As I waited for newly elect U.S. Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul to appear with his family, I was standing right under the podium on the floor in front of the stage. I was among some of the most skilled journalists and photographers from some of the greatest publications and media outlets from all over the world-Time Magazine, the New York Times, the Wall-Street Journal, the Christian Science Monitor, the Bowling Green Daily News and Western Kentucky University's College Heights Herald, just to name a few. Behind me, on another stage, was some of the greatest broadcast media outlets in the world,-ABC News, Fox News, CNN News, NBC News, CBS News and Bowling Green's WBKO News, among many others. I was in the epic center of "All The World's A Stage," for one moment for one day in one month in one year for one moment in history.
Here I was, a former journalist, a former newspaper reporter and a former journalism student, standing there just as confident and comfortable with my surrounding as the others who heaved large cameras on their shoulders while shooting photo after photo with one in their hand. Although, I have journalism skills, however, I had no note pad or pen with me. And I did not have a microphone either. I was not there to do an interview. I was only there to see my friend, Dr. Rand Paul accept his victory over Democrat Jack Conway and I was there to record history with my little Kodak Digital camera, making a couple of short video clips to broadcast on my Youtube channel. (To view the victory speech of Rand Paul, click here.) http://youtube.com/galenasmithsr1 That, I did indeed do. I suppose you could call me an amateur journalist, a Youtuber and a blogger, (this site) while I work a regular full-time job. Too me, it's easy and it's not intrusive. This type of journalistic endeavors does not require an appointment, credentials or even much knowledge about your subject. Of course, there's no pay involved either.
I think the biggest difference in the election of 2010 compared to the election of 2008 of President Obama's victory, is that us "Baby Boomers" were not in tune with the new technology of social media, social networking and other mega-popular sites such as Facebook and Youtube, back then. Most of us were not on Facebook yet and most of us did not have the high tech cell phones, iphones, Blackberries or a G4-phone where you can get your e-mail, texting, streaming video, movies, television or a video phone with "applications (apps-as it's commonly known) on on one unit. Because Baby Boomers and most Americans have low concentration skills this day and age because we are bombarded with television, radio, print publications, cell phones, internet and etc., it's hard to grab our attention. Each form of media is now desperately competing for our attention. However, the most popular social networking site, Facebook (millions and millions of users) among Baby Boomers took off in December of 2008, and we have been going full-swing ever since. And with this election, we were able to post videos, blogs and articles on Facebook and blogs on blogging sites that pertained to a particular candidate that we supported along with comments and messages that we were stating to our friends and readers on these site. Perhaps, some of our friends or readers did not agree with our postings but I found very few hostile rebuttals on the sites. I would say most exchanges of information or ideas were civil among friends and readers in my opinion. I would also say, most who did not agree with me, probably just ignored my postings or blogs.
All I can say after this "Tea Party Tidal Wave,"-the biggest win for Conservative Republicans in our American government (Congress, State Governors, State Legislators and etc.) since the 1930's is that the playing field is now even. No longer does the younger generation and the liberal, left-wing Democrats have the cutting edge on us. Now, Conservative Republicans and Tea Party, Baby Boomers are on the bandwagon with social media, social networking and high tech communication technology.
0 comments:
Post a Comment