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This Whole Buzz Thing: So Wrong, It is Right

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We’re among the top 25 blogs discussing “Sanjaya”, according to Nielsen BuzzMetrics, the “global measurement standard in consumer-generated media”. Well. Funny they mention that, because we haven’t ever written about Sanjaya. American Idol, yes, Sanjaya, zilch. We’re #21 on the list, above Gizmodo (another site I can guarantee never wrote about Sanj).
So here’s the point: all this hooey about measuring buzz in the blogosphere, monitoring consumer-generated media, social media consulting is just that: “like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people.” So let’s stop with this PR glibness, and let’s start developing better ways to measure this.
And since we’re on Sanjaya’s topic, and he and I share something in common (neither of us can sing or dance, and both are Indian heritage), here’s a novel idea for him, to ensure his place in history: after he reaches top 5, which he will, he should bow out. Yep. The rationale: he can say he is doing it for the greater good of the competition and the country, and he will be immortalized forever for doing the right thing. He will get a contract, and tons of goodwill.
OK, so there you go Buzzmetrics, your “advanced text-mining algorithms”-based “filtered blog buzz” research is correct, now: I have discussed Sanjaya.

Apr 11, 2007 8:46 PM ET

Posted In: Social Media

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