T.V. News
I rarely watch television news programs and whenever I catch a brief glimpse of one I am shocked at the obvious lack of intelligence displayed by these so-called "journalists". While the pundits must be forgiven for their ignorant blathering, it is really a shame to see what was once a noble calling (that of journalist) cast down to the lowest common demoninator. One doesn't have to look far to see the depths that they have sunk to. I suppose it was damn near inevitable that once corporations got involved and money became the driving force that journalistic integrity (remember that phrase?) would take a back seat. But, for crying out loud, the truly bizzare nature of cable and network news shows is just appalling. I can't imagine what life must be like for the people who watch this drivel and believe every word.
I've seen several shows that seem to buck the trend, the most notable being "Frontline" on PBS, and on occasion "Lou Dobbs" on CNN have shown glimpses of what journalism used to stand for; the investigation and exposure of facts, and an in-depth explaination of current events. But overall I am always left with a bad taste in my mouth whenever I watch more than ten minutes of any news program from FOX to ABC and back again. They are all guilty of pandering and worse still, setting aside hundreds of years of journalistic ethics in order to bring the opium to the masses.
We can only hope that over the next few years they see the error of their ways and rebel against the advertizing juggernaut that has been unleashed through television. Then, perhaps we might be able to sit down and watch the evening news without the fear that some coporate
puppetmaster, sitting in a boardroom on Madison Ave., is pulling the strings.
I am not going to hold my breath.
3 comments:
And this is the arena I'd like to see Ralph Nader, or even Howard Dean, enter: the Media. With two of the three legs necessary to a working American Democracy - in this instance an informed electorate and an independent media - broken, it's time for someone who can raise the bar and raise some hell to get into the media or get into the educational system. (I don't bother mentioning the third leg, our Representatives, 'cause that leg is still on the lathe.)
And I'm not sure the media has ever been made up of the 'nobly called'. It wasn't our generation who coined the term 'Yellow Journalism'. Sinclair Lewis was only recognized above many other writers (I believe he had some journalistic background, but won't swear to that.) because his reporting of meat packing plant conditions was so unusual. The major media has always been 'owned' in this country. The Horace Greeley's and Randolph Hearsts have been about nothing but the money. News has always had to sell, so you're lamenting something that never was and never will be in our major media outlets.
Small, local media is the key. Reporting from people you could meet on your town street. People you can look straight in the face to ask them why they've written what they've written. A process of media that involves participation of both reporter and listener.
And as sad as it is, you may want to consider that these media-types are actually pretty cagey and that they know Americans better than you do. I think you can see the quality of these audiences just by flicking to anything on T. V. Having chuckled at your post about questions you get in the store, I think it's pretty easy to extrapolate from there and get a fine snapshot of the average human brain.
The Simpsons is not satire.
Curriculum. Word.
There's a lot of rummors flying around that Dean will replace that dumb-ass Terry Mcaulife as DNC chairman. I've seen Dean on CNBC hosting a talk show and let's just say that he'd do better as a print journalist *L*. Not that he couldn't do it, but he's got Phil Donohue written all him. I'd hate to see him flame out like that.
BTW - it's Upton Sinclair (couldn't resist after the whole samur(a)i thing *L*). Here's a great history of the man:
http://www.ssa.gov/history/sinclair.html
After reading it tell me that it doesn't sound eerily familar.
Thanks for the correction. Can you tell I've been out of high school for a while? Sure you can, you old goat! See ya tomorrow!!!!
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