There are those who say that all traditional forms of media will be extinct and journalism like that of Twitter and WikiLeaks is the future. While most editors dismiss this as hogwash and alarmist, there are some signs that it is happening already.

A look at some stories where traditional media picked up from such sites…

The Austerity Drive: A simple Shashi Tharoor “cattle class” Tweet almost brought the Indian Parliament down.
(You can deny what you say, but not what you Tweet.)

The IPL Megascam: The IPL was set up in 2008. For about two years the entire Indian media went gaga over Modi and it was a Lalit in Wonderland show 24/7. Then a Tharoor-Modi Tweetspat led to the entire house tumbling down like a pack of cards.
(Sawdhan: Ek Twitter message insaan ke career ko hijra bana sakta hai.)

The Zulqarnain Shocker: While the whole world was wondering about the disappearance of Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, his Facebook status message threw light on his mental anguish.
(Keep your friend close, your status messages closer.)

The Radia Tapes: Just because two high-profile editors were involved, most of the media kept mum on the Radia tapes. But immense pressure from cyberspace led to a whole slew of stories and debates.
(One sole journalist cannot take on a million citizen journalists).

US Intelligence leaks: While the US high-handedness and backroom talks could be guessed by most, the precise details in the form of WikiLeaks came as a shocker to the whole world.
(Getting hold of a hard copy of a secret document is tough. Getting hold of a few million in cyberspace is a piece of cake.)

Twitter also has become the sole voice of the masses like in Iran in recent times and celebrity Twitter messages are filling stories and sound bytes in traditional media.

Just one point: While most people say that this new form of journalism is not reliable or in-depth or not taken seriously, I just have one point to make. For most of cyberspace, the first source of news is Twitter and Facebook. That is, you get your news from them and then move on to traditional media.

If a newspaper or magazine broke the news and it unleashed a storm on Twitter or Facebook, I can understand. But so many lead stories are being broken or created in this new medium and newspapers and TV channels are doing the following.

The only reason why the entire world doesn’t get its news this way is due to low Internet penetration. Most of the world still relies on a newspaper or TV channel. But for how long?

The day is not far when everyone will have access to the Internet either on the computer, mobile or other handheld device and then traditional media will find itself suddenly redundant.

Day Before Yesterday: Media = Newspapers + Magazines

Yesterday: New Media = Online + TV. Old Media = Newspapers + Magazines

Today: New Media = Twitter & Co. Old Media = Newspapers + Magazines + TV

Tomorrow: Facebook+ Twitter & Co. embedded with blogs, video, audio clips = Only Media.

The Day After Tomorrow: Everything else will come under “Extinct Media”.

New Media Motto: Apna haath Jagannath!

(Don’t rely on anyone else’s hand to write a story. Rely on your own!)

© Sunil Rajguru

(Social Networking remix…)

If you’re happy and you know it, change your status.
If you’re happy and you know it, change your status.
If you’re happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, change your status!

This Version By Sunil Rajguru

How requirements differ in the real world and the virtual…

Offline Friends Required: One good one will do.
Online Friends Required: At least 1000 please!

Offline Mails: So nice to get a nice letter once in a while!
Online Mails: You’re a total non-entity if you don’t get at least 50 emails a day.

Offline Likes: Some appreciation once in a while will be appreciated.
Online Likes: What? I got 10 Facebook likes? I wanted 20!

Offline Followers: Hahaha, do you think you can get even one???
Online Followers: Ha! 1000 people follow me on Twitter!

Offline requirements for communication: Just the five simple senses will do.
Online requirements for communication: Desktop, laptop, mobile, any other gadget welcome and all require a great broadband connection and all are upgradeable frequently.

© Sunil Rajguru

If you have a few words to say… use Twitter.

If you have a few sentences to say… use the Facebook status message.

If you have a few paras to say… blog.

If you have much more to say than that… Shut up. Attention spans are very short in cyberspace…

© Sunil Rajguru

Mere paas gadi hai, bangla hai, bank balance hai… tumhare paas kya hai?
Mere paas Facebook account hai.

Followed by…

Bhai tum login karoge ya nahi?
Haan, main login karoonga, lekin main akela login nahi karoonga… main sabse pehle login nahi karoonga…. jao pehle us aadmi se login karao, jisne mere baap ko Facebook addict banaya tha; pehle us aadmi se login karao jisne meri maa ko Orkut par anshan comments likhe the aur har ek social networking site se nikal diya tha; pehle us aadmi ka login karao jisne mere haath pe ye ye (“Mera baap Facebook addict hai”) likh diya tha. Uske baad… uske baad, mere bhai, tu jitne baar Facebook pe login karne ko bolega, main karunga…

(This Version: Sunil Rajguru)

(Please sing to the tune of Pyaasa’s Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye, made immortal by the sublime Johnny Walker)

Sar jo tera chakraye,
Ya dil dooba jaaye,
Aaja pyaare paas hamare,
Kaahe ghabraye,
Kaahe ghabraye.

Site mera hai masti,
Duniya ka No. 3 basti,
Jis ke dil main jadu phira doon,
Hardam timewaste ho uski.

Lakh comments ka ek tareeka hai,
Kyu na aazmaye, kaahe ghabraye.

This Spoof By Sunil Rajguru

(Original Song: Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye
Film: Pyaasa
Year: 1957)

Why don’t you add XYZ…

XYZ is a person you may know…

You and XYZ have 35 mutual friends, you’ve got to add…

People You May Know –> Add XYZ as a friend

People You May Know –> Add XYZ as a friend

People You May Know –> Add XYZ as a friend

…

OK, you finally succumb to the temptation.

Result…

Do You really want to add XYZ as a friend?

(After all the soliciting, the doubt?)

XYZ will have to confirm that you are friends.

(Yes I know you Facebook application blockhead, just send the request)

Please enter the two barely legible words in the box, you may be a bloody spammer for all I know.

(Sigh is it worth adding friends anymore?)

Sorry, the person has too many users.

(Arrggghhh!!! Thanks for the suggestion anyway, I think)

Logout. Login again, to be greeted by the very same message:

Why don’t you add XYZ…

XYZ is a person you……

Deja Vu anyone?

© Sunil Rajguru