[RKV]

M$M editor in denial. Considering the state of print and video journalism in the world today, many (most) of the negative comments about blogs apply to the M$M.

"Certainly the MSM, such as it is, collapsed itself. It was once utterly dominant yet made itself vulnerable by playing on its reputed accuracy and disinterest to pursue adversarial agendas. Still, as far from perfect as that system was, it was and is not wholly imperfect. "

Bottom line - editorial jobs in the media are going to be harder and harder to find. And deservedly so.

[Red Badger]

Blog Mob? BLOB?............

[A Strict Constructionist]

"The larger problem with blogs, it seems to me, is quality. Most of them are pretty awful. Many, even some with large followings, are downright appalling."

I think that he has just described the MSM. If they believed in a fair and balanced reporting of the news they would not be in as much financial trouble. The truth shall set you free.

[Congressman Billybob]

Someone who cannot distinguish between excellent writing and sloppy writing on blogs, should not be in journalism at all, traditional or electronic. Wade through the garbage and find what is worthwhile. This applies to all forms of communications, including the Wall Street Journal.

The writer seems a little deficient in introspection, as the MSM generally is when commenting on its upstart competition.

Congressman Billybob

Latest article: "Where Little Cable Cars Climb Halfway to the Stars"

[mewzilla]

If this guy had been around a couple of hundred years ago, he'd've had hissies about broadsides.

[Just another Joe]

A summary for those too busy to read through 1,014 words.

Blogs are very important these days. Folks on the WWW, conservatives especially, boast about how the alternative media corrodes the "MSM," for mainstream media, a term redolent with unfairness and elitism.
Journalism requires journalists. The larger problem with blogs, it seems to me, is quality.
The blogs must be timely if they are to influence politics. We rarely encounter sustained or systematic blog thought--instead, panics and manias; endless rehearsings of arguments put forward elsewhere; and a tendency to substitute ideology for cognition.
This cross-referential and interactive arrangement (speaking of hyperlinking and such things), in theory, should allow for some resolution to divisive issues, with the market sorting out the vagaries of individual analysis. Not in practice. Because political blogs are predictable, they are excruciatingly boring.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Journalism requires journalists"

In the author's definition, a "Journalist" is one who chooses his vocation early, and spends years immersed in the biases of his field. After at least a decade of HS classes, J School classes, Cub Reporter roles, and editor indoctrination, he is ready to be called a "Journalist". The farmer, engineer, teacher, laborer, or housewife who writes will not be called a "Journalist". Yet, it is the farmer, engineer, teacher, laborer, or housewife who write who are now redefining the truth. The "Journalist" no longer controls the agenda of this nation. And the "Journalists" are frightened.

[Thombo2]

Another lame "editorial" lambasting the blogosphere.I imagine the author longs for a return to the "good old days" when the three networks and the big daily papers,NYTimes,LATimes,etc had an absolute monopoly on the news.Get used to it,there's no turning back now.

[RKV]