Blogs Not That Great, Study Finds

A new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that Blogs are no big deal.

Charting the discussion of issues during the 2004 presidential campaign, the study found political blogs — online opinion and information sites — played a similar, but not greater role, as the mainstream media in "creating buzz" around the candidates’ campaigns.

The study dispels the notion that blogs are replacing traditional media as the public’s primary source of information, said Michael Cornfield, a senior research consultant at Pew.

The headline of the article trumpeted "Study: Blogs haven’t totally displaced media yet" (okay, words in red are mine). Only in the funhouse-mirror world of the MSM would the admission that your influence has been cut effectively in half be a cause for celebration.

Remember in the first Rocky movie, how Rocky and Apollo Creed fought to a split decision? Afterward, do you remember Apollo jumping up and down in relief and shouting "Yay! I fought a totally inexperienced newcomer to a near-draw!! Who da man?" – No, you do not. Because he was too busy trying to decide whether he should feel more "stunned" or "humiliated".

The spin, just in the headline, is dizzying. I don’t know much about the Pew Internet & American Life Project, except that the Pew Charitable Trusts are a big supporter of NPR. The story came from CNN.com via Reuters.