1) If you're counting moderated lists/groups as blogs, then
I believe that both the RISKS Digest and the Telecom Digest
predate RHF by about five years, and both are still going
strong.

2) Some quotes from your account of the "The Rec.humor.funny
Ban" are intriguing:

"I gave D'Amato a nice interview on the matter, since she
pretended to be sympathetic to my view when she called me.
(I've learned since then...)"

"They did a page 2 story on it which wasn't all that kind to
Richmond. I can only assume that he realized the press was a
dangerous tool."

"Since then I have never had anything but sympathy for those
people whom Mike Wallace says, in a dour and critical voice,
'refused to talk to 60 minutes.'"

"Avoid talking to the press, even if you are innocent, unless
you really know what you are doing."

I'd be interested in reading in more detail about the lessons
you've learned about dealing with the press. I can guess what
some of them may be, but it would be good to hear from someone
who's had actual experience.