Arizona Star Notices Political Blogs

Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona Daily Star gave Daniel Scarpinato the green light to write Bloggers becoming a potent force in politics. The press has been rather slow to acknowledge the blogs, but this is a start. The article mentions Tedski's RRR, Michael's Blog for Arizona, Espresso Pundit, this blog, Daniel Patterson's place, and a little later Trent Humphries and Arizona Eighth. The Bee campaign hardly has cause for celebration with an article on political blogs hitting right as half of those mentioned criticize an ad he ran apparently at the expense of school districts.

I consider it ironic that Scarpinato chose my words "I am not at all complaining against" mainstream media (did I really speak like that?) and the different roles the press and the blogosphere play. His story comes just before my highly critical "The Tipping Point." Still, Daniel correctly noted my sentiments. Mainstream media and blogs play a different game with different rules. "The Tipping Point" involves other distinctions.

Daniel avoided the details of our conversation in his piece. I noted that a blog can correct content if an error is made. Readers correct bloggers. Threads can spiral into unanticipated territory. Blogs have different rules, but the rules are just as potent. I would say assistant professor Kemper put it mildly when he states "Readers tire of crap." I would replace "tire" with "immediately dismiss." Blogs do not enjoy the infrastructure of news stands, stacks in coffee shops, the morning toss onto someone's porch, the presence on your local TV station, or any advertising at all. The fuse is short, and most blogs are never read.

I hadn't thought about the blogosphere and university journalism departments. That's the subject of another post.

Thanks to Daniel Scarpinato for noticing.