With CNN's decision, now reflected on its air, to become a national version of local TV news, with "it bleeds, it leads" sensibilities and a complete emphasis on simple stories told in front of courthouses rather than anything researched, the word needs to go out.

They have surrendered to the blogosphere.

With local TV news no longer covering politics or policy, and with cable news now virtually ignoring it, what other conclusion can be drawn?

It's not as if politics has no audience. Political blogs have the highest audiences, and highest degree of audience participation, in the blogosphere. Many are profitable, some wildly so. Many also break real news stories, either through the efforts of the people running them or just from common posters who do their own investigations and report the results.

In the history of journalism this is big news.

But it's not being reported as such.

I wonder why?

If Ted Turner were dead he'd be rolling in his grave. I guess he's just rolling in the grass with the buffalo. Did he have to sign a no-speak clause in order to get out of that AOL-Time Warner deal by the way? Because he's been awful quiet.

Or perhaps no one is covering him.

If you're out there, Ted, give me a call.