Every new technology needs to go through its hype stage, just like every new fad or najor new change in society. A very big fad in recent years has been the delusion that anyone can now publish to the world, that blogs and similar publishing vehicles will take over from professional journalism and the news media. True, some blogs have from time to time scooped the traditional media, but this is not a regular occurance. And even if they do, can they really be relied on for objective journalism?
The fact is, expertise matters. Professionalism matters. Good writing matters. And so things like amateur blogs and websites have their place, but they can't compete head to head with the professionals. Gradually, the hype diminishes. Reality sets in. And the new vehicles of communications find their true place in the grand scheme of things. Hopefully this is happening with the internet. It's time the hype cycle settled down.
globeandmail.com: Reality returns to the Internet
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