Thousands of citizens from around the country and across the political spectrum weighed in on the media's performance during the four presidential and vice presidential debates. Free Press and the Tyndall Report created a "Citizens Media Scorecard" so viewers could respond in real time.

The results from each of the debates, with full analysis from Andrew Tyndall, is available by clicking on the menu to the right.

As the lights dimmed on the fourth and final debate of the 2008 season, one thing has become clear: These types of debates are vestiges of a bygone TV era. Tightly scripted formats and media middlemen aren't what public discourse should look like in the age of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

While the debates unfolded in a well-orchestrated manner each night, the spirit of democratic discourse was thriving on the Web's rough-and-tumble social networks. With these powerful interactive tools at our fingertips, we the people have come to expect a seat at the table as well.

For too long, the mainstream media have had a monopoly on the debates and election coverage generally. The thousands of people who participated at RateTheDebates.org sent a clear message that things must to change.

The media can shape the debate and shape the election. As Americans make a critical decision about the future leadership of our country, we need the media to be the watchdogs of our democracy. Through the Web, people are stepping up to be the watchdogs of the media.

With luck, 2008 will be the last year that the Commission on Presidential Debates gets to set the rules of the road. Voters are already joining forces online to demand interactions with the candidates that are more democratic, transparent and accountable to the public.