Why news is not news anymore

News, for a long time now, has been whatever the news channels choose to feed us. But things are different on the web. Think about it. What does news mean to you?

You look for news yourself. You are not dependent upon the mainstream media for collection and dissemination of news. You are free to skip all propaganda, all inanity, and all the talking heads that the MSM can throw your way.

You subscribe to news your own way. Independently, in a free and rich way. Your news is whatever you decide it is. Your friend's recent trip to Sikkim is news to you. Your favourite jokes or your daily horoscope can be news to you. This blog can be news to you (RSS link on the sidebar). Even your porn can be news to you!

You use RSS newsfeeds to stay updated of your news. You use newsreaders to organise and access your news. You even decide what news is worth talking about when you submit it to news aggregation services.

What's more? When you blog, you become news. Your text reaches the masses free of cost. Your videos entertain thousands. People send your photos to their friends because they like what they saw.

RSS, feed mashing, and free-to-use API keys have created an immense range of possibilities for you and me to access and use news. Perhaps even define news!

News does not belong to them anymore. It's ours!