There is a plethora of ways to get your news and information nowadays. I mean, really. You could be of the traditional variety, consuming your information from the newspaper, magazines, TV or radio. You may be the type that’s turned to newer media, like Twitter (TNN – The Twitter News Network), Facebook, blogs (which typically have a narrowed beat or focus), and media applications on your mobile device to get your info. Or, you may be like me, a hybrid, who consumes media in a variety of ways; online, mobile app and print newspaper, public radio, Twitter, other print media and my local news broadcast at 10 most evenings. Regardless of the many news and information consumption options we have, there is one commonality: Everyone consumes information and news; it’s just a matter of how (through what mediums).

I’m progressively amazed at how unimpressed people are with the good old news media in general. What used to be the go to source for news and information, mediums like the newspaper, television and radio (traditional media), have been labeled sleazy, laughable, poor sources and overall untrustworthy in their delivery of media goods (this is what I hear and sometimes think as well). Why is this?

Whether you’ve consciously taken note or not, the media business structure as we know it has been turned upside down by advancement in technology, the tools that accompany it and what it allows people like you and me to do. To sum it up (this is the really short version and I’m speaking broadly), the old way of doing things put power in the hands of news folks, who served as a one-way distribution channel to the masses. People would sit in front of the tele and take in the news or read the paper to get a feel for what was going on out in the world. If they had opinions about it they may share them at work the next morning, with family and friends, but beyond that nothing would happen. Since the dawn of the World Wide Web and its rapid evolution, tools like blogging and social networks have sprung up, creating a many-to-many communication empire of sorts. Meaning of course, that now, people like you and me can take in information or create our own and share our opinions, events, ideation, etc. with the world; on Facebook, on Twitter, on our personal blog if you have one, on forums or comments on other people’s blogs and on and on (new media). With the exception of few, this has made things incredibly difficult for traditional news media, as their viewer/reader/listenership has tanked some, advertisers inevitably advertise elsewhere, which has ultimately thrown a wrench in the existing revenue model.

So, what the heck do you do if you’re a large media distribution channel and your audience has started to find you less relevant because they can seek their information elsewhere and have a dialogue about it?

Well, if you’re WCCO, Minnesota’s CBS affiliate network, you create The Wire, an online tool that allows anyone (with access to a computer and internet) to participate in developing news stories, buzz or events happening in the Twin Cities (and beyond). From actual story or event creation (providing they’re relevant stories and community events, not fluff or advertisements) to just sharing photos, video or comments about a developing story via a few simple clicks.

Recently, I had the opportunity to have a little chat with John Daenzer, director of new media for WCCO, about The Wire. John is an awesome dude and part of a team that endeavors (IMHO) to bring the public into the news room as much as possible. Whether it’s Jason DeRusha’s ‘Good Question,’ one of the many blogs that shed light on and encourage community engagement — or the various other segments that educate, provide value and try to integrate all technologies to reach all audiences the way that works best for them. Above all, this team doesn’t pay lip service to wanting to bring the community together; they actually DO IT and keep trying and finding new ways to do so, which I appreciate. Here’s a little bit about the wire straight from one of the main peeps behind it.

I think it’s a pretty neat idea and I hope that WCCO continues to see some traction with it. The fact they have a genuine desire and have put such hard work into trying to CONNECT with their audience in a new and interactive way is delightful. I realize that this will be a revenue generator for them as well (through ads of course), so I know it’s not completely selfless, but still, the effort and investment in their community is more than I can say for most mainstream media.

As with most things of social media nature, it takes time to determine if it will be useful to the masses (and of course there are always kinks). As of now, I think there’s a contingency of folk who use other services, like Twitter and Facebook, to talk about events and news they want to contribute to, share, etc. that may find this more interesting after they play with it a little. I’ve already started to include it in my morning news scan and see potential for it to be a great source of information. It just needs to keep growing, and from what I’ve gleaned from my WCCO peeps, they continue to adjust and tweak things daily. The ultimate perk I see with The Wire is the ability to team up with a traditional media source to have a truly collaborative, or at the very least, more conversational news experience.

So, check out The Wire for a few minutes. It’s simple to navigate and if you have any trouble at all, check out the FAQ page or watch this video and you should be well on your way. I’m very interested to know: What do you think about this tool? Will you engage with it? Will it improve your relationship with local media? I’d love to know. Thanks for stopping by .

Intro to WCCO’s The Wire (A WCCO production)