In Rheingold's chapters from "The Virtual Community" he brings up third places, and the possibility that online web communities could be considered third places. In my community reporting class last semester we used third places a lot as a base for learning about what the community's concerns are. It was also a great place to catch up with civic leaders. Are these virtual communities really third places? If so, how can reporters tap into these third places and learn more about the "community'? How would/has this changed reporting?