Solis asserts that journalism now is at the mercy of the human network that forms an information system. The time between an event and collective awareness is shrinking, and with it comes an enormous challenge for journalism to balance speed and accuracy While journalism offers unparalleled traits, it often lumbers into place.
Media now have to compete in the attention economy, he writes, and the future of media is rooted in engagement. For that reason, media need social seismologists to understand their impact.
"As a new hybrid of collaborative journalism takes shape, reporters who remain plugged-in to communities outside of their domain will open new doors to relevance – connecting to stories and people that propel information beyond the reach of any one network at the speed of the now web," he writes.