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One of the best things that ever happened to news
Blogs offer a check on the major media that was never before
possible. That?s GOOD.

Just think on the so-called ?Rathergate? debacle. Before blogs
the forgery would never have come to light. While Tom Brokaw
referred to it as a ?jihad?, the simple fact is that one guy noticed
a discrepancy and posted it. This got around and then real
experts got involved. The one that became best known was a
professor at Carnegie Mellon ? with a specialty in computer
typography. After that, Adobe, Bitstream, and Agfa-Monotype
all weighed in. Their knowledge of computer typography is
certainly unquestioned. All said that the document was phony.

Before the blogs, none of that would have happened. The
reaction of the major media has basically been a ?hissy fit? over
the fact that people can now openly question their stories and
make those questions available to the whole world ? in real time.

Most bloggers do not hold themselves out as reporters. They?re
more like commentators or columnists. Are their opinions any
less valid than a Thomas Friedman?s or William Safires?s?
They?re not. The only difference is that people like Friedman
and Safire have managed to get some major publications to pay
them for their thoughts.

If you think that any ?news person?s? opinion is more valid than
a ?non-news? person?s, then you must think your own opinions ?
on anything ? are worthless. Do you blindly follow the
?endorsement? of a candidate in your local newspaper? Of
course not. You make up your own mind ? based on your own
opinions. Want to see diverse ?opinions?? Just read ZDNet
talkbacks. Many times, those talkbacks criticize the ZDNet
writer or the publication itself.

A free press is supposed to work as a check on government ? by
letting the public know what?s happening. Unfortunately, there
have been no checks on the media. Now there are. Most of the
major media don?t seem too happy about that. Again, that?s
good.
Posted by: j.m.galvin   Posted on: 10/29/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Political jihads and the blogosphere  Loverock Davidson | 10/29/04
Yep  quietLee | 10/29/04
Duh..... NOPE! Read Again  rouge_z | 10/30/04
One of the best things that ever happened to news  j.m.galvin | 10/29/04
A Men Brother....  rouge_z | 10/30/04
I will be the FIRST to announce that Kerry WON!!!  Jeff Spicoli | 10/29/04
Jeffreeeeee here are three sites even you can enjoy  Squawkbox | 10/29/04
You'll be beat by Kerry himself.  quietLee | 10/29/04
With 25% of the votes in absentee  voska | 10/29/04
That's OK  rapson | 10/29/04
Only if they keep the CEMETERY vote! (NT)  Update victim | 10/29/04
Hey, if they can shave off the blacks, then we get the corpses!!!  Jeff Spicoli | 10/29/04
Nothing unusual there, you're always wrong.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/29/04
he will win the electorial vote again  V Sanders | 10/31/04
Who reads blogs?  Roger Ramjet | 10/29/04
Drudge is not a blog  j.m.galvin | 10/29/04
Took the words right out of my fingers..  htotten | 10/29/04
True, but  Roger Ramjet | 10/29/04
of course  CobraA1 | 10/29/04
Not Exactly  Roger Ramjet | 10/29/04
One huge problem with blogs...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/29/04
Good point  CobraA1 | 10/29/04
No such thing  rapson | 10/29/04
Depends  htotten | 10/29/04
Carl you win the Undeniable Truth Award for the day  Squawkbox | 10/29/04
Not Exactly  Roger Ramjet | 10/29/04
Dang it Carl, there you go with that common sense again.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/29/04
But then Carl..  Jeff Spicoli | 10/29/04
Of course  rapson | 11/01/04
Blog advantage  j.m.galvin | 10/29/04
Yes, and that's the problem.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/29/04
Would that be no training and no experience like  j.m.galvin | 10/29/04
But..  Jeff Spicoli | 10/29/04
Yup  Jeff Spicoli | 10/29/04
Yup  CobraA1 | 10/30/04
I agree, big business  V Sanders | 10/31/04
100% accurate poll already knows!  subarctic | 10/29/04
With any luck at all, the blog fad will die off.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 10/31/04

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