Technology has changed the way people consume content, and you can look no further than sluggish record sales, slumping box office figures, and declining television ratings to see the impact it is having on the traditional media and entertainment entities. On radio this morning, Glenn admitted he is not sure what the future holds and what will constitute “success” under this ever-evolving model.
“I think we could be out of business – I don't mean just us, I mean anybody like us – in the next two years,” Glenn said. “Everything is changing. I don't know what to do about it, but everything is changing.”
Jeffy offered an interesting example of this shift. He follows an artist on Twitter who recently posted “a random selfie of a girl in her underwear” that garnered some 500,000 likes and 1.5 million shares compared to an original piece of art that received just 387 likes and 14 shares.
“His conclusion is selfies are more appreciated than artworks,” Jeffy said. “What is the purpose of art? What is the purpose of Facebook?”
“This is an argument people are having everywhere,” Glenn added. “The world is being redesigned right now. Everybody is so busy holding onto what they have, they are going to be in the dust bin of history. I'm telling you now: The best minds in the world are trying to redesign it. It doesn't work this way anymore.”
Right now, there is a movement toward getting clicks or views or shares at all costs. Glenn does not believe this quantity over quality mentality is sustainable.
“That's the argument that's happening at the highest levels of some of these entertainment companies… doesn't matter the quality, doesn't matter what it is. Just put the panty pic up,” Glenn explained. “Okay and then what? That's like heroine. You have the panty pic today. What are you going to put up in six hours from now? And what are you going to put up tomorrow, and a week from tomorrow, and a year from now? There are not enough panty pics to keep that going.”
While Glenn isn’t sure what the future holds, he does believe this current obsession with throwaway content will ultimately lead to the return higher quality things that offer real substance.
“I don't know what the future holds,” Glenn concluded. “I don't know how any of this shakes out, but I really think that what happens in the end is good, because it gets us closer to something that is real.”