It’s All Good, Even With the Bad and the Ugly

As Strategic Communications 6630, Emerging Media comes to a close this term, I reflect on a blog post a few weeks ago that I entitled “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.” Just today while watching the news on television, I am reminded of many trends that we have covered in this class. One story featured a threat to a local high school that transpired and was communicated to us through various media.  First of all, someone had gotten into the high school’s Google account and posted something threatening, leading students, parents and some personnel to think that something dangerous might happen at the school.  The school system committed to crisis control by alerting stakeholders via Facebook to explain what had happened and reassured everyone that steps are being taken to protect the campus.  Technology was used to cause chaos and technology was used for crisis communication. 

A positive story that I read today featured a little boy traveling with his family who lost his beloved stuffed rabbit.  A family found the toy and started a Facebook account to try to find its owner.  The social media post spread wide enough that it finally reached the little boy’s family who lived several states from where it was lost, and he was joyously reunited with his stuffed rabbit. 

Daily, whether through television, YouTube or social media, emerging media trends are responsible for so many experiences that weren’t possible years ago.  Of course, years ago, the person who posed the threat to the high school would not have had access to the Google account to make a threat that spread so rapidly.  Dangers to institutions like this were not exposed as quickly and crisis communication was not handled as quickly and widespread before the advent of real-time media that we have today.  The little boy who was reunited with his favorite toy probably would not have seen it again because years ago, communication was not shared so fast and globally as it is today. 

People will use things for good and bad.  With the enormous wealth of emerging media and all of the good that it does for the world, it is unfortunate that some will misuse it for bad causes.  We have learned how emerging media is helping to teach underprivileged children in remote areas.  New technology is helping us to detect and cure diseases.  New media is allowing us to crowdsource for medicine, business, education, crime-solving, and yes, communication among many other things.  Emerging media is allowing us to connect with new friends and associates all over the world in an instant. It is a great time to be a communicator, and of course a strategic communication professional. I’m just glad that the positive gains far outweigh the negative and look forward to the awesome possibilities that will be at hand with the amazing emerging media discoveries that are taking place every day.