The past few times I have spoken as part of a panel or a program at a PR or media event a similar thing happens. Somebody speaking before me that represents what we can loosely term the 'old guard' complains about the current trends related to blogs, new media, citizen's journalism, etc.. The issues are (choose all that apply)

- The youth don't read/watch newspapers/traditional media
- Paid subscriptions are down
- Blog aren't credible
- There is no fact-checking
- We can't make money
- Only a few people read blogs
- (insert your own choice here)

Media worries about revenue, page views - PR worries that they can't just deal with the same contacts/journos they've always dealt with, plus how do they bill for this stuff?

What is my response to the 'old guard'? Depending on the audience I am speaking to it's either: a) Deal with it or b) Like it or not they're not going away. Of course that's not all I say. What I begin with is something like this:

As we've just heard from X, these are the major issues that face your industry. But guess what, these problems, (problem, being your word, not mine) are not going away. You need to learn to work in this new reality. I understand that identifying the problem and acknowledging it is the first step, but consistent complaining about how things are changing (for the worse in your minds) isn't solving anything. Let's start by learning about this new world and how you can live in it.

People fear what they do not understand and many don't understand blogs. But far worse than the unknown, is the known that conflicts with an established business model. That's what corporate media fears.

Will corporate media be able to adapt? Should they? When talking to groups here is an anecdote I always use:

In the early 1900's I used to make a ton of money delivering ice to homes in the city. People needed it for their ice boxes. Then one day some jerk invented the refrigerator and I'm out of business. What do I do?

Let me think. I have all these trucks driving all around the city. Maybe there is something else I can deliver? Like refrigerators!

It's something I just made up, but it's probably based upon some fact. The important thing is that it illustrates to many that these changes have always occurred. Just ask the passenger rail system about that. Hmm, let me think, I have all these right of ways across the US but no trains to run on them? What if I buried fiber optic cables along those right of ways?