Newsweek and the Media Bloggers Association (MBA) have launched "The Ruckus," a new group blog about politics for Newsweek.com. The blog will feature posts from nine MBA-member bloggers about the presidential campaign on a single page, giving Newsweek.com readers a convenient sampling of some of the best political blogging from across the country and from key primary states.
" 'The Ruckus' will be a key part of our 2008 campaign coverage," said Deidre Depke, editor of Newsweek.com. "We want to expose Newsweek readers to all the exciting discourse and discussion that is taking place on political blogs today. We think 'The Ruckus' will help introduce readers to a new array of voices and will encourage enlightened political discourse as the '08 race steps into high gear."
" 'The Ruckus' places Newsweek on the cutting edge of this campaign season's online political dialogue," said Robert Cox, president of MBA. "MBA bloggers offer Newsweek readers fresh, authentic content with real-time updates from some of the nation's leading political blogs."
"The Ruckus" (http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/default.aspx) will include posts related to the 2008 campaign from MBA-member bloggers with a variety of political views and backgrounds, representing different parts of the country.
"In the grand tradition of American political conversation, 'The Ruckus' will offer a spectrum of the political argument and analysis taking place in the blogosphere," Depke said. "A healthy democracy requires debate and a lively conversation, which is exactly what 'The Ruckus' will offer. We look forward to reading the opinions of our guest bloggers and the conversations they have with each other and with readers."
"The Ruckus" joins Newsweek's growing stable of blogs, including Stumper, a politics blog by Newsweek's Andrew Romano (http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/default.aspx).
The initial participants in "The Ruckus" include: John Amato, crooksandliars.com; Faye Anderson, andersonatlarge.typepad.com; Dean Barker, bluehampshire.com; Adam Fogle, palmettoscoop.com; Joe Gandelman, themoderatevoice.com; James Joyner, outsidethebeltway.com; Ed Morrissey, captainsquartersblog.com; Oliver Willis, oliverwillis.com; and Chris Woods, bleedingheartland.com.
About Newsweek
Founded in 1933, Newsweek provides comprehensive coverage of national and international affairs, business, culture, science and technology, and arts and entertainment. Headquartered in New York, Newsweek has 20 bureaus located in the U.S. and around the globe. In addition to its U.S. edition, Newsweek publishes three English-language editions overseas and is the only news magazine with eight weekly local-language editions-in Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Polish, Arabic Chinese, Russia and The Bulletin is published with Newsweek in Australia. Newsweek's worldwide circulation is more than 3.5 million and a total readership of more than 21 million. The magazine appears in more than 190 countries. Newsweek holds more National Magazine Awards, given by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME), than any other newsweekly. Since 1998, when Newsweek.com launched, monthly traffic on the site has grown steadily to an average of over seven million users per month in 2007, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. The site has won more than 20 awards since 2002, and has been nominated twice for a National Magazine Award.
About the Media Bloggers Association
The Media Bloggers Association (www.mediabloggers.org) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting, protecting and educating its members; supporting the development of "blogging" or "citizen journalism" as a distinct form of media; and helping to extend the power of the press, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, to every citizen. The MBA has provided legal assistance to hundreds of bloggers since it was founded in 2004. The MBA has managed blogger credentialing for two presidential debates and a major federal trial (U.S. v. Libby).
