Analysts Disintermediating the Press

Ray Wang of Forrester Research is one of the most influential software consultants, and is never afraid to speak his mind, which makes him a great resource for journalists.

In an interesting turn of events, though, his blog, "A Software Insider's Point of View," now includes a regular "heard on the street feature" that could easily be confused for a very,very well-sourced article.

Ray's blog shares several hallmarks with traditional "ear to the ground" reportage: it's unimpeachably knowledgeable, speaks with an insider's voice, and offers tidbits of information that, if they aren't essential, are nevertheless "must reads" for his audience.

(Ironically, one bit of news in his most recent posting is the note that Renee Boucher Ferguson, formerly a reporter at Ziff Davis, has become an analyst in her own right.)

What's to stop other agents, traditionally sources for journalists, from becoming purveyors of the news themselves?

For the time being, convention and fear still rule. Most people prefer doing what they're used to doing, and most organizations are afraid of losing message control. So for the time being, PR flaks will continue to churn out self-serving pap that no one will want to read, and knowledge workers will keep their mouths firmly shut (and their fingers off the keyboards).

But if companies wise up and allow PR firms, freelance evangelists and bloggers, and their own employees to share their thoughts, knowledge and feelings honestly, then journalists will also have to find a new line of work.