Entries for month: December 2011
“Oh wow!” The loss of Steve Jobs was the media story of 2011
27 December 2011 · By Steve Nilan
“Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.” Steve Jobs’ last words were a fitting exclamation point on a remarkable life. His final utterance might also be an appropriate reaction to Time magazine’s decision to name “The Protester” as the 2011 Person of the Year. It’s a provocative choice that fired up conversations from the water cooler to the talk-show airwaves.
My money was on Steve Jobs. Apparently I wasn’t alone. He was on the short list in Time’s Reader Poll. I imagine that Time’s editors must have factored in that Jobs died just two months ago. The eulogies and accolades are still too fresh in our minds. Let’s suspend cynicism and believe that the protester won on merit, without the consideration that another Steve Jobs cover might not sell as many copies.
Jobs’ legacy is how he applied elegant technology and a strong will to reshape the world of digital media. From music (iTunes) to movies (Pixar and iMovies) to news (iPad) to software (apps) to personal communications (iPhone), Jobs has impacted global industries and the lives of millions. Some might argure his impact was not all positive. Beyond Jobs-led technology breakthroughs and elevated user experiences, he pioneered digital media business models. iTunes is the coolest US99-cent store on the planet. Despite onerous terms for publishers, the App Store has forever changed our digital consumption patterns.
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