Mark Glaser on the convergence of corporate and independent media: "[A]t the conventions this year [...] it's more difficult to tell the independent bloggers from the mainstream media bloggers. As traditional media embraces a multi-platform approach, including their audience in citizen media reports, the distinction between who deserves a media credential and who doesn't has blurred like never before."

This is important stuff for businesses. The old rules don't always apply, and it's increasingly hard to tell the amateurs from the pros. How do you control the media at a shareholder's meeting or product demo when everyone can publish onto the web? How useful are press embargoes when publications operate 24/7? What rules apply to whom?

The web is also giving us much more access to information from the conventions, and the ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. I've watched several speeches on YouTube at my convenience, and read some transcripts, too. There is a power to the live moment and the crowded room that makes broadcast television relevant, but the availability of other options makes for a much richer overall experience.