Hot off the presses comes this timely insight: STEVE JOBS, the Apple CEO, may have ulterior motives. It’s from a Boston Globe editorial, which also tells us that “the music giants are slow to change.”
I made similar points in this very blog a week and a half ago, and, as blogging goes, mine was a late reaction to Jobs’ Thoughts on Music. One of the points of the current post is that mainstream media (MSM) sometimes seems like a late echo of the blogosphere; but that itself is an ancient charge.
In fact the above-quoted editorial illustrates several positive aspects of the MSM.
- It can, at least in editorials, take time to think before rushing into print and/or pixels.
- It can wait for reaction to the key events, such as the dismissal of Jobs’ thoughts by Edgar Bronfman, CEO of Warner Music.
- Not everyone reads blogs.
- The views of the Globe carry more weight with many people than the views of bloggers such as, say, me.
- It helps that the good and obvious points arising from the thoughts of Chairman Steve are made now, as well as at the time of his sharing those thoughts.
In sum, the MSM’s apparent tardiness may actually be a pause for thought that keeps up the coverage on an issue. When the MSM’s points are familiar and obvious, that’s better than bizarre and wrong.
Of course, the MSM isn’t the monolith that the above might make it sound. In particular, both the Boston Globe and Warner Music are part of the MSM. I wish a happy year of the pig to the Globe.