Proof that social media is trumping traditional media

While the traditional versus new media debate rages on, I have just witnessed the amazing speed and power of social media.

Its a rainy, windy Saturday here and I have been cruising around Twitter and Facebook following various discussions online when an earthquake hit northern California.

Loic le Meur was the first to comment when his house started shaking. Within seconds the Twitter network was alive with quake messages, including Robert Scoble who joined in the conversation.

Within minutes Loic had posted a video about the quake experience, and we were informed that other Twitterers were stuck in Oakland due to the BART transport system being affected by the quake.

All this was before any traditional media or Government agencies had reacted. It was immediate and widespread communication via a totally new medium.

Scoble soon reassured Loic that 4.2 is not a big quake and that it hadn't even interrupted his Playstation. (OK that's not exactly news reporting, but it is very real and quickly puts events into a human perspective).

Its all further proof that for various reasons that social media is making inroads and once again provokes the question: Why don't people get it?