mintgrove

The Paper Tiger
by Gianni Riotta, Editor, Il Sole 24 Ore
Monocle Issue 39

As one of the old guys in our media world, I can remember my dad, a financial editor, propping me up as a toddler on the marble bench, used to steady the heavy typeset newspaper pages, cast in hot lead, not on a computer monitor. Now my kids read on an iPad, changing pages with a butterfly touch. Mighty change? Yes and no. The Electronic Era melted the Leaden Age, but the future will still be grounded on information.

The business model, alas, will be different. For centuries, journalists have dictated their point of view. Now every passerby considers himself a pro, ready to wikileak any commentary or factoid he or she believes. Democracy indeed, but would you have your wisdom tooth extracted by a dentist home-schooled on the web? If you answered "no", accept the same equation for the media. Technology-wise we have to embrace the brave new world. Value-wise, we'll stick to the old ones: dialogue, tolerance, professionalism. Freedom, justice, compassion will not be analogue or digital. They will pass on to new generations and we media folk must strive to assure that smooth and noble transition.