Louisiana Progress, a progressive political organization based out of Baton Rouge, hosted an event entitled, “Progressive Voices, New Media: a Louisiana Social Media and Blogging Summit.”
Progressive bloggers and activists from all over the state came together on Saturday to discuss how to keep their message afloat alongside Louisiana’s deeply held conservatism. Topics ranged from healthcare to the political status quo, but featured education as the most important issue.
People came from far and wide, braving the bitter cold for a chance to learn. Jennifer Berkshire, a widely read satirical education blogger travelled all the way from Boston to speak about the importance of blogging.
            “You no longer need a printing press to get your point of view across,” says Berkshire. “All over the country you see people taking advantage of the fact that they have the technology and making up for what’s really been the collapse of our mainstream press.”
Speakers including Robert Wilson, the digital media coordinator for the Louisiana Democratic Party, along LSU’s very own professors Lance Porter and Robert Mann.
“I think [bloggers] are also providing a service that maybe the mainstream press doesn’t,” said Mann when asked of the importance of blogging to modern politics. “You’ve got people who know a lot about an issue … more so than a lot of reporters.”
            Most of the people at the summit expressed dissatisfaction with how Louisiana’s traditional media covers their perspective, feeling that blogging is their only outlet.