Is MSM using DU as a resource?

[DCKit]

Maybe it's just me, but I've been hearing more and more of DUers opinions, "talking points" and (logical) arguments on the MSM over the past few weeks. The corruption and hypocrisy are being exposed at the base of the rotting pyramid and - I hope - it's only a matter of time until the head cheerleader tumbles, is reigned in and spanked soundly.

It's a given that what passes for journalism has been on a downhill slide since Watergate but now I'm wondering if, instead of simply repeating WH talking points, some of the interns and researchers who feed the talking heads the opinions they spout on the air and in the papers aren't now using DU as a source of information and inspiration. It's as if (with the exception of the obvious Republic bobble-heads) they're waking from a trance and beginning to think, question and report actual news. Who'd a thunk?

We haven't reclaimed our media by any measure, and won't until some level of independence has been restored and the conglomerates are broken (Rupert owns 100 newspapers and how many other media outlets!?!?!?). However, even though each of us on DU knows there is far, far more than has been reported to date, it's a good beginning. If they are, in fact, reading our posts, we can't afford to give this corrupt administration, the congress or the corporations that run them a break.

Y'all ROCK!!!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. It Would Be Nice If They Did. But I'd Have To Say That 99.99% Of The Time, They Simply Don't.

[rzemanfl]

2. Absolutely, DU is way ahead of them on most stories that don't

involve Lindsay, Brittany, etc.

[redqueen]

3. wouldn't surprise me one bit n/t

[ClassWarrior]

5. I think I heard that DU is number seven...

...of the ten most popular political blogs. So it'd stand to reason that the media are checking us out.

:hi: RQ...

NGU.

[redqueen]

7. right on!

i hope that reagan voter kos' blog wasn't above this one

:7

:hi:

[AX10]

4. We are ahead on the important stories.

Celebrity gossip doesn't float to long around here.

[katty]

6. I think they do-quite a bit-you know their Prod Asst are trolling

all these boards for 'material'.

[Jed Dilligan]

8. I think every MSM outlet has people monitoring the blogosphere

Politicians' press flacks as well. Whether or not our opinions (or similar ones on dailykos etc.) make it to the forum reflects the way the political wind is blowing. But they are always aware of us and what we say. At least, someone in the organization is. In fact, I imagine some of those people are posters (of the non-troll variety).

[wryter2000]

9. I wish

If they were paying attention here, they'd be talking about * ignoring subpenas.

(Hmmm, on second thought, I was going to add that they're obsessed with L. Craig and bathroom sex, but we're pretty obsessed with that, too.)

[H2O Man]

10. Sometimes

it is.

[tkmorris]

11. Some do

I have been noticing this sort of thing with regards to a number of websites actually.

You know those top 5 (3?) weird news stories that Olberman does each show. Every one of them is taken directly from Fark.com. Randi Rhodes pulls stuff off of DU constantly. You will not often see the talking heads on CNN etc credit their online sources, but whenever they discuss the latest "hot topic" and attempt to portray what both sides are saying about it, they get their opinions directly from internet blogs and forums like this one.

Next time you see them covering some story, especially a politically oriented one, listen for an oddly worded quote, one that sounds like someone tried to coin a cute phrase, then google it. I find stuff from most of the popular sites being used.

[DCKit]

12. That's what got me. Things I'd read and even a couple of comments I'd made here, verbatim. nt