The News Media
By bobmnu
@bobmnu (8157)
United States
October 31, 2007 2:44pm CST
It seems that the News Media is reporting stories that are fed to them. If you look at the history of journalism you will see that most newspapers were started to promote one political view. It was easy to know where the paper stood because of the name. They had names like the Blue State Democrat, the Red State Republican, the Green Enviroment, or the Liberal Free Press. It was easy to know how they would present the story. Today we have professional Journalist and several different media sources. Some are very professional and present a balanced story and deal with the facts, while others believe that they have a cause to champion and will present the story that supports their cause still dealing with facts but only the facts that support their point of view.
If they support a political agenda they will present the story that is the party line. Now it seems like you get a newspaper printing stories, or not reporting stories, based on how it helps or hurts one political party or cause. An independent group that tracks news reported that during the 2004 election 70 some percent of the articles were positive toward Senator Kerry while only 20 some percent were favorable to President Bush. For example when charges were made against President Bush and his military career it was reported. When the Swift Boat Group Asked questions about Senator Kerry, who made his war record part of the campaign, the media attacked the Swift Boat Group and ignored the questions asked.
I am not opposed to the media supporting a certain ideology or candidate. What I am opposed to is the Media saying that they are reporting the facts in a fair and objective manner.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
1 Nov 07
If the news reported during the 2004 campaign was only 20% favorable toward Bush, could it be that there wasn't anymore to report that was favorable? He'd been in office for nearly 4 years at that point so they had a clear record to report on, did they not? I'm not sure which media outlets you're attacking here, but I certainly remember alot of Swift Boat stories and it wasn't attacks against the group. The "major" networks do a fair job of objectively reporting the news although of course there are some exceptions, most notably the way the media in general gave the Bush Administration a free pass when they were "selling" the Iraq war to the American people. MSNBC and CNN generally tell both sides of a story but the one who uses the slogans "Fair and Balanced" and "We Report - You Decide" is the most biased news outlet of all! Therefore when you write, "What I am opposed to is the Media saying that they are reporting the facts in a fair and objective manner" it must be Fox News Network to which you're referring.
Annie
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Nov 07
If the reporting was competent, the average American would know that most U.S. Military Companies do entire tours in Iraq without losing a single troop. If the reporting was competent then the average American would see coverage of the humanitarian and infrastructure missions going on in Iraq. If the reporting was competent, the average American would know that Mayor Nagin gave the order to release Hurricane Katrina evacuees from the shelters without waiting for an evaluation of the disaster area. If the reporting was competent, the average American would know that the people were sent back to their homes BEFORE the flood walls broke.
If the reporting was competent, then we wouldn't have been told that gang bangers were shooting at National Guard helicopters.
I've been interviewed by members of the "press" around a dozen times, in EVERY case they either misquoted me, or took my quote out of context. I have been on many disaster and accident scenes watching the journalists do their TV reports, in EVERY case they outright lied (knowingly) in their reports.
If the press was competent, we could count on them to at least TRY to get it right.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
2 Nov 07
For starters the economy was the best it had been a long time. The tax cuts were working but the press had not reported that. We had not been attacked since 9/11. Many of the Deck of most wanted were captured or killed.
A new research study came out last month and it shows that Fox News, while favoring Republicans, does a better job of reporting favorbley on both parties while the other networks are clearly favoring the democratcs and losing viewership while fox is gaining.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Nov 07
It is obvious because all the news outlets seem to use the same buzzwords, and when something is reported that turns out to be untrue, they all seem to have reported the same thing.
Look at Hurricane Katrina coverage. They all reported over 100 murders in the Superdome; not ONE reporter on the scene bothered to verify it before reporting. It wasn't until coroners showed up with a 40 foot reefer trailor to transport the bodies that they learned there was only 3 deaths... and they were all heart attacks.
It is so bad now that I truly expect more professionalism and competence from fast food workers than from "professional" journalists.
