Silence Speaks Volumes in Digital Age

I was tied up in meetings this morning when the news broke about Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest on corruption charges.

But apparently I wasn't the last hear about it. That distinction may belong to the governor's spoksesperson, Lucio Guerrero, who responded to press inquiries by saying, "Haven't heard anything -- you are first to call."

In this age of instant information, such a response is beyond mind-boggling. Even before mainstream media were reporting the day's events, blogs like The Smoking Gun and Gapers Block were spreading the news based only on heresay and rumor. By the time the U.S. Attorney's office held its press conference at 11 a.m. Central, word had spread all over the globe . . . and still no comment from the Governor's office.

Now, Blago may be guilty as hell, as the evidence disclosed thus far might suggest. Regardless, this episode demonstrates the critical importance of harnassing the power of digital media to get your message out in the wake of a crisis. 'Cause these days, the news waits for no one.