Long-tailenthusiastsarguethatthewholeofculturewillbenefit,notjustcommercialenterprises.Television,filmandmusicaresuchbewitchingmediaintheirownrightthatmanypeoplearequitehappytowatchandlistentowhatthemainstreamprovides.Butifindividualshavetheopportunitytopickbetter,moreideallysuitedentertainmentfromafarwiderselection,theywilltakeit,accordingtothetheoryofthelongtail.Someanalystsreckonthatentirepopulationsmightbecomehappierandwiseroncetheyhaveaccesstothousandsofdocumentaries,independentfilmsandsub-genresofeverykindofmusic,insteadofbeingsubjectedtowhatMrAndersoncallsthetyrannyoflowest-common-denominatorfare.Thatmightbetakingthingsabitfar.Butthelongtailiscertainlyoneoftheinternet'sbettergiftstohumanity.Conglomerates,suchasRupertMurdoch'sNewsCorporation,ontheotherhand,regardthelongtailasanotherswingatthemfromadragon-likeblogospherewhichresentsthe“mainstreammedia”orMSM,asbloggersoftencallit.Lowest-common-denominatorhits,afterall,areanimportantpartoftheirbusiness.Likemanypeopleconnectedtothetechnologyindustry,MrAnderson(formerlyajournalistforTheEconomist)clearlyrelishesthewaytheinternetischallengingtraditionalmediacompanies.
