Bebo and the Lost Generation. Oh you mean Generation "C"

Those readers of our blog and book will know of our theory around what we described in CDB as Generation "C" or The Community Generation.

Foolishly and in a hurry I picked up a PR story. Then again looking through my paper tear sheet stack I found a big article on Bebo, Kate Modern and A social media network becomes a distributor for other media platforms

How could I miss KateModern when we had posted The great TV shows of the 21st Century will be made for the networked and connected generation (Gen-C)

Because

a). I am too busy

b). I am too stupid

Lets have a poll

It does not matter, so it was funny then to hear Doug Richard mention it at MediaTech and then for the whole thing to fall into place today.

The Aha moment.

So in Broadcasters woo 'lost generation' in deal with social networking site Bebo we get greater insight and comment. So if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Is what this says to me.

So here is KateModern

As we said The great TV shows of the 21st Century will be made for the networked and connected generation (Gen-C) So you get, the show, blog, comment, community and polls.

A global network of people, in the same way that you would get a global network for the Soprano's, Lost, Star Trek, and such communities have spending power, the question is do these companies then know how to realy monetise? It's as we might say an ongoing project...

Anyone, who has hears me speak will know the refrane

Once you have stormed the Bastille, you don't go back to your boring day job

So

Bebo (enables its) users to collect and curate clips from BBC programmes such as Doctor Who and EastEnders, behind-the-scenes MTV footage, ITN entertainment news and a host of other items within their own "Personal Video Profile", displaying them on their homepage and sharing them with friends.

In future, broadcasters are also likely to use Bebo to premiere programmes before they are shown on television in an attempt to build up an early following.

One of their biggest challenges is to cut through the noise of competing channels and get viewers to sample their programmes.

Bebo's president, Joanna Shields, said the announcement marked a new phase for social networking sites.

"We're revolutionising the way media companies can reach audiences online ... particularly the hard-to-reach youth demographic"

Cut through = Scarcity of attention As Herbert Simon the Economist once profoundly said

What information consumes is rather obvious. It consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention ...The only factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention.

Mass Media was very successful in a world of scarcity, it a world of plenty well our economist friend has spelt that out quite eloquently.

The end of the Belle Epoque?

A fierce battle is taking place for the eyeballs of elusive younger consumers, who are increasingly turning their backs on traditional media. Advertisers are terrified of no longer being able to reach young audiences, while broadcasters and other traditional media owners are seeing mass audiences eroded.

Bebo becomes an extension of a teenagers personality by hosting pictures and notes from friends and displaying their favourite bands and TV shows said Joanna Shields.

And there is nothing like a bold statement from the lady herself

Bebo predicts the new deals would help mark it out from its rivals, describing Facebook as a functional BlackBerry equivalent and Bebo as a multimedia iPod Touch.

As they say... Bring it on.