Registration is now open

Our next conference will be held at Christopher Newport University in the Washington Room of the student union Saturday Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (doors open at 8 a.m.). Continental Breakfast and Lunch come with registration.

Cost is $15.

Invited guests include Sen. Jim Webb, Rep. Rob Wittman, Rep. Glenn Nye, reporters - Ryan Nobles, Anita Kumar, Julian Walker, and Kimball Payne, as well as Scott Hirons of the House Republican Campaign Committee and Greg Scanlon of the Virginia Democratic Party. There is also the possibility of a very special guest.

Topics during the conference include a lessons-learned discussion on the past campaign, opportunities to cover the General Assembly, the balance between being media and bloggers, and a tech discussion on the newest concepts in blogging.

We also will get a legal brief on some of the legal issues facing bloggers today.

Cost is cheap. Register today!

Reason: The Breitbart Dilemma

Matt Welch's conclusion on Reason.com regarding the Breitbart Dilemma:

More relevantly to the journalism discussion, partisan media criticism is not "rapidly replacing journalism," it's supplementing journalism, forcing journalism to be sharper, and frequently committing acts of journalism in its own right, despite not being motivated by the same allegedly pristine Mission guiding postwar American newspaper types. That fact is not difficult for most consumers to grasp, but it's proven maddeningly elusive for keepers of the old flame. Here's the scoop: Media critics are more motivated by politics than journalistic purity, and in their extra motivation they can and will occasionally steal the old guard's lunch. They–and more importantly, their work–should be held to the same standard that people apply to alt-journalism from all sources, not just those whose politics seem yucky.

Do you concur?

Boucher drafting online privacy legislation

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA09) is drafting legislation as it relates to online privacy and advertising.

Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, is drafting a bill that would impose broad new rules on Web sites and advertisers. His goal: to ensure that consumers know what information is being collected about them on the Web and how it is being used, and to give them control over that information.

While Congress has waded into Internet privacy issues before, this measure could break new ground, as the first major attempt to regulate a nascent but fast-growing industry that represents the future of advertising. Boucher insists his bill will benefit consumers and preserve the underlying economics of the Internet, which relies on advertising to keep so much online content free.

"Our goal is not to hinder online advertising," he said. "This will make people more likely to trust electronic commerce and the Internet."

Online Ethics and a Bloggers Code?

Scientists seem to think the possibility exists.

The exceptionally large, diverse and informally linked blogosphere may not be particularly suited to self-regulation. But in reality bloggers profess that they value the principles and adhere to the practices explored in this study. Less ethical bloggers can also expect payback: the blogosphere is more interactive than traditional media, allowing instant and often vigorous feedback to bloggers that violate readers' standards. This 'sanction' on unethical behaviour may replace the need for a formal blogging ethics code.

McDonnell counter-proposal includes Blogs United

Bob McDonnell, Republican candidate for governor, sent Creigh Deeds, Democratic candidate for governor, a counter proposal today regarding debates.

McDonnell has agreed to four debates and asked to compromise on three more with Deeds - one of which is the Blogs United Debate.

"Virginia's bloggers play a key role in civic discourse in the Commonwealth," said Tucker Martin, spokesman for McDonnell. "[The 'Blogs United' debate] should be part of our debate schedule."

The debate will be hosted by the Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University at the Ferguson Center for the Arts. CPP is dedicated to unbiased and non-partisan research on public policy issues and the views of citizens about those issues.

The Virginian-Pilot, The Daily Press, and Virginia Talks have also agreed to partner in the debate. Additionally, two television networks are interested in broadcasting the event statewide, and perhaps to a an even wider audience; details have yet to be finalized as to which network will carry the broadcast.

"This will be a 'Virginia first' - mere miles from the seat of our first representative government," said J.R. Hoeft, chairman of Blogs United. "By accepting this debate, both campaigns will clearly demonstrate that they are serious about taking the conversation directly to the people. We're grateful that the McDonnell campaign sees the importance of this debate and are looking forward to Senator Deeds also coming to that conclusion."

Discouraged, but not dissuaded on debate prospect

As some of you are aware, Blogs United has partnered with the Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press, WHRO, and Virginia Talks to provide citizens of the commonwealth a chance to engage with the gubernatorial candidates, Creigh Deeds and Bob McDonnell, in a forum at Christopher Newport University in late September.

Approximately two weeks ago, the McDonnell campaign accepted our offer to participate. Today, the Deeds campaign listed ten debates they would participate in, and ours was not one of them.

As vice chairman, Vivian Paige, notes on her blog, Blogs United is not out of the mix yet because the campaigns could agree to do more than the five mutually agreed to today, and ours could be one of the ones chosen in this "tussle."

I would note that Blogs United is not the only on-line venue that the Deeds campaign did not accept. They also declined to participate in the YouTube/Politico proposed debate.

Regardless, while I am initially disappointed that the Deeds campaign has turned away from the online community, and its increasingly growing readership, I am confident that other campaigns and speakers will be interested in participating at our venue.

I also remain hopeful that the Deeds campaign will reconsider their decision.

We know that the McDonnell campaign, at least, is still interested:

"We still want to do this debate," wrote Tucker Martin, McDonnell spokesman to the Deeds campaign and the Board of Directors via email.

Creigh Deeds' speech to Blogs United 2007