blogs

In the February 17, 2008 New York Times, Charles McGrath asked, "Is PBS Still Necessary?" 836 readers responded. (Comments on the Times Web site are now closed.)

The newspaper's Web site isn't the only place online where the discussion continues.

Following is a roundup of some of the forums where the debate over PBS's value is playing out: more

• The Online NewsHour has received over 5,700 comments. NewsHour spokesperson Anne Bell told Broadcasting & Cable's John Eggerton that an especially active NewsHour forum might receive 400 to 500 comments.
• Blogger Matt King accuses the NewsHour of being in league with the Poetry Foundation.

Over the past two days we've witnessed the disbelief and near indignation with which blog posters and their readers have reacted - from RedState to DailyKos - to Obama's surprise defeat in New Hampshire. There is much speculation about the reasons. Many bloggers are blaming the media, the pollsters, or both:

"New Hampshire single handedly reassured the nation that what the pundits, and even pollsters say isn't to be interpreted as 'this is what you should think and act accordingly." - DailyKos

"I'm calling it: Hillary Wins. Press off to re-education camps." - RedState

What seems missing is an acknowledgement of bloggers' increasing ability to pump up expectations that eventually feed back into the mainstream itself. more

J.D. Lasica, president of Social Media Group, blogged about an idea for Twitter (the popular micro-blogging service) posses yesterday on MediaShift's Idea Lab: reporters could use Twitter to begin a "mobile dialogue" with a few dozen interested readers as they researched and prepared articles.more