I’ve gotten a recent reeducation in the mass media experience.  Sometimes conventional media is the right choice as opposed to defaulting to the net…for now.  This morning I made a point of watching the lift off of the Shuttle Endeavor on TV and the web simultaneously.  The Internet was literally a full second behind of the TV broadcast and the picture quality on line still had a lot to be desired.  When full convergence becomes real with full HD quality non-stuttering pictures, a conscious choice will no longer be necessary.

Scheduled events like the Super Bowl and the Royal Wedding still do best on conventional television. As one of those fools who got up in the middle of the night to watch the Wedding it’s not because of being a monarchist, it’s the love of public spectacle.  Kate and Wills are keeping the monarchy alive by redefining it and hanging on to some treasured traditions in the process.  Sort of a look over the shoulder as we move forward. 

Some breaking news stories work and others don’t. For weather forecasts that a tornado is coming instant news can be a lifesaver.  For the death of Osama, it was even confusing for the people who witnessed the event. There’s a natural tension between the scoop mentality and what each medium does best.  The vanishing distinction between opinion and news is becoming a business model from Fox to MSNBC, from the Huffington Post to Drudge. Under the circumstances, it’s more important than ever for each of us to exercise our own judgment as the lines blur.  But that’s just my opinion.