Comments on: Today the Art Gallery of Alberta, tomorrow the other news stuff

By: Alain Saffel

Alain Saffel — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:49:27 +0000

This whole thing is ridiculous but, in the end, good for the AGA.

I don’t think people should get their panties in a twist about bloggers and social media people being invited to the Art Gallery. What, really, is the big deal? So we come out and take a bunch of pictures, get a tour and fawn over the place?

I certainly know why I was there, but I don’t have a problem with that. If that helps to get the gallery more attention and visitors, that’s great.

Having worked as a reporter, I kind of like coming out to these types of promotional events now without all the pressure. I can do whatever I like, write my opinion, take a bunch of photos and have some fun. No pressure. Nice.

From a PR perspective, it was very smart of the AGA to do this. It helps them reach an audience that isn’t necessarily going to be reached by mainstream media. Oh, and with so many photographers invited, talk about hitting part of their target market! Artists! (Yes, photographers can be artists. Isn’t that a Karsh exhibit they’re showing?)

Because I love stats, here are some interesting ones. Between my blog post, Flickr photos and the Vimeo video (http://su.pr/1QR5Rs) I posted, I’ve had nearly 1,400 clicks on those items. I’m not counting the individual views of the photos I’ve posted either.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:53:12 +0000

I don’t know if it will be a case of the two media worlds working together or being forced together by the agency being reported on (I hope for at least a little of the former) but I think things will shift more this year and next than the last few years.

Especially if all the flux in newspapers and TV ends up cutting local coverage even more.

I saw the Twitter chatter about MediaCamp the other day. I’ll have to dig out my Google info to catch the wave.

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:38:06 +0000

Thanks for writing about this. I like the goal you mentioned – that the city’s stories get told. I think MSM and SM can work together to do that, and I agree that over time the distinction will become blurred.

I think we’ve been in our current situation (with regards to SM and MSM) for quite some time now, and I’d love for the discussion to move forward, for change. I’m hoping we can start that with what we’re calling MediaCamp at the moment, and I hope you can come (if not to the initial meeting, to subsequent ones and to the event itself).

http://www.shareedmonton.ca/events/2010/02/03/mediacamp-edmonton-initial-meeting

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:39:51 +0000

And you can rest assured, we shall plumb the depths of that barrel for some time.

Seriously though, thanks for the comment.
I think it was something of a “test” for the AGA, as are other such events. I bet they’ll find little difference from the traditional media events, and hopefully move to just one big community media pool.

By: Jimmy Jeong

Jimmy Jeong — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:43:06 +0000

Some great insights here. Should be interesting to see how this develops. By letting (I use that term loosely) bloggers have a stake in telling our stories hopefully this will lead to a stronger sense of community. But, just like traditional media there will always be certain writers that will rise to the top and others who keep writing the bottom of the barrel stuff. But at least there will be a variety of voices.