"The Internet is our Edgar R. Murrow. It's all we have."

That comment was made in response to a story on Eric Boehlert's new book Lapdogs: How the Press Rolled Over for Bush which documents the way the press is not doing it's job anymore: critically investigating the spin emanating from the White House. In fact, the book suggests (not for the first time) that the press's complicity in the "Swift Boat" attacks on Kerry lost him the election and all that that entails.

Colbert's amazing routine at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner last Saturday is another example, and if it has been under-reported by the "MSM" this week, it's probably because of zingers like this one:

But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works: the president makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know -- fiction!

Journos = typists.

So it's no surprise that people turn to the internet to get other news. Things like google.news.com or the BBC Online and as I've said before investigative blogging (Juan Cole, Atrios, TPMuckraker, etc.).

In this context then the recent moves to threaten "net neutrality" are extremely dangerous. If content is to be differentially moved across the internet because telcos and cable companies want people to pay them based on that content [not format] then we're hosed. I know threats to the internet have been around almost as long as... well the internet itself, but read here and make up your own mind. It's worth noting that the inventor of the web, Tim Berners-Lee, is on record preferring content neutrality.

We should know by now that knowledge is not separate from power.