Are Amateur Political Blogs Dying ?

"Only five years ago, the progressive political blogosphere was still predominately a gathering place for amateur (that is, unpaid or barely paid) journalists and activists unattached to existing media companies and advocacy organizations. Those days are almost completely over. Now, the progressive blogosphere is almost entirely professionalized, and inextricably linked to existing media companies and advocacy organizations."

Those are the words of Chris Bowers on the blog Open Left. He says the progressive blogosphere has become professionalized and there is no place left for the amateur political bloggers. He blames this on three developments:

1. Established media companies and advocacy organizations hiring bloggers to blog full-time.

2. Previously amateur progressive blogs have become professional organizations (meaning they are making enough money to hire full-time staffs).

3. Bloggers have translated blogging into consulting and advocacy work.

He goes on to say:

"Add up all three of these paths, not even to mention the emergence of the utterly dominant Huffington Post, and the progressive political blogosphere is now both thoroughly professionalized and integrated into the progressive media an political ecosystem.

That didn't take very long. The progressive blogosphere really first emerged onto the political scene in late 2002 over fights like the run up to Iraq, the 2003 Democratic primaries, and Trent Lott's comments at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party. In less than eight years, it went from a loosely knit, rag-tag network of amateur outsiders into a fixture in the world of professional political advocacy and media.

RIP to the amateur progressive blogosphere. It provided a regular feeling of revolutionary ecstasy while it lasted, but there was no way it could last very long. It was a transitional period into a new media and political paradigm, not a new paradigm unto itself."

What an unmitigated load of horse manure! Although it is undeniable that some of the biggest bloggers have become professional, started writing for the mainstream media, or are hire themselves out as consultants, this is by no means the bulk of the many progressive bloggers (the huge majority of which meet his definition of "amateur"). But Bowers seems to think that since a few progressive bloggers are now making a lot of money there is no need anymore for the amateurs (the rest of us).

Personally, I question what all that money coming in has done to the integrity and independence of thought these bloggers once had. Many have toned down their progressivism and moved toward the center to keep the money coming in or to increase the volume of money coming in. I'm not saying they've become the enemy, but I do wonder if they've not reported a story or not said something because it might hurt their "revenue stream". Once you become professional you have to worry about things like that (and that is one complaint I have against the mainstream media).

In fact, I do not consider many of these blogs to be a real part of the progressive blogosphere anymore. They have now become a part of the mainstream media, and they act like it. They have a bottom-line to worry about and can no longer say what they want regardless of the consequences.

Check out my blogroll to the right. You won't find any of these professional blogs anymore. That's because I don't trust them any more than I do the mainstream media. The bloggers I list may run a few ads on their blog but they are a long way from making a living out of blogging. When they say something it is because that is what they honestly believe and when I think that is no longer true they will disappear from the blogroll. It is not because they were paid to say it or toned down their opinion to keep from losing advertising revenue.

That is also why this blog does not accept paid ads. If you see an organization advertised on this blog, it is because I like that organization enough to push it free of charge. I have never made a penny off this blog and have turned down several requests to run paid advertisements. Because of that the reader can be sure he/she is getting my honest opinion (whether they agree with it or not).

I don't begrudge another blog for trying to make a little money, but it is silly for a blogger who is making a lot of money to consider him/her self more important than the bloggers who do not blog for a living (but only for their passionate beliefs). The fact is that only a tiny portion of progressive bloggers make enough money to be considered professional, while there are thousands of amateur political blogs.

The day of the amateur political progressive blogger is far from over. These are the blogs I go to when I want to know what other progressives are thinking, and many other people do the same. I can understand why the professionals want to discount the amateurs because that would give them more readers and more say, but the most honest and vibrant voices of progressivism are still to be found on the amateur political blogs.

I personally find Bowers' attempt to marginalize the amateur progressive blogs to be distasteful and a disservice to the progressive movement. Are amateur political blogs dying out? Not at all. They are alive and well and will last as long as ordinary American citizens have an opinion and the courage to reveal that opinion. I hope and expect that will be for a long time to come.