Flickr Photo: ClangoPublic radio is an interesting space to watch. It can be an old school media model, determining what's important and broadcasting it to the silent masses. But many public radio stations are also leaders when it comes to integrating new social media tools into their work and giving their communities a voice in the process. That's why it was strange to read that NPR CEO Ken Stern has been let go. From the NPR coverage:
Stern argued that NPR shows and news and cultural segments increasingly had to be available on whatever platforms people wanted to hear them.
NPR is considered a leader in news and music podcasts. And under Stern it has also struck deals to deliver its content new ways, such as through cell phones.
But that push has aggravated anxiety among local stations about their relationship to the network. NPR member stations rely heavily on popular shows, particularly Morning Edition, to generate donations. But if people can listen to them through NPR's Web site or even their own cell phones, why would they stay loyal to stations still reliant on pledge drives?
Was Stern really let go solely because of an old vs. new media clash? Probably not. Are NPR stations around the country asking these kinds of questions about social media? Definitely.
This is understandable, if somewhat disturbing, stuff. It's the same tension I hear from folks wherever I go: "If I let go of my control, how will I maintain my relevance?" It's a completely fair question, if you intend to live the rest of your life in a one-to-many communications model. The problem is, we're rapidly moving out of this model, and most of us are still having trouble conceptualizing what a many-to-many, completely transparent world will look like.
It's like Copernicus. Remember that time when people thought the Earth was at the center of the universe? Okay, probably not. Anyway, Copernicus came along and started making a ruckus about the SUN being at the center. In a way, I think I had the same gut reaction to Twitter that many 16th century folks must have had to Copernicus, namely, "Are you nuts? That's the silliest idea I've ever heard!"
Of course, Copernicus was right. Anyone who understood the science behind his theories had a hard time arguing with him. But it took the general public a long time to catch up with him, because what he was saying did not align with their culture and values. For most people at that time, it was culturally important for the Earth to be at the center.
Over time, the culture began to shift, and it became increasingly acceptable to think about the sun as the center of our universe. (After that, or course, we had more corrections.) It was less and less CULTURALLY important that Earth be at the center.
We're in the middle of just such a transition now when it comes to communications. There are early adopters who really believe in the new model we're moving towards. There are those who "get it", but are struggling to implement it, because they're still attached to their old model ways. And there are those who simply cannot imagine a world organized any other way.
No one may ever really know why Ken Stern was really let go. I'm sure there were many more factors than social media. But I'm certain that there will be a lot more upheaval ahead as we figure out what exactly is at the center of the universe these days.