Sep 17th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
The Drudge Paradox
Steve Benen has good questions:
I wonder if Cillizza is failing to connect the dots — how is it that media outlets are being driven by Drudge, and being skewered by Drudge for their so-called bias, at the same time? In other words, if the cable networks are getting their ideas from Drudge, what is it, exactly, that Drudge is rebelling against? How is he speaking truth to power if he’s helping call the shots in the first place?
I’m not sure I “wonder” if Cillizza is failing to connect the dots, he’s definitely failing. I wonder if he’s failing to do so because he doesn’t understand what’s happening, or because he understands what’s happening perfectly well and just thinks it would be better for his career to write the story the way he did.
20 Responses to “The Drudge Paradox”
Register
RSSLogin
Advertisement
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Books By Matthew Yglesias
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Abortion
Afghanistan
Basketball
Blanche Lincoln
Budget
China
climate
Congress
Crime
DC
Demographics
Economics
Economy
Energy
Environment
EU
Finance
Football
Gender
Health Care
History
Inequality
Infrastructure
Intellectual Property
International Law
International Relations
Israel
Media
Monetary Policy
National Security
NBA
Palestine
Political Reform
Public Health
Public Opinion
Race
Regulation
Sarah Palin
Sports
Stimulus
Sweden
taxes
Technology
Trade
transportation
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Contact Matthew Yglesias
Use this form to contact blog author Matthew Yglesias.
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Matt YglesiasContact Me
Donate
September 17th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I think it’s “b.”
September 17th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
What possible excuse could the journos have for using Drudge as a crutch any more?
Back before there were blogs and there were far fewer political / news websites, one could have made the (false, but perhaps plausible) claim that Drudge did things differently and better.
But now, it seems that it’s solely because they’re fans of Drudge. To me, that’s like using Rush Limbaugh to be an arbiter of what’s news.
Both Drudge and Rush are arbiters of what’s news for right-wingers.
So I’d ask what they use to see the buzz of the center and left of the Internet buzz? What other sites are they refreshing as much as they are refreshing rightwinger Drudge’s page?
September 17th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Breaking! Gilberto out until December. Developing…
—–
What are the odds that in two years we’ll be discussing Gilbert’s contract the way we now discuss Kenyon Martin’s contract?
September 17th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
“What possible excuse could the journos have for using Drudge as a crutch any more?”
He gets the most traffic. He breaks scoops.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
“I’m not sure I “wonder” if Cillizza is failing to connect the dots, he’s definitely failing. I wonder if he’s failing to do so because he doesn’t understand what’s happening, or because he understands what’s happening perfectly well and just thinks it would be better for his career to write the story the way he did.”
Pretty nice slur, Matthew.
Benen wrongly characterizes Cilliza’s argument, and so you quote Benen rather than Cilliza.
Someone is failing here, but it’s not Cilliza.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Let’s just remember that the media have a pervasive influence on people. The pervasive influence of the liberal media is obvious in the Republican control of the courts, the presidency, and the Congress for most of the last 8 years. Things like the Iraq war also prove how dangerous the liberal media can be. If only we had a conservative media, the liberals would have controlled all the levels of government power and we would have been spared the Iraq war, the FISA debacle, and the non-impeachment of various war criminals. Damn that liberal media.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
The infatuation of the gay bashing right with closet gay Matt Drudge is really amazing.
September 17th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
He gets the most traffic. He breaks scoops.
And traffic is synonomous with accuracy? When was the last “scoop” he broke? Monica Lewinsky?
September 17th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
the latter
September 17th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
“When was the last “scoop” he broke? Monica Lewinsky?”
No. He has enough sources inside newsrooms that he regularly breaks stories that will appear in other media a few hours before they appear elsewhere.
For example, he’ll often get the big story in tomorrow’s NYTimes at 8pm. The whole oft-parodied use of “Breaking…” is because he uses that when no link exists since the story isn’t published yet anywhere on the intertubes.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Matt,
I’m sure a lot of your readership would appreciate a similar piece on Drudge written from your perspective. You clearly think Cillizza’s characterizations are incorrect, but you also clearly have an opinion about what the reality of Drudge and the mainstream media is.
Why don’t you share? (I mean this in a totally non-snarky way — I’m very curious as to your take on Cillizza’s topic.)
September 17th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
The whole concept behind Drudge is brilliant. It’s one page of interesting, relevant news stories. It’s great for busy people.
In fact, I’m surprised the Drudge format isn’t repeated by major news outlets.
September 17th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I’ve always wondered what sort of blackmail material Drudge holds on various news types who relentlessly refer to him.
March 1st, 2009 at 10:01 pm
cialis
Incredible site!
March 2nd, 2009 at 7:56 am
levitraVery interesting site. Hope it will always be alive!
March 11th, 2009 at 7:44 am
I want to say – thank you for this!
March 13th, 2009 at 4:11 am
I bookmarked this site. Thank you for good job!
March 17th, 2009 at 3:14 am
It is the coolest site,keep so!
tramadol
March 22nd, 2009 at 7:10 am
tramadol
It is the coolest site,keep so!