"Blogs on Trial"

Yesterday's Recorder had an interesting article (subscription) comparing blogging to traditional journalism and questioning whether the format is really that revolutionary. A tidbit:

Despite all its claims of whiz-bang newness and democracy-promoting attributes, blogging may turn out to be nothing more than a fresh version of an old journalistic gimmick. More important, it may not necessarily be such a wonderful thing for democracy. First, while the technology is new, what bloggers are doing often isn't. Reporting the latest from a courtroom at lightning speed is an old pursuit. ....

To their credit, the men and women who wield the pencils — oops, laptops — of today are doing something different. But it's not the technology or the lack of training or even the re-introduction of opinion into the news; it's the dissemination of their work that makes blogging a new phase in journalism history.