Sure, the masses are demanding it because it’s more interesting or more exciting but by focusing on the glitz and ignoring the story behind the glitz/hype we end up with a media industry that caters to those in power, recycling talking points, selling us an unnecessary war, inane conversations about a flag lapel pin and the personal beliefs of a unbalanced pastor, etc.

Sure, it sells more papers and generates more clicks, but the long-term harm it does to a nation and a culture is inexcusable. Just look at the mess that the past 7 years has been. Would we be in such a mess had the media been responsible and focused on the details and done their job educating the public instead of climbing all over themselves trying to out-do each other to be the next Drudge Report or Rupert Murdoch-style sensationalistic trash-loid.

The way to build traffic on the Web is to get links from other websites. The way to get links is to be first with news — sometimes big news, sometimes small — that drives that day’s conversation.

I guess they didn’t consult any bloggers who have widely read blogs. Seems to me that bloggers get readers through, oh, I don’t know, original and compelling content. And those are readers who return.

I guess that’s the difference between wanting ‘traffic’ and links and wanting readers and people to hold a discussion with.