another doomed liberal strategy

By now, everybody is aware of the shifting dynamics of 21st Century media. The traditional liberal mainstream media (CBS, ABC, NBC, major metropolitan newspapers) are losing viewers/readers by the thousands and, therefore, are losing influence. A new non-traditional media has risen up (talk radio, the blogosphere, FOX News) and is rapidly gaining influence. It's no coincidence that the non-traditional media is largely conservative or, in the case of FOX News, at least gives conservative opinion equal footing with liberal opinion. I get my news from the blogosphere, talk radio, FOX News and The Indianapolis Star. Over the last several months, I have noticed something interesting in the Indy paper.

Dennis Ryerson, the editor of the Indy paper, writes a weekly column, and he frequently writes about the fact that traditional newspapers have to "evolve" if they are going to survive in the 21st Century marketplace. The Star has greatly expanded their website (www.indystar.com) and they have added blogging to the site to invite reader talkback. They have launched a new program where readers of the Star will become "news gathering partners" of the paper. Readers now have a forum online to suggest story ideas. The letters-to-the-editor section has been greatly expanded, and each of the paper's opinion columnists now has their own blog and published email address so that readers can talk back directly to the columnist and participate in group discussion threads. Ryerson has written about all of these developments in his columns as an attempt to more completely integrate technology into the news reporting process, and to more fully engage the more technologically-savvy 21st Century consumer. These same developments are happening throughout the mainstream media. All of the major TV networks have improved their websites and offer viewer feedback and blogging.

I read all of his explanations, and I observed the changes as they happened, and then it hit me. Now I understand! Ryerson, and like-minded liberals throughout the media, believe that the phenominal success of talk radio and the blogosphere are due to audience participation. Talk radio hosts like Hannity and Rush and Savage take phone calls from their listeners, making the listener part of the show. Anyone can blog and become part of the "media." The mainstream media apparently believes that all they have to do is to open up discussion, encourage feedback, and their numbers will improve.

In the words of that great philosopher Lee Corso, "Not so fast, my friend!" As usual, the libs just don't get it. Didn't the liberal minority see how things worked out with Air America? Don't they see what's happening to the mainstream media, even as they continue to "evolve" and mimic certain traits of the non-traditional media? It's not about the superficial! The non-traditional media outlets are growing because they promote conservative thought, opinion and truth. A majority of Americans believe in conservatism. The mainstream media ignores, belittles and scorns conservatism. Figure it out, sports fans! It ain't that deep! The latest ploy by the mainstream media will fail, just as Air America did, and the truth of principled conservativism will continue to advance.