He introduced himself and said he’d somehow been placed on the media table. I said, “Oh, but you are media!” – meaning to make a joke, because he works in the media department of an ad agency.

But as I said it I realised I was telling the truth. Michael’s incisive insights into the media space are often more enlightening than the things I read in the news media. They’re written for a very specific, “in the know” audience.

If I were the insecure type, I’d be worried about my job as a journalist. But maybe that’s where my lack of training and industry links comes in – because I’m also a freelance copywriter. And a blogger. And generally just a guy who writes words.

This is the future, the world where most traditional middleman jobs – like media commentators – aren’t necessarily doomed to destruction, but they are destined for redefinition.

You can either wait to be redefined by someone else, or you can start thinking about what it is you really do – now.

Having heard last week about what crap payers publishers tend to be for freelance work, the cynic journalist (a new addition to my selection of personalities) scoffs as the publishers scrape the bottom of the barrel for free content rather than pay decent per word rates to their hard working freelancers.

The business owner and innovator in me, however, thinks good on ‘em! They’ve done a TradeMe – if you can’t beat them, buy them!

It’s all very interesting. I’m off to Blogburst to sign up now. Might as well get my blogs some publicity, then I might get paid from the ads.

So if you have any news, views or particularly exciting data about the way marketers are using online, or the way consumers are receiving it, let me know. Email me on simon [at] simonyoung.co.nz or just pick up the phone (details to your right).

It’s an interesting development. Must be a sign that more people are accessing content exclusively online. Either that or an accountant is breathing down someone’s neck, making sure everything is paid for.

What’s also interesting is that the premium content seems to be opinion pieces – or “exclusive comment material” as Herald spin puts it. I would’ve thought real news would be the big drawcard for readers, but I must admit of the reading I do, most of it is the opinion columns.

Interesting (I’m overusing that word, I know) and counterintuitive, because opinions are to be had by the bucketful with the advent of blogs. But from my own behaviour, I still want to know what Jim Hopkins and Garth George and Tapu Misa say about stuff.

Maybe this whole premium content thing is a big experiment; maybe that’s why I’ve not heard of it until trying to read two columns.

Will be interesting (I know, I know, find another word already) to watch…

This Herald article says the channel hopes the Anzac Day programme will bring back viewers for more. I don’t know if that will work out, but I did notice one thing: it showed that Maori TV is not exclusively about Maori views; instead, it’s about a Maori point of view – he whakaaro Maori.

I guess my former employer Rhema Broadcasting Group faces the same issues – demonstrating that its radio and TV channels are not exclusively for Christians and about Christianity, but instead presenting a Christian world view.

One thing’s for sure: the welcome return to the screen of Judy Bailey and the interviewing of veterans both Maori and Pakeha made it a real celebration of nationhood. Like Maori TV’s slogan says, it’s ma tatou – for everyone.