Just What's A Canker Sore
8 years ago
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Well for starters, read this. It's not long and will tell you what I'm on about.
WTF?!!
First of all it's concerning that there is a market for such a thing. And enough of a market to start a whole station, not just a program, around the idea!
Now everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, but one phrase caught my eye as being particularly disturbing.
"...a new operation that is being targeted at "Americans who are looking for content that reflects and reinforces their perspective and world-view.""
Isn't news meant to be about the truth?! It's got nothing to do with reinforcing anyone's world view! ANYONE'S! Sure I will disagree with ALL the content (one can only assume seeing as I disagree with almost all of Fox's content), but more concerning is the idea of presenting 'news' in such a way to reinforce already existing ideas instead of being interested in what is actually occurring in the world. That's not news. That's spin doctoring. And it's dangerous.
Oh, and as a side note, I'm so disappointed in Kelsey Grammer. How can someone so talented be such a douche?
EDIT:
Appropriate and great quote that fits what I'm on about.
"I'm a comedian. I'm not moving towards the news box. They're moving towards me!" - Jon Stewart
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Every news station does what these people are doing:
You go to a local radio station if you want to hear about local news, and you go to the SBS news if you want to hear more about international news.
You look to the Age if you want to read about political news, and you look to the Herald Sun if you can't read.
You go to A Current Affair if you want news about shoddy Lebonese builders or weight loss pills, and you go to Media Watch if you want News about News.
There are sites for funny news, there are sites for celebrity 'news', there are sites for specific country news - and there's nothing wrong with it. People are simply saying "This is an area of interest to me - tell me more"
Of course spin-doctoring is rife amongst pretty much all news sources, even Media Watch - but I don't think this new station is any more guilty than these examples? It is guilty only of omission, a petty journalistic crime - no, an EXPECTED journalistic crime.
Usually if you're someone who values the news (unlike myself) you will read many different sources, not just this station... but who cares if they do?
I think a little optimism at the moment will do a lot more good than the constant stream of pessimism. A little bit of 'can do' attitude for once.
But... maybe I've misunderstood what this station is.
I agree that there is always a degree of spin doctoring, but that doesn't make it ok. We should be pushing our media to be more honest, not giving them more permission to be slanting the news.
And when you say you go to local to hear local, world to hear world, that is about the type of news, not the agenda behind it. And I know there is lots of hidden agenda in journalism, but that's not ok! We shouldn't be supporting more of it!