You, the Web 2.0 Citizen, are Times Person of the Year

Acknowledging the explosion in user generated content, Time’s Person the Year is You.

…[F]or seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, TIME’s Person of the Year for 2006 is you.

What’s wild is that on the heels of Steve Rubel and the HyperGeneMedia Blog, I made the pitch in November of 2004 that bloggers be named Time’s Person of the Year.

For 2004, I cannot think of a single person or persons that had a greater influence on society than the bloggers. Let’s remind them by making our voice heard. If you think about American politics, media, business – no one, no one had a greater influence for better or worse than the bloggers.

Turns out 2004 would have been too early. The shift to citizen journalism and transparent marketing without PR spin has been greater than any one could have been imagined two years ago.

Still interesting though to look at the below Time covers. The one on the right was created by Hypergene in 2004. The one on the left came out today.

And as Time acknowledges, this is just the beginning.

We’re looking at an explosion of productivity and innovation, and it’s just getting started, as millions of minds that would otherwise have drowned in obscurity get backhauled into the global intellectual economy.

Technorati Tags: citizen journalism, person of the year