Survey of New Media @ The Economist

上周(四月二十二日)的出版的新一期《經濟學人》(左圖為封面),發表了有關新媒體的研究報告,題為 “Among the audience: A survey of new media” ,原文長達十六頁,觸及的範圍包括網誌、播客(Podcast)、維基百科、以至這些新媒體對傳媒的衝擊、新聞行業的挑戰及未來傳統傳媒大機構應向哪個方向方展等議題。網上版提供了兩篇文章免費供網民閱讀,其中一篇是講述網誌的,不過要閱讀整份研究報告,就必須買下整本雜誌(五十大元,勁貴)讀 Hard Copy ,或在網上買下報告的PDF版。

在報告中講述維基百科文章(只供訂戶觀看)中,作者其中一個重點,是放在維基百科與《大英百科全書》(Encyclopedia Britannica)競爭上。眾所周知,《大英百科全書》一直宣稱自己才是最好的,對維基百科那種人人都可編輯、但也沒有權威嚴謹的編輯機制,是採取不屑甚至是鄙視的態度的。不過文末最後一段,尤其是最後一句,堪稱是「抵死」非常:

Somebody who reads Wikipedia is “rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom,” says Mr McHenry, Britannica’s former editor. “It may be obviously dirty, so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him.” One wonders whether people like Mr McHenry would prefer there to be no public lavatories at all.

事實上,對於網誌以至新媒體,近日我也讀了一些有關的文章及書,或者遲點再寫寫有關的感想。

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7 Responses to “Survey of New Media @ The Economist”


  • using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP

    我就覺得那段文章小氣了一點,雖說WIKI人人也可編輯,但是也有討論版來討論該條目是否合適/中肯/用詞正確等等
    遇到惡意修改或偏激條目,WIKI的管理員也鎖起該條目或加上警告等,而且,修改者的IP或WIKI名字也會被列在”修改歷史”中
    所以…也不算是PUBLIC RESTROOM,What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him吧?
    可能,最大的問題,是F.R.E.E這個字吧?

  • using Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 on Windows Windows XP

    今日信報子午線都有講類似的構思。將來,例如你心血來潮想買某款波鞋或幫襯某間酒店,你可能會先上網,找某個 “智能網摘” application,search 所有與這商品 / 服務 ( 或類近既商品 / 服務 ) 的 blog ( 留言版都可以 search,但肯定做死這個 applications 的設計者 ),將所有相關的評論文章找出來 ( 但可能要每個 blog 評論該產品 / 服務後 ) 先比佢,舉例,5 粒星比幾多粒星 ),然後你再從中做決定。

    這 application 又可以改良用來給例如,何安達用。例如何生想搜集報紙同電台社論外,bloggers 對政府將推出的醫療融資方案既回應。佢在這 application 打 “醫療融資” or “medical finance” 既字眼,各 blogger 若有寫過有關題目,它的文章就可像 google search results 匯集在一起,供政府參考。這個 application 如何將各 searched result 排先後次序,我未想到,但無論佢如何把 relevant 的文章排序,肯定有人從它的排序法則想到如何利用適當的 keywords 誘導這 application,把這個人的文章排在前列位置。

    若有咁既 application 面世,它肯定先會帶摯各公關公司請人寫公關 blog,利用 blog 的熱潮去影響 / 製造有利這公關公司客戶的輿論。

  • using Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7 on Windows Windows XP

    On WIKI : 關於歷史和人物 (尤其是在生的人物,或主要在網上出名的名人 ) 小燦一向抱半信半疑態度。其他則仍有 “sense of security” 。

  • using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP

    as i always see internet as something like public utilities (or just possible for public utilities), i see the development of the wiki like that of the open-source software, both for the common good. as we can see, the proprietary software or all sorts of private utilities are still in their healthy business. they should be in a symbiotic relationship, and indeed some comparison or “competition” that would raise users’ expectation may only drive them towards an even better standard together.

    britiannica has every reason to discredit wiki (competition or not, why not). but it’s superfluous. no sensible users will rely solely on one source of info, esepcially those who would choose to consult an encyclopedia as the first step in learning something new.

    nor do i see open source is necessraily worse or private source is necessarily better. the value of open source is collective wisdom and effort, the value of private source is excluisve killer app. there’s no guarantee anywhere, just as there will not be a software 100% free of bugs or limits.

    but no doubt, in terms of efficiency, wiki carries the dynamics for correction, amendment, refinement, addition, deletion, updating, etc. that britiannica, which may require levels of authorisation by experts for any changes to go out, does not have.

  • using Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.2 on Windows Windows XP

    回覆晚了,對不起。

    Fox:引文所出的文章,之前曾有論述一名美國網民,在維基捏造並中傷一名著名記者的生平,但是事件竟未被人發現多達一百多天,所以也成為了「挺大英百科全書者」的彈藥。因此,雖說有紀錄記下每人的修改紀錄,亦有管理員進行監察,但以維基百科的擴張速度來看,要在維基百科搞事,也不是沒有不被察覺的可能。

    不過,我也認為,大英百科全書的態度,或多或少都有點酸葡萄的成份。

    港燦:我周一那天寫了這篇後才讀當日《信報》,因此未有將它包括在內。看來,未來的趨勢是,公關戰會由MSM(傳統媒體)擴展至網誌的戰場--總之要夠曝光率,NOISE夠大,就可以影響網誌的排名...

    PK_:我私見認為,維基與大英,兩者是完全不同的模式,不過大英一直以來所用的精英模式,或者在將來追不上時代的需要...

  • using Safari Safari 417.9.2 on Mac OS Mac OS

    indeed. tks!

  • using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP

    an advantage for wiki, updatedness.
    britannica will not cover events that happened yesterday. wiki will. and wiki provides links to the sources, i.e. a public toilet with DIY cleaning tools.

    one more, wiki trains you on critical reading.

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