You hear a lot about new media, social media and web 2.0–at least I do (you even hear a lot of people who should be in the “know” asking what they are!)–even if we have no idea what any of that means (personally, I think it’s a case of classifying without defining). (wow, that was a lot of digression in one sentence!)

Increasingly, marketers are coming to grips with the fact that people are no longer sitting in front of the television set scratching their butts and belching their beers. Adotas

Still, every time I turn on the TV, for the 45 seconds it takes me to load the DVD and turn that shit off, I see a lot of evidence that the idiot box is still useful. And to tell you the truth, since that’s what blogs are about, I still like TV from time to time, now that Tad Dunbar has been replaced with a blond younger than me–and chances are that I WILL be belching AND scratching my ass. Don’t judge!

But let’s say I see a video, idea, image or PRODUCT on TV or in Mountain Gazette and want to know more, if they don’t have a website, or they have a crappy website, then the chance that I’m going to dig deeper is slight. It’s all so easy now. Even dirtbag bike builders can use a free blog as the ONLY marketing tool and be busy for the next 11 months!

Further, my TV has no bookmarks. I can’t use del.icio.us from my remote control. So the chance that recency will take over and make me remember the tampon commercial instead of that super cool, uhh, WTFever that thing with the catchy-emo-song-and-dancing-hipster that caught my eye was is strong.

Since I never read, or watch TV w/o my laptop or phone, I’m always able to search, bookmark, or at least add a note to Gubb.net or something. And yes, I’m a book geek so I love paper, and I write in the margins. I understand, but Hemingway didn’t try to sell me anything this morning…

What’s my point? TV and print are still cool, but I consider it a lead generator for web content, where you get WAY more bang for your buck. (and I mean that from the user end mostly.) Not to mention the fact that with TV you get a tad bit of a break from the CONSTANT interactivitization!!! (one of the reasons I’ve resisted watching TV or movies fromt he web…)

-M

ps Dear cable TV, no I will never pay for you. Give it up!