Posted on 12/12/2005 1:39:09 PM PST by bloggodocio
For a long time, I have hoped that the progressive blogosphere would eventually emerge as an important cornerstone of a new progressive media empire that would not only serve as a counterweight to the Republican Noise Machine, but would even come to surpass the efforts of the right. To this end, I have written numerous posts, essays and articles lauding the growing influence of the progressive blogosphere, including the report The Emergence of the Progressive Blogosphere for NPI that I co-authored with Matt. However, after sepnding most of the day compiling research for another project I am working on, I stumbled across some rather disturbing data that indicates the progressive blogosphere is making few, if any, real waves when it comes to influencing the content of the MSM.
In short, it would appear that the world of the blogosphere is almost entirely separate from the world of the MSM. At best, it is a one way street where the blogosphere will comment and act on the content of the MSM, but the MSM will not comment or act back. Look, for example, at the number of hits twelve of the most highly trafficked progressive blogs received in Google News over the past month (I removed hits that came from the website in question or that were not referring to the website in question):
Dailykos: 234 Juan Cole: 90 Talking Points Memo: 47 Kevin Drum: 41 Atrios: 34 Americablog: 25 Crooks and Liars: 20 MyDD: 17 Talk Left: 8 Political Wire: 6 Politics1: 2 BooMan Tribune: 2
That comes out to a pretty anemic 528 total Google News hits for twelve of the top progressive blogs and bloggers, nearly two-thirds of which come from Dailykos and Juan Cole. Worse, around 80-90% of those hits come from other blogs and/or other sources of alternative news and commentary. While Google News is a crude tool and a Lexis-Nexis search would be more thorough, this search suggests that there were less than 100 print mentions of the top dozen or so liberal blogs in the MSM over the past month. Considering that these blogs combine for well over 1 million readers per day, that is a shockingly small amount of cross media penetration. While progressive blog traffic is growing at a healthy clip, it would appear that the news and commentary world of the blogosphere is only able to reach its audience and spread influence directly through the blogs themselves. Sure, a few blogs make the air for a couple minutes every day on the Situation Room, but it would be reasonable to argue that with the possible exceptions of Juan Cole and Dailykos, our influence reaches only as far as our html can project it onto people's computer screens. We get a few interviews here and there, but really, its not much. By way of comparison, over the last month Sean Hannity received 550 hits on Google News, and Ann Coulter received 544. It is thus questionable whether or not the entire progressive blogosphere is having as much impact as either of these two pundits are having on their own. As of right now, a sufficient counter to the Republican Noise Machine we are not.
There are probably at least 15-20 people who are trying to live as full-time progressive bloggers in America, and many more progressives with good blogs who would like to make blogging their full-time occupation. While these people are experiencing rapid audience growth, not only do many still have a difficult time making ends meet, but they are clearly struggling to make real waves within the national political discourse. (Hell, even I had to use Google News for this study instead of Lexis-Nexis, to which I should really purchase a subscription). To put this as bluntly as I can, progressives will not be able to break the conservative governing majority over the long term, no matter how narrow it may be, unless we can turn around the rapidly deteriorating media climate in this country. In order for progressives to change the deteriorating media climate in this country, it will be absolutely essential for the new progressive pundit class, which is to be found primarily in radio and the blogosphere, to be funded and cross-promoted. This has to be done, because right now progressive media is just not having the impact it needs to in order to help push the conservative movement in this country out of power.
But I would also add that I think a main reason is that lefty blogs don't get cited more often is that bitterness and profanity do not make you sound professional.
The barking moonbats bring shame to the Democrat party and clearly embrace anarchism and socialism. Doesn't serve to rally the base as it turns off "flyover country".
Probably the reason so-called "progressive" blogs don't make the same waves as conservative ones is because the "progressive" blogs sound no different than the Lamestream press ... except they have more rancor, venom and shrillness.
That's cause the MSM is losing readers and viewers at alarming rates because of their lack of credibility and liberal bias. For the MSM to further embrase their hair-on-fire progressive cohorts/bloggers would drive a nail in their coffins.
However, the MSM will continue their bias reporting of leftist hogwash. It's what they do.
I wonder how many people are trying to live as full-time conservative bloggers. All I can remember have day job like university professor, radio talk-show host, lawyers..
I just realized that this is a fund-raising letter...
Maybe this is why the "progressive" blogosphere isn't really gaining influence. The guy admits he spent his life talking about how influencial it was becoming, and only later happened to stumble across actual FACTS which proved him wrong. Before that, he was just making things up in the HOPE that it would become so by his saying it.
Which describes much of the progressive writing on the web -- saying things that are not true in the hopes that they will become true.
I don't think it's the profanity... it's the lack of credible input. Besides, all a 'progressive' blog offers MSM news is COMPETITION. They both serve the same purpose... a bully-pulpit for leftist frustration during a conservative administration.
The main reason lefty blogs don't have any influence is because they are redundant. All that spew is easily available from the NY Times, LA Times, WashPost, CNN, network news, etc. and there's no reason to read a blog to read the same old thing.
In contrast, non-lefty blogs add something new to the world and thus have influence.
And the next job will not be "Environmental Activist."
"In order for progressives to change the deteriorating media climate in this country, it will be absolutely essential for the new progressive pundit class, which is to be found primarily in radio and the blogosphere, to be funded and cross-promoted."
Funded? Advertized?
(note I substituted "advertized" for "cross-promoted." They think advertizing for them might work as a co-op thingie).
It Takes a Village
Most lefties don't major in business. They remain nearly clueless about economics.
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