This intrigues me: NASCAR
has decided to give media credentials to 28 blogs. They're doing it because there are less newspapers and newspaper writers around to cover the sport. "The attrition of both space and writers at newspapers around the country has meant a growing number of empty seats at Nascar media centers and press boxes, and less mainstream media coverage for the sport," the article explains.
While they're not paying for it (yet), this seems like a sort of subsidy, which is a very interesting possible future for the media business. There are entirely too many industries and brands that are completely reliant on coverage to drum up awareness and interest. It would cost them entirely too much to do it on their own and this must be a cheaper way. Very interesting.