Blogs versus New York Times, 2002-2007: neither wins
In 2002 a bet was placed: five years hence, in 2007, the top Google search results on selected topics will either be blog posts or New York Times articles. This week one blogger determined a winner. Roger Caidenhead calculated that blogs nudged out the NYT in the majority of 5 cases, 3-2. Victory, blogosphere!
However.
1. Neither Gray Lady nor Blogistani Republics lead the results. The Wikipedia, which emerged over the long bet's lifetime, came in far ahead of both. Heh:
our most trusted source on the biggest news stories of 2007 is a horde of nameless, faceless amateurs who are not required to prove expertise in the subjects they cover.
As another blogger writes: "Watch out for secondary characters with more interesting stories than your protagonist."
2. Mainstream media articles from sources other than the NYT led blog posts.
3. The blogosphere has emerged more as a source of commentary and linking, than as reportage. Dave Winer sees this.
4. Those leading blogs aren't individual amateurs, but corporate-owned groups, often enough.
5. The New York Times' opening of archives should boost their results, as Jason Kottke and others note.
Very Interesting article!
Thank you for posting!
Posted by: Hofstra University | March 31, 2009 at 12:57