I find this  piece on CNN interesting   is this hybrid of  established  and new media ,CNN  once took on this mantle  but the 80's are over, ok  let's give them credit till the mid 90's after all OJ and Gulf 1 were ratings winners)

It's not hard to see why a 30 min network news show would never devote  time to the  gotchas, misstatements and general ass hattery of those that would rule us  that are mentioned in the article.

For those with  24 hours  to fill are another matter.   This article  looks like CNN are trying to have their cake  and eat it. E.G User generated media has an effect but ONLY when they  mediate it and provide the context.

That was the Republican presidential candidate having some fun with a friendly crowd in South Carolina. But his comments got played over and over again on YouTube and became a story picked up by the mainstream media.

The phrase "all politics is local"  can be extrapolated to all media is local and if there's one arena the citizen journalist is going to tank CNN and their friends  it's this one.

Most of what follows in the article is MSM documenting their abrogation of responsibility in asking the "great and the good"  questions based on  their history culled from their own tape libraries and still  keep the aura of  responsible and impartial media just using  You Tube as a proxy for what they wanted to say anyway.  What they end up saying is  and I will paraphrase.." oh  how cute it looks like they think they have a say"  let's  humor them. .. yes lets.  let's wait and see.

"I think it really breaks down some of the traditional barriers we have seen in American politics," Steve Grove, head of news and politics at YouTube

Those are two perfect examples of how YouTube is empowering average Americans to affect the political process like never before.

Rather telling as to the relationship of the people to their rulers  as mediated by the fourth estate. .. It's like voting is the "I voted" sticker on the process. E.G  You need to be seen to be engaged otherwise it's just a bunch of people using force to make you do what they say backed up by a professional group  explaining why you want it to be that way.  

Firstly let's dispel a few myths.  Speaking truth to power  assumes that that powers  that be, and want to be , are unaware of what they are up to and when  presented with a reasonable argument would modify their behaviour.  Au contraire  it's precisely their cognizance of what should be denied or obfuscated   that allows them to  pick and choose the best ways to , well I know that it's  unparliamentary language   lie and not have those they regulate bite the hand that feeds them, just the odd nibble  by proxy .. 

Blogs at least allow us to speak truth to those willing to be influenced and in a position to do something more tangible than play their walk on part every 4 years or so.