Why Blogs

A lot of media commentators other sorts of pundits are all on about why blogs are this big phenomenon. Much of this is nothing but the sort self-absorbtion that we are used to in the media. Some of it though is valid. As for my contribution to this rising heap of blog opinions, I think the value in them comes down to this: point-of-view journalism.

The way I see the blogs is in conjunction with the new popularity of documentaries and the rise of Fox News. All of these events are linked by their presentation of a certain point of view. Now there are certain problems with POV journalism. At its worst, POV journalism can be outright propaganda. At the same time though, everyone has their own perspective. The idea that a news source can be unbiased is ridiculous. There are all sorts of ways to corrupt the presentation of information just through word choices. For example, the unelected leader of a foreign state, if a network likes them, they can be "president" so-and-so. If the station doesn't want to present them favourably, they become "the dictator" of such-and-such country. This is just a tiny example, this sort thing happens all the time, sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. Bloggers and documentary filmmakers are upfront though. You know how Michael Moore approaches things, you know how Andrew Sullivan approaches things. It's the same with Fox, it works because everyone knows where they are coming from. I personally think that they are ill-informed and their ideologies are oppressive, but they are entitled to be that way. The thing that vexes me about Fox though is its insistence that it's "fair and balanced" only the most deluded person would believe that Fox is balanced. They have a right-wing perspective and they should admit it. It's part of POV journalism, own up to it.