The line that once separated blogs from the mass media is quickly fading. What remains of the separation is largely upheld by the blogging community. Many bloggers prefer to differentiate themselves from the mainstream media as an appeal to the underdog or to those looking for grassroots sources of information. It is widely accepted that information coming from the mass media goes through several filters before reaching the public, and blogging is seen as a way around those filters. News from blogs is viewed as raw, unadulterated and uncensored. It reaches the public through a more direct route, which appeals to many people who have grown to distrust mainstream news outlets.
The popularity of blogs has forced the mass media to recognize their influence and begin blogs of their own. Mass media blogs are often run by popular news personalities. Other mass media blogs simply offer an outlet for stories to be published that were not written by staff reporters.
On the other side of the coin, many respected bloggers have begun to appear in the mainstream media. Several bloggers make regular appearances in radio and television interviews to discuss current events or to relate their opinion on specific subjects. In addition, many bloggers have published popular books about their blogging experience or about the subjects on which their blogs are based. An award for the best book based on a blog began to be awarded in 2005. It is known as the Lulu Blooker Prize. One blog, “The Julie/Julia Project” was the basis for a book that reached the New York Times Bestseller list, and it was later turned into a feature film.
