The press is supposed to be the public's watchdog. They're supposed to keep an eye on our public servants, to engender public accountability. But our mainstream media routinely treat you and me as part of their politics so they mostly feed us just one side of the story. This, ostensibly, in the name of nation-building - an argument that's about as valid as the never-ending NEP policy.

This is where blogs like Screenshots and Rocky's Bru come in, to fill that void for information.

Gatekeepers at our mainstream media also construct an invisible fence around political discourses that their political masters object to. Implicit in their journalistic practices, editorials for instance, is the warning not to transgress onto certain 'sensitive' topics.

These sycophants who populate the Malaysian public sphere while framing events to shape public perception have restricted its very nature. But fortunately, we have the Internet as an alternative public sphere. These sycophants also rendered impotent the Fourth Estate. So much so, it has become imperative to have these 'watchdogs' watched.

This is where bloggers come in, to give context and diverse perspectives to news, issues and events that often have profound effect on our daily lives.

It is in this alternative public sphere that bloggers can break the mould of silence and inertia characteristic of sensitive issues in Malaysia to help form public consciousness. And mind you, it's not just people like Jeff Ooi and Ahiruddin Attan who can do this. You and me, we can do it too. That's the reason why blogging is also referred to as 'citizen journalism'.

It's a grassroots thing. It has tremendous empowerment potential for democratising our nation.

Just as our mainstream media watchdog shrinks from scrutinising the actions of our public servants, they are themselves highly averse to the sort of blistering commentary of watchdog watching bloggers like Jeff and Ahiruddin who without fear and favour, demand they step up to higher journalistic standards.

Like their political masters, the mainstream media bosses are highly allergic to critical analyses of their work that often reveal matters in a different light. And they're never more intimidating than when bloggers brush aside tactical distractions and shine the light on matters they've all along kept us in the dark about.

First, it was The Sun. Now, the NST. The lawsuits by the NST against bloggers is, without doubt, a matter of grave public interest.

If these so-called 'watchdog' organisations and their masters succeed in muzzling these watchdog watching bloggers

If we passively allow those whose interest it is hold back the flow of information and to scare us into self-censorship

If we allow the freedom for our society to be auctioned off by one of its supposed protectors, the press

Then the Fifth Estate will be as toothless as the Fourth. Not just in watching the watchdogs but also in forming public consciousness about issues and events in order to generate healthy public debate and discourse for a more democratised society.

Oh, wait. Whose role was it to begin with? Never mind, the role is now yours. To seize the reins of media, to frame the new digital democracy, to work for nothing and beat the pros at their own game.

Yes, you. Time's Person of the Year .