The Image of Neda
My good friend and parter David Henderson was on top of this story from the very beginning. This is a tragedy in Iran that should have never of happened.
From the blog of David Henderson -
Much of the world has kept track of events in Iran following the questionable outcome of elections there on June 12 via Twitter. With severe restrictions by the regime in Iran on media coverage and apathy by the news media in the West, Twitter has served to redefine how many of us view the concept of media in the Internet era.
It is no longer about some editor or TV producer making decisions for us but rather we are sharing information and drawing our own conclusions.
Nothing has been more profound, in my opinion, than watching video of a young woman named Neda Salehi Aghasoltan die on the streets of Tehran yesterday.
She was a student of philosophies at Tehran University. According to reports, she was shot by a police sniper while standing with her university professor, watching protesters.
The video is haunting, especially her last moment alive when she looked at the camera as if to seek our help. At least that was what I saw in her eyes.
The story of Neda is being heard around the world today, carried first – with a few exceptions – not by the sleepy, slow-moving traditional news media but by people, sharing on Twitter and online.
Tune into CNN any weekday afternoon and you will see Rick Sanchez promote his stint at the anchor desk as a “National Conversation” because readers can Twitter, Facebook or MySpace instant reactions to CNN stories. During the course of the broadcast Rick will stumble his way through trying to read often-unintelligible usernames, and the off the cuff comments. A “National Conversation”, not.
Twitter is all abuzz with the new terms of service agreement for Facebook. It used to be when you cancelled your Facebook account, the information you posted on Facebook would be deleted. Not anymore. The new terms state that anything you post on Facebook now becomes their property, and they have the right to use it, even after you leave the service.
After a couple of months of social networking I have ready to make some calls on what will and will not succeed as viable social networking in today’s erratic economy.
Not bad – topical anyway. Hey Ed – wanna buy a car?
Sorry Ed, have to disagree. Yes, there are lots of people out there shilling, but there’s also a core group of people using Twitter to share ideas and connect with people who are pursuing similar goals. Usually people trying to move social and business innovation to another level. It’s great, and effective.
You tease, you. Why did you post this topic Ed? To get traffic for your blogpost? To advertise your photography? Or was it to spark a conversation?
I’m with Catherine here. Just because some to make money from a new communication tool doesn’t automatically make it invalid. As for conversation and social media: if the publishing of thoughts and ideas doesn’t require interaction, these responses wouldn’t exist. And you wouldn’t have bothered posting your blog topic.
I love social media. The opportunity to use a new communications tool has certainly opened new opportunities for me, and the clients I work for. If nothing else, it levels the playing field somewhat and gives mass media a good run for it’s money. Here’s to the future. It is social, you know
Twitter is a tool like any other. Sometimes it’s used for good, sometimes for evil. Sometimes good people use it, some use it to spam, flog, annoy and harass.
I totally get the concept that it’s mere self-promotion– but why would that surprise anyone? And, yes, the marketers will get their mitts on it and try to make it into another billable channel for advertising – that’s a foregone conclusion.
But it’s possible to use it skillfully if one understands its role in fulfilling objectives. I don’t twitter (yet) — still waiting on the Web site, blog and opening a checking account for my brand new business. But I can see how using Twitter can reach some people…
Wrong, Ed.
There are plenty of conversations happening on Twitter and Facebook. They’re just not happening in real time the way interactions traditionally occurred. But they’re there just the same. Tweets posted and responded to on Twitter. People writing on each other’s walls on Facebook. All out in the open for everyone to follow. Maybe you’re not looking hard enough.
Every Tweet or post — even the most self-promotional — is in fact an open invitation to anyone to respond and turn it into a conversation. That that doesn’t happen with every message posted doesn’t mean conversations aren’t happening.
…and this posting from my website…..
2 Comment(s)
On Apr 16, 2009, Joanne Dant, Senior Associate, October Strategies said:
I have found Twitter to be a good tool for research and learning, however I am in complete agreement on the rudeness of tweeting while listening to a speaker. I find it very disappointing to see so many people glued to their phones “tweeting” while they should be giving full attention to the speaker.