Bob Garfield has a lengthy wrap-up of a lot of data points and draws the conclusion that the advertising industry is going to experience significant turmoil in the coming years. Read it here. #

We are not witnessing the beginning of the end of old media. We are witnessing the middle of the end of old media. Both print and broadcast — burdened with unwieldy, archaic and crushingly expensive means of distribution — are experiencing the disintegration of the audience critical mass they require to operate profitably. Moreover, they are losing that audience to the infinitely fragmented digital media, which have near-zero distribution costs and are overwhelmingly free to the user. #

Agree or disagree with Garfield’s premises (and I agree, for the most part), college media advisers and business types need to understand these undercurrents that are affecting the entire mediasphere. #

Everything I hear and read points to the fact that college media needs visionaries and innovators at the forefront today. We don’t have years to fiddle while the “professional” media world finds ways around our antiquated content delivery models (i.e., newspapers) to reach our audience (i.e., college students) cheaper and more effectively. Because they are going to route around us if we don’t watch out. #

AdAge link via TechMeme #

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