By Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist Published May 10, 2013 at 4:31 PM

When I consult clients or work with students seeking a career in professional communications, the professional social media platform LinkedIn is one of the first places I point to as a place to start.

With resume information in hand, a profile on LinkedIn can be built, including previous work experience, a portfolio of projects, and a summary of who you are as part of your profession. Unlike Facebook, which is more "working to live" with your updates to friends and family members, LinkedIn is "living to work" with updates for those you are networked with.

This week, LinkedIn updated its "LinkedIn Today," which works much like a wire newsfeed on a business-based magazine site does. Individuals can follow different channels, and influencers that provide insights into the different industries they are leaders in. Sir Richard Branson, Angie from Angie’s List and others can be followed without being connected to them within your own network.

Inside LinkedIn Today, a person can customize their feed by choosing among a number of channels, including, Best Advice, Leadership & Management, Customer Service and Marketing Strategies, among others. The Technology channel already has the largest following with more than a million followers.

Although, the features don’t work like the old Google RSS aggregators would, the new offering does have the potential to bring more sticky items to a person’s feed. As in the digital media world, the site that has features that cause people to spend more time on the site, it also has the potential to earn the most revenue from digital ads.

In social media circles, there is a ton of prognostication of which sites will make the right moves to draw in larger audiences, and which ones will fade away. Before Facebook launched its mobile Home project, it was the most popular site to rag on. Now, many of those so-called experts have fallen silent.

Truth of the matter is, the social platform that has a narrow focus and purpose, while offering easy-to-use features to keep people coming back, will win the race. It will also earn the bullseye on its back, with everyone else trying to knock it off the No. 1 pedestal.

THIS FALL: As expected, following the Fox Upfront on Wednesday, presenting its stable of new shows for the fall, rival network NBC started leaking out details to media outlets before its own Upfront set for Monday.

Right off the bat, and to little surprise, "Parks and Recreation" has been renewed for a sixth season.  The peacock, which finished in fifth place behind CBS, Fox, ABC and Univision last fall, also leaked out some of the new programs it has ordered.

NBC is the second network to announce a new JJ Abrams program, with "Believe," a story about a 10-year-old orphan with special powers. Gillian Anderson of "X-Files" fame, has a new vehicle with "Crisis." The action-thriller is about a group of Washington, D.C., students taken hostage to get at their high-powered parents.

Three comedies have also been announced, the most notable being "Sean Saves the World" with "Will and Grace" regular Sean Hayes.

Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist

Media is bombarding us everywhere.

Instead of sheltering his brain from the onslaught, Steve embraces the news stories, entertainment, billboards, blogs, talk shows and everything in between.

The former writer, editor and producer in TV, radio, Web and newspapers, will be talking about what media does in our community and how it shapes who we are and what we do.