All Over The Web: Best Media Sites (1)

When searching the media for information on the media, the Internet has plenty of options, ranging from right wing to left wing, and everything in between. While it is possible to find support for virtually any idea or any position on the web, some sites are simply more legitimate than others according to the Webby Awards and IMSA criteria.
A sampling of different media-oriented web sites reveals where to go for particular kinds of coverage, as explained in brief synopsis of several sites. The links to all websites are provided under the Linkroll menu on the right side of this blog.

The first one is the American Film Institute website provides visitors with its picks for top movies and other valuable pieces of film. It takes film and television seriously, like a more sophisticated and smart version of Entertainment Tonight. The second website is called Editor & Publisher. The information on the site is generally devoted to citing the best stories in journalism, as well as awards going to various writers and editors, based on the quality of their work. A website called Media Matters is definitely a liberal organization, as it even attacks the New York Times for being too conservative on some stories. Still, it is hard to argue with many of the positions Media Matters takes when it analyzes how the media is often lazy in its approach to covering issues, and allows simple ideas to dominate, as well as presenting falsehoods in many cases. A blog called Media Shift provides essential comments on "new media" like blogs and "citizen journalism". It provides interesting look at how the Internet is causing changes in information and news around the world. Another blog called The Communication Blog. It is useful for some important, but sometimes obvious comments on the media. The down side is that this web site contains a huge amount of text, extending over time. Moreover, a blog called the Rocky Top Talk is very interesting to read but sometimes it provides unnecessary information about the media. Some comments seems counter to the idea of having independent media. Another blog called Reportr.net provides commentary on whether the "gatekeeping" role of media should be extended to blogs and websites. If the existing media get the means to legitimize blogs and unofficial media, then it seems that blogs could end up doing nothing more than repeating official stories, or losing their status as "legitimate". A website called News Watch provides reader with many interesting articles about the media. The downside is that the lay out of the web is rough and messy, but the information provided is valuable. My favorite website is called Media Channel. Here, there are connections to everything from clips of The Daily Show, to links to numerous other blogs and media sites. With the number of logos, photos, and links, it is somewhat difficult to tell what the particular angle is for this site. What is most interesting is a link to a commentary by Walter Cronkite, one of the most respected men in the history of television journalism, discussing the MediaChannel site as an important place to go for valuable news commentary.