Microcontent & micropayments

Some fascinating discussion about new forms of journalism and new business models to go along with. There is a lot of excitement about participatory journalism and microcontent and the new revenue streams, such as Google AdSense and micropayments--and how they combine to disintermediate publishers. With CafePress.com you don't even need a publisher or printer to produce a book.

This is the real threat to Hollywood and it is what those trying to create new media models and technologies should be focused on. It shouldn't be about re-distributing Hollywood's content and ideas. It should be about creating a parallel world of content, news, and information--that takes full advantage of these new modes and methods. There is too much discussion about fair use for content that has already been created, or is being created in LA and New York, and not enough about building an infrastructure for NEW artists, reporters, writers, musicians, filmmakers who want to avoid the traditional system all together and strive for success in a meritocracy, not an oligopoly.

Problem is that Hollywood and New York can make (some, very few) musicians, filmmakers, and writers rich, and this new system will only make you a living--if that. But that's pretty good: with writers and bloggers starting to make money outside of formal publishing, music and film will soon follow. It may not be as sexy as superstardom and many will continue to roll their dice for a chance at fame and fortune, but the great news is that we are beginning to see and end to the Boolean choice between starving artist and superstar, between struggling actor and mega-celebrity. This isn't about replacing Hollywood, it's about creating a new mode for creatives to function in.

Yet talk of disintermediation can go too far. There will also be intermediaries and the real question is how this all will get re-intermediated. New York and LA should be thinking about this, rather than filing lawsuits, but Silicon Valley may beat them to the punch.