It appears that the major networks still think they hold the most sway amongst all other forms of media. Take this hilarious blog entry from CBS News' Correspondent Dean Reynolds in which he compares his treatment from the Obama campaign to that of the McCain camp.
This is pretty funny and proves what we have always thought, reporters, especially those from the traditional network news, feel they should be treated differently and they love the coddling from the McCain campaign. This entry was particularly telling:
The other day in Albuquerque, N.M., the reporters were given almost no time to file their reports after McCain spoke. It was an important, aggressive speech, lambasting Obama's past associations. When we asked for more time to write up his remarks and prepare our reports, the campaign readily agreed to it. They understood.
Similar requests are often denied or ignored by the Obama campaign aides, apparently terrified that the candidate may have to wait 20 minutes to allow reporters to chronicle what he's just said. It's made all the more maddening when we are rushed to our buses only to sit and wait for 30 minutes or more because nobody seems to know when Obama is actually on the move.
Mr. Reynolds also thinks the Obama campaign should suspend all events, land the plane and make everyone quiet down during the nightly network news so that he and others can give live reports from the campaign trail.
Nor is there much sympathy for those of us who report for a newscast that airs in the early evening hours. Our shows place a premium on live reporting from the scene of campaign events. But this campaign can often be found in the air and flying around at the time the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" is broadcast. I suspect there is a feeling within the Obama campaign that the broadcast networks are less influential in the age of the internet and thus needn't be accomodated as in the days of yore. Even if it's true, they are only hurting themselves by dissing audiences that run in the tens of millions every night.
The McCain folks are more helpful and generally friendly....
This is great. It shows that Obama knows that all forms of media are important to reach voters. It also shows that the McCain campaign is stuck in the 20th Century by thinking that giving preference to the big three nightly news shows will have any sway with a large number of voters. I'm in my mid-20's and don't know anyone who watches the evening news. My parents don't watch it either.
Finally though Mr. Reynolds shows that maybe McCain is onto something. It appears that throwing parties for reporters and joking around with them might in fact make them more friendly to your views as it appears he is ready to make Obama pay for not showing him his due respect.
Maybe none of this means much. Maybe a front-running campaign like Obama's that is focused solely on victory doesn't have the time to do the mundane things like print up schedules or attend to the needs of reporters.
But in politics, everything that goes around comes around.
That's a little scary and I think it shows that not only is the McCain fearful of losing all relevance in the final weeks of this election, the traditional media is desperate because Obama might win this election without them and in the end, show that they too no longer have much relevance in the 21st Century.
Note: This is my first diary, let me have it if I screwed up!