This was neutral ground on which the journalists themselves became the referees, controlling the slant and bias of a story. Today, waging a public relations battle is an entirely different matter and companies no longer have any advantage because of their size or financial prowess. The Internet gives everyone a forum for airing their stories and gripes. The size of your company doesn't give you immunity either. Regardless of who you are or what you do, your potential adversaries now have access to a world-wide forum for discussing their concerns.
Freedom of speech is always a touchy issue.
While many believe that the Internet's accessibility strengthens the cause of democracy, the bottom line is that you have to protect your corporate interests. The Internet is littered with anti-corporation sites. Take the name of almost any multinational corporation and do a search. These sites are most often forums for the disgruntled to be heard. Sometimes they're led by employees, former employees or even unions.