Words words everywhere and no time to think
Consumer generated media is the latest buzz phrase and it's pretty self-explanatory.
In a nutshell we are entertaining each other by generating huge amounts of information in the form of blogs, podcasts, email, Internet messageboards, videos and so on and so on.
However, mainstream media is fighting to survive, and while fewer people are watching television, listening to the radio or reading newspapers and magazines, these mediums still exists. The net effect being that there has never been more to read, more to listen to or more to watch.
And as someone who battles even to find the time to read the Sunday Times, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of media noise. There simply isn't enough time to consume all the entertainment determinedly heading my way.
My favourite television programmes are clogging up my Sky+ hard drive, my newsreader software is bogged down in blog posts and I'm surounded in acres of newsprint.
It has become impossible to select or even find the information we are really interested in and even harder to dedicate the time to consume it.
Take podcasts. I'm a real fan of Radio 5 Live but I have yet to listen to one of their podcasts. If I didn't listen to the programme in the first place it was because I had more pressing demands on my time, at the time so to speak. If I listen to a 30 minute podcast I not only miss what is now being broadcast, but I still have blogs to read, blogs to write etc etc.
The other day I caught myself reading the newspaper, listening to a podcast, and watching sport on the TV, all at the same time. The world really has become a very noisy place, and I can't see it getting any quieter.
