Comments on: The real-time media distortion effect – Swine flu pandemic http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/ Nic Brisbourne's view from London on venture capital and exploiting change in technology and media Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nicholas Lovell http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-6443 Nicholas Lovell Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:59:13 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-6443 Charlie Brooker of Newswipe fame hit the nail on the head with a piece showing that the hype and nature of news reporting increases the likelihood of events such as the mass shootings in the German school in Winnenden.<br><br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y</a> Charlie Brooker of Newswipe fame hit the nail on the head with a piece showing that the hype and nature of news reporting increases the likelihood of events such as the mass shootings in the German school in Winnenden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y

]]> By: Nicholas Lovell http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5151 Nicholas Lovell Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:59:13 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5151 Charlie Brooker of Newswipe fame hit the nail on the head with a piece showing that the hype and nature of news reporting increases the likelihood of events such as the mass shootings in the German school in Winnenden.<br><br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y</a> Charlie Brooker of Newswipe fame hit the nail on the head with a piece showing that the hype and nature of news reporting increases the likelihood of events such as the mass shootings in the German school in Winnenden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8rMYyegT5Y

]]> By: Max Bleyleben http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5147 Max Bleyleben Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:01:01 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5147 That's a good observation about social media. If you think about it, it does not just apply to the interactive media. The real-time pressures of the 24-hour television news cycle has been causing the same issue for a number of years. In that context, it's the newscasters at Fox, CNN, MSNBC et al that are trying to outdo each other with hype, leading to increasingly gross distortions of the truth. They're doing it now with swine flu, they did it 10 days ago with absurdly breathless coverage of how dangerous a place Mexico City is and whether 'Obama would be safe' going there (I kid you not!). The underlying problem is the urge to pass on news in real-time, without verification or analysis. Social media throws more fuel on that fire, and makes it spread virally. That's a good observation about social media. If you think about it, it does not just apply to the interactive media. The real-time pressures of the 24-hour television news cycle has been causing the same issue for a number of years. In that context, it's the newscasters at Fox, CNN, MSNBC et al that are trying to outdo each other with hype, leading to increasingly gross distortions of the truth. They're doing it now with swine flu, they did it 10 days ago with absurdly breathless coverage of how dangerous a place Mexico City is and whether 'Obama would be safe' going there (I kid you not!). The underlying problem is the urge to pass on news in real-time, without verification or analysis. Social media throws more fuel on that fire, and makes it spread virally.

]]> By: brisbourne http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5145 brisbourne Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:34:43 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5145 :) :)

]]> By: Nicholas Lovell http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5144 Nicholas Lovell Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:25:02 +0000 http://www.theequitykicker.com/2009/04/27/the-real-time-media-distortion-effect-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-5144 I agree, Nic. And I'm finding Twitter's search harder to use to find out what is going on as it becomes more popular.<br><br>For example, I'm trying to find out if people are talking about the layoffs at Empire Interactive today, and it just happens that Aussie band Empire of the Sun has launched an interactive music video on the same day.<br><br>And most of the tweets on either topic are simply either retweets or media outlets saying "empire interactive has gone bust" with a tinyurl.<br><br>On Google, I could make my search more specific, but with only 140 characters to play with, Twitter isn't so good for that.<br><br>So Twitter is tough to search, and as your post says, even if you do find stuff, it may be creating the story, rather than reporting on it.<br><br>Maybe we'll reach the stage where it is illegal to shout "swine flu" on Twitter, in the same way it is illegal to shout "Fire" in a crowded theatre. I agree, Nic. And I'm finding Twitter's search harder to use to find out what is going on as it becomes more popular.

For example, I'm trying to find out if people are talking about the layoffs at Empire Interactive today, and it just happens that Aussie band Empire of the Sun has launched an interactive music video on the same day.

And most of the tweets on either topic are simply either retweets or media outlets saying “empire interactive has gone bust” with a tinyurl.

On Google, I could make my search more specific, but with only 140 characters to play with, Twitter isn't so good for that.

So Twitter is tough to search, and as your post says, even if you do find stuff, it may be creating the story, rather than reporting on it.

Maybe we'll reach the stage where it is illegal to shout “swine flu” on Twitter, in the same way it is illegal to shout “Fire” in a crowded theatre.

]]>