One panel centered on having an impact. A good example was the effort to stop Congress from granting retroactive immunity to telecom companies who may have helped the government violate citizens' fourth amendment rights. Through e-mail and phone-call campaigns, online petitions, and media watchdog efforts to force reporters to report accurately, the progressive blogosphere rightfully can claim a victory in delaying if not outright killing the immunity legislation.
Another panel homed in on influencing the mainstream media. The elite DC journalists tend to act as though members of an exclusive club. When politicians grant them access to the "inner sanctum," these reporters are loath to give up that access, making them less willing to hold these politicians accountable.
The bloggers can act as a sort of brake on that system by calling out these reporters when they publish inaccurate stories based on the memes spoon-fed by politicians.
In spite of many in the mainstream media who mischaracterize bloggers as shrill, vitriolic or overly partisan, they truly are performing one of the vital roles of a journalist: sorting through news to get to the truth and doing their best to get that truth heard.
Another panel homed in on influencing the mainstream media. The elite DC journalists tend to act as though members of an exclusive club. When politicians grant them access to the "inner sanctum," these reporters are loath to give up that access, making them less willing to hold these politicians accountable.
The bloggers can act as a sort of brake on that system by calling out these reporters when they publish inaccurate stories based on the memes spoon-fed by politicians.
In spite of many in the mainstream media who mischaracterize bloggers as shrill, vitriolic or overly partisan, they truly are performing one of the vital roles of a journalist: sorting through news to get to the truth and doing their best to get that truth heard.
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