Last week Jack Shafer asked, why doesn’t the press boycott the Democratic and Republican conventions?
Unless a brokered convention threatens to break out, these political gatherings tend to produce very little real news. Yet the networks, the newspapers, the magazines, and the Web sites continue to insist on sending battalions of reporters to sift for itsy specks of information. According to Forbes, 15,000 pressies are expected to attend each of the conventions. Slate, I’m embarrassed to admit, is sending a team of eight to Denver and six to St. Paul. Attention! Don Graham! We’re spending your cash like it’s Zimbabwean bank notes!
The WaPo’s Anne Kornblut says:
“I have to agree somewhat. My feeling is that in tough economic times — when some papers, though mercifully not so much at the Post, are closing down whole bureaus and covering foreign news less — we should send everyone out with laptops to find actual news rather than to hang out at a canned event.”
Truth be told I get all that but, if I had the credentials, I’d be there in a second! The Style section (???) of tomorrow’s NY Times headlines The Year of the Political Blogger Has Arrived. Their story lays out how the Democrats are treating the bloggers — with blogger reaction. Alas, I am not one of the chosen ones.
From my rural Georgia home I’m confident I can see it all. Still I’m thinking others have it covered pretty well and I will blog on as usual. So, dear reader, if I find something happening at the convention of interest I’ll post. Otherwise… I’m apt to follow wherever my mind might lead! And hope you will find it of interest.