Today's Question: At times, is it OK to be a Sell-Out?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Lady Gaga concert in Columbus. I wouldn't characterize myself as a huge fan, nor have I passionately followed her rise in fame, but I know her top hits, watched her on top news shows and kind of know her background.

What I wasn't ready for was her INTENSE following! She's preached to her fans about being true to his/herself--and believe me, they are!

What disturbed me was the juxtaposition of this genuine message with blatant product placement in the middle of the concert! After extolling her thoughts on being yourself, she whipped out her Virgin Mobile phone and called an audience member!

Really? Be true to yourself, but you'll name drop your presenting sponsor?

At first, I couldn't get over this, but the more I've thought about it, I suppose if is a necessary step for reaching the masses. Without Virgin Mobile, would millions of fans know or hear her message--probably not.

So, be a sell-out to deliver your message, but don't let your financial partner change what you have to say!

Today's Question: Do We Really Need All This "News"?

Do you know what you were doing between 2-5pm EST on Thursday, October 15? Chances are you at least heard about Balloon boy--maybe that's because the online and news world lit up with the coverage...on CNN alone we got 2 hours of coverage of the UFO-like flying creation and interviews with "Balloon Experts" within an hour of the BalloonTrack 2009!

My problem is that as we, the (people) consumer, put demands on a 24/7 media watchdog, are we forcing them to make questionable decisions on what is or isn't news--do you know right now, you can find an article on how Dolly Parton and Jessica Simpson are tweeting about their bra size--you might think this is on www.people.com but actually it's on the new www.cnn.com!

I studied about investigative reporting that uncovered scandals and in-depth reports. Since it's all about supply and demand--why are we demanding more of this questionable news material? I'm afraid this is a shift that is here to stay...but maybe if we stopped demanding, we'd get a better supply!

Today's Question: Can Key Messages Kill The Messenger?

It's been a few days since the "Brawl Street" special on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with John Stewart. Prior to last Thursday's episode a very public feud was brewing between John Stewart and Jim Cramer of CNBC's Mad Money for several days--and it was making its way to mainstream media like The Today Show and The Martha Stewart Show.

If you saw the episode (and even if you didn't)--John Stewart was declared the victor in the battle of wits. What I saw was Jim Cramer--a guy with a larger than life personality--reduced to a shell of a TV host--it made me wonder if he was pinned as the scapegoat for CNBC? Absent from the interview were Cramer's constant ravings, explosive body language and in-your-face jabs. His key messages were reduced to "I made mistakes" and "I was lied to"--these were the repetitive key messages that were uttered as he asked for forgiveness and vowed to become a better advisor. How could the media relations experts at CNBC allow Cramer to make such a fool of himself--unless it was intentional.

I think that key messages can kill the messenger--especially when that is their intention.

Today's Question: How Did You "View" the Presidential Address?

Whether it was on a major network, over a cable news station, online or even via facebook, chances are you "viewed" last night's Presidential Address. And if you didn't watch it, you will still be surrounded by the ongoing media coverage--in newspapers, on the radio, in conversations with friends and co-workers, via email, through status updates on social media sites--the list goes on and on.

When a major national event happens--we "view" it. Although the way we view these things has changed dramatically. Can we actually imagine gathering our families around a radio and listening to fireside chats? It sounds so archaic and time-consuming.

And now we do more than just watch or listen--we participate! We watch the Address on facebook while twittering about the President's comments; we text our friends while we listen to the Address on the TV; we attend virtual events to show our support for the President's message; we vote in online polls rating his performance--heck, some of us even blog about it!

So, it's time to stop viewing and start acting--you can try not to, but it's nearly impossible--and would we really want it any other way?