This whole medium is about the individual, it encourages one-to-one communication on a huge scale. Everybody online can be their own journalist. Gathering information and writing about it, anyone can have a web page. The large, monolithic companies of old have fewer advantages against the lone journalist. It is as easy to access "CNN online" as "Bob's news comments" but in the old media CNN had the money for cable or satellite while Bob didn't have any way of getting his thoughts out there. Anybody can hold the equivalent of a phone-in online, just supply your e-mail address. The friction has gone to getting your thoughts out. Now the only thing that distinguishes us is how good we are. A truly open market where the best succeed. But the most important thing, as always, is the audience. Is the Internet going to remain a clique of propeller heads? "The Internet is definitely mainstreaming beyond the geeks," says Jon.

If that becomes the case, like it or not, the Internet is going to need regulation to become a stable, long-term medium. But not to soon, hopes Jon. "At some point, the society [on the Internet] will have to figure out how to bring some kind of control and regulation to this culture. But I think it will be years away."

We all hope it'll be the case. But when it does come the big question is from where? Will governments try to hold onto power and impose regulations or will a new political system evolve specifically for the Internet? What do you thing? - tell me.

Whatever happens, Jon Katz will remain a force online, guiding us along with sharp commentary from the thick of the action. New media prophet or not, he's still pretty sharp for someone who used to be in TV!

 

by Jeep - please send us your views on this topic.

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