Posted on 10/12/2006 10:31:46 AM PDT by RatherBiased.com
In today's DC Examiner, Olbermann Watch blogger Bob Cox sounds the alarm against what he (correctly) perceives as the conservative movement's failure to sufficiently become involved in creating the next generation of the internet. Now that the web has become a commodity, most conservatives have given up trying to be technology leaders, effectively allowing the left to create and control all of the major "web 2.0" resources like Technorati, Wikipedia, YouTube, and others.
The failure of the Dean campaign has led too many conservatives to dismiss technology leadership as an overhyped part of a political campaign. But that's only half the story. In truth, superb technology can never compensate for a bad candidate, but it can sure do wonders for one. And as part of a larger overall popular movement, technology is vital. For too long, conservatives have stood outside society's institutions clamoring for change. Isn't it about time that we went in?
An excerpt from this must-read editorial:
In the waning days of Howard Dean’s abortive presidential campaign, I met many of the talented folks who played a role in turning the Dean Web site into a powerful fundraising tool that propelled an unknown candidate into the national spotlight. At various blogging conferences since, I have had the opportunity to observe many of these bright minds strategizing on how to best leverage the emerging world of blogs and other “social networking” services known as “Web 2.0” to advance their liberal political agenda and win elections.
Their common refrain: “We need to own the Internet the way the right owns talk radio.”
They got me wondering whether the online “conservative elite” was aware of what the left had in mind and, if so, whether they were concerned. During the past few years, I have had the opportunity to ask this of Internet specialists working on the Bush-Cheney campaign, top officials in the Republican National Committee, communications specialists at the White House and dozens of top conservative bloggers.
A-List blogger and talk radio show host Hugh Hewitt’s response was typical: “It doesn’t matter who creates the tools used by bloggers, but what bloggers do with those tools.”
When I suggested that ceding control of the major “nodes” in the online world to the left was a huge mistake, they were dismissive. It became clear they could not imagine one day finding themselves boxed out of what is fast becoming the biggest force in electoral politics.
Enter Fox News pundit, author and top-rated blogger Michelle Malkin. Last week she received notice from YouTube, the world’s most popular video sharing service, that her video had been deemed “offensive.” The result? Her account was terminated and her videos deleted. [...]
Malkin may have been the first casualty in the coming information war but she certainly will not be the last. Yet online conservative elites seem not to care. They fail to realize that voters are increasingly accessing news and information from these new media sources and that these sources are using their editorial discretion to publish and promote a liberal — not conservative — agenda.
Very important point. Conservatives were fools to think the liberals couldn't take over these resources. Of course they could. Now it seems like that have, to some extent.
I read the earlier posting of the editorial and frankly I don't understand what the author is proposing. Is he advocating raising a 'free speech' stink over the operation of privately operated websites or is he proposing that there be some concerted effort by conservatives to intitiate our own web sources?
If it's the later, is he further proposing that we deny access to these sources to lefties?
Just curious...
I doubt that a conservative inventing radio, or even talk radio. Its content which is king. Television wasn't invented by the libs but they managed to conquer TV news. Its matter of just competing and winning on any new platform developed.
That happens only if those who control it let you.
Frankly, I don't know what the author is trying to do.
He's proposing that conservatives invent and control more of the resources the Internet has made possible.
It's an updated version of the wise old saying: "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one."
Sort of like FR with video?
Until Democrats cans manage to win an election, I am not worried one bit!!!! That is the most important. Who cares if they have all this technology if they can't even use it to win elections.....We Can!!!
I thought it was an important point, especially since Google is well known for its leftist bent and it is every bit as large and dominant as Microsoft is.
I wonder what Michelle will do with those old vids? Probably set up her own distribution site.
Simple explanation:
Conservatives believe in free speech, liberals believe in controlling it. This is why liberals take over communications media any way they can. Conservatives need to realize that by not fighting back, we will lose the freedom to exist. Liberals USE the conservative respect for free speech to take it away from us.
If the past successes of FR.com, LittleGreenFootballs.com, etc are to continue in the future, we conservatives had better heed the points raised in this article.
My personal opinion is that the left uses the internet launder money from major sources like Sorros and that the so called financial success for democrat websites is just a front.
Different article
Yes. The other thing conservatives often fail to see is that although we had the time, desire, and the smarts to care enough to reject the liberal ideology, most people aren't able to. As such, they just move on and accept the "default" that liberalism is true and conservatives are hate-filled evil bastards.
The power of context and the power to set the agenda is tremendous.
bump
Aren't the old the most constant voters (I have a headache, can't think well...). The young don't vote, until granny is on YouTube, we're OK.
To use a Bill Gates analogy, 'if they build it - I can build another one with the Windows logo on it!' Its not like conservatives couldn't start their own YouTube or Google. And the press we are getting by YouTube nuking Michelle Malkin and David Zucker is better than the cover of 'lonelygirl'! Remember when Moron.org did their video ad campaign and the two hitler ads ended up being a better campaign ad for US than for THEM? I still think its about content. Howard Dean didn't invent internet campaigning - not by a long shot. Its just that the media gives the left credit for inventing everything.
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