When information is delivered to me, I’m guaranteed not to miss anything. As long as I don’t let my inbox get out of control.
Maybe it’s not such a stretch to say that print will no longer be the main way information is delivered in 2033, but that doesn’t mean Greenhouse Grower won’t be around. I imagine you’ll be reading Greenhouse Grower online, probably on portable devices like cell phones. Until then, or if you already are doing business through iPhones and handhelds, stay tuned to GreenhouseGrower.com. We consider it a big part of the next 25 years for Greenhouse Grower and we think 25 years from now, the owners of your businesses will too.
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