This commentary is going to be a short one as I am sure to raise the ire of many a content executive so let me get right to the point: self-expression by the fan communities is just that – it is self expression. Not editorialized. Not filtered. Not pushed to other pages. Not stripped of its original content or language. Not cleaned up for a G rating. And while I applaud relationships between the networks and social networking communities, I cringe when I read stories about how content and fan feedback is being manipulated.
Now, call me crazy (many do!) but I find it rather comical the way that traditional media companies clamor to “new" media because of it’s novelty, it’s reach, and it’s freshness only to promptly stifle any and all innovation and hint of individual self-expression or organic development.
In much the same way that the blogging community stomps on the editorialized or ghost-written (see the comments surrounding Clooney/Huffington Gate), so will the fan communities (at least the real ones) rebel against being censored by media companies in exchange for being able to watch video clips - especially when that content is being offered within the confines of a separate online community. If media companies want to micro-manage the fans on their web sites power to them, but leave real fan communities alone to say what they want to say and as opposed to trying to push them out, why not try listening to the good and the bad.
If you are not willing to trust that the fan community in and of itself will manage and monitor the conversations (as they have for years on the fan boards); will disregard the profane for it’s uselessness; will gravitate and engage in conversations with other true fan; will rebel (eventually) if they feel that their voices are being dubbed; well then, you really just don’t have a clue.
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