Last week's Edison Media Research report Five years later: Media Perceptions from 2002 to 2007 named the internet as the "most cool and exciting" medium beating television, radio and newspapers.

In the categories "used more lately", "most essential" and most turned to "in the event of a major news story" the internet ranked second behind television. The internet was also second in the category "turned to first to learn about new music," but behind radio. Clearly older media are still the go-to source for many things, but when you look at the difference between this year's results and the results from 2002, erosion in the usage of other media and gains in usage of the internet stand out clearly.

I imagine that in 2012's report the internet will lead these categories across the board. Then again, by 2012 the lines between the internet, television and radio may so blurred that the report will just be comparing perceptions of the internet vs. print media.

Are you ahead of this curve or just catching up? What medium do you think will be the coolest in 2012?

A month or two ago I was asked about the use of YouTube and MySpace in the 2008 Campaign. I opined that unlike the enormous impact that blogging and Meetup had on Howard Dean's campaign in 2004 I felt that in 2008 we were unlikely to see a candidate who would not exist, but for YouTube or MySpace. Because these sites are mature today compared to the state of blogging 3 years ago, most campaigns will take advantage of them, but some more successfully or others. Using online marketing in a campaign is not newsworthy, but mistakes like the hacking of John McCain's MySpace page or a "Macaca moment" are. This week though I saw videos from two candidates that clearly showed how one campaign "got" the medium and another didn't.

Hilary Clinton's campaign produced a Sopranos parody to tease her selection of a campaign song. The video is a dead-on fit with the YouTube audience and medium. It also serves the campaign. No more a Rhodes Scholar shrew, the Sopranos parody shows that Hilary doesn't take herself too seriously. She shares the pop culture fixation on the Sopranos series finale and pokes fun at her family just like we all do. Of course, the video is about the selection of the campaign theme song, hopefully not the issue that we are using to select the next president.

Then there is Mike Gravel's campaign, which has two videos, one of the candidate staring at the viewer then throwing a rock into a lake and another of Gravel collecting wood then sitting by a fire. Gravel's videos are completely baffling to me. Neither has any voiceover or explanation. They remind me of the original zen-like Infiniti commercials and have the same result: interest but no sales. The ads have gotten Gravel some press on CNN and the Daily Show, which have both run mocking pieces about them. Gravel's got name recognition now, but for the wrong reason.

Personally, it's too early for me to be thinking seriously about presidential candidates. But whether you are selling a future president or a product you need to use the appropriate tone in the online medium of choice and make sure that you position yourself correctly. Where have you seen style and medium clash online?

A friend of mine is tight with the writer/director Barry Levinson. If you don't know who Barry is, you probably know his work - Rain Man, Diner and a million other great films. Anyway, my friend told me that he once asked Barry how he wrote such great copy. Barry said, simply, "I listen." After thinking about that for a while, I've totally bought into this school of thought.

What comes out of people's mouths is often more interesting, funnier, and way more natural than what comes out of our fingers as we tap away at our scripts. So now I listen a little harder to what people say and how they say it.

One thing that really happened I will definitely use in a script someday:
A 400 lb man is sitting in his vintage convertible - we've rented the car for a film shoot. He has permanently removed the vehicle's backseat to allow for a little extra "leg" room. Making small talk before the camera rolls, I say:

John: So... Richie what do you do for a living?
Richie (he smiles, leans back and replies):
What'dya mean what do I do... I'm doin' it!

If you're looking for inspiration just carry a pad and pen or a tape recorder with you everywhere you go. Eventually you'll hear something worth pilfering. I may blog back in here with more samples as they happen.

Here's another trick to try. If you're not sure about a piece of dialogue, read it into your voicemail and then call in and listen. This often makes it easier to pick out copy that doesn't ring true.

So what's a writer's best tool? Well, if you're writing dialog, the answer is simple - your ears. Here's a great quote from Barry Levinson's Diner.

"You know what word I'm not comfortable with? Nuance. It's not a real word.
Like "gesture." Gesture's a real word. With gesture you know where you stand.
But nuance? I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong."

You can't make that kind of stuff up. Check out more movie trivia and great dialogue here.