Website: The Drudge Report

Overview
The Drudge Report is a compact, link-driven news aggregator created by Matt Drudge and established in 1995. Its homepage is dominated by sharply worded headlines and dense clusters of links that point to articles and sources across the web, interspersed with occasional original scoops and short editorial notes. The site built a reputation for speed and sensational framing, favoring brevity and immediacy over long-form exposition.

Format and Presentation
The site presents information in a minimalist, almost utilitarian layout that evokes the early web: stark typography, a narrow column of headlines, and an emphasis on hyperlinks. Headlines are often concise, provocative, and formatted to maximize attention, with placement and size used as implicit editorial signals about importance. This spare presentation encourages rapid scanning and directs readers straight to the source material, making the Drudge Report function as a portal more than a traditional newsroom.

Editorial Voice and Curation
Curation is the core of the site's identity: selections are made with a dramatic, sometimes tabloid sensibility that highlights scandal, conflict, and political theater. Commentary is rare and typically delivered through headline choice and placement rather than extended opinion pieces, creating an editorial voice that reads as pointed and punchy without lengthy justification. The site's curator-centric model means that a handful of choices can steer reader attention and shape narratives based on what is linked and emphasized.

Influence and Reach
At its height, the Drudge Report served as an online gatekeeper that could drive massive traffic to mainstream outlets and smaller blogs alike, effectively amplifying stories and accelerating news cycles. Journalists, editors, and pundits monitored it closely because stories featured there often circulated widely and prompted follow-up coverage. The site's ability to break or spotlight stories helped transform how internet-era media valued speed and link-driven aggregation, influencing later social platforms and aggregator sites.

Controversies and Criticism
The Drudge Report attracted sustained criticism for publishing unverified rumors, promoting sensational or misleading framings, and for opaque editorial practices. Critics pointed to instances where links or headlines amplified dubious claims without sufficient vetting, contributing to misinformation or reputational harm for targeted individuals. The platform's tendency to emphasize scandal and outrage also drew scrutiny for its role in polarizing discourse and rewarding attention-grabbing material over measured reporting.

Legacy and Cultural Role
Despite controversy, the Drudge Report occupies an important place in the history of online media as an early and influential example of link aggregation shaping public conversation. It demonstrated the power of a single online curator to set agendas and compel mainstream outlets to respond, helping to usher in an era where speed, headlines, and traffic became central metrics of journalistic success. The site's aesthetic and editorial model persist in new forms across social platforms and news aggregators, even as debates about verification, responsibility, and influence continue to shape how such outlets operate.