Finally a solution to the problem of inane comments on websites. Thanks to the wonderful xkcd.com

An amusing and perceptive take on social media in 2009 by the talented Rob Cottingham

One of my journalism students drew my attention to this collection of memorable local US news segments of the year. My favourite is this clip from Fox 8 in Cleveland. The reporter attempts to make up for a lack of pictures by using a cardboard cut-out re-enactment for a story about a recent string of black bear sightings. (This can’t be real, can it?)

The British comedy duo of Mitchell and Webb make fun of the current trend towards interactivity and user-generated content by broadcasters such as the BBC. The clip is from their BBC show, That Mitchell and Webb Look

A tongue-in-cheek primer on how to produce a radio show by host Nora Young and the team at the CBC show Spark. Remember, before you do anything, you need a good idea for a radio show! For more gems, here’s the video. (Via Inside the CBC blog)

This cartoon from Rob Cottingham, president of a web community consultancy, Social Signal, says it all: (Via Inside the CBC)