Not since the proliferation of television has humanity witnessed a more dramatic change in the media we pay attention to then with the proliferation of the Internet. In the 90s, conspiracy theorists got all junked up on X-Files and decided that the microchip had been given to us by aliens. In the 21st century people got over aliens, in fact they got over the X-Files because they found there were far more interesting conspiracy theories online.
Ethernet cable has taken over the broadcast airwaves. Television commercials have become the time to change the channel or get a snack, so the advertisements therein became less effective. Where would they spend those ad dollars to effectively reach their consumers? Into local newspapers? Well, as it turns out, newspaper readership is way down, especially among younger people. Is that because they are not reading? Quite the contrary, they are reading more than ever, but what they are reading has definitely changed. Instead of a local paper, try a local blog (short for web log) written by the guy down the street. Instead of Fox News, try the Drudge Report.
Although cable and satellite television gave people a vast assortment of programming to allow them a better selection, it still can’t compete with the limitless entertainment available on the World Wide Web. The Internet has transformed our culture, our language, and where we go for information. Most people have computers at home, computers at work, and even portable computers they carry around with them in the form of laptops and cell phones.
In an effort to keep up with these changes, and how they affect Jacksonville, EU asked some local experts that are utilizing this medium to let us know what exactly is going on. That is the question we hope to answer with insightful insider reports by Joey Marchy, who works for a leading local web design firm and authors the popular blog Urban Jacksonville (urbanjacksonville.info), Josh Garner, a Search Engine Optimization expert for a leading national web design company that is headquartered right here in Jacksonville, and various everyday people, because that is what is truly remarkable about the Internet. It gives everyday people access to the whole world. Spread your opinion, become a journalist, start a business, it’s all virtually at your fingertips!
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