Splicetoday

Politics & Media
Aug 18, 2008, 06:31AM

A Convention Of Egos

15,000 media credentials will be issued between the Republican and Democratic conventions this fall. That's 15,000 reporters covering an event where the outcome is already known, most of what actually goes on is nothing more than cheap bones thrown to the sundry party constituencies, and everything carried live on CSPAN. So why do news organizations flock to these indulgent events? Because they're chasing bylines and ego.

Forbes.com reports that the number of journalists covering the conventions this fall will remain at the same level as 2004 and 2000: 15,000 of them. What a waste. The outcome of the conventions is known. There will be no news. Why are these news organizations sending so many staffers there?

Ego.

That’s it, pure ad simple: Our man in Denver. Instead of your woman. It’s for bylines, bylines the public couldn’t care less about. The coverage will be no different outlet to outlet. We can watch it all ourselves on C-SPAN.

The conventions aren’t news. Anymore they are only staged events to get media coverage. And it works. But it’s not for the public good that they’re covered.

Discussion

Register or Login to leave a comment