jamesl's Blog tag:www.talkingpointsmemo.com,2008:/talk/blogs/jameslyden//6652 2008-10-31T16:16:52Z Movable Type Pro 4.21-en tag:tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com,2008://9.241368-comment:3263153 <![CDATA[jamesl Commented on Big Media Figures Admitting That Drudge's Influence Has Waned by Greg Sargent]]> 2008-10-31T16:16:52Z 2008-10-31T16:16:52Z The main reason Drudge's moment has passed is the rise of blogs. When he got big in 1998 all of those links at the bottom was one of the few places that you could find the links in one place. Journalists prize economy of time and this was one stop shopping. He linked the AP wire and a generally agreed consensus of Beltway heavy hitters; what more did you need?

And, in the old-media world, Drudge still seems cutting edge. Look at those links down the center for "columnists". Dave Barry hasn't had a regular column for years; it's not like Drudge would link to his blog otherwise. Camille Paglia! Harry Knowles! It's like 1999 encased in amber!

Almost as a rule, he doesn't link to blogs of either side-probably because he's barely a writer himself, has no editorial voice, and his big-print and broadcast focus means he misses everything that isn't fed to him top down. What he does is make the people who he links to feel relevant, and guys like Halperin return the favor.

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