Has blogging really changed the world?

March 13, 2006 11:46 AM

Back in 2004 there was some speculation about the bulge on Bush's jacket, that started on the internet and eventually got the attention of the mainstream media. I'm looking for similiar examples, where something that started as talk on the internet eventually got the attention of the more mainstream media (such as TV and newspapers).
posted by cheerleaders_to_your_funeral to media & arts (15 comments total)

Trent Lott's comments about Strom Thurmond, that ultimately forced him to step down as Majority Leader.
posted by ambrosia at 12:02 PM on March 13, 2006

SNAKES ON A PLANE!
posted by Skot at 12:04 PM on March 13, 2006

What about the "'black people 'loot', white people 'borrow'" story? Begun, if I remember correctly, on Metafilter.
posted by Uncle Glendinning at 12:16 PM on March 13, 2006

Don't know if this counts (pre-blog explosion), but the (rather rightward leaning) Drudge Report 'broke' the news on the Clinton-Lewinski scandal back in 98. Article describing breaking coverage here.

(WARNING: Explicit content in both links, of course)
posted by gage at 12:18 PM on March 13, 2006

The Smoking Gun started JamesFreyGate.
posted by xmutex at 12:23 PM on March 13, 2006

Terror in the Skies Again

Sony Rootkit fiasco.
posted by skallas at 12:25 PM on March 13, 2006

Jeff Gannon.
posted by veronica sawyer at 12:29 PM on March 13, 2006

As I recall, the Plame Affair was discussed at length before the mainstream media picked it up.

Possibly the Gannon/Guckert "not just a media whore" story as well, but I'm too lazy to look it up.
posted by stefanie at 12:35 PM on March 13, 2006

And possibly the biggest one of them all, Rathergate.
posted by veronica sawyer at 12:39 PM on March 13, 2006

Alan Keyes' lesbian, liberal daughter. She outed herself (sort of) via her own blog, and some bloggers discovered her identity.
posted by iviken at 1:56 PM on March 13, 2006

The Dean scream.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 3:16 PM on March 13, 2006

The Downing Street "memo" (more properly, "minutes"), a record of a July 2002 meeting of Labour Party bigwigs, included a report by the SIS head about Washington's preparations to invade Iraq (which would not happen until the following March). The DSM was published by The Sunday Times on 1 May 2005. Although largely ignored by US mainstream media, blogs such as Daily Kos quickly began discussing the memo. A website was created to publicize the DSM's contents, as well as allegations about its significance. Substantive American reports in major US newspapers began in mid-May, with much of the initial coverage focusing on the media's previous lack of coverage.
posted by rob511 at 3:33 PM on March 13, 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4782108.stm

From a blog post to a BBC news article.
posted by Leon at 4:24 PM on March 13, 2006

I wouldn't call the dean scream an internet thing, that was all over the media.
posted by delmoi at 5:13 PM on March 13, 2006

I'm surprised poor Tammy hasn't had a mention yet. Shame on you, MetaFilter.
posted by sjvilla79 at 10:39 PM on March 13, 2006