"That is one of the mistakes a lot of people make believing that uncensored speech is the most free, when in fact, managed civil dialogue is actually the freer speech. Free speech is enhanced by civility," - Tim O'Reilly, a person the blog-clueless NYT deems to be relevant to the blogosphere.
Sorry, Tim, but "managed civil dialogue" may be better in your enlightened eyes than, er, free speech, but it sure isn't freer. You can choose or not choose to have comments sections; you can already monitor such sections, if you so choose. But the blogosphere is about freedom - not codes of conduct on sites for free exchange of views.