Recently in New Media Category

LGBT blogs are creating vital spaces for advocacy and public education groups that work to influence the conversations around the presidential campaign, which in turn can lead to mainstream media coverage of issues that directly impact the LGBT community. A case in point: Following revelations that the Log Cabin Republicans met in private with GOP presidential candidate John McCain, Pam’s House Blend posted a video from the Stonewall Democrats that highlighted McCain’s record of opposing LGBT equality.

Towleroad also broke the story that the McCain campaign sent an e-mail of support to the anti-gay “Protect Marriage Campaign,” the group sponsoring the California ballot initiative to constitutionally ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples. As is often the case with breaking news items in this modern age—it is often the bloggers who get the story first—these stories generated intense dialogue within LGBT communities, and ultimately the hope is that mainstream news outlets will follow suit.

Today, that happened – the Los Angeles Times published an article about McCain’s meeting with evangelical leaders, and how he would “take seriously their requests that he choose an anti-abortion running mate and would talk more openly about his opposition to gay marriage -- a pledge he carried out later in the day by endorsing a ballot measure in California to ban gay marriage.”

Blogs and other new media outlets present new opportunities to address issues - in real time - that before may not have reached mainstream media, and have given LGBT and allied voters increased opportunities to understand the candidates’ positions on the issues that directly impact the community.

Cindi Creager is Director of National News.

(Photo credit: Cincinnati Pretender)