SD Moderate -- Media Notes

We are pleased to direct readers to SD Moderate, where Bob Schwartz offers a couple of interesting media notes.

Schwartz first offers some counterevidence for those of you who think the media is controlled by liberals dedicated to spreading their secular humanist propaganda. Clear Channel, radio broadcasting megacorporation, refuses to play Bruce Springsteen's new album, even though Springsteen's latest is the #1 album in the nation. Schwartz (among others!) suggests the embargo on new Boss comes from right-wing corporate bias against the clearly liberal (not to mention anti-corporate radio) sentiments in Springsteen's lyrics. (Note to Clear Channel: if you don't like the current album, you might want to take another look at the real meaning of "Born in the U.S.A." It was not a Reagan campaign song.) Others say Clear Channel is simply making a really stupid demographic call: they think kids won't listen to anyone over 30 (Springsteen is 58).

Schwartz also muses over the awkward meshing of blogs with the mainstream media. He cites the firing of a blogger from his hometown paper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer (hey! that's Kucinich country! Yeeha!) for criticism of a powerful Congressman (LaTourette, not Kucinich) and support of political opponents. Schwartz, with whom I am privileged to share space on the KELOLand political blog aggregator, wonders whether KELO would ever rein in our comments due to pressure from officials. He seems confident KELO wouldn't (especially since they aren't paying us), and I tend to agree. KELO put no ideological conditions on our participation, and they likely know the bad press (mainstream and otherwise) they'd incur if they did drop the censorship bomb.

Echoing sentiments expressed here earlier this week, Schwartz notes that blogs are a growing force in politics. Yes, we bloggers do like to think we're important. A commenter here once offered this critique of the Madville Times and, by implication, all bloggers:

...you're not going to change the world at the tips of your fingers. Better to get your hands dirty and get involved than to sit back and critique our leaders if you wish to implement change. [Anonymous, comment #5, "Plagiarism Plague Strikes Madison," Madville Times, 2007.07.14]

The experience of the Dakota Blog Alliance in 2004 suggests fingertips are more powerful than Anon thinks. And who says we're just sitting back? Both Sibby and PP have hinted (with varying degrees of subtlety) they might run for office. You think the crackerbarrels and public debates are fun? Imagine the possbilities of a full-tilt, near-live, full access debate online (oh, Sibby, you'd have to re-enable comments). An "interesting ride," Mr. Schwartz? Oh, we haven't seen the half... the hundredth of it!