350 owns the media today

350 [1]

350.org is a new generation of organization, and today shows how well their model fits the noisy wired world we live in. You see, 350 aren't trying to build a massive new organization, or grow their own brand. Their one and only goal is to get a number - in this case, what we all believe is the most important number in the world - into the public consciousness.

And have they ever done that today. A roar just went around the office a few minutes ago, "we're the top story on Google news!".

Bill McKibben says it best: "A Cheer just went around the room. And that cheer indicated that, for a little while, we're the most talked-about news story on the planet.

And it gives us a chance to say: thanks to everyone who has worked over the years, many as volunteers, to build the electronic networks and craft the cool programs, from Flickr to Twitter to Google Earth, that let us put this day together.

We couldn't have done this project two years ago--it's in a sense a beta test for the wired world."

In the last hour, it wasn't just Google news we were celebrating at the 350 HQ in New York, here's what happened, in the traditional media and online worlds:

An incredible slide-show was on the home page of New York Times, and 350 was the top story, in both the International and US Editions (see image at right)
The BBC, perhaps the world's most respected news organization, also posted the story and slideshow on their home page
CNN ran a fantastic interview [3] with Bill McKibben this morning, which showed 350'org's snazzy website in full force
Major global news agencies such as the Sydney Morning Herald, Xinhau (China) news agency, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and dozens of others posted high profile stories
The world's biggest twitterer, Ashton Kutcher, and one of its most respected, the New York Times' Nicholas Kristoff tweeted posts about #350ppm
And, to top it all off, this afternoon at 4:30 EST, 350.org literally took over Times Square in New York, with the slideshow of the best photos from around the world, the 350 logo (which, again, isn't about branding an org, but branding an idea), animations and videos were running as our action took over the centre of the world's biggest media mecca (see our video at the top of the page)

So, climate change is the biggest story in the world today. Millions of people feel empowered by taking part in, or seeing, actions in their own communities. And the number - the most important number in the world - is now scorched forever into the consciousness of leaders, the media, and the public.

Quite the accomplishment for a group of 7 young activists (and one older writer) and a little less than 2 years work!