15
That Enormous Sucking Sound…
…is coming from Powerline.
Dear Jim Brady at the Washington Post:
May I polish that apple for you? And say, if you’re looking for columnists, we may be able to recommend someone…
Jim Brady’s hard-earned insights
Jim Brady, the executive editor of the Washington Post’s website, describes how he was “flogged by blogs,” specifically leftist blogs. Brady’s piece is full of insights, perhaps the best of which is that there’s no such thing as the “blogosphere.” As John has pointed out, bloggers use common technology, but beyond that there’s little that justifies unifying them under a single label. For example, we don’t think that we do the same thing, or provide the same service, as most top-tier lefty blogs. They are basically activism centers for people suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. We aspire to be commentators, and as such have more in common with the opinion mongers (liberal and conservative) whose work appears in traditional MSM outlets.
Brady has it right in other respects, as well. Blogs and traditional media do have a symbiotic (or parasitic) relationship right now. Blogs presently lack big media’s capacity to provide original reporting, and big media presently does not provide the immediacy of blogs.
We think it’s likely that there will be a convergence of old and new media, as both “entities” try to figure out how to flourish on the internet. The early returns suggest that the Post, despite its unfortunate experience with the disgraceful left side of the “blogosphere.” will be a leader in the convergence because Brady and his colleagues are already figuring out the future.
UPDATE: Ankle Biting Pundits notes that Brady underplays the role of blogs in the Dan Rather/fake memos “controversy.”
Posted by Paul at 08:54 PM
See, it would be like Evans and Novak, except with an extra Evans — or like Shields and Gigot only with one big Gigot and two little ones. So, what do you think? Wait, come back… We broke Memogate, damn it!
Brad R. said,
February 15, 2006 at 1:14
For example, we don’t think that we do the same thing, or provide the same service, as most top-tier lefty blogs. They are basically activism centers for people suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome. We aspire to be commentators, and as such have more in common with the opinion mongers (liberal and conservative) whose work appears in traditional MSM outlets.
Stop it. You’re killing me.
Mal de mer said,
February 15, 2006 at 1:29
We aspire to be commentators…
What a coincidence, I aspire to be the Noel Coward of my generation. I wonder if it’s working out as marvelously for them as it is for me.
tg said,
February 15, 2006 at 1:51
We aspire to be commentators…
As the most Famous Potato ™ in Idaho, I yearn for the peaceful anonymity of the everyday blue collar tuber.
Pinko Punko said,
February 15, 2006 at 5:19
I wanna be that one guy, the super mean one, but without the anti-semitism.
s.z. said,
February 15, 2006 at 10:01
I don’t think that I do the same thing, or provide the same service, as blogs run by guys with self-chosen homo-erotic nicknames like “Big Trunk” or “Hindrocket.” They are basically “me too” centers for people suffering from daddy issues.I aspire to be the Queen of the World, and as such have more in common with Jesus.
Major Woody said,
February 15, 2006 at 11:40
I, for one, enjoy being on the disgraceful left side of the blogosphere. For a while, I was involved in its seamy underbelly, then dabbled around in its right wing, and finally ended up lodged in its upper-mid quadrant. Ouch!
Strange Forces said,
February 15, 2006 at 15:19
Anyone have any idea where this “Bush Derangement Syndrome” bullshit started?
Since I really don’t like the face this guys presents to the public, I don’t like his proposed policies, I don’t like the steps he’s taken to implement those policies, or hell, anything he’s really done in office so far… I’m _crazy?_
teh l4m3 said,
February 15, 2006 at 16:16
To toot my own horn: BDS.
See, her name is Dr. Sanity. I think she got that nick in high school during homecoming week. It was “Opposites Day”: up is down, black is white, she’s a lady*, etc…
*apologies to Amy Sedaris & Co.
jade said,
February 15, 2006 at 16:54
‘Bush Derangement Syndrome’ is a mental illness characterised by a chronic depression over the objective fact that the President of the United States is a moronic lying shithead.
There is no real cure, as the illness is a side-effect of too much intelligence combined with a concern for moral issues; the only treatment is isolation from news of any sort, and total immersion in work.
George Johnston said,
February 15, 2006 at 17:11
Powerswine, as typical right wing hacks, get it backwards. Bush Derangement Syndrome is making excuses for the liar, election thief, aWol, frog blasting, wiretapping, corrupt, immoral, venal Bush and calling it conservatism.
Matt Weiner said,
February 15, 2006 at 18:03
I think Bush Derangement Syndrome was invented by Krauthammer. Hindrocket is right — he does do the same thing as Washington Post commentators. Sad for our country.
Matt Weiner said,
February 15, 2006 at 18:04
Woops, that’s Deacon, not Hindrocket. Or maybe Big Trunk. Who gives a fuck, though.
Steve M. said,
February 15, 2006 at 20:39
The Warsaw ghetto uprising? Those loonies were just suffering from Hitler Derangement Syndrome.
justme said,
February 16, 2006 at 5:14
Seriously, folks, does anybody here think for a moment that any one of these guys ever got laid in high school/college? No wonder they’re angry and delusional.
justme said,
February 16, 2006 at 5:17
Major Woody:
So you’re the famous “single bullet”?
window seat please
Doug said,
February 16, 2006 at 18:02
In their defense, justme, it’s kind of hard to “get laid” when you’re already busy carrying on a torrid love affair with the sound of your own voice.
Christopher said,
February 16, 2006 at 23:33
They can’t possibly believe this can they?
They can’t even get it up enough to decry warrantless wiretaps, and they have legal training!
Posting Administration talking points verbatim isn’t really “commentary” in the traditional sense.
CS Lewis Jr. said,
February 17, 2006 at 6:40
“Gentlemen! What a collection of assholes!”
–Mr. Show
piotr said,
February 19, 2006 at 7:23
I think it was a well-tried Soviet idea, also practiced in China etc. to diagnose people with pathological hatred of the socialist state and commit them to mental institution.
Recent bout of oppositional pathology was that some bloggers had the cheek to carp that Cheney could kind of look in the direction he wants to shoot BEFORE shooting. (Or check the basic facts that were used to justify a war BEFORE that war. This was a connecting made by regularly sedicious Daily Show). Krauthammer reasonably noticed that Cheney could try to tackle his hunting buddy and break a number of ribs, and puncture a lung — but he did not! Why can’t we look at all those empty glasses that remain unbroken, rather than at the half-empty glass?
Mike Furir 761 said,
April 26, 2006 at 18:56
Mike Furir Mike 608