I am curious to know how many political blogs were set up just for the election. I had heard the parties were looking to pay people to promote their messages through blogs and if you have seen ones that were set up in August and then haven’t posted since the election, please let me know.
There would be no way to know how many people posting to blogs were paid to do so but actual blogs that were set up right before the election and then terminated after might be one indication.
Not that I think paying people to blog is necessarily a bad thing – it’s an inevitable thing – but it does sort of cloud the water when you think you are getting Joe Q. Public types debating/arguing about issues when in fact some might be serving up the party line for 10 cents a word.
For example, consider the haughty and over the top Progress for New Brunswick blog – prolific right up until the election – nada since. Maybe they are just licking their wounds and we can expect serious, intelligent and relevant blogs to start up again soon. Or maybe not.
Then there’s one that I liked – Sara G – she was admittedly a Tory blogger and has actually posted after Monday. I hope she keeps it up – she adds value to the mix.
As for the CBC obsessed Spink about It (similar to my fascination with Hogan – read today’s We Say, unbelievable as usual but I digress), Politics NB, that Centrist fellow, etc. – they were all around well before the election and will undoubtedly be around long after.
It’s too bad Poitras will cut off the CBC blog. It would be neat to get his insight on a daily basis – in the blog format. I read Paul Wells daily (despite his weird claim to be personally influencing online iTunes sales from his jazz picks) and several others. For me it adds some value when a journalist takes off the rigor of formal news preparation and just muses out loud about the issues of the day.
As for the patron saint of bloggers, Charles LeBlanc, one assumes he will continue to post 10-12 times a day. Graham Jr. would be wise to have someone check that blog out periodically. I have no idea what influence he had on the election but it is said his is the most read in the province.