Its politics, big business and big media. But not as we know it

Iain Duncan Smith's article in the Guardian on Saturday made for some interesting reading

For decades the national conversation in most western countries has been directed by a few talking heads. Newspapers play important roles but all the evidence suggests that broadcasters have possessed the greatest potential to frame public debate. British politicians have known that communicating their message depends upon getting the nod from a small number of powerful figures in the broadcast media.

Smith goes onto discuss the effect however that the blogosphere is having in every aspect of business, media, and journalism in the US. And to point out that Karl Rove, the architect of Bush's re-election was recently quoted as saying that the

dominance of America's mainstream media is coming to an end

The reason is because of the bloggers. 'The truth police' for want of a better word.
We saw the demise of Dan Rather, news anchorman of CBS for 30 years, discredited over George W. Bush's military record, by the bloggers. More recently Jason Eason, Chief News Director of CNN, was forced to resign over remarks he had made at Davos by Rony Abovitz a blogger.

Duncan Smith makes the observation that there are implications for politics and how people will organise themselves around an issue will be dramatically altered by the internet and the power of the blog.

tired of being spoon-fed their politics, British voters wil soon be calling virtual town hall meetings, and they will take a serious look at the messanger as well as the message. It's going to be very rough

A 21st Century digital revolution is now a few mouse clicks away, argues Duncan Smith, and if the impact of the blogosphere in the US travels across the Atlantic, he may well be right.
But it's not only politics where the the blogosphere has had an extraordinary impact.
Computer manufacturer Apple have taken a blogger to court Nick Ciarelli over his site thinksecret.com which has repeatedly offered prior information on Aples next releases of its products, much to Apples frustration.
And lets not forget the Class action lawsuit against Verizon in the US, which was made possible by the many voices sharing the same frustrations in the blogosphere. Cbyer voices were are being made flesh in the courtrooms of America.
Communities will begin to dominate brands and institutions, or at the very least bring them to book as the power of many, I think it used to be called the mob is made once again a potent force. Enabled by the internet and the blog to link many to many, you can either join in the debate or the conversation or you will be made irrelevant or worse, as Verizon are currently finding to their cost. As the lock maker Krytponite found to their cost.

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