BLOGSPOT:BLOGGERS SCORING book deals are often held up as a sign that the medium is valid and vibrant. While book deals may indicate a blogger is a worthy writer, it is not necessarily an endorsement of their blog.

The news that Talking Points Memo's editor and publisher, Josh Marshall, had won a Polk award for Legal Reporting - the first blogger to win one of the prestigious US journalism awards for his online output - is yet another indicator that the medium itself has arrived.

While other blogs specialise in commentary on the news of the day, Marshall and his team are setting the news agenda by breaking news.

As you'd expect, TPM doesn't pull any punches - its strapline is "commentary on political events from a politically left perspective".

The Polk Award recognised Marshall's coverage of the firing of US attorneys by George W Bush's administration, which ultimately led to the resignation of attorney general Alberto Gonzales.

How many bloggers can say they have had that much impact on the sector they cover?

It helps of course that Marshall has extensive journalism experience, having contributed articles on politics and foreign affairs to the Atlantic Monthly, the Boston Globe, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times and the New Yorker, among others.

This week Marshall and co have been sounding off about the decision by the Republican National Committee not to provide e-mails sent by White House officials to a House committee, among other matters.

Talking Points Memo - www.talkingpointsmemo.com