Kristi Turnquist of the [Portland] Oregonian gives CNN a much-deserved raspberry for its embarrassing attempt at integrating blog content into its daily news coverage:

CNN Discovers the Blogosphere: As if CNN doesn’t have enough problems trying to catch the Fox News Channel in the ratings, some genius has decided to include a segment called “Inside the Blogs” on the afternoon news show, “Inside Politics.” This bit consists of two “blog reporters” sitting at a table facing each other — you can tell they’re blog reporters because they’re dressed in computer-geek-casual instead of TV reporter suits. These two sit at snazzy computers and quote a couple lines from a blog or two about whatever’s in the news that day. Camera operators clumsily try to get in close to the computer screens to show highlighted words. After Monday’s installment — a brief, abrupt, awkward check-in on controversies surrounding Rep. Tom DeLay — host Judy Woodruff seemed on the verge of laughing. Or crying.

There’s a word for this sort of thing. That word is “clueless.” If CNN is that dumbfounded as to how to use the blogosphere to its advantage, perhaps they should drop us an email. Come on Bohrman, you know better than this.

And no, MSNBC, you haven’t escaped our notice. Here’s a hint: Doing an exact copy of CNN’s blogtastrophe may not be the best way to stand out from the crowd.