just minishorts.

I was at the launch of the Asia Media Monitors (AMM) company yesterday and the presentation made by the Prof Jim MacNamara (UTS, Australia) did touch on certain things close to my work (and heart).

While ultimately the professor was actually trying to promote the work that AMM did for profits, it was interesting to note that professional media analysts such as AMM were now also monitoring the online media (blogs, to be specific) as a source of information. Obviously in an age where we have more information than we can handle, it has become a daily challenge for people in the communications, media and public relations industry to manage daily knowledge to support our employers and stakeholders in making the best decisions for their organizations.

In a country such as ours where the online community is beginning to enjoy recognition its important that we realize the ingredients that continue to ensure the bloggers a valid selection of the media industry. This is where bloggers as a community need to be willing enough to accept that this new-found acknowledgement can only endure if we work hard enough to move beyond the philosophical arm chair conversations. While it's not at all comfortable to explore the past, most of us do recall how ministers used to paint sweeping descriptions of bloggers as liars, or how bloggers have 'nothing better to do'. It was easy, and even valid, and possibly all right for these people to paste labels on bloggers because to an extent, it was really hard to take bloggers seriously.

The majority of conversationalists in the online community, bloggers mainly, spoke on current issues and concerns of the people. Unfortunately, bloggers, according to the Media Monitoring guys, didn't really 'drive debates', rather, bloggers followed the topics. Very much in a tag-along way, what happened was someone else, whether a politician, or something had happened, and the conversations, albeit noisy, and rackety ones were churned around in the blogosphere. The discussions on the blogs and even in the forums usually focused on the problems. This meant that bloggers were never driving the debates. Is it therefore, unfair for the so-called experts, to accuse bloggers of being inconsequential when we didn't really provide or at least, suggest solutions?

So the issue is in order for bloggers to be truly taken seriously, rather than us to continue to bask in our very recent and possibly short-lived 'moment of glory' thanks to the 12th GE, its important that we as a community live up to the challenge, and mature as online citizens who are willing to persevere in making a difference to this world. Now this all sounds very mumbo jumbo, but its really rather simple. Rather than complain, let's look at solutions. Rather than nitpick on issues, let's suggest opportunities and options. It's really not about whether a suggestion solution can work or not - the problem is, if there is a solution, what's stopping you from presenting the possibilities? One won't quite know if something can work until we actually look at the possibilities and jalankan, cuba buat dulu.

The reality is, anyone, can spin a problem and turn it into an atomic challenge. You don't have to be a blogger to be that someone - and trust me, bloggers are awfully good at spinning wars out of mini mushrooms. But if bloggers are willing to stop toeing the line and begin to actually take action - (just suggest some actions, work on providing a solution), these are the ones who will be contributing towards establishing our permanent place in the media industry.

Its about time bloggers lead the debate, and take it up a notch.

OK Show you Astro pic of the day!

We make this a regular affair ok? One silly blogger's rant, and then one relaxing picture of the Astro bunny or the late Chewie bunny just to cheer ourselves up! Yippe!!