This week,

the Chairman and CEO of CNET Networks, Shelby Bonnie, stopped by the office to

talk about the current state of media and what it means for our company. He

made a very compelling presentation explaining how media, in all its many forms,

has changed in recent years. The main point is that as a media company, CNET,

and any other media company for that matter, is not in

control of the distribution method anymore – the consumer is the controlling

factor. The consumer is deciding when they want content, how they will receive

it, and whether it is worthy of recommendation to the broader community.

Later that

day, Kudlow & Co. on CNBC did an entire hour on

the subject, which means Wall Street is thinking about this too. (Although, some of the so-called experts on Kudlow

were still living in the 1980s apparently.)

I haven’t

joined the Tivo generation yet, but I do understand

its appeal. The idea that I can choose when to watch television and that I can

watch television I want to watch, is very appealing. (Say that three times

fast.) I have also become an advocate for digital music. In fact, I want my

next car stereo to have a USB port on it so I can plug in my iPod shuffle or other portable media player into it. The CD

has had its day — it’s time for a new delivery mechanism.

It is going

to be a very interesting future. The pace of change, something I have embraced

in youth, seems to accelerate every year. Even a geeky gadget-guy like me is

having trouble keeping up. I wonder if there will be a “back to

basics” backlash. Or will the pace of change continue to accelerate? What

do you think?