In my view, the social media are inherently confusing because their technologies allow them to blend personal, narrowcast, and broadcast elements all at once.

In the old days, technological limitations meant that it was very clear which “voice” was appropriate for which medium — it was clear you spoke differently on “Face the Nation” than you would in a handwritten note to a friend.

But now the technology enables so much blurring . . . yet companies (and some individuals) haven’t mastered the knack of knowing which voice & reach to use in which situation.

New media is “mass” by way of default, meaning through its distribution and accessibly (i.e. the web – it’s huge). The content, participation and intention in many ways is anything but mass oriented. It all goes back to purpose and perspective. In fact, niche communities, like Ning or other more homegrown means, are making the case for much more intentional, smaller communities. As with any form of communication it is critical that we assess our audience and intent in order to determine if mass distribution of any medium is effective or even appropriate.

There’s a time and place for mass media, but that place is fleeting. Communities are smart, they want more honesty, intentionally and substance.