The Tweetoprahcalypse is here.
by that damn redhead on April 16, 2009
in Social Media, twitter
Not long ago I Tweeted and commented on a few blogs something along the sentiment of, “I wish mainstream media would STFU and get over their Twitter orgies already and just accept it as a way we communicate now.”
Because seriously, while I think it’s very useful for things like breaking news, Twitter ITSELF is not breaking news, but don’t tell CNN, FOX, ABC, Ellen DeGeneres, et. al.
Fellow Michigan-Tweeter Ryan Meray, replied and pointed me toward the social media blog over at Amplify, where I learned two things:
- the end is nowhere near, and
- The End really is near.
Oh, doublespeak, I love you so.
The Tweetpocalypse is coming, and it’s coming Friday, April 17, 2009:
Oprah is doing a show dedicated Twitter. . . with Ashton Kutcher.
From the blogs at New York Times:
The woman who can single-handedly send a new product or book flying off the shelves has just joined Twitter. She has not yet written a tweet, but more than 30,000 followers have already signed up to follow her every 140-character thought, and the number is growing. Rumor has it she will write her first tweet on Friday, when she is dedicating her show to Twitter. (It airs at 4 p.m. Eastern time — check your local listings here for details on viewing the show in your area.)
Ashton Kutcher will be on the show, according to Oprah’s Web site. He is one of Twitter’s most active celebrity twitterers and will most likely talk about his race with CNN to be the first to get a million followers.
Jimmy asks on Amplify what all this might mean. Has Twitter officially jumped the shark? “Tipped” as Malcolm Gladwell would say?
Among some banter back and forth between @RyanMeray and myself, it was decided that tomorrow is officially the TWEETOPRAHCALYPSE.
As I commented at Amplify,
I really admire and respect the Golden Touch of Oprah, but this time I’m afraid. I was a very early adopter, and am one in general, as I signed up for Twitter in April of 2007. The fact that Oprah’s coming is now. . . not only frightening, but starting to steer me away from it all together.
Is Twitter officially getting Punk’d? Or is Ashton Kutcher getting Punk’d by Twitter? Will the Oprah Touch cause the Fail Whale to emerge like the Cracken? Is this the end of the internets as we know it? What will happen?
The only question that remains:
Is Tyra on twitter yet? Because if she isn’t, it’ll look like this when she is.
http://i30.tinypic.com/r950qo.jpg
@Ryan OMG I actually laughed out loud for that. Awesome.
Stacy,
I think your comment re: Twitter being how we talk about news, not being news in itself, is right on. I was not an early adopter… I was a resister. Joined on the fall of last year. I view Twitter as a community, a diverse, global place that allows the sharing of ideas and information without limits of “hard lines” of communication. Somehow I doubt most celebs really see that. And sure… Other Twitter-views exist and are equally worthwhile to their proponents. It’s a question of value for time. Right now, I get a lot of return for my time on Twitter (news, information, connection, ideas, etc). If that changes because the nature of Twitter changes through celebritization into a one-way broadcast medium, I’ll seek that value elsewhere. Got no problem with celebrity, just with level of engagement/how they use medium.
Mandy Vavrinak’s last blog post..Mandy_Vavrinak: @KarenMaunu_LWB, @mikehenrysr, @khuda1 thnx 4 #followfriday recommend! (HINT: tweeps who do own recommends are good to follow!!)
I’m no early adopter, having joined Twitter about a year after you did. But I’m darn sure not part of the current crowd, well crowding around because someone said they should or because its the flavor of the month. I took my time, selecting people to follow because I enjoyed their thinking and writing. Then I began to add selected people that *those* people liked because by extension, they had similar interests. Along the way I gained a few people who liked what I had to say.
Call me elitist, but it really disturbs me when I find Twitterers who only want to self-promote (@ambercadabra’s “Click My Junk”) or whose stream reflects that they throw out 140 char, but don’t actually interact with anyone, ever.
Like you, I fear Twitter will be overrun with people who feel it will make them more popular or attention-worthy, and even perpetuate the “CMJ” and monologue-ers.
Heather Rast’s last blog post..I Win/You Win: Finding Balance In Business Relationships
@Mandy Somehow I doubt that Oprah herself is really going to Tweet much. I’ve got a feeling she’ll make Gayle do it.
@Heather Somebody replied to my sentiments on Amplify via a blog reaction, where they asked “What’s the big deal with mainstream?” I commented directly, which I’ll c&p here:
This is an example of the classic struggle between true social media connectors and hype. While it is true that all of the recent press has been great for Twitter – accounts have increased through the roof these last few months – as the hype fades, so will the mindless conversations from amature tweeters.
Generally speaking, I think Oprah and Ashton are good for Twitter and Social Media. Non-believers are taking note. As marketing professionals, I think we will find it easier to obtain new clients. Sure, we’ll have to separate the myth from the reality and educate them. Oprah and Ashton are doing little more than branding but that works for them. They don’t need to establish credibility or provide value. They are superstars.
Personally, I don’t like to read all of the mindless conversations about trips to the coffee shop or walking the dog from anyone except my close friends. Because of this, I’m very careful about who I follow. As the masses flood to Twitter, I’ll be more careful and so should you.
Now I know how younger people felt when old people joined Facebook. I remember the good old days of Twitter when no one had thousands of followers, it never merited a headline, and there was just normal weirdness like creepy stalker guys, and porn robots. *sigh* I watched it morph and people swoon over social media gurus, who treated their legions to tweets about twitter. Aww but now the fickle fans are off and following the celebs who they have anointed the new kings and queens of Twitter. I still love Twitter because I love the people I get connect with across the globe. Many of us jumped to plurk, kwippy and FriendFeed when the Fail Whale dominated perhaps it’s time for a new playground.
Karen Swim’s last blog post..Dubious Deception and other Corporate Tales
@Kevin What say you to the “Follow Ashton Kutcher on Twitter” billboard? I say case of medium being the message on this one. . . I don’t think a real “marketing professional” would be be using outdoor advertising to recruit people to help him win a contest online. (Or would they?)
@Karen OMG that read like it was ages ago, back in the days where you also had to walk uphill both ways in 3 feet of snow to get to school! It wasn’t THAT LONG AGO! SHEESH!! . . . although I feel old these days when I realize that today’s teenagers don’t know what life is like without the internet. That’s crazy.
MAKE.IT.STOP.ALREADY.
It’s been so annoying to watch thousands of people retweet the O & A names over the past few days.
What about those of us who are on Twitter to seriously social network for jobs, business, etc.? You know REAL connections needed.
We need Ashton and Oprah for that? REALLY? When they follow back a handfull of people?
HEY ASHTON-How about a billboard for my writing business or my bookstore? Now THAT would be helpful!
Uh, O? Have some us “regular” Twitter folk on you show who TRULY share helpful info (and Stacy would be a great one!).
I’m just sayin’…
(But I’m not bitter…)
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