Neologism of the Day

Over at NRO's The Corner, Warren Bell complains about the term "the blogosphere," stating he'll never write it again, and asking for an alternative.

Meanwhile, I've had a similar problem. "Blogosphere" strictly refers only to blogs proper -- i.e., not Druge, not MRC, not FreeRepublic, not TownHall, etc. -- and yet I often wish to refer to the entirety of the internet-based media. Or the alternative media generally. And yet "alternative media" sounds sort of stupid to me. It conjures up images of Morrissey from the Smiths hosting a PBS news program, or a media-criticism show featuring the percussion section of The Waterboys.

I've tried my own coinage -- "Young Media" -- but no one seemed to like that very much.

Reading through Brian Anderson's excellent and fun South Park Conservatives, I found a quote by John Fund that may offer an acceptable term:

For John Fund, the best blogs and news and opinion sites are "building a shadow media infrastructure that will become an significant component of the media in the twenty-first century."

The Shadow Media. That is what this is, after all, isn't it? Not the actual media, but its dark doppleganger, waiting to take its place when the time is right.

So, there you go, Warren. The Shadow Media.

Cost to you: nada. Well, a link would be nice, pal.

PS... Brian Anderson will be discussing media bias, and perhaps why Cartman's mom is such a dirty whore, on this Tuesday's Hoist the Black Flag webcast show.

He'll be joined by a second guest of such importance and excitement that... well, so important and exciting that we haven't been able to book him or her yet.

It'll be someone. I think. Either that, or Karol and I will just pad the ending of the the show by discussing what the hell happened to Billy Squier and the Greg Kihn Band.

PPS: We still need a replacement for the too-cutesy "fisking."

E-buttal?

Probably best to have kept my stupid mouth shut.

posted by Ace at 03:05 AM

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