Way to go, Rago!

After hearing Joseph Rago on Hugh Hewitt this afternoon, defending his screed against blogging, I noted this post at Power Line, particularly the point that bloggers were posting about Murtha's history of corruption months ago. Note that the Washington Post took six months to publish a report about it after the Washington Times editorial. The press hasn't really done its job when stories like this are studiously ignored by the rest of the media. Stories these days need to generate buzz to penetrate the public consciousness. While blogs don't have the reach of CBS, NBC or ABC, or the Leno/Letterman/Kimmel/Stewart axis, they're a big move toward a true free press where real, open debate occurs.

If Rago thinks that dismissing blogs is the way to bring about better news media, he's not just an elitist; he's a naive elitist. There will always be a market for good writing and persuasive analysis. He needdn't worry about the future of his craft, just the future of the complacent arrogance that passes for journalism these days.

Speaking of that, I'd like to drop the use of the terms "journalism" and "journalist," and go back to the more honest and clear "reporting" and "reporter." J-Schools have persuaded too many scribblers that their calling is to analyze rather than to tell us what happened. If they spent more time digging out the facts that others aren't telling and less recycling each others' opinions they wouldn't be in crisis.

Blog on!