This is a repost of my forth blog post for the New Media, New Politics? class I’m taking this semester at Tufts.
Remember, the class requires posts that essentially discuss other blogs’ actions and reactions in the political arena, which is why I link to many different sites and write in an unorthodox format. Nonetheless, I feel the content is useful.
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This class at Tufts isn’t my first venture into blogging. In fact, it’s not the first time I’ve written online about politics. It is, however, the first time I fully understand how the technological innovations of new media are having a real political impact.
I started blogging in July of 2007, as per recommendation of a friend. It was a chance for me to learn about the technical components of an interactive website, improve my writing style, and establish a healthy “Google rank“. In these aims, I’ve been measurably successful, and I have no regrets about starting my blog sixteen months ago. I recommend the venture to anyone.
As the sole author of a personal blog, my experience tracking the posts on a slew of left-of-center blogs is eye-opening. To me, a blog was an online mechanism and outlet for distributing thoughts. What hadn’t dawned on me, or what I failed to fully understand, was the power of the medium. On the partisan blogs I’ve been keeping current with, readers aren’t limited to just reading posts. They could be voices, sources of donations, or foot soldiers.
For instance, in the last month, I’ve watched Daily Kos divide its attention between reporting on the ever-changing Presidential race and the vital-but-forgotten downstream races. The staff of Daily Kos have made it clear that they believe the downstream races are just as or more important than the Presidential race. Everyday, a slew of posts are dedicated to reporting on the poll numbers from these state and local elections and what readers can do to help the Democratic candidates, from volunteering to donating. The sum of money they’ve raised for these downstream races in their initiative, Orange to Blue, is impressive. Regardless of where one stands on the website as a whole, they’re likely executing wisdom in focusing their attention in a relatively neglected sector.
The Presidential election of 2004, when I was a mere freshman in high school, is the earliest I remember paying attention to and understanding politics. Through rural New York public school indoctrination, coupled with my own observations about the media, I came to my own “media is the forth branch of government” conclusion. Although I’ve appreciated the notion that the spread of the information exerts an unbalanced influence on public opinion, studying the relationship between blogs and mainstream media sources has affirmed my view. In fact, I think it has unlocked a new level of understanding for me.
It’s been fascinating watching stories and memes jump from partisan blogs to the established sources. Not long ago in real-time, but ages ago in blog-time, left-of-center blogs were calling the McCain campaign out on its barrage of untrue television advertisements. Days later, when the pressure to report on the untruths was insurmountable, the New York Times ran a piece on it, resulting in the McCain campaign’s “war on the media”.
The journey, thus far, has been both fascinating and fun. As we near closer to November 4, it’s bound to get even more interesting.