Stop sharing stories

... argues this writer, who lays forth a pretty good case indicting Facebook for ruining the news landscape.

Stop reading what Facebook tells you to read

 

Guess what? If you embraced this story or wrote something like this for a news organization in any of the major chains in 2018 you would be shown the door pronto. Facebook is EVERYTHING to newspaper suits. Case closed.

 

How does he expect to get his message out if he doesn't want us to share it?

 

I copied the link and posted it to my Facebook account. Hopefully, all my friends will read it and do the same.

 

Before Facebook, it was cable news that was making the audience dumber and forcing "real" news outlets to react. Before that it was talk radio. Or alternative news outlets.

Here's a tip: Do good work. Oddly enough, everyone still reads the NYT or WaPo when they crush it with an investigative story.

 

Because it’s those papers. Those two papers could write fart noises in print and people would read it.

 

Hell, the WaPo is even getting cinematic credit for the Pentagon Papers.

 

Bravo. Love it.

A good story will make the rounds.

I wrote for a website last year where the clicks were tracked intently. For one particular story, the editor determined most of the clicks came through Facebook.

It was a good story ! Why should I be upset that it was shared and seen that way?

Noble thought by the dude from Mashable... and I understand the concern... but human beings are going to do what they do.

A good analogy might be trying to get consumers to stop buying cheap goods at Walmart. Buy American ! (Even though it's more expensive.) Nope. Ain't gonna happen.

 

I don't disagree with the point, but, just for the record, Walmart actually sells quite a bit of merchandise that's made in the U.S. -- more than people might realize, and often, the stuff is openly promoted/advertised because the company has actually made a bit of a push in this direction over the past few years.

It still does not sell as well as the stuff made elsewhere.

For some reason, it's almost like with a generic store-brand of an item -- it looks and seems just different enough from China-made "brand" names that it puts people off from purchasing it. Invariably, it takes a real mind-set change, and a realization that there really isn't much difference in order for people's buying habits to actually change, even if they SAY they would do it if the option was offered.

 

I haven't owned an American made car in 21 years. And I won't for the rest of my life. They suck.

 

What do you drive?

 

Years ago I bought some accessories for my Camaro that were made in Canada. My wife's Honda was made in Mississippi. My current Ford is the best car I've ever owned ... made in Chicago.