We have big news here at BLASTmedia. We just scored our biggest, most prestigious media hit to date. I, Sabrina Cook, have been named TIME’s Person of the Year! That’s right, ME! I was casually strolling through the newsstand at Borders when I came across the most recent issue of TIME and whose face did I see staring back at me on the front cover? Mine! I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t even know I was nominated. My mom and dad are going to be so proud.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What have I done within the last year that makes me worthy of this award? Well, I’ll have you know that I posted a YouTube video back in June. It was quite a monumental feat. I also got my very own MySpace account and I’ve started blogging over the course of the last year. And, my blog has tens of readers! As I was loading the video of my Donald Trump impersonation onto YouTube, I never would have dreamed that action would land me smack on the front page of TIME magazine.

OK, now really. The one question I find myself asking is - why am I so disappointed in TIME’s generic choice for Person of the Year? A few short weeks ago I was writing on this very blog about how social media was here to stay and singing the praises of YouTube and MySpace as a new medium for the news – me and all the rest of the world! I can’t believe that TIME is just now jumping on board and bestowing this honor upon me (ok, all of us). The story is stale. Everyone knows that we’re getting our news through new mediums and that ordinary citizens wield a new power in the industry. TIME is just now figuring this out?

In the media industry everyone walks a fine line between providing innovative cover stories and being overly gimmicky. Unfortunately, TIME has come across as the latter. There was way too much hype behind this year’s selection only to present us with a tacky, mirrored cover. CNN and TIME partnered together and ran a series of short pieces about the possible choices for the Person of the Year. TIME conducted online polls to allow people to “vote” on their Person of the Year. How clever! All of these things added together came across as a bit too gimmicky. The media has torn TIME to shreds over the selection. And unfortunately, this has probably tarnished a lot of people’s view of the annual selection.

Oh well, I’m going to live it up while I can! Feel free to leave me a congratulatory comment below – and get in touch with my people early to be a keynote speaker for your next event. I have get to work on my acceptance speech and getting this issue framed at Hobby Lobby for my mom.