Democracy in Media at Work

David Card | March 17, 2008, 09:24 PM

This is enough to bring tears to the eyes of a cynical, old-media apologist like myself. Even the Times, try as it might to be patronizing, has to admit:

For almost six minutes — about a century in broadcast television years — Mr. Ashong, who has an immigrant’s love of democracy and the furrowed brow of a Brookings fellow, held forth on universal health care, single-payer approaches and public-private partnerships...Cute stuff. Highly informative. But not the kind of political discourse that generally captures a wider audience.

Here's the healthcare debate which, indeed, is way more insightful than what you're seeing on big-screen teevee. (And maybe even what you're reading in the Times.) And I'll link to the emotional bit, which is more fun. How awesome is democracy in media? Take back the mic, baby.