At least two recent events — the Trent Lott controversy and the Henry Kissenger debacle — highlight just how asleep at the wheel the mainstream media has become. But they also show that a vibrant and growing online community is becoming more and more influential in providing a true national discussion.
As Arianna Huffington points out in her recent Salon.com column, it was a community of bloggers who kept discussion and coverage of these events in play. But unlike traditional media, the discussion came up from the bottom rather than being dictated — or neglected — from the top. This is what Cokie Roberts was so worried about.
As mainstream news continues it’s transformation into entertainment and corporate propaganda, real news, information and perspective is bubbling up from below.