In January 1998 The Drudge Report broke its most important story 23-Year Old, Former White House Intern, Sex Relationship with President. This insight, designed to shock millions, was originally reported by Michael Isikoff of Newsweek. After the article was cut by publication, Matt Drudge, creator of the Drudge Report, exposed Newsweeks insight into the affair to the public.
Drudge’s first insight that received national attention was an email sent out announcing that Jack Hemp joined Rob Dole in the U.S. Presidential Elections fighting for the Republican vote. His next lead was the break of the famous Bill Clinton affair, which not only caught the attention of the political community but gossip readers and general public.
Monica Lewinsky, a young White House intern shared the details of her secret relationship with the President to her co-worker, Linda Tripp, after they had both been transferred to the pentagon (Monica was sent by the White House employees in order to separate her form the President during the election.) Tripp began to collect evidence of the affair to use as immunity from prosecution, this included recorded conversations between herself and Lewinsky amongst other things. Drudge continued to post regarding this story with personal opinion and event updates.
Drudge quickly shifted the focus of his new-found blog during its creation in 1997 from a conservative gossip email dispatch to a resource where citizens could have access to the truth behind their politicians and push the limits on what information can be provided to the public. Matt Drudge has taken journalism to a international platform, the internet. Unlike most news sources the internet allows him to have the freedom to publish his own opinions, not just those of dominant corporation who edit their work to please their investors.
The Drudge Report’s homepage has a simple layout, black on white, straight to the point. Drudge relies on a few things to intrigue his million plus audience; snappy titles, eye catching photos, easy navigating and hundreds of updated posts per day. With more influence on the elections and voting process than Facebook, the few advertising spaces on the website come at a price earning them $3,500 a day. Matt Drudge’s small team of 4 (including himself, Joseph Curl, Charles Hurt, and Andrew Breitbart) are the only ones able to directly post information and links on the homepage, but they accept insights and tips from readers.
Beginning with an email-based gossip dispatch and transitioning (using shocking White House scandals) to a 24/7, million views per day website was no easy task for Matt Drudge, but agedly “He swims on the beach every day and goes and has a burrito for lunch,” according to friend Lucianne Goldberg, a conservative talk-radio host. The impact this man made on the political sphere makes us recognize the significance of citizen journalism and growth through the blogoshpere.
By Rachel Goss