On July 24, SixApart (the company which brought us the popular blogging tools Typepad and Movable Type, and most recently the MySpace-style service Vox) will be hosting a live chat with Wired Magazine Editor Chris Anderson, author of the newly published book The Long Tail.
The "long tail," of course, is where smart media companies will be making more and more of their money in coming years. It also represents a gold mine of sourcing/collaborative opportunities and credibility pitfalls that news organizations must navigate. Participatory/conversational media become especially important when you start to make the long tail a serious part of your business model, since relationships with influential individuals in your core communities can make or break any long-tail efforts.
Since Anderson is a longtime media pro, I expect he'll have a fair amount to say about journalism in the long tail -- if he's asked. Tidbits readers should ask him (hint hint).
The July 24 chat will begin at 1:30 pm PST. It will be held via Skypecast, which is a pretty cool tool for hosting online group discussions. You don't need to register in advance, but you will need the latest version of Skype to participate. To warm up for this event, on July 17 SixApart will post an interview with Anderson on Featured Typepad Blogs.