The Cityroom blog deals with the New York City and its surrounding metro area, tackling municipal issues of all sorts. The biggest issue writers have covered lately is the condition of the roads. The blog has written about that in several different ways - each writer using a different take. One writer scribed the unfortunate facts about how the streets would be cleared. Another showed what happens when children are refused a show day they feel should be a "gimme," suggesting that kids today may have a newfound sense of entitlement. Yet another told of speculation over a possible Christmas visit to Bermuda from a man with considerable winter responsibilities: Mayor Bloomberg.
A few days ago the New York times used the blog to solicit first-hand accounts of road conditions (including pictures) to aid in reporting. This is one of the reasons I believe professional news organizations need blogs. They need a way to make the reader feel more in-touch with the journalists (and the help they get from those eager to help in the news-gathering process does not detract from the idea).
These blogs are a undoubtedly a place to hold a mirror to, ask questions of and interact with society at large; however, blogs also do something that a traditional article cannot do directly. Blogs can call out society or those elected to take responsibility for it.
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