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On November 20, 2008, CJR and Consumer Reports staged a conference called “Consumer Revolution on the Web: Opportunities and Dangers for Journalism.” The conference was designed to address questions about how professional journalists should cover consumer issues at a time when big-name bloggers, online vigilantes, and anonymous user-reviewers have turned word-of-mouth into a powerful weapon and traditional consumer reporters are falling victim to budget cuts. Consumer Reports editorial director Kevin McKean moderated a panel discussion on how to strike a balance between professional and amateur consumer reporting. Sitting on the panel were veteran consumer reporter Trudy Lieberman, On the Media host Bob Garfield, The Consumerist editor Ben Popken, Pulitzer-winning reporter David Cay Johnston, and Harry McCracken, editor of Technologizer. Audio of the panel is available here.
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