Last night I quoted the Luigi Vercotti-like ravings of the New York Post's Jared Paul Stern, who was caught telling a potential blackmail victim, “We know how to destroy people". I commented:

The one saving grace that many have is Weblogs, which at least create some opportunity to get another side of the story out, when the media decides to fire all of its guns as once (see: Rather, Dan, for but one of many examples).

We are witnessing the last growl of the unbridled power of the press. Some in the press would like to think — but would not be stupid enough to brag — that they could “destroy people” for a living. And though they certainly can cause headaches for people in the spotlight, the odds of fatality go down by the day as there are more and more means of response. Now the targets can turn the tables on the journalists. I’ve seen reporters go ballistic when their emails to sources or transcripts of their interviews are published on blogs. Well, tough. What’s good for the goose is now grist for the gander. Accidental billionnaire Mark Cuban is the master of using his blog and email to show how the sausage is made and many more are following his example. Transparency works two ways.