I Wish I'd Said That

From Books, Inc.:

I have myself heard in the newsroom comments about blogs that actually did sound, in Michelle Malkin’s phrase, “thoroughly unhinged.� But it really isn’t blogging in general that bothers the MSM. It’s only the political blogs. The MSM doesn’t care about lit blogs or cooking blogs or knitting blogs — or even tech blogs or science blogs (except to the extent they might be useful in advancing some editorial viewpoint).

Blogs have challenged the MSM’s self-designated right to shape political debate by choosing what to cover and how to cover it.

Oh, wait, I did say that:

Reporters believe they have to provide "context," to explain to the audience what information means. They know full well, as they were taught this in J-school, that there are several narratives -- several slants, several "stories" -- that can be written about the same kernel of facts -- but they don't like having the slant they've chosen challenged by anyone else. They have a monopoly on the gathering of information, which is not in jeopardy-- you have to be on a salary to do that sort of work.

But their monopoly on the "contextualization" of information is threatened, and they're pretty annoyed about that.

Via Instapundit.

posted by Ace at 04:15 PM

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