When you hold yourself to be "Press" you owe it to your readers to present both sides. We’ve seen lots of “press” push political viewpoints lately because many of those journalists can’t help but promote their own agendas. The Star, for example, makes no apologies for subscribing to the “Atkinson Principle” to promote their own left wing agendas, as they promised to do when they first launched.
The reality is that for some time now we’ve seen a massive movement in political blog writers; so much so that as these individual writers present facts and express opinion that the greater public doesn’t get to see through traditional media, they become highly successful in changing public perception and in offering different viewpoints. The Huffington Post is a good example where blog vs. traditional press has literally changed and influenced public opinion.I am very aware that before Councillor Di Muccio came along, my blog didn't exist. Newmarket Free Press didn't exist. Councillor Vegh didn't maintain a web site. Regional Councillor Taylor didn't have a twitter account. Mayor Van Bynen retweeted famous quotes all day long. Newmarket can thank Councillor Di Muccio for motivating people like myself and those mentioned above into creating an abundance of fora for political debate in Newmarket.
When I read Councillor Di Muccio’s blog, twitter or facebook, I don't get the same stomach churn reaction as her opponents might. It is clear to me what she is up to and she does it very well. She is carrying on a dialogue with her supporters exclusively. I don’t believe her tweets might be intended for her colleagues on council. I don’t think her writing is meant for her political opponents or the media for that matter. If any of those people are offended by her strongly held views and opinions, they don't have to read her. They can choose to read the blogs, tweets, and postings of others who agree with their point of view instead. However, if you share the Councillor’s political view points, she has done a good job of keeping us all engaged with municipal events. Let's give credit where it is due -- of all Newmarket politicos, Councillor Di Muccio is a fantastic communicator within and among her supporters. When Prime Minister Harper speaks at a Conservative Party convention, his message is turned up a few notches to appeal to the partisans in the crowd. When he speaks on the same issue in the House of Commons or in the media, he tones down his message to suit the audience. That's politics as we all know.
In my opinion, this is what Councillor Di Muccio is doing.What inspired me to write this is the “free pass” that some traditional media has given certain Newmarket councillors and mayor when it comes to their misguided approach to dealing with opposing opinions. Examples include: council members passing a motion to publicly call another member a liar without checking all the facts, or council members using their public position to air personal grievances. When the traditional media lets these councillors off the hook, blogs, twitter and facebook increasingly step in to provide a voice to the outrage that the public is feeling. Social media is spreading like wildfire in popularity, and it’s why the general public is paying attention, including ironically, the traditional media itself.
