Monday, August 20, 2007

Ranked as 10th in the state, other net ponderings

In this week's listing of the top 20 PA Political Bloggers, Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates is 10th.


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Yesterday at PodCamp, it was funny to hear how the contemporary history of Pitsburgh political blogs. My blogs and internet days were reported to have started in the 1970s, so said Bram of the Pittsburgh Comet.

In the early times, there were only two blogs, said Matt. Rauterkus.com and 2PJ. I was nice to get the nods.

The theme of Bram's statement was that the bloggers are now a force that shape the mainstream media coverage. Journalist read the blogs. The blog content is showing up in the coverage. Themes from blogs then run on the evening news and with both the Trib and P-G. Blogs have become a hot source and the bloggers keep more honesty in the coverage. Bloggers that don't get it right are told so.

There is much more 'peer review' with bloggers than with newspapers and tv news. So, when something that isn't 'spot on' gets published, doubts are raised with comments and at other blogs.

Bram gave an interesting take on the value of blogs in these times.

Another way of putting those concepts into action is to say that the bloggers have been providing a wake-up call for the watchdogs. Or, some might say the bloggers are now effective pests to the now-no-longer-slumbering watch dogs.

For years I've been hard on the local media about coverage I've seen that isn't accurate, balanced and as insightful as it could be. People have told me to NOT pick on those who buy ink by the barrel.

Pittsburgh needs, and democracy needs, a viable Fourth Estate. Journalism matters. I'm a J-School (Journalism School) graduate. Pittsburgh's trouble has come, in part, from the poor coverage from the local media.

One guy in the final PodCamp session was all about 'blame' and hitting upon the media. He was funny. Plus, his remarks hit home for me.

There was one person from the P-G at the final session. Who was that? Were there others from the P-G in throughout the event?

The Trib's Sunday paper had a great article on the event.
Pittsburgh conference draws budding bloggers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Pittsburgh conference draws budding bloggers"

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