TIME buying time with Award

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The tractionless TIME magazine has deemed its Person Of The Year Award to you(us). Although I wouldn’t put too much stock into its meaning, even George W. Bush was named person of the year at one time, at least we can be assured that the latest choice was not based on notoriety. Of course this blog wasn't named specifically, but they may of had it in mind when they discussed the explosion of bluntly honest citizen-run content. That's right – the most significant contribution to the world this year by anyone was, in part, due to your comments right here on Rock Netroots.

Sun Times Excerpt:
It seems like almost every time I read a mainstream media story about political Web sites and bloggers, the pieces are full of ill-informed junk.

The quote above is interesting because its author is saying that mainstream news reports about blogs are poorly written and absent of pertinent information, much like everything else the mainstream reports on. What did you expect? Worse yet, the mainstream frequently belittles the information offered by bloggers, but consider this - most bloggers (including myself) are tireless consumers of big media including magazines like TIME, if they think we are ill-informed, well guess what?

The mainstream media has painted themselves into a corner about blogging, and bloggers will not go away anytime soon, no matter how much it is dismissed or chastised. Brick and mortar media institutions keep a close eye on blogs like this while denying their existence and refusing to give it credibility. That's what happens when you've painted yourself into a corner.

Time Excerpt:
Who are these people? Seriously, who actually sits down after a long day at work and says, I'm not going to watch Lost tonight. I'm going to turn on my computer and make a movie starring my pet iguana? I'm going to mash up 50 Cent's vocals with Queen's instrumentals? I'm going to blog about my state of mind or the state of the nation or the steak-frites at the new bistro down the street? Who has that time and that energy and that passion? The answer is, you do. And for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time's Person of the Year for 2006 is you.

I don’t know whether they are poking fun at bloggers or not, to be honest with you, I don’t care. They do seem to be making concessions to web based information. Only time will tell whether or not they are willing to make the necessary changes from this lesson learned. But what must really set them on fire is the “for working for nothing” part.

Whether you agree with my perspective or not, I salute your never-ending quest for information and knowledge without the careful and formal pretensions manufactured by the hired hands of big media. Sure, TIME may be patronizing here a little much and it's a mistake to romanticize this any more than is necessary but nevertheless, to all my visitors, even the ones who hoped I got a lump of coal in my stocking for Christmas, I thank you for visiting this webpage and wish you a Happy New Year!!