strength in numbers?

Whenever the MSM comments on blogs, they do so with a certain amount of disdain. I believe that those who go to school and work in a "professional" journalistic atmosphere are jealous of the seemingly unearned level of interest and respect that is paid to many of these individuals who they see as the equivalent of armchair quarterbacks.

When compared to the previous coverage of blogs though, this scenario reminds me of that Gandhi quote: "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."

Anyway, this editorial from the NYT contains the requisite skepticism. However, it also acknowledges both the immediacy and individuality of the medium, allowing for the potential of both new forms of communication and expression. Without question, the biggest problem is that the swiftly growing number of blogs dillutes and limits the potential for any one particular blog to make a difference.