MEDIA: Bloggers' 'Moment' Doesn't Make for a Revolution

Los Angeles Times ^ | Ben Wasserstein is a writer in New York.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

NEW YORK — Early morning Sept. 11, a poster on the conservative Free Republic website exulted, "[A]ll of us can say we were there when a few people from Free Republic kicked CBS and Kerry ass."

The John Kerry part may or may not come to pass, but there is little doubt that a few people using their computers certainly gave CBS News and anchor Dan Rather a beating. Right-wing blogs — "blog" is short for web log — and forums such as Power Line, Little Green Footballs and Free Republic were the first to question the authenticity of four memos released by CBS News, purportedly written by Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian, who supervised George W. Bush's Texas Air National Guard unit in the early 1970s. The memos were part of a "60 Minutes" story reported by Rather, questioning President Bush's fulfillment of his Guard service. The buzz created by the blogs became deafening and the story moved like lightning onto the Drudge Report, and from there to talk radio, cable news and newspapers' front pages — and it's not over yet.

Bloggers cheered that the new-media David had slain the old-media Goliath.

Michelle Malkin wrote a column, titled "The Death Cry of Snob Journalism," that she described (on her own blog, natch) as an "Old Media eulogy." Rather may become the second kill for bloggers; two years ago, bloggers' steadfast attention on Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's comments expressing nostalgia for segregation led to old-media coverage and, ultimately, Lott's resignation from his leadership post.

Now right-wing bloggers have tasted blood — and they like it.

But Malkin and other bloggers are getting ahead of themselves by asserting that the CBS disputed memos represent the death knell for traditional journalism.

[TaxRelief]

Professional = parts swapper

[Brian Allen]

<< .... [Ms] Malkin and other bloggers are getting ahead of themselves by asserting that the CBS disputed memos represent the death knell for traditional journalism. >>


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<< (Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ... >>

That'll be a cold day in Hell!

Brave find!

Blessings -- Brian

[Smartaleck]

The opposite of being Borked is the MSM being Bucked?

Now, CBS is all Bucked up?

[TaxRelief]

I have had discussions about accuracy with various reporters in the past, and although they are usually very polite and sometimes go back and check a point, inevitably they say "you're right but I can justify my angle", "there are too many possibilities to consider them all", or "maybe, but I don't have time, so", "I am sticking with my story."

[Condor51]

That's true, the net is fantastic for info when you're 'not quite sure'.

I use it for product research when comparing brands (and prices) prior to purchasing.

And typically I've found that a given manufacturer will have a more detailed instruction manual on-line than the '37 page booklet' that comes with it's product in print soooo small Superman couldn't read it - and 36 1/2 pages being in languages OTHER than English.

(I mean is Mandarin REALLY needed for a Chandelier wiring diagram?) /semi-sarcasm

---

an aside, If you - or anyone - ever decides to put Pergo^® flooring down;

1. DON'T have it 'professionally installed', it'll wind up looking like crack addicts did it. (actually I think some are) It's not their floor so they give a ...
   
2. DON'T follow the step-by-step instructions on the box - they're WRONG (out-of-order), you'll screwup the installation and have to re-do at GREAT expense. (see crack addicts #1)
   
3. DON'T buy the $19.95 'installation tip video', it's bs (IMO) and a waste of money - use your common sense in the prelim layout.
   
4. DON'T install next to existing floor molding (see crack addicts), remove & replace the old molding.
   
5. DON'T buy the Pergo floor molding that 'matches' the flooring, use Pine or Oak and stain, seal to match the floor then NAIL like normal molding - trust me on this.
6. Lastly regarding the Pergo Edge/Transition Molding; regardless of what Pergo says, you CAN and should drill, countersink and screw down. Their 'snap & secure' method is one of the worst designs I've seen and if you don't do it absolutely perfect, it will break in a New York minute. It's extremely fragile.

   Oh and the colors don't match either, I had to use another brand to match the Pergo 'Golden Oak'.

   That being said, once it's down 'the right way', the stuff is and looks great!

[upchuck]

If the internet ever gets around to posting localized sports, obituaries, and help-wanted ads, the big print media will have had its day!

I'm not sure about localized sports and obituaries, but the 'net has help-wanted ads covered. Check out RegionalHelpWanted.com.

[asgardshill]

"We're not worried; its just a few crates of tea. And our Redcoats can take care of this small band of rogue Indians."

[cynicom]

The crowning moment of their arrogance was when Rather actually believed that he would ensure his place in history by being the man that single handedly brought down a sitting president.

Most people lay it to bias on the part of Rather, that should not be used to cover his rabid hatred of Bush and all things American.

Proof??? One has only to look at the picture of Rather and Castro, brothers in blood, brothers in hate.

[dubyagee]

The "revolution" is that the MSM can no longer get away with spewing dubious 'facts' under the cover of "professional", ahem, "journalists" without consequences.

The question to be asked now is, what did they get away with before there were pajama people?

[arasina]

I believe revisiting Pukin Dog's thread is called for here:

OPEN LETTER TO THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA: We are NOT Amateurs and we are going to kick your butts.

Take THAT, Mr. Wasserstein. Your whining column is so lame you're out of the game. FReepers and Bloggers, on the other hand, "are going to kick your butts."

[arasina]

"... inevitably they say "you're right but I can justify my angle"..."

They're turning into lawyers...the kind of lawyers who care not about the truth but about winning whether or not their client is guilty.

[js1138]

Just traditional journalism as CBS knows it.

[kitkat]

***70,000 or 80,000 registered users -- may 10% of those actively.***

You've forgotten the "views." For instance, as I post this, the replies are 48 and the views are over 700. ANYBODY can read FR.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

Teachers not having degrees in history, english and such, but having a 'Education Degree."

OT to this thread but I hadn't thought of that, and it seems like a legitimate complaint of current education. Back in the stone age, didn't it used to be that teachers had a degree in biology or math or English with a teaching certification?

[Enterprise]

That's so true. It was "their" story, and as far as they were concerned, it would stay that way. Now - no more. The internet has a lot of people to provide inconvenient facts and inconvenient points of views to stories by lazy or incompetent reporters. Thus, lots of people can view what a reporter said/wrote, versus "inconvenient" facts and points of views of genuine experts. And trust me on this, THAT is REALLY bugging them!

[ErnBatavia]

getting ahead of themselves by asserting that the CBS disputed memos represent the death knell for traditional journalism.

[Condor51]

The question to be asked now is, what did they get away with before there were pajama people?

First, what immediately jumps to my mind is Walter Cronkite on Feb 27, 1968 pretty much declaring that the TET offensive by the VC/NVA was a loss for the US Military and Vietnam was a "stalemate". THAT was a blatant lie, it was a 'HUGH' victory for us.

Then we have 'Watergate' - who knows, maybe 'we pajama people' could have outed Woodward and Bernstein that "Deep Throat" never existed. And that the weasel John Dean orchestrated the whole thing to cover-up for his Hooker girlfriend - 'Mo'.

And maybe, just maybe 'we' could have added further proof that Joe McCarthy was right - which we now know by VENONA that he was (the State Dept and WH staff was infiltrated by KGB agents and commies in general). 'We' probably could have stopped the ensuing character assassination of him by the leftist media (read commie sympathizers).

And...
I doubt if JFK & Bobby could have gotten away with their little 'dalliances', or Bobby "maybe" offing Marilyn Monroe (MY OPINION) and the coverup of her murder. Fat Ted getting away with the murder of Mary Jo, the setup of Oswald₁ as the 'lone assassin', or of the setup of James Earl Ray in the MLK hit.

1- Just imagine what 'we' could have done with that Warren Report. That thing would have been discredited in a day.

[The Hound Passer]

The emperor has no clothes.

[kitkat]

Your 97: EXCELLENT

[Southack]

The Titanic was built by "professionals." The Ark was built by amatuers.

The AWB Has Expired - Gun Owners Have Won Again For All Americans!