Like a faithful libertarian might, Glenn Reynolds eschews a rigid hierarchy and despite his prominence, extols the blogosphere as an idea, something more than its current practical reality:
I do, however, disagree with [Jim] Miller that any single blog — and certainly not this one — is a sufficient source of diversity.
While the expansion of blogging has brought with it some meritocracy, the blogosphere's relationship with establishment media like journalism and punditry is channeled through a small number of weblogs whose links shape the political conversation — or at least direct the levels of attention paid to specific bloggers and topics. The blogosphere itself is anchored by the top two hundred weblogs, nearly all of them political.
That is made so more by physical realities of the thing than politics. While Glenn is loath to accept any coronation, a media remark from way back — declaring him the "Grand Central Station" of blogging — is apt in that he uses Instapundit like a hub, accepting large volumes of reader e-mail and welcoming that influence in his choice of links ("stringers," as he once called some of them). He even asks readers to, in that regard, "bother [him]." Few bloggers do that, even fewer do it well, and only a handful satisfy the first two prerequisites with a readership of more than a few hundred a day. We know a market: if someone can provide a service better than others, they lead, and that reign is fortified in measures of trust by longevity and recognition. Having helped define the market is an even greater exponent. That kind of esteem is difficult to overcome if it's maintained; case in point, Glenn's links to the weekly "Carnival of the Vanities" weblog tradeshow may only partially succeed as readers still turn to Instapundit as a lodestone for the new weblogs they've discovered.
People are reading blogs — indeed, all kinds on every topic imaginable. But diversity is one thing; pertinence and value are another. Strained for time, energy and attention, people who value efficiency will go for the latter two qualities. At the same time, the blogosphere's introduction to the other nine-tenths of America may be blunted or diverted by some media agencies' selection of weblogs to publicize and bloggers to interview. If the weblogs and their authors on television or in the newspaper are already tied to the mainstream, the essence of blogging — amateur commentary with national reach — remains hidden.
Whether the blogosphere's accidental leaders like that or not may be beside the point. Any emergent institution needs pioneers, especially crossovers from the establishment, to be noticed by a larger audience. To invoke Linux: those who prefer strong decentralization should be prepared to accept disorganization, obscurity or, worse, irrelevance. But encouragingly, we can invoke Amazon, too: at the same time the online retailer dominates the market, its distinction and success has refined the concept and practice of the internet as merchant's row. What thousands of smaller online businesses lack in prestige is more than satisfied with profit by means unthinkable just ten years ago.
BEZOS: Asparagirl has more regarding Amazon and the slow but steady rise of the internet as a pillar of commerce and communication. (Via IP.)