Gladwell Calls Blogs Parasites That Feed on Newspapers

Posted on June 28, 2006

Blogebrity has found a statement from Blink author and blogger Malcolm Gladwell that is highly critical of bloggers. Gladwell said blogs are parasites that feed off newspapers. Gladwell's statement was reported in the New York Daily News.

WHO BLINKED? That was "Blink" author Malcolm Gladwell, the highly paid lecturer at business conferences everywhere, defending the viability of old media in a gabfest the other night at the New York Public Library to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the online magazine Slate. While former Time Inc. editor in chief Norman Pearlstine and Slate founder Michael Kinsley predicted doom and gloom for newspapers in the Internet age, Gladwell sang the praises of paper products and derided bloggers as "parasites" who feed on newspapers to survive. If newspapers die, "What are they [the bloggers] going to do? Get jobs?" Gladwell mocked. Let's hope he's right.

The really scary thing for newspapers would be if blogs are parasitoids instead of parasites. Smart newspapers will realize that Gladwell is totally wrong and that the relationship between bloggers and newspapers can be mutually beneficial.