Media gatekeepers and the rise of networked readers: Revisiting the contra-crack controversy

The San Jose Mercury News was at the cutting edge of new media journalism when it published its controversial series investigating ties between the CIA, the Nicaraguan Contras, and the flow of crack cocaine into poor Los Angeles neighbourhoods. The attack on the series by the print media elite and its failure to suppress the story’s spread through traditional modes of gatekeeping marked an important moment for journalism. This article examines the controversy within the context of our transition from a print-based to a digital culture and explores the emerging role of networked readers in knowledge production and legitimation.