Dear SIDs, media is catching on to what we're becoming

For those in attendance at the CoSIDA Convention in San Francisco, a lot was made about being "your own media." With the growth of the Internet and social media, it has become very easy and simple for organizations to be their own media.

Our reliance on getting in the local paper is not as strong as it once was. We don't have to get in the local paper for our stories to be seen and heard.

And judging by this article by Paul Farhi of the Washington Post, the media has taken notice and aren't too happy about it.

Having worked on both sides of the fence, I can see why media outlets are not fans of schools and sports organizations of being their media. It's not the 'extra' competition the media dislikes, yet it's the fact the new 'competition' also controls the message. This is what bothers news organizations the most.

According to Mr. Farhi's article, the media has been fighting this the battle at the professional and collegiate ranks, and it appears to be trickling down to the high school ranks. And like most things in sports, it all boils down to money as this quote from Rich Gordon, a journalism professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School, suggests:

“The larger picture is that sports lives in this uncomfortable space between news and commerce. Journalists want to think of sports as news, but at the end of the day, it’s about entertainment and making money.”

While I would love to offer some solution for all of us to get along and live peacefully, things are not going to change. For better or for worse, the Internet age is here, and there is no turning back. The Internet has opened up a whole new world for SIDs and PR professionals in promoting their organizations. Anyone and everyone can promote their own 'news' and be their own media.

Don't fully grasp the power of social media and how being your own media can be, how else do you explain the following video being able to get nearly 17 million hits with seven million coming in the last three days?