Our textbook, Citizen Marketers, discusses the idea of democratization. The authors describe this as the work incessantly against the forces of control. The first story they discuss describes how this concept forces companies to become more transparent even against their will. One example they use is the story about Wrigley Field’s crumble.
In summary potentially injurious chunks of concrete crumbled to the seats below. The Cubs made repairs without telling anyone even the Chicago Tribune. Although this scene tried to remain out of the public eye, web sites, blogs, and other competing media created its own buzz. Because of all the hype from other forms of media and word of mouth, it became apparent that the problem needed to be acknowledged.
This describes just how the media world can quickly spread and gain attention to any particular event or story. Because of the technologies that we have now, people are able to create these online communities because of its accessibility. These forms of media also demonstrate how fan sites can start and eventually start to contribute to the teams. Whether the site’s blogs bash the team’s effort in the last game or praise them for their victory, the publicity and buzz it causes creates more attention.
Overall, by waiting to acknowledge the issue, the Cubs began a waterfall effect that ended with greater newsworthiness. The information hold illustrates the information control.
