There is no question that the Internet makes things move faster, but its selectivity is what we’re here to speak about today. For instance, the troll trope of commenting “FIRST!” if they’re the first person to see a blog post was dispatched in a few years by social mores. It just became ridiculous to be the guy who posted “FIRST!” so people started doing it.
The news industry has not been so fortunate. They have developed a culture where by is more important than being the first to get a story right. During the recent hurricane, for example, a photo of the Fager’s Island gazebo being destroyed long before it actually was destroyed. Similarly, CNN reported three feet of water on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that, as it turned out never existed.
In this week’s Todcast we examine the implications of fast news in the Big Picture. We also get an update from Bryan Brushmiller on his new beers and taps and a rundown of the hurricane.