I wonder why it never seems to occur to MSM "journalists" to see what has already been said about and by their subjects by sitting down and trying a few key words or phrases in a Google search. As we have seen, an imaginative journalist using the Internet and public records exposed Duke Cunningham, while the Washington press corpse couldn't find the story with both hands, a flashlight and a Boy Scout troop.
The "Internets" must truly be a mystery to the hunt-and-peck, manual typewriter, pencil-stub and notebook crowd.
Posted by Repack Rider at December 11, 2005 10:13 PMOr, could it just be that Blogs represent a formidable threat to the corporate owned media? Actually, I am astonished that the war against the Blogs has not begun before now. I predict we will see a concerted effort by the MSM and our Government (although the threat by the Government will be extremely covert) to discredit Blogs. Speaking the truth, much less writing the truth cannot be allowed. What the MSM fails to understand is that there are 5 millions blogs and that number is growing every day. As Roberto Belo of BBC said: "The notion of a gatekeeper who filters and decides what's acceptable for public consumption and what isn't, that's gone forever." In today's world, it is the Blogs that lead, and the MSM follows (well sometimes).
"The center-left blogosphere is running circles around an industry that is marching towards the same fate as the dinosaurs..."
Exactly, that's why I'm here at 7:30 this morning instead of in front of a TV. I used to watch hours of TV news every week-now zero. And it's their fault...I could feel the irrelevance creeping up slowly, I tuned out completely during the Michael Jackson circus. I feel I am more more informed now-with zero TV news that is.
Posted by Dave at December 12, 2005 04:39 AMTh lft-f-cntr blgs r prn t th sm nws crftng, nfltd slf mprtnc nd ptnt rrlvnc tht hs ndrmnd th crdblty f th MSM, vn lck f bjctvty rgrdng thr wn vrt bs.
[Editor: ignore=off]The left-of-center blogs are prone to the same news crafting
Never see that in the right wing blogs, though, right? Puhleeze. They selectively cover issues just like everyone else. It's called perspective and have priorities. And blogs are commentary on news, interpretation, like op-ed writers, blogs are rarely pure news.
Posted by ann at December 12, 2005 05:56 AMThe left-of-center blogs are prone to the same news crafting, inflated self importance and patent irrelevance that has undermined the credibility of the MSM, even a lack of objectivity regarding their own overt bias.
Posted by Bendito at December 12, 2005 05:39 AM
*****
What Satan-fellator here calls "bias" the rest of the world calls "truth."
"Inflated self importance, patent irrelevance and lack of objectivity?" Were you looking in a mirror when you typed that, Bedoverito, you goat-fucking twerp?
Posted by God Of War at December 12, 2005 06:09 AMNews crafting: I got to see Chris Matthews do that on Saturday. He had on Cynthia Tucker from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and three GOP flacks. Guess who suffered the most interruptions from Matthews when she spoke?
I've been saying for a few years now that blogs are going to take over the news function. We are in this news 'business' because we want to be, not because we are making our living off of our efforts. Thus, we have no secret agendas that have to be protected by 're-shaping' the news coverage as the SCLM has been since 1980. Our biases are out front where they can be seen (as once was the case for the media before least-common denominator news took over) and people can choose to read us - or not. We aren't the only game in town.
But we're getting to be the best.
Posted by pessimist at December 12, 2005 06:12 AMThe funny thing is that they are so COMPLETELY clueless. I'm with Dave: what is the point in watching the TV news? I get transparent, real news from the internet. Wankers like David Broder and Chris Matthews are just pitiful. Whatever credibility they once had is long gone.
Here's a question: Is there anyone on this board that would willingly pay money for ANYTHING written by Booby Woodward at this point?
Posted by weinerdog43 at December 12, 2005 06:30 AMI would only pay Woody for his autograph in my first edition copy of All The President's Men.
He would have to sign below Bernstein though.
Posted by idiosynchronic at December 12, 2005 07:22 AMThe left-of-center blogs are prone to the same news crafting, inflated self importance and patent irrelevance that has undermined the credibility of the MSM, even a lack of objectivity regarding their own overt bias.
Posted by Bendito at December 12, 2005 05:39 AM
This message brought to you by the Richard Mellon Scaife School of Media Bias Engineering.
Posted by (: Tom :) at December 12, 2005 07:52 AMyes yes yes and yes
well said, steve soto
and repack ride
judith
dave
pessimist
weinerdog43
idiosyncratic
the web log world (wlw)
is where it's at with political reproting.
the nytimes, wapo, time mag behemoths are too uncritical, too unreliable, too concerned with being "responsible", and too full of layers of edtiors to accomplish much in the way of political reporting.
i did not start reading web logs four months ago because i was curious about web logs.
i started reading them because i was furious at the nytimes and the washington post, newspapers i have read for decades, at their mincing, misleading editorials, intellectually dishonest, political-operative columnists, and timid, ass-kissing political reporters. (compare, for example, the nytimes feeble "week in review" sunday editorial section with its tough and critically detailed sunday business section.)
i stumbled upon one blog, which led to another and then another over the period of a month or six weeks.
if i ever go back to the newspapers for political reporting it will only be when they can match the intellctual and critical quality of the web logs i have come to read daily.
Posted by orionATL at December 12, 2005 07:59 AM
Dave: I agree - to a point. I canceled cable shortly after The War started up, but for some reason still receive a select but limited transmission of broadcast and some cable access. I turn on and watch the broadcast news just as my father used to turn on and watch boxing in the early 60's - so I have something to yell at after a long hard day. Thank the Buddha that I still get C-Span! (:>
Posted by Donald Cormac at December 12, 2005 08:07 AMI'm certainly no expert and could absolutely be wrong, but it seems to me that the reliable blogs (like TLC) are consumers of news stories produced by a wide variety of MSM. They are not "journals" themselves.
The point is that by collecting supporting facts from the MSM, blogs can then dispense what the MSM media resolutely refuses to do---dot connecting and reasoned denuncation of governmental lying, abuse and corruption.
The MSM cannot do that because the corrupt class pays all the bills.
Hence the multitudinous problems in our failing doomed republic.
Posted by euzoius at December 12, 2005 08:16 AMI have to believe that this is a fear-based reaction on the part of mainstream. Bloggers have not only added factual daylight but analytical daylight to the news whereas it has to be embarassing to the mainstream that they are often left in the dust. I have to believe that blogging will be faced soon with a new version of swiftboating. Along those lines, I'm curious as to the role of the Patriot Act in Internet Censorship. I'm reading that more and more sites are simply "disappearing" or moved elsewhere in an effort to deny access.
Posted by mainsailset at December 12, 2005 08:27 AMIf, there's is anything I can be said about the MSM vs Blggr is, ever since I have abandoned the MSM for Blogging I have found myself way ahead of the News scoop curve. I find myself, to be constantly One to two steps ahead of everyone around me. It's odd to be consistantly saying "I know that." I also find myself confounding others with a quick and informed retort, to their MSM talking points. It's good to be King of the Information knowledge base! I LOVE Blogging.
Posted by ED Beckmann at December 12, 2005 08:50 AMOrionATL, welcome to the world of Blogs. Once I found The Left Coaster and other sites, I never went back to the MSM. Cutting edge news is certainly not their forte.
Posted by Judith at December 12, 2005 08:54 AMOh, and did I mention that most of the MSM tell out and out lies?
Posted by Judith at December 12, 2005 08:59 AMThe only reason I watch network news about twice a week is to see what they're selling. I think of it sort of like gathering intellegence. For real news, I too read blogs and not just left leaning ones. I've also noticed that most of my friends with regular internet accees are moving in the same direction. The M$M is an endangered spieces, when most people have regular internet access, they'll be toast.
Posted by rlp at December 12, 2005 11:04 AMOrion, welcome! There are some great writers on this blog. By accident, some of them are trolls. I almost always get a good laugh from the latest dumb statement from Bendito.
Posted by weinerdog43 at December 12, 2005 12:32 PMMy guy is an old Washington hand and addicted to CSPAN. And yet, I'm constantly scooping him because I get all my news on the Internet.
It is becoming more and more impossible to watch TV news because it tells either lies or just leaves out the most important point.
Which is why the nation is in the trouble it's in...if all one watches is the TV news, and maybe glances at the paper, one would be confused and troubled, but not informed.
It's all happening internally on the WaPo/Newsweek website. Their dinosaurs are at war with their best blogger, Dan Froomkin.
The WaPo ombudscretin, Deborah Howell, started it off here, their chief white house shill, John Harris, explains it here and Dan Froomkin responds here.
Non unexpectedly, some of the blogging comments to these three posts are priceless.
Write to Ms. Howell. Ms. Howell and her husband C. Peter Magrath have a listed phone number and address:
Deborah C. Howell
34 Wellesley Circle
Glen Echo, MD 20812
(301-229-6947)