March 12, 2008

Spitzer Scandal Rocks the NYTimes Site

Less than 48 hours after the NYT story broke, Spitzer announced effective Monday, March 17, he will resign as Governor of New York, with Lt. Governor David A. Patterson taking over the position.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 27, 2006

FEC Won't Regulate Internet Politics

The Federal Election Commission decided today that the nation's new campaign finance law will not apply to most political activity on the Internet.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 17, 2006

Political Messages on Demand

On demand political advertising could become a serious contender in challenging the traditional  “sound-byte” ad on broadcast TV.

Think that the best way to reach voters is by inundating them with 30-second TV ads? Think again. The next big thing in high-tech political advertising may just be on demand advertising that gives viewers the chance to decide when, where, and how often they want to watch political messages.  With the flexibility for candidates to offer ads up to sixty minutes long, on demand ads could become a serious contender in challenging the traditional  “sound-byte” ad on broadcast TV.

 

 

Rhode Island Democrat and general treasurer candidate, Frank Caprio, (http://www.frankcaprio.com/) is the first candidate to use on demand advertising to reach voters. Cox Communications digital cable Subscribers can watch Caprio’s four-minute long biography over and over and over again. 

 

 

 

 

Fasten your seatbelts; this online advertising flight is just taking off.

Related Articles:

 

 

Comcast On Demand Political Advertising Information

 

 

http://www.comcastspotlight.com/sites/Default.aspx?pageid=7608&siteid=62&subnav=3

 

 

The Providence Journal Political Scene

http://www.projo.com/news/politicalscene/projo_20060306_polsc6.86fbb3e.html
 

Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

PBS Launches New Blog MediaShift

MediaShift is a weblog that will track how new media—from weblogs to podcasts to citizen journalism—are changing society and culture.

The site contains an actual blog, considered the main meat of the matter, which will dig deeper into issues, interview important minds, and showcase intelligent sources as well as the readers themselves. In addition, readers have the chance to add their comments to each post. Alongside the blog is the site's "Top 5" feature, which keeps a running tally of important new people, trends and technologies. Finally, a section called "Your Take" will allow users to give their two cents on an important media-shifting question of the week. MediaShift aims to set itself apart from the standard blog by providing users with more content to explore and comment on.  http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/info/

Site creator Mark Glaser writes: "In 2006, I am ready to turn my life over to the blog. I hope it doesn’t eat my wife and son, chew through my assorted leisure activities, and gnaw on my dreams at night. It helps that PBS.org — bless their souls, Preacherman! — has offered to finance my vision. When I first was pitching the idea of the MediaShift blog, one pitchee told me, 'Mark, why don’t you think outside the blog?' It had a nice ring to it, and I had to agree. So MediaShift will try to think outside the blog, by offering you more — and serving you more.

The Top 5 will be a very unscientific Intelligent Designed look at trends, people and technology that won’t leave us alone. And each week, I’ll pose a more pointed question to you all to get Your Take. The following week, I’ll do a roundup of the best of what you’ve offered to share with us. And once per week, I’ll do a feature called Digging Deeper that will include deeper thinking and even interviews. Eventually, I’ll start a weekly podcast, add audio and video to the site, and do more stories that include you in a two-way conversation. And I hope that together we can break the bonds of traditional blogging and journalism."

Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 21, 2005

Best of the Blogs Winners Announced

The winners of the 2005 Deutsche Welle International Weblog Awards have been chosen in all 13 categories. Take a peek at the best Weblogs of the year!

The Jury is in...and the best blogs of 2005 have been named. Check out the winners in all 13 categories here:

http://www.thebobs.de/thebobs05/bob.php?site=winner

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 15, 2005

Join in the First Ever National Conversation!

What are others saying?  Share and compare your views.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 11, 2005

Commentary Today

New website captures spin the from right and left

Politically speaking, do you lean right or left? Regardless, it's handy to know what the other side is thinking. 

You can spend hours hunting down political editorials on the net. Well, Commentary Today is an excellent solution to the problem. It provides links to an astonishing roster of political columnists.

The site's organization is simple. Liberals are in the left column. Conservatives are on the right side. Click on the headline names to read the columns. Notations tell you if the column was posted in the past few days.

Not many people can read about politics without putting in their own two cents. You can do that, too. There are links to forums where you can rant or rave! (Hat Tip Contributing Editor Bob Pyke)


TO VISIT THIS SITE, GO HERE:
www.commentarytoday.com

Posted by Buzz Webster at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 22, 2005

Daily ePolitics Buzz Brief

Have you read the best blogs of Washington, DC...

National

1. Best Political Blogs: DC Journalists Pick Their Favorites (Washingtonian)
   At the height of the 2004 presidential campaign, ABC’s “The Note” was the hot political Web site for the chattering class. The New Yorker anointed it as a “must read.” (June  22, 2005)
   
   
2. Voters Say Federal Government Should Take More Active Role in Cyber Security (Government Technology)
   United we stand, at least on the issue of making the Internet more secure, preventing identity theft and the proliferation of spyware, according to findings in a survey published last week by the Cyber Security Industry Alliance, an Internet security policy advocacy group. (June  21, 2005)
   
   
3. Senators Question E-Voting Paper Trail (Computer World)
   Calls for the U.S. government to mandate a voter-verified paper trail with electronic voting machines ran into opposition today from two powerful members of a Senate committee, with one senator objecting that a printout would discriminate against blind people. (June  21, 2005)
   
   
4. State Must Get Campaign Reports Online This Year (The State)
   IT’S COMMON knowledge in legislative bodies that the biggest enemy of good isn’t necessarily bad, but rather the elusive search for perfection. But that knowledge doesn’t always make it over to the bureaucracy, as we appear to be seeing with the State Ethics Commission’s attempts to make it easier for the public to find out who’s bankrolling political campaigns. (June  21, 2005)

International

Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 31, 2005

Podcasting The News

MSNBC.com and NBC News have entered the podcasting game according to Poynter.

Beginning in June, NBC News will deliver hourly updates and "select portions of its network and cable news programming via podcast."

The podcasts will be available via MSNBC.com. Content is to include news and business headlines; "White House Beat"; "Techwatch"; and highlights from MSNBC cable programs like "Hardball With Chris Matthews" and "Countdown With Keith Olbermann." NBC News also has been testing podcasting with segments from "Today" and the "NBC Nightly News."

ABC News also has begun podcasting.

Link

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 19, 2005

Daily ePolitics Buzz Brief

Even on a slow news day, controversy runs amuck.

US

1. GOP Podcasting (U.S. News) The GOP is betting that a lot of voters, maybe even older Americans, are getting down with the latest pop culture hit. (May 19, 2005)

2. Bloggers Find Mixing Work Life With Private Life Can Spell Trouble (Post-Gazette) Discussing family life with a worldwide audience may get you in trouble with the mom or the ex-girlfriend, but if you bring your employer into it, and attach your name to it, there can be more serious consequences. (May 19, 2005)

3. US Government Wi-fi Networks Wide Open (The Inquirer) Many US government networks could be hacked by a wi-fi user sitting on a park bench, according to a congressional report released by the Government Accountability Office. (May 19, 2005)

International

1. Online Forums, Bloggers Become Vital Media Outlets In Bahrain (Online Journalism Review) The small Persian Gulf nation has been moving toward democratic reform, but a registration drive for Web sites and the arrest of a popular online forum owner have sparked outrage in Bahrain's nascent blogosphere. (May 19, 2005)

2. China Blocks Popular Gay Website (smh.com.au) China has blocked a popular website devoted to providing information and support to the nation's large but closeted homosexual population. (May 19, 2005)

Anyone in or been to Bahrain recently? Care to fill us in on the inside perspective?

Visit PoliticsOnline more ePolitics news.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 09, 2005

New Blog Huffs And Puffs Star Power

Arianna Huffington's blog Huffington Post went live today.

Arianna Huffington's blog Huffington Post went live today. The site is home of star bloggers such as Mike Nichols, Ellen DeGeneres, John Cusack, Harry Shearer, Michael Isikoff, David Frum, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and others.
 
Ed Cone summed up the new blog nicely:
“Huffington Post launches. First celeb posts pretty awful, but then so are many first non-celeb posts at other blogs, so let's give it a chance.”

Also a couple of other blogs to launch in the past week are Newsbeat 1, a new Canadian blog, focusing heavily on the ongoing scandals, and Feras123, a Palestinian blog.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 03, 2005

Google Says No To Conservatives

 Little Green Footballs uncovered a possible Google bias, revealed when a consersative group attempted to run a Google ad.

RightMarch.com conducted an experiment with Google ads; they took one of the anti-Tom DeLay ads that Google runs when you search for “Tom DeLay,” and simply replaced DeLay’s name with Nancy Pelosi’s name. Then Rightmarch.com paid Google to place their ad—and Google rejected it.

But the anti-DeLay advertisement they copied word-for-word is still running.

Could the bias possibly be any more blatant?

The rest of the story.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 29, 2005

BBC Innovates With Interactive Election Coverage

With UK polling day arriving next Thursday, wired voters are searching in droves for the best election news and information. Lucky for them, online media has never been so comprehensive; and in the case of the BBC, so interactive.

The BBC is keeping good on its promise to deliver 'the first truly interactive election coverage’ offering an imaginative and absorbing section, according to a review by Journalism.co.uk. An animated Peter Snow hosts a raft of interactive tools including a quiz, seat calculator, and poll tracker - while the real Peter Snow provides video instructions on how to use the interactive swingometer.

Here you can also share your own views on dozens of important issues through the site's Have Your Say online debates. Blogs are likewise playing a larger role on the website this year, offering first-hand reports from around the country, as well as the best of the newspapers, web, and e-mails.

Much of the BBC online coverage is available via email, RSS feeds, and mobile/PDA’s.

BBC Election 05
Complete UK Election Coverage 

More:
A Guide To Election Information Online
The Battle For The Best Election Coverage

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 27, 2005

Webby Award Nominees

Have you seen the 2005 webby award nominees for activism, government and politics?

Activism

IFAW
http://www.ifaw.org 

The Great Divide Website
http://www.retrovsmetro.org

The Migration Information Source
http://www.migrationinformation.org 

Voices of Civil Rights
http://www.voicesofcivilrights.org 

World Citizen's Guide
http://www.worldcitizenguide.com/

Government

Connexions Direct Website
http://www.connexions-direct.com

National Cancer Institute Web site
http://www.cancer.gov

Scottish Parliament
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk

The Cool Spot
http://www.thecoolspot.gov

United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change Web site
http://www.usmint.gov/kids

Politics

Center for Responsive Politics
http://www.opensecrets.org 

KQED: You Decide
http://www.kqed.org/youdecide 

Mother Jones
http://www.motherjones.com 

Public Agenda Online
http://www.publicagenda.org 

Weapons of Misdirection
http://www.weaponsofmisdirection.com

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 13, 2005

Trust In Journalism

From MediaChannel:

RESTORING TRUST IN JOURNALISM" WEBSITE LAUNCHES
The one-year 'Journalism and the Public: Restoring the Trust' project is "designed to help journalists, academics and the public begin a change process to build greater trust between journalists and the public."

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 10, 2005

Vote For Freedom Of Expression Blog Award-winners!

Reporters Without Borders is calling on Internet-users to vote online for award-winners from among 60 blogs defending freedom of expression. There are six categories: Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Iran and International.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 08, 2005

Best Of The Web Call For Entries

The Center for Digital Government and Education have issued a call for entries for their 10th annual Best of the Web contest and Digital Government/Education Achievement Awards.

The contest and award programs are open to state, city and county agencies and educational institutions. All entries are due June 1.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 06, 2005

Gore TV Partisan Free?

From Washington Times:

Al Gore announced yesterday that his long-awaited cable network -- dubbed Current -- will debut Aug. 1.
    "Young adults have a powerful voice, but you can't hear that voice on television ... yet," said Mr. Gore, who has aimed the 24-hour news channel at 18- to 34-year-olds who are preoccupied with the Internet.

Mr. Gore was adamant his endeavor was ideology-free.

Ok sounds good, but I'm not sure everyone believes that, even if you did event the internet. More on the internet:

Collaborating with the online search engine Google, programming will "buck conventional news practices" by reporting topics "people are actually searching for right now," the network noted.
    Speaking from Current's new San Francisco offices, Mr. Gore claimed he wanted to lend "a national platform to those who are hungry to help create the TV they want to watch."
    Young viewers are "collaborators," he said, and have been invited to submit their own videos and ideas to the Web site (www.current.tv).
    Collaborating with the online search engine Google, programing will "buck conventional news practices" by reporting topics "people are actually searching for right now," the network noted.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 30, 2005

World Wide Web Is Wild Wild West Of Politics

I’ve always been amazed at the things that go on in the online world on politics. I’ve also always been amazed at what people will do to for money, but I’ve save that for another post.

The correct response to all of the following wild (or at least moderately entertaining) news updates should be “Are you serious?”

- It appears Jeff Gannon is back in action, ahem, and being welcomed with open arms at the national press club. Gannon former White House reporter/escort is set to be on a panel discussing bloggers and online journalism… with Wonkette.

- Whether it’s real or not bloggers are swarming around the Schiavo ‘Talking Points’ Memo. Perhaps the memo has the same author as the ‘CBS Memo’ seeing as they have the same last name.

- Remember Denis Kucinich, he still wants your money. On April 5, he’ll relaunch http://www.kucinich.us, the Web site originally used for his 2004 Presidential campaign.

- New Jersey might have another Dean style campaign on its hands as Joe Territo reports Sen. Jon Corzine's (D-NJ) gubernatorial campaign "is planning to seriously use weblogs to network with the public." If you have a blog and support Corzine, he'll even add you to his blogroll.

- Jeff Jarvis is telling secrets about Star blogging. In one of the worst-kept secrets around, Arianna Huffington, blogger and blog lover, is starting an online thing -- group blog, zine, whatever -- that is supposed to be attracting big names to little media.

-Townhall.com, one of the nation's most active conservative Web sites, announced recently that it has split from parent company the Heritage Foundation. It's a deliberate strategy for Townhall — home to 68 columnists and destination reading for 1.5 million people a month.

- It’s a real hoot at the Republican "March Madness Presidential Tournament." Congressman Tom Tancredo is unexpectedly doing very well, making him consider a presidential instead of a congressional bid. I hope he’s not serious.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: April 4.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 03, 2005

Kos And Instapundit Top Blogs

Chris Bowers at MyDD recently posted the top partisan, political blogosphere traffic rankings.

Here’s the top 10

Weekly Traffic Rankings (In Page Views)
• 1. Dailykos: 2,883,641
• 2. Instapundit: 1,145,308
• 3. Little Green Footballs: 846,016
• 4. Eschaton: 715,560
• 5. Americablog: 697,077
• 6. Powerline: 661,144
• 7. Raw Story: 611,198
• 8. Talking Points Memo: 531,093
• 9. Smirking Chimp: 476,034
• 10. Real Clear Politics: 347,194
More

Posted by Buzz Webster at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 11, 2005

Online Journalist Resigns After Blogger Inquiry...

Is A CNN Exec Next?

Talon News reporter Jeff Gannon a.k.a Jim Guckert resigned Wednesday after Liberal bloggers uncovered his real name and raised questions about his background. Gannon was employed as an Internet journalist for the Talon News, an online a news company which covers political, national, and world news. Popular Bloggers such as Daily Kos suspicious of Gannon of "lobbing softball questions" to the White House Administration during press briefings dug into Gannon's history, leading to allegations of him not being a real journalist and his involvement with several websites appearing to support gay pornography and promote male prostitution.

Some Democratic politicians also banned with bloggers demanding that the Bush Administration explain how "a fake reporter" managed to obtain White House press credentials for two years without a background check.

Right wing bloggers were slow to report, if at all, on the Gannon story. The popular conservative blog Powerline responded to emails asking for comment on the story by posting "What Scandal" writing that although somewhat strange and entertaining, Gannon was not very newsworthy. Little Green Footballs similarly wrote "Lefty Blogs Dig Up Scandal, World Yawns."

Conservative bloggers were instead focused on Eason Jordan, one of CNN's most powerful news executives who allegedly told a group of world leaders overseas that American soldiers had targeted reporters for assassination. Conservative pundits are calling for Jordan to provide proof or resign.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 05, 2005

The First 'New Media' Election

GUEST: Jack O'Toole

In today's Baltimore Sun, famed (or notorious, depending on your point of view) conservative activist Richard Viguerie and co-author David Franke "connect the dots" on what they say is the most important story of the year: "How 2004 was the first presidential election framed by the new and alternative media -- cable TV, talk radio, the Internet and political direct mail."

Here's a sampling of their dots:

• In 2004, for the first time, both parties were funded mostly by small donations. We estimate that 8 million Americans donated to some political cause or campaign.


• The Internet came of age as the fastest-growing source of news in America, including political and campaign news (Harris Poll, September 2004).


• On the conservative side, the dynamic trio of the blogosphere, talk radio and cable TV forced the mainstream media to cover issues they were trying to ignore, such as the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the documents in Dan Rather's 60 Minutes story about President Bush's National Guard service.


• On the liberal side of the Internet, the Howard Dean campaign resuscitated the corpse of the Democratic Party on the Iraq war issue.

  Also, liberal bloggers became major fund-raisers for the party, the top ones raising more money than individual GOP "rangers." [Emph. added]

Interesting stuff. And you'll find the rest of it here (free reg. req'd).

Posted by Jack O'Toole at 05:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 11, 2004

Bulge Remains, Cyber Chief Change: ePolitics Buzz Brief

Here's what's buzzing at the ePoltics exit on the Information Superhighway.
- Bush was bulging again at the second debate and Internet rumors are still flying, questioning what he’s packing.

- Other web chatter is over a decision by TV station group Sinclair Broadcasting to air a pro-Bush documentary.

- The Vote For Change tour wraps us tonight at 6:30PM EST. The unprecedented concert will be accessible to millions via a live webcast entitled “National Anthem: Inside the Vote for Change Concert Tour.

- It only took a week for the U.S. to hire a new Chief of Cyber-Security.

- The Gallup Poll has launched a free daily Web newscast, an eight-minute video featuring pollster-in-chief Frank Newport as a stand-up anchor talking about the firm's latest polling data and what it reveals about current events.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 08, 2004

Bush Mystery Bulge

I was going to award the ePolitics Headline of the Week to Wired for: Prof Pursued By Mob Of Bloggers, but Salon has taken the cake with: Bush's Mystery Bulge. The article is about the latest rumor flooding the Internet, alleging President Bush wore a wire during the last debate.

From Wonkette: In any case, Salon has seen fit to pick up the story and the Media Channel even got poor Mark McKinnon to go through the trouble making a statement about it:

I love this. Am tempted to say, 'I cannot confirm or deny,' and let the story get some legs. Or, how about, 'Since we put the metal plate in his head, we have had some measure of success with audio transmissions to the President.' Or, 'Yeah, but it clearly broke down during the debate.' Unfortunately, the truth is not nearly as interesting. The answer is, 'The President has never been assisted by any audio signal.'

I personally think it’s a girdle or a bulletproof vest, or maybe just maybe a flotation device if things get totally nuts. I know! It's a transmitter that allows Bush to issue a draft from any location.

For more conspiracy check out www.isbushwired.com .

Posted by Buzz Webster at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

JibJab Joke & MoveOn Mess up: ePolitics Buzz Brief

- JibJab, the creators of popular election parody "This Land" released a sequel yesterday titled "Good to Be in D.C." The animation features Bush, Kerry, Cheney, and Edwards singing along to the classic American folk song "Dixie."

- DNC has launched a new website for the Kerry campaign as part of its ongoing out reach to people of faith: KerrySharesOurValues.org

- A new Harris poll finds interest in the elections has fueled the growth of using the Internet for news. Just over half of online U.S. adults (52%) (i.e., 38% of all U.S. adults) say that they rely on the Internet for information about politics, political issues and elections.

- Cheney might have had a slip of the tongue at Tuesday’s debate (FactCheck.com), but WSJ’s Opinion Journal tells of a recent email in which MoveOn had a slip of the fingers, claiming Edwards would not let Cheney get away with saying al Qaeda was linked to 9/11.

From an e-mail by Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org:

We're on a roll. In last night's vice presidential debate, Dick Cheney was angry, misleading and petulant; Edwards took him on with warmth, clarity and the facts. CBS News reported this morning that Edwards "continued the Democratic ticket's winning streak," beating Cheney by 13 percentage points in a post-debate poll of uncommitted voters.

Again and again, Cheney tried to mislead the public about the war in Iraq and our economic problems here at home. He even claimed that he'd never met Edwards before when he had, in public, twice. But John Edwards wouldn't let him get away with it: when Cheney tried once again to link al Qaeda and 9/11, Edwards said, "Mr. Vice President, you are still not being straight with the American people," and explained that there was absolutely no connection.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 22, 2004

NaderTrader and Drudge Twin: ePolitics Buzz Brief

Here’s everything you really need to know about the world of Internet and Politics Today.

-- Remember the days of Nader Trader? It’s baaaaaaaaaack! A coalition of groups has formed a Web site called www.votepair.org to serve as a clearinghouse for those who want to swap votes.

-- Howard Dean is attacking Jerry Falwell in an email to raise 250k for liberal Democrats. Just so you know, this will not influence the presidential race.

-- Radio talk show host Michael Savage posts video beheadings of Americans on his website, is it disgusting or necessary? We are afterall, living in a Savage Nation. Talk amongst yourselves.

-- Federal websites have mediocre reviews, but its all about to change with the global powerhouse of Edelman doing PR for .gov.

Outside The US

-- Did you know there was an Italian version of Matt Drudge? Meet DagoSpia XXX Warning Site Has Extreme Nudity XXX. The website is a huge hit, unless of course you are a celebrity or politician.

-- As one might imagine, Iranian bloggers aren’t too happy with their government censoring the Internet. Will a free Iraq cause a mass migration to the country once it is stabilized? How do you say "Blogger" in Persian?

Posted by Buzz Webster at 02:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 14, 2004

Politics & Internet Journalists

While there is a tiny lull in the CBS-Bush debate, I’ll take a minute to answer a question.

Sometimes strangers ask me, “Buzz, who are the best journalists writing about IT and Politics. Not hacks, wonks or pundits but journalists by trade writing about this crossroad?”

I usually respond by saying, “How did you know my name and what’s wrong with my writing?”

Here are three journalists I always enjoy reading in this tiny niche. Although there are more, these folks always seem to write articles that teach me something new:

- Kate Kaye - Media Post

- Declan McCullagh - Usually in News.com or Cnet

- Mark Glaser - OJR

Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 13, 2004

Bloggers Of The Quagmire

In the online reality of politics, it doesn’t really matter what the truth is in the CBS-Bush records *quagmire. What matters is that mainstream media is once again seeing the value of bloggers. Sure bloggers can be in your face rumor-mongering gossip slantmeisters, that’s why we love them. But bloggers dig deep, fact check, and make sure issues are debates instead of a one way broadcast on how you should think. They can also scoop Old Media.

While bloggers are pinging, other online politicos are also ramping up for 50 days of pure pain. Here’s a few to take a look at:

- MoveOn has a new web ad “Who Profits” that’s pretty good and should make a splash with young voters. They also have episode three of Jimmy the Cab Driver, which is not quite as funny as the first two.

- Texans For Truth seemed to pop up over night and is an online success story in the making.

- Progress For America is fighting back for the right with an ad of their own along with several new online features on the website.

*quagmire - that is the first time I’ve ever used quagmire and it felt pretty good.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 10, 2004

Internet Insurgent - Howard Dean, Er Uh No Wait, That’s Stern

Hey folks take a minute from your scrutinizing over questionable military service documents to ponder this.

Howard Stern May Become Bigger Than Howard Dean On the Internet.

From Frank Barnako at, CBS.MarketWatch.com:

Howard Stern wants to expand his Web site to maintain access to his fans after he gets fired.

Stern also said Movielink, an Internet movie-rental service, is offering four "uncensored" episodes of his E! television show. The downloads, costing $4.95 each, can be viewed for 24 hours. Stern earns $1 a show, the movie service gets $2, and Viacom will take in the balance, according to a report by radio industry newsletter Friday Morning Album Quarterback.

Stern said sales of his TV show will help finance his Web plans. "I want to take the home page and turn it into a daily magazine filled with graphics, audio, video," he said. "I have to hire a staff, a guy to run the company and I want to turn this into ... the crown jewel of the Internet."

Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 27, 2004

New York - The Big Apple Of Media’s Eye

Ready for round two of convention coverage? We’ll be giving you the latest starting Monday. That’s right come on back to BuzzWebster for the low down on how the world of internet and politics runs aground in NYC.

To steady your nerves and ready your reporting, help is on the way. MediaChannel's has published the "Unofficial Media Guide to the Republican National Convention:"

Looking to get involved in the convention but can’t make it to New York? The Bush campaign is asking to help out by voting early and hosting a convention watch party... that just might be broadcast live, via satellite on the convention floor.

And for those who would rather not get so chummy with Bush... There is a very good MoveOn.org exclusive in Wired. Also MoveOn has launched a 10-week countdown featuring ads from a bunch of America’s hottest directors.
(Jimmy the cab driver is a must see)

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 24, 2004

Groups Want Feedback: P&I Buzz Brief

-- Bush-Cheney'04 is doing two online chats this week in an effort to reach out to America's youngest voters.

-- The GOP convention website now has a webpage for supporters to give input on what should be the most important issues for the Republican Party this year.

-- As predicted MoveOn gets good publicity with the yardsale drive and it’s new online forum shows the activists might be getting a little less top down in their online approach.

-- TrueMajority and its partner FaithfulAmerica.org have been working to stop the genocide in Darfur, and are now holding a Webcast On the morning of August 25 in which you will be able to meet several survivors of the Darfur genocide.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 12, 2004

P&I Morning Buzz Brief - Ready To Protest In NY

Want to know the daily quick and short of Politics and the Internet? Starting today I'll summarize the latest political happenings on the web.

- Online efforts to organize protesters and those protesting the protesters (RightMarch.com especially) will surely be the news in an otherwise uneventful RNC convention in New York.

- A new election game, FrontRunner, is getting young geeky politico's all hot in the pants. We'll review it soon.

- Is the world ready for Candidate Dickie Pilager? Click here to see how a website and up coming film may influence the November elections.

- There's an exciting new political consulting partnership, Connell Donatelli, in the Beltway that is sure to have some cool tech innovations up it's sleeve for future clients.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 10, 2004

American Candidate Musings

Is anyone watching the American Candidate on Showtime?

With little fan fare episode 3 is about to air, minus Chrissy Gephardt, yes that Gephardt.

All of the episodes (summaries) and recaps can be found on the website if you want to be briefed.

I'm thinking this is just the thing for freshman Poly-Sci courses...

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 09, 2004

Media Not Candidate Is Mindless

It appears the earlier beheading story wasn't really about getting re-elected, but rather pointing out that the media needs to do better fact checking.

The faked beheading story broadcast on two Arab language television stations and sent out on international news services early Saturday was based on a grainy video that was made by three Bay Area residents as an experiment to find out how quickly erroneous information could be spread by the Internet.

The experiment had a delayed reaction, but when it came, it did so more dramatically than the people who made the video ever dreamed.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 29, 2004

Washington Post Looking For Best Political Blog

From the Post's website:

Right wing. Left wing. Indifferent. Irreverent. There's a blog for every taste, opinion and attitude. washingtonpost.com's 2004 Best Blogs - Politics and Elections Readers' Choice Awards is your chance to speak out and vote for your favorite politics and election blogs.

Any early votes on the best blog of the Democratic Convention?

Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 16, 2004

Drudge Is Number Two?

ABC's The Note is claiming that Matt Drudge is the second most powerful person in this election year to influence the entire free media cycle.

I think they might be right. They also claim PoliticsOnline is the third most influential. Ok, actually they said:

Everyone else is tied for third.

But hey, we're in there somewhere. The NYT was first.

Another important name in Internet and Politics, Joe Trippi, is also in the news. Trippi has been hired by Joe Driscoll's Penn. congressional campaign to develop television advertising.

And on the Global front you might also want to know that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) conference kicks off next week in Malaysia.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 08:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 19, 2004

Lights, Camera, Blog! - Baghdad Blogger Signs Movie Deal

Salam Pax, a guy with a PC and a good sense of humor in a war zone is going Hollywood. According to Screen Daily Intermedia, Pax the now famous Blogger of Baghdad is searching for a screenwriter to adapt his book for the big screen.

Intermedia has bought film rights to Baghdad Blog, the book of a weblog written by a 29 year-old Iraqi calling himself Salam Pax about daily life in Baghdad before and after the invasion.

Way to go Pax Man! I can't imagine this movie being any good but any blogger who scores bucks on a movie deal is my hero.

Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)