PDF2008 - A New Media System or Old Wine in New Bottles?

Chuck DeFeo, townhall.com
There is an old idea that is truly being fulfilled here - the First Amendment, Free Speech

Adam's Thoughts: Examination on the struggle for power - who has the power? Those in power are regularly trying to shake off the limits, the people try to place limits on the people in power (within reasonable bounds).

The discussion of ideas is happening outside the Beltway - where is should be. And it is healthy for our nation.

With TV, we saw a rise of apathy - but now we are seeing an involved activism - core common values is strengthening. Democracy is not clean, it is not pretty - but it is the best we have. I believe that truth always comes up to the surface. One-to-Many model beginning to crumble.

Ability of a limited few to control what we think is being eroded [Ed Note: what happened with the report on Bush and the use of false information to start the Iraq War?]

Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post
In campaigns - now tens of millions are impacting campaign
Poverty - discussion from Elisabeth Edwards
War on [missed this part....sorry]

We are definitely using new bottles - but it is not entirely a new wine.

Accuracy, fact-checking, and ferreting out the truth - journos main ideal is that truth comes first.
In MSM - they gave up truth in the exchange of the pursuit of neutrality. [Ed Note: isn't this about eyeballs, grabbing the attention of the biggest audience? ]
Saying that the Iraq War is a mixed bag is like going to the doctor and being told you have a brain tumor, but your acne has cleared up.

• Transparency - everybody knows the allegiances/connections
• Accountability - what you say, you are accountable for
• Community - where we are able to bring people to the discourse

Example: Lou Dobbs is supposed to be a journalist - had a reporter comment on the growth of leprosy in the past 3 years due to illegal immigration. Discovered later that the truth was 30 years and the peak was in 1983 - nothing to do with the increase of immigration. Where is the accountability?

For you tech geniuses - can you rpovide a solution that will stp the trolls who are trying to stop the civic discourse we are working for on the HuffPo?

Need the compulsive disorder of the blogosphere to offset the ADD of the old media.

Fall of a great journalist (Bob Woodword) - to go from a journo who brought down Nixon and completely missed what was truly happening in the Bush White House. In her book, chapter "The Dumb Blond" who was awed by the proximity to power.

Traditional journalism - the pretense that what ever is presented by the journos is fact - when it is not anymore. Need to make sure that we focus on the truth of what is presented.

Q/A:
MSifry: give an example of how this more dispursed, open has done a better job?
CDeFeo: tough one - we have built an "open platform" [Ed Note: assuming he is discussing townhall site] - individuals on the ground can be elevated. 9000 blogger, 1300 content managers.
AHuff: 1) In accountability, we have "watches" on people - Lou Dobbs Watch, Dana Perino Watch, etc. Any time things happen, we are there, putting spotlight on it.

Audience: isn't new media going to have an issue of MSM trust?
AHuff: we need to post the truth, whole truth - not to avoid putting up the content.

AHuff: there is such a relief that GeorgeW is going to be leaving - and that a person like Obama could be president - there is a feeling in the world of wanting to have America back in the global discussion.

AHuff: Make sure the Trojan Horse of the Right (John McCain) does not get into the White House.
CDeFeo: Vote John McCain for President