Insta-Power: Blogging Myths and Media Hype

The notion of a vast and effective blogging community is highly over-rated and more a myth of the MSM than it is a reality. And at least two notable and well-publicized blogs, Powerline and Instapundit, are only somewhat more in touch with the general blogging world than is the MSM. In some cases the distance is unavoidable but it also contains at least some element of choice, a conscious sacrifice of close connection for the sake of size and convenience. Contrasted with the picture the MSM paints of conservative bloggers as a connected pack referenced through the above and perhaps a few others, the two pictures don’t jibe. One could argue that there is presently more elitism by default in the blogging community today than exists in the MSM itself.

By any reasonable standard Powerline is not currently a blog in the sense of what the word means to a great many individual bloggers. It is a slick media operation admirable for its effort, achievement and notoriety. And this is in no way intended to disparage that significant accomplishment. But the overall blogging phenomenon is simply not what the MSM would have you believe when it rolls out a member of Powerline to somehow speak for the blogging masses. On Powerline’s behalf, I should point out that their representatives seem always conscious of this and make every effort to state for the record that they speak for themselves. But that doesn’t stop the MSM from framing the overall message in the way they prefer – such qualifiers rarely if ever do.

One of the Powerline writers is beginning to write for the Spectator. I think that’s wonderful news and a credit to the hard work and dedication of Hindrocket. But the fact remains that a media outlet, which Powerline more resembles, that doesn’t energetically solicit significant contact with its readership through comment or email, for whatever reason, is simply not a personal web log as millions of bloggers know theirs to be. A wonderful myth, perhaps, but as compared to the overwhelming preponderance of blogs it’s the exception and not the rule. The overwhelming majority of conservative blogs are written by a single individual often struggling to maintain a decent content flow while balancing family, work and friends, usually lacking the time or inclination to even read a Powerline, let alone attempt to mimic its success. 

As for Instapundit, it is more an example of current shortcomings as regards blogs than it is a hallmark of the medium’s growth and success. That, too, is in no way intended to disparage the significant efforts of Instapundit’s Glenn Reynolds who has and continues to do as much or more for blogging than any other single individual. But the fact is his success lies not in the capabilities in and around blogging, but the lack thereof. There is no engine or mechanism that can parse, funnel and deliver content efficiently from the huge and growing multitude of independent blogs. And Instapundit is precisely that to the blogging world – a guide, who has no choice but to also function as a filter, sometimes creator and in essence an arbiter of blogs.  But despite his Herculean efforts, no one can perform that function adequately. And some serious problems can’t be avoided given the circumstances.

First, no one or two hundred individuals, let alone one could possibly read and filter a mere fraction of what is out there today as regards blogs. Second, no person, no matter how dedicated could hope to do that in a purely objective manner. Nor is there any responsibility for an Instapundit or any other blogger to do so, by the way. But combine these facts together with aspects of the MSM that would exploit blogs for their own purposes and you have a new medium that one or a few can shape and a MSM vehicle waiting to turn that into some large national movement when it’s simply not true.

It’s difficult for me to believe that I am the only blogger more and more often chagrined as Sean, Rush, Fox and or the MSM at large announce that this or that is what all those right wing bloggers think, or are up to now. Funny, I think, “How is it that they know that, when nary a voice associated with the reporting, or a larger blog has ever actually stopped to ask most of us?” Not that they could if they wanted to – at least not efficiently. What is rarely said is that while some general common principles drive us, the massing is just as often more about the traffic and our own point of view than anything else.

All it takes is for Instapundit, Powerline, Malkin and or a few other large blogs to shed light on some issue and, yes, you’ll likely see that issue highlighted on many blogs. But to what extent that comes from die hard conviction versus a quest for readership is grossly over-estimated in my opinion. If there is anything I know about bloggers, it is that they are as disparate of opinion as any other large group of individuals, and often just as in need and want of individual recognition, site traffic, and buzz for their own particular viewpoint. Consequently what might appear as a gathering of the like minded might in fact be one; but it could just as easily be a collection of smaller fish with a slightly different viewpoint clamoring for attention within a greater mass.

I see pundits and large bloggers talk about power, the new media and change – small bloggers often have to content themselves with wondering how much they want to continue blogging given the relative lack of interaction, traffic and recognition, unless, of course they want to play the big blog, MSM Insta-Power game. Given the relative immaturity of the medium, it really is just that – a game.  And to some extent it’s being played by powerful people with new pawns – only these pawns can actually talk, if anyone ever asks them. But then, this is only the opinion of one right wing blogger. What the hell can any one of those guys really know?

Linked to OTB

Update: Also posted at BNN.

Comments

[Pile On®]

Interesting post. The essence of a blog to me is the interaction between the readers and the writers. Sites like Instapundit don't interest me, I don't need someone to direct my traffic but I understand why others do. Not that that is all Glen does, but it is a large part of what he does.

I would like to have more traffic, but not so much that I can't keep up with the comments. If you write a post and within a few hours there are a hundred comments it becomes overwhelming and loses what I like about blogs in the first place. I have seen that with blogs that I no longer frequent very much, they lose their interest for me.

Fortunately I am in no danger of that happening.

[jeff]

An excellent piece of thinking, Dan, & a voice you don't often write in. I see the blogging thing as akin to the New Wave music explosion c. 1978, where, esp in England, a bunch of DIY kids turned the industry upside down by sheer chutzpah & spirit. The mainstream music industry had grown fat & pompous. And a lot of talented people who weren't your typical power-chord New Wavers - Sting, Elvis Costello, U2 - nevertheless used the scene as a springboard to a larger career.

And let's not forget that when groups like Blondie suddenly went from the Bowery to #1, a lot of their fans dissed them as sell-outs, much as the blogging community vents at people like Wonkette for moving up the ladder.

[Dan]

Thanks Pile On and Jeff,

Yes, the Wonkett thing is ironic. If anything, she plays the game better than most and may well take this thing as far as anyone can - much as Powerline but on a different tack. Perhaps my biggest point is that it has barely started its journey, yet many have pronounced it as having already "arrived."

[Eric]

Well, that's not fair, when take it up the ass from Omaha movers and shakers all I get is a sore ass and maybe some roses. Wonkette does it in D.C. and she gets tons of traffic.

I need a new hobby.

[chrys]

"nut shell" time! Blogging is to me what "ham" radio always was - only you don't need to use "tap - tttap - tap tap" to have permission to used it! And, the messages don't get cut off unless you forget to pay your IP bill! Then, you can find the same people without praying for the privilage! My favorite cousin Carl (law firm in Knoxville, TN (taught at TSU) - probably knows Glenn Reynolds - I think I'll mention Glenn to Carl?!)

[Pile On®]

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge anyone their success. I just happen to like Sunday Bloody Sunday better than say your latest Ipod commercial.

[chrys]

Think I told you once that I can't spell?!?! privilege not privilage "ding-bat!" ;-D

[Ron]

The main point of blogging, IMO, is the interaction between bloggER and blogEE. Dan is spot on here, and still has my wheelbarrow!

[Beth]

Jesus, Dan, you must have been reading my mind when you wrote this one. Today--or should I say yesterday?--I fumed all day about how there are dozens of us small to mid-size bloggers and ONE biggie (LB) all staying on message with the Terri Schiavo blogburst, with little to no help from those who direct the fuckin' traffic. While the biggies are patting themselves on the back for "their" success in taking down Eason Jordan (they weren't the ONLY voices) and fighting with those assholes over stupid shit like Jeff Gannon, of all things, we smaller bloggers are actually trying to effect POSITIVE change--trying to save a life, for Chrissakes.

I've emailed all the biggies and the only response I've gotten so far is from La Shawn Barber, who is a rare exception to what you've said above despite her enormous success. She knows what blogging is about and knows that we all have something to say. Other than that, David Limbaugh--a "real" media person of sorts, not even a "real" blogger--was the only other big voice to bother responding or acting. Maybe the others don't agree with our cause, fine. But I SERIOUSLY doubt it in some of their cases.

I've said for a long time now that some of the top blogs aren't very different from the MSM themselves. Frankly, you're right about Powerline. They're WAY too detached. Even Glenn Reynolds tosses the little guys a link, which you will never see from Powerline. I personally don't care if they link to me, but the lack of linking and comments and response to emails from Powerline is indicative of their aloofness (I'll refrain from saying "elitism").

You are RIGHT on target. There's no mob of right-wing bloggers; there's a very exclusive cabal of a few, with the rest of us chirping from the sidelines. But what they don't have that WE do is the friendships we develop with our readers and peers. IMHO, we're the real winners, since none of us (well, except a few, that is) are making a living from blogging. They get their name in the spotlight, but we get friends.

Shit, I should have just blogged this. Sorry for hogging the comment section. ;-P

[Beth]

I fuckin' dare you to link this to
this post and send a trackback to
http://www.powerlineblog.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/9643 .

I double triple dare you, and I'll even toss some chump change in the tip jar for you if you do it. If you need me too, I'll post my comment on my blog and link/trackback to you AND them.

Give me a compelling reason why you shouldn't.

[Jonathan]

While I don't think pure blogging can be strictly defined to exclude any particular type of blogs, I'm pretty certain that Eason Jordan did NOT resign just because the blogosphere called for it. The myth perpetuated by the MSM, playing the victim, is that the blogosphere is a lynch mob that always gets its way.

But Eason Jordan must have known of even worse things he said or did which he or his bosses could not risk getting exposed if the story didn't end immediately. I mean, it was decided that Jordan's resignation would be preferable to asking for the tape to be released!

[Fausta]

Excellent post, Dan!
I compare small blogs/large blogs as being in a situation analogous to independent filmmakers today.

[Preston Taylor Holmes]

Excellent analysis of life in the blogosphere as it stands today (still in its infancy). Extremely well done, Dan.