I’m not sure you can have it both ways, and that’s where a good editor comes into this discourse.

If we have user-generated content without a system of surfacing the great and leaving the bad behind, everyone loses. If we have stellar information but poor communication, everyone loses; the reverse is also true.

In the end it’s a matter of semantics, which I think Mr. Jarvis meant by “I’m not sure what that means. But it made for a good headline.”

The function remains the same, the medium changes (perhaps continually even). If a person driving a minivan goes on to drive an SUV, they’re still driving. Same function, slightly different medium.

The “democratization of publishing” has not only affected the publishing industry, but also the advertising and PR industries, not least because anyone is empowered to become a marketing executive.

Content strategy is a way to separate the professional marketers from the amateurs.

This is now also happening with video based content, thanks to YouTube. Professional producers of content (i.e., Hollywood) have to compete with those auteurs who have a good ear for dialogue, a good eye, and know a little something about compelling editing.

I study search engine optimization and web analytics every day, I blog and do content promotion, we’re relaunching our website with a robust keyword strategy, et cetera. You can stick whatever name badge on me that you like, if that’s important to you, but I’m an editor.

If I went on an interview with Folio, the first thing I’d ask is, ‘can you describe the difference between said strategist and a traditional editor? ‘

What I see are Web sites that just throw up stories fast and furiously, hoping somehow someone will notice a story and link to it with a blog post. Most often the story isn’t put within the context of what’s happened before.

I’ve even seen people, “content strategists” they call them, copy entire blog posts (ask Om) in an attempt to keep up with Web churn.

The horror of all horrors are press releases that are cut and pasted to fill screen real estate. Yesterday, I was at a Web site doing this, and I saw their disclaimer at the bottom basically saying, we’re not responsible for the accuracy of this hype.

With all this recycling of PR material, we will see the Web turn into one giant buzz machine?