Isn’t it heartening to see Democrats finally finding their backbone and standing up to the GOP/Giant Corporate Machine's attempt at the complete the takeover of America?
The news today focuses on a jarring statement by Hillary Clinton on, well, The News. HERE is the non-partisan article reported by the AP. Clinton criticized American news venues for their lack of content on world events. She went on to say that the English version of Al Jazeera was doing a better job of covering events in the Middle East than any US network and the American news is "celebrity obsessed."
Show of hands, how many of you turn on the news just so you can watch Charlie Sheen’s meltdown into madness or the woohoo of the lastest Hollywood slut du jour peeking out from under her miniskirt?
Of course, in true partisan circus fashion, various news outlets are either praising her comments or berating her with more inflammatory sensationalism in their lead lines such as, “Hillary pimps Al Jazeera” and “Hillary has a crush on Al Jazeera.”
Thankfully there are also qualified people without a political ax to grind who agree with her assessment. Like Former CNN Washington bureau chief Frank Sesno:
"She's right," said Sesno, who is now director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. "Cable news has become cable noise. It was intended to be an opportunity to inform people, and instead it has become an opportunity to inflame people."
Only one media outlet has jumped in with both feet to make an inane statement.
Fox News Channel's Michael Clemente said he was "surprised and kind of curious" by Clinton's remarks. "We've got leadership issues there, the safety of people, the safety of our own people," said Clemente, senior vice president for news. "Some big issues. All of a sudden there are headlines about Al-Jazeera versus the news in this country? It's just surprising. Curious more than surprising."
Not sure what leadership or safety issues Clemente is referring to because in typical FOX fashion he is throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks. Tonight they will be beating the “socialist, Marxist, Kenyan” drum – of that you can be sure.
I DO hope the momentum of movement started by the Wisconsin 14 and our Secretary Of State will continue to be added to by other progressive Americans taking a stand and adding their voices. If we are going to save this country, the time for action is now!
Let me elaborate on the failings of He-Said/She-Said journalism.
ReplyDeleteIt starts with a dispute. The dispute makes headlines. Then the He-Said/She Said genre kicks into gear, and there are talking heads spouting competing opinions. A public controversy is turned into a media circus; but no attempt is made to assess the truth behind these competing claims. Noise all the time, but no real news!
Of course, it is always possible to fact check competing claims, but the format is dominated by the symmetry of opposing viewpoints, where liars and honest folks get equal time and carry equal weight. Points are won on poise and appearance rather than truth.
Why is the He-Said/She-Said formula so popular? It makes stories instantly writable and reportable without having to worry about inconvenient truths, and it gives the false appearance of balance and objectivity. It turns reporters into stenographers who merely record the words without cutting through the clutter. The finished product is not a reliable account of the facts,; rather it is an error of the mean.
Liars and prevaricators with a well-oiled PR machine and a finely framed set of talking points often win. This is what often passes for news these days.
Hillary is 100% right. How ironic that the media has turned her comments into another talking heads slugfest.