Lammycat Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 ... and let's not forget that these news outlets and newspapers are giving the people what they want. Or, what they think they want. If people demanded serious news, wouldn't the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer be more popular? Fact is, people want what they are being given. Can we really blame the media? The media is in the business of selling ads. No matter how you slice it.I'm not so sure that it isn't the other way around. Hear me out: Do we really know that it's what the people want, or do the people think they want it just because that's what they are being fed? Has anybody polled the people and asked the people what they want? My claim is that people take and adapt to what they are given. It becomes a slippery slope and one where the lines are blurred by what a perceived "want" is, merely because that's what is assumed they want. Anyway, the majority of political news is watered down bunk from the truth anyway, regardless of the source/reporting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatheadfred Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 They are all full of shit. I miss Tucker Carlson. He seemed legit. MSNBC is following the Fox model. That is clear. I wish Bill Maher was on nat'l TV, again. Maybe bring Walter Cronkite back to life, also. It sucks because dramatic news is here to stay. I guess it's better than reality game show b.s. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 i have to disagree with you on this. and on what do you base the quote in bold on? seriously, don't fall for that blanket assumption crap. i happen to know that conservatives are very capable of discerning the truth...from multiple sources. Study shows Fox News viewers misinformed about war, Iraq, WMD "While the PIPA study concluded that most Americans (over 60%) held at least one of these mistaken impressions, the researchers also concluded that Americans Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 The biggest problem is that the media reports what people say (be it politicians, other news outlets, spokespeople, anonymous government sources) but rarely comment on whether what they say is true or not. They're basically just stenographers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Party @ the Moontower Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 I'm not so sure that it isn't the other way around. Hear me out: Do we really know that it's what the people want, or do the people think they want it just because that's what they are being fed? Has anybody polled the people and asked the people what they want? My claim is that people take and adapt to what they are given. It becomes a slippery slope and one where the lines are blurred by what a perceived "want" is, merely because that's what is assumed they want. Anyway, the majority of political news is watered down bunk from the truth anyway, regardless of the source/reporting. Faux News is the #1 most watched news on tv...go figure!And, Dancing with the Stars and American Idol are 2 of the top shows they watch.America likes crappy easy to stomach entertainment.Most Americans are lazy and will take any news fed to them! That's all any news on tv is anymore for the most part...entertainment. I can't even sit thru my local news..STUPID! ~If you get your news from only 1 source you may be an Amrican idiot.This applies to everyone~ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Correct - as a nation, our minds are becoming as obese and unwell as our bodies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Correct - as a nation, our minds are becoming as obese and unwell as our bodies.Yes, but it is because it's what the general public wants or because it's what it's being served? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 They are all full of shit. I miss Tucker Carlson. He seemed legit. MSNBC is following the Fox model. That is clear. I wish Bill Maher was on nat'l TV, again. Maybe bring Walter Cronkite back to life, also. It sucks because dramatic news is here to stay. I guess it's better than reality game show b.s.Cronkite is still alive. I see him at the Scorpio Cabal meetings, and he is as unhappy with what's gone on in this country as anybody. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Yes, but it is because it's what the general public wants or because it's what it's being served? Both. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lammycat Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Maybe bring Walter Cronkite back to life, also. .Walter Cronkite didn't have the inside scoop on politics either. He just reported what he was told to report. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Yes, but it is because it's what the general public wants or because it's what it's being served?The former. There is plenty of good journalism out there, but it does not get the kind of response the bad stuff does. Believe me, if a lot of people wanted to see McNeil-Lehrer type stuff, they would get it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Party @ the Moontower Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Cool site...news on the news. News HoundsWe watch FOX so you don't have to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Both. Agreed. The news is about as informative as a Whopper is nutritional. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Party @ the Moontower Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Agreed. The news is about as informative as a Whopper is nutritional.That quote is totally gonna make me sound cool in intellectual circles.May I use it?I love it!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 i barely watch any of the major news networks, but i had a whopper last night. may not be good for me, but they are fucking good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moe_Syzlak Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 The biggest problem is that the media reports what people say (be it politicians, other news outlets, spokespeople, anonymous government sources) but rarely comment on whether what they say is true or not. They're basically just stenographers.Yup. Although about sports and not politics, Bob Costas did a good special on HBO not too long ago analyzing and discussing how the media has changed in the cable/internet age. Opinions pass for facts and specious reports from blogs such as "developing..." news from Drudge and his ilk are reported in the mainstream news and suddenly they have credibility. See it if you can. One other thing I think is very interesting is the way baby boomers interact with email. My folks don't use the Web too much but they email with their friends constantly and it is almost ALWAYS forwards of one kind or another. And WHEN they pass it on to me, it is almost ALWAYS bullshit easily discredited with a little digging. I have told my mother to never send me anything unless she has AT LEAST checked snopes. But this generation seems to universally fall for this stuff and that is why 90% of my parent's friends think Obama would be sworn in on Thomas Jefferson's (!?!) Qur'an. It comes from a friend or relative they trust so it must be true! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Party @ the Moontower Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Yes, but it is because it's what the general public wants or because it's what it's being served? One should not live a life based on wants. That is one of the problems in this country. People think they should consume whatever they want, not what they need. Fat, phat, and bling bling are destroying this country just as fast as global warming. People spend more on useless prescription drugs than on education and exercise.You know, the crap that makes you smart and healthy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Sure, but do you think it is even possible to report "news" without a slant? I consider PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer to be pretty well balanced, but unlike Fox news, it's not exciting (precisely for that reason). In fact, it's usually pretty boring. And depressing. These major news networks are just entertainment. Period. They're all guilty, whether one is worse or not. Who wants boring, depressing facts? They're all basically like the show where people hurt themselves for our enjoyment. One big "When Animals Attack" or "When Babies hit their Heads" with more yakking and a ticker at the bottom. It's real, but it's entertainment. One should not live a life based on wants. That is one of the problems in this country. People think they should consume whatever they want, not what they need. Fat, phat, and bling bling are destroying this country just as fast as global warming. People spend more on useless prescription drugs than on education and exercise.You know, the crap that makes you smart and healthy. It's called capitalism. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 The biggest problem is that the media reports what people say (be it politicians, other news outlets, spokespeople, anonymous government sources) but rarely comment on whether what they say is true or not. They're basically just stenographers.They do the same thing on the 24 hr news channels when they'll have 2 guests on arguing an issue and both of their views are totally removed from reality. The host never says, "Are you both crazy?" They think because they have a wacko from each "side", it's "balanced." The problem is subjectivity vs. objectivity. When they are supposed to be objective, most outlets aren't for various reasons (because it's funny, entertaining, pandering, shocking, provocative). And when they are supposed to stand up and act like the fourth estate and question the government, etc. they don't. I think a big problem is the idea of "liberal media." The media is so afraid to be seen as liberal or even upatriotic, particularly after 9/11, that they've made themselves useless. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fatheadfred Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Cronkite is still alive. I see him at the Scorpio Cabal meetings, and he is as unhappy with what's gone on in this country as anybody. Furreal? He needs to get his old ass back on the news and straighten these whippersnappers out. What is Scorpio Cabal? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 They do the same thing on the 24 hr news channels when they'll have 2 guests on arguing an issue and both of their views are totally removed from reality. The host never says, "Are you both crazy?" They think because they have a wacko from each "side", it's "balanced." When they start yelling at each other, it should be a sure sign to you that you're on the wrong channel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 When they start yelling at each other, it should be a sure sign to you that you're on the wrong channel. bingo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Do we really know that it's what the people want, or do the people think they want it just because that's what they are being fed? I hear you, and I understand what you are saying -- McDonald's is very good at convincing us we want to SuperSize our extra value meal for an additional $0.50 even though we don't necessarily want to do so. But at the same time, news programs on tv, and newspapers sold at the corner store, only make money one way. By selling ads and selling newspapers. Now, there's no way for me to know for certain, but I have to think that both tv programs and newspapers have done their research on what sells. Sadly, it appears that what we get is what sells. News organizations don't have any incentive to sell the crap they are selling for any reason other than it makes them money. If they could make more money by engaging in honest and constructive debate, they'd be incentivized to do that. No? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
owl Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 There is plenty of good journalism out there, but it does not get the kind of response the bad stuff does. Believe me, if a lot of people wanted to see McNeil-Lehrer type stuff, they would get it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Good Old Neon Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 That quote is totally gonna make me sound cool in intellectual circles.May I use it?I love it!!!! You certainly may Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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