I think they provide multiple sides to a story. A single blog post could just be a guy ranting, or a news story may simply be unfounded hype. It's like reading something written by 10 different people, all of different viewpoints, and which provides a bit more balance to a story.
Fascinating ideas... I was astounded to hear that drivers pass closer to bicyclers wearing a helmet. I'd be prone to do so myself, as they do induce a false sense of security for both parties. I also agree that perhaps drivers and pedestrians should wear helmets as well.