Matthew Ingram comments on a piece in the NYTimes which quotes a collegiate saying “If the news is important, it will find me.”

I've long been a cheerleader for Social Bookmarking and the relevance factor, but it only works for people who attention. While the article is about politics and the way the younger generation communicates about it, I'd like to take a broader view. For example, I can't imagine trying to keep up with the latest trends in Professional Development without an online network, but I bet there are plenty 'old timers' out there who do.

If I had to rely on 'word of mouth' I'm pretty sure not everyone would get the news, and even then it might not be correct. It's like when I send out a staff memo - if I want to make sure everyone reads it I publish it on our Intranet, via email, and on paper. Each generation gets their news differently - of the 34.5 million Americans over 65, only 34% use the Internet (Pew, 2006). Employers or candidates (or anyone supplying information) needs to provide information in as many ways possible to accommodate that difference.