Barrier-Free Blogging

Commercial Appeal

Memphis blogger Thaddeus Matthews is nobody's idea of an objective reporter. But local authorities should follow the same set of rules in dealing with bloggers as they would follow with established media.

Like him or not, Matthews is among a growing cadre of Internet savvy communicators who are using the Internet to democratize journalism. When he obtained and gave his readers a draft statement from the suspect in the murder of police officer Edward Vidulich, he was using a common journalistic tool. Snatching that tool from the hands of journalists of any stripe ultimately damages the public's ability to hold the government accountable.

Offered without comment.