Jeff and I went to hear Chris Anderson speak in NYC on Thursday. It was a brief presentation, much of which covered the basics of the Long Tail, although I must say, I am still amazed at some of the statistics. The top TV show recently (CSI) wouldn't have even been in the top 10 just a few years ago, based on percentage of households watching.
Main points I took home: I used to think that the music I heard on the radio and the movies I saw in the theaters were simply the good ones. Those that were not good, didn't make the cut. In fact, the ones I saw were merely the ones the distribution channels had room for. There were (and, more importantly, ARE) plenty more good ones out there. The internet opens the distribution channels, and suddenly we have access to much more "good" stuff than we thought was out there.
I think that's particularly important for associations. This community has become quite convinced that the way to find content is by going to conferences, reading the magazines, and otherwise taking in what a few people have deemed to be the "best" material (that they can fit into their channel). It's time to blow that myth apart.
Another important point: the economy that drives producers of "hits" is much different than the economy that drives the producers of the long tail. We need to understand that if we are to take advantage of it.
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