I will continue to enjoy big-budget entertainment but I suspect the engagement approach, not (just) the demand, will be far more consumer-driven. That is we will decide how, when, and if we get the content.

The availability of non-commercial, or at least orders-of-magnitude more and broader sources of content, is the catalyst.

And as I’ve said to Rob Irwin on Cam Reilly’s blog discussion of the moment:

Plus, being “seriously odd” and dreaming of disestablishment is the right of every generation. Don’t oppress me man!

So, perhaps there’s a little arrogance on our part, too, in that the format and distribution medium we’ve being using for years is now getting a much wider public awareness and usage.

I totally agree that the biggest and most exciting development in media at the moment is community generated content. Myspace is case in point.

My actual comment in the forum was not that professional journalists make for better content creators, but rather that the distinction between professional and amateur content is a red herring. The real issue is money.

There will be more and more consumer generated content that will get an increasingly large audience. But there will always be a role for high budget entertainment and news content which communities of interest will add their own spin and mash ups around.

Everyone is jumping on the big media vs grass roots community content debate at the moment. I hate to be a contrarian - but it is not always that simple.