"Typing Politics": Bloggers and their impact upon political discourse
For yet another good book on political communication and new media, the Blogland recommends "Typing Politics: The Role of Blogs in American Politics", by Richard Davis.
Davis, who teaches political communication at Brigham Young University, takes a look at who bloggers are, how blogs have impacted the political landscape in their relatively short lifespan, as well as considers how they interact and conflict with traditional print and broadcast media.
Numerous examples are presented from both right and left of the political center, such as the role of bloggers in drawing tranditional news media attention to the Swift Vets ad campaign against John Kerry, as well as in highlighting critical mistakes made by incumbent GOP Senators in Montana and Virginia. He presents his findings and argues that bloggers are also helping traditional news media by serving as gatherers of information and story leads which then cross over to broadcast and print news media, where it can help sway audiences.
Davis suggests this role, in which bloggers help push issues for traditional news media, was “hardly the one envisioned by some early bloggers”. As bloggers have challenged, but not toppled, the ability of traditional media to track down and present news of interest to mass audiences, perhaps he has a point.
However, Davis credits bloggers with picking up the figurative balls dropped by traditional news media outlets. In his book, he presents numerous examples to support this point, observing that “a necessary condition for blogs’ role is that news media organizations miss or underplay a story that bloggers report”. He argues this is often driven by three factors: the insider roles some bloggers have, their willingness to risk “rocking the boat” by presenting news and opinions that may antagonize some of their readers, and their ability to rush out with information without the restraints of vetting news through senior editorial staff or waiting for the next broadcast time or print deadline.
He does suggest bloggers have played a valuable role by becoming willing and unrestrained critics, arguing that “blogs may be able to motivate audiences in a way that journalists cannot”. Newspapers have moved away from their 19th century-style relationships with political organizations and television stations have long stopped airing editorials in their broadcasts as news media outlets have tried to present themselves as impartial reporters of the news. While there are those who would argue that there is still bias in news reporting, it is as least presented with the veneer of impartiality. However, bloggers seldom make any bones about their bias and affiliations, allowing for a outlets where news and opinion can be presented and readers are fully aware that they may be getting what the Blogland declares to be “News. Opinions. Attitudes.”
The waves of change in news media seem almost constant. Where new mediums once came at the rate of one new medium every few decades (radio in the 1920s, television in the 1950s, cable news in the 1980s), new mediums seem to appear with ever-growing frequency. As such, it may be hard to come up with any long-lasting assessment of the effects blogger have with reaching and persuading audiences
Davis points out that radio redefined itself after the arrival of television news, television news redefined itself after the rise of cable news, and that newspapers have survived radio, broadcast television news and cable news programming. He points out that instead of bloggers replacing traditional news media, an interrelationship has developed between bloggers, in that while traditional news media may rely upon blogs to help pick out stories, bloggers could not play their roles as media critics without traditional news media presenting – or missing – stories. These points are used to support his view that “the future of political blogging may well be one that looks more like the traditional media environment we have long known and less like the political blogosphere that was intended to revolutionize politics”.
Davis’ conclusion may not be welcome among many bloggers, but they should welcome the critical recognition that bloggers have had an impact upon political discourse. Whether you agree with his assessment of the degree of impact bloggers have had, his well-informed look at the interactions of bloggers with mass audiences and traditional news media outlets provides plenty of fodder for discussion, as well as proof of how far we’ve come in a relatively short period of time.
You can find relatively affordable copies of this book via online outlets. If you want some thoughtful reading about the blogger realm and don’t mind occasionally disagreeing with Davis’ points of view, this book is really good read.
Numerous examples are presented from both right and left of the political center, such as the role of bloggers in drawing tranditional news media attention to the Swift Vets ad campaign against John Kerry, as well as in highlighting critical mistakes made by incumbent GOP Senators in Montana and Virginia. He presents his findings and argues that bloggers are also helping traditional news media by serving as gatherers of information and story leads which then cross over to broadcast and print news media, where it can help sway audiences.
Davis suggests this role, in which bloggers help push issues for traditional news media, was “hardly the one envisioned by some early bloggers”. As bloggers have challenged, but not toppled, the ability of traditional media to track down and present news of interest to mass audiences, perhaps he has a point.
However, Davis credits bloggers with picking up the figurative balls dropped by traditional news media outlets. In his book, he presents numerous examples to support this point, observing that “a necessary condition for blogs’ role is that news media organizations miss or underplay a story that bloggers report”. He argues this is often driven by three factors: the insider roles some bloggers have, their willingness to risk “rocking the boat” by presenting news and opinions that may antagonize some of their readers, and their ability to rush out with information without the restraints of vetting news through senior editorial staff or waiting for the next broadcast time or print deadline.
He does suggest bloggers have played a valuable role by becoming willing and unrestrained critics, arguing that “blogs may be able to motivate audiences in a way that journalists cannot”. Newspapers have moved away from their 19th century-style relationships with political organizations and television stations have long stopped airing editorials in their broadcasts as news media outlets have tried to present themselves as impartial reporters of the news. While there are those who would argue that there is still bias in news reporting, it is as least presented with the veneer of impartiality. However, bloggers seldom make any bones about their bias and affiliations, allowing for a outlets where news and opinion can be presented and readers are fully aware that they may be getting what the Blogland declares to be “News. Opinions. Attitudes.”
The waves of change in news media seem almost constant. Where new mediums once came at the rate of one new medium every few decades (radio in the 1920s, television in the 1950s, cable news in the 1980s), new mediums seem to appear with ever-growing frequency. As such, it may be hard to come up with any long-lasting assessment of the effects blogger have with reaching and persuading audiences
Davis points out that radio redefined itself after the arrival of television news, television news redefined itself after the rise of cable news, and that newspapers have survived radio, broadcast television news and cable news programming. He points out that instead of bloggers replacing traditional news media, an interrelationship has developed between bloggers, in that while traditional news media may rely upon blogs to help pick out stories, bloggers could not play their roles as media critics without traditional news media presenting – or missing – stories. These points are used to support his view that “the future of political blogging may well be one that looks more like the traditional media environment we have long known and less like the political blogosphere that was intended to revolutionize politics”.
Davis’ conclusion may not be welcome among many bloggers, but they should welcome the critical recognition that bloggers have had an impact upon political discourse. Whether you agree with his assessment of the degree of impact bloggers have had, his well-informed look at the interactions of bloggers with mass audiences and traditional news media outlets provides plenty of fodder for discussion, as well as proof of how far we’ve come in a relatively short period of time.
You can find relatively affordable copies of this book via online outlets. If you want some thoughtful reading about the blogger realm and don’t mind occasionally disagreeing with Davis’ points of view, this book is really good read.
discuss among yourselves...