User-Generated Content: We Are All

¶ … User-generated content: we are all fans now." The article notes that the growth of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has led to an unprecedented leap in user-generated content, and that is testing traditional media channels.

One of the author's key claims is that these social media sites are changing the way people think about media. The author writes, "The growth of the blogosphere, the impact of peer-to-peer music distribution and the explosion of YouTube in 2006 have all challenged the foundations of mass media industries" (Author, date, 221). They cite numerous studies and examples of media leaders changing their content to be more user friendly and to appeal to a wider audience because of this worldwide shift in society. They believe that everyone that uses the Internet now not only has the chance to interact with millions of others on a daily basis, they all have the ability to become "producers" and create their own content on the Web, both professionally and personally.

The author notes that much of the interaction online is devoted to "fan sites," that cater to the fan mentality of many users, and that Web sites are catering to these fans with more ways for them to interact with each other. They cite the example of a reality show where so many fans deluged the Web site after each show, that computer servers were unable to keep up with the demand. The author notes, "The desire to 'be part of it,' to continue the moment of the text through its constant reiteration and circulation has a great deal in common with a tradition of work in media and cultural studies around fan cultures" (Author, date, 222). The author feels that new media is breaking down barriers to media content and control, it will change the face of media, and in fact, they have already changed the way we view traditional media, especially television.

Another important point is that these user-generated sites have put power in the hands of the people to create their own news and information available from the media. Traditionally, media users were at the mercy of the editors, reporters, and writers who presented the media to them. Now, they can generate their own, and that is a huge change in the role of traditional media outlets. They have to tailor their news to a different audience, and this audience can leave their outlets at a moment's notice. This changes the way traditional media outlets have to think about their users, along with the information they offer.

The author's claims are entirely credible, and they have been proven with what's happening on the Internet today. The hottest sites are places where millions of people join to talk about their day (like Twitter and Facebook), or to post their own music and/or videos, like MySpace, so media roles are already drastically different than they were even five years ago. The author cites the incredible rise of YouTube in just a few years, and that shows how willing people are to share their information online.