I have been in the technology and media business for about 30 years. I have seen the growing impact on society of the Web culture, but today, I am convinced more than ever that it has changed everything forever. A family member was one of those killed in the horrific shootings in Seattle, and for the past hour, I have been unraveling the story. No, I have not been unraveling it from The Seattle Times or P-I or even a local radio or TV station. I have been to The Stranger and Myspace. None of the “traditional media” sources have the details. If you want to know the facts, the inside story and even the names of the victims (not publicly released), you have to go to these two sites for starters.

I had the chilling experience of going to our family member’s Myspace and seeing notes posted to his space in memoriam to the young man. I went to the comments posted on The Stranger--the ultimate example of consumer-generated news reporting--and found a TV reporter looking for the inside story—the story she could not get going the old-fashioned route. Even the online versions of the city's two big papers are not able to keep up with the reporting found in these alternative sources.

I am not sure what all of this means. I do know that for those who lives are being shaped in the bask of today’s media spotlight; this is proof that the old way of getting news and information is neither timely nor relevant. I know I am changed from this experience, but so is media. Forever.