CDZ Fake News/Media Syndrome

How serious is fake/biased/erroneous news in modern times?

  • 1. Not serious at all

  • 2. Somewhat serious

  • 3. Serious

  • 4. Extremely serious.


Results are only viewable after voting.

Foxfyre

Eternal optimist
Gold Supporting Member
Oct 11, 2007
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I am putting this in the CDZ as I would like a serious, civil discussion re the serious business of media coverage that is:

1. Biased to the point of dishonesty
2. Erroneous to the point of incompetence
3. Fake news in that it is information created or repeated that is patently false.

Based on posts and people recruited to be talking heads on television, it seems obvious some think this syndrome doesn't exist at all or it is purely an invention of Fox News. Others are diligently pointing out that it does exist and is mean, cruel, hateful, and detrimental to us as a society.

So what do you think? This is the thread to express your opinions and impressions and also to post examples of fake/erroneous/misrepresented news that you run across and/or examples of news labeled 'fake' that turned out to be true.

The poll is set so that people can change their vote if they change their mind during the discussion.
 
I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
 
I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
Since the article ONLY involves CNN as "fake news," I'd say the Daily Caller is also involved in being "biased"
So let's add them to the list, shall we?
 
There has always been some dishonesty and incompetence in news reporting. The problem today is that the administration is characterizing anything they don't like as "fake news" and a significant proportion of the electorate is swallowing it whole.
 
You are mistaking an economic problem for a political problem. The terminal companies: Bloomberg and Reuters; are the only non-government media that can afford adequate staffing. The MSM is dealing with a shrinking budget and that includes CNBC, which is trying to become one of the big boys. The competent move up to the terminal companies and the rest deal with shrinking resources.
 
There has always been some dishonesty and incompetence in news reporting. The problem today is that the administration is characterizing anything they don't like as "fake news" and a significant proportion of the electorate is swallowing it whole.

Wrong. 0bama whined about FOX all during his regime. The only difference here is that Trump is correct and 0bama was lying.
 
I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
Since the article ONLY involves CNN as "fake news," I'd say the Daily Caller is also involved in being "biased"
So let's add them to the list, shall we?

The article was about CNN specifically. It was about ONLY CNN and not any of the others that could have been included.

So what did the article get wrong? How does it show bias in any way?
 
The only truly "fake news" I've seen recently has been right here, posted by Alex23. Some of his sites are beyond not credible.
 
The problem with news in this country is extremely serious. The press is the only defense we have against government corruption. With the press firmly and unabashedly on the side of the democrats, no one can trust them.

This leads to politicians on both sides of the isle being able to do as they please. On the right, they can do whatever they want and just claim it’s fake news. On the left they can make up anything they want to and IF the ever get caught, they simply move quickly on to the next made up thing.

In the end we get situations like in Roy Moore’s case. We don’t know what’s true and what isn’t. Those who support him believe it’s a set up by the left and it could very well be since the left never has anyone call them to the carpet. They are above the law. The Moore supporters know that and it bolsters their belief in the conspiracy. Meanwhile, those on the left who get fed a steady diet of left wing slanted news don’t get to hear anything that doesn’t support the narrative about Moore.

What should have happened is the media should be non-partisan and lead the charge against corruption no matter what party they belong to. This would have kept the left honest and given the right news they can believe. Then Moore would be either never bothered or completely fucked depending on wether he’s guilty or not.

It’s terrible. The government is out of control and the people have no way to control them.
 
I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
Since the article ONLY involves CNN as "fake news," I'd say the Daily Caller is also involved in being "biased"
So let's add them to the list, shall we?

The article was about CNN specifically. It was about ONLY CNN and not any of the others that could have been included.

So what did the article get wrong? How does it show bias in any way?
The "bias" is in investigating only CNN. Fake News is news which is made up and spread with the intention of misleading the reader. When CNN corrects a mistake, the Daily Caller is still calling them "fake news." Why is that? Maybe we have a different definition of what "fake news" is.
I see strong bias by both CNN and Fox. I don't watch either one. Even PBS newshour, though, is biased in how they lead the discussion by their analysts. I don't remember a lot of analysts on Walter Cronkite's news. That was fine. If you want analysis, put it on opinion shows and keep it out of the news. THAT is where the news has gone wrong.
If you think about it, every news organization in the world has to sift through what to report in their half hour/hour or on their front page. Bias begins right there. Why must we hear about terrorist attacks in Pakistan? Ethnic cleansing in Myanmar? From the news, it sounds as if the world is going to hell in a hand basket, when actually this has been the longest relative stretch of peace in our history. It will be looked back upon as a Golden Age. Yet we see the sensational "bad news." It's all biased, Foxfyre. I'm sure you live your life and see all around you that we are a good people. When any politician tries to tell you that half of us are .... deplorables or hysterical bleeding hearts or "rapists, drug dealers and criminals," something is wrong. I know you know that. Don't let it fool you
 
I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
Since the article ONLY involves CNN as "fake news," I'd say the Daily Caller is also involved in being "biased"
So let's add them to the list, shall we?

The article was about CNN specifically. It was about ONLY CNN and not any of the others that could have been included.

So what did the article get wrong? How does it show bias in any way?
The "bias" is in investigating only CNN. Fake News is news which is made up and spread with the intention of misleading the reader. When CNN corrects a mistake, the Daily Caller is still calling them "fake news." Why is that? Maybe we have a different definition of what "fake news" is.
I see strong bias by both CNN and Fox. I don't watch either one. Even PBS newshour, though, is biased in how they lead the discussion by their analysts. I don't remember a lot of analysts on Walter Cronkite's news. That was fine. If you want analysis, put it on opinion shows and keep it out of the news. THAT is where the news has gone wrong.
If you think about it, every news organization in the world has to sift through what to report in their half hour/hour or on their front page. Bias begins right there. Why must we hear about terrorist attacks in Pakistan? Ethnic cleansing in Myanmar? From the news, it sounds as if the world is going to hell in a hand basket, when actually this has been the longest relative stretch of peace in our history. It will be looked back upon as a Golden Age. Yet we see the sensational "bad news." It's all biased, Foxfyre. I'm sure you live your life and see all around you that we are a good people. When any politician tries to tell you that half of us are .... deplorables or hysterical bleeding hearts or "rapists, drug dealers and criminals," something is wrong. I know you know that. Don't let it fool you

Acknowledging that because they didn't bring in the NY Times, WAPO, ABC, NBC, the Guardian this morning, et al, you will call them biased. But only if the story is about media in general.

There is no bias when the investigation is clearly designated a report on CNN 'fake news'. That does not mean that the media source is not investigating anybody else or hasn't or won't report on anybody else. The piece was about CNN and nobody else.

As a journalist myself, I was trained to focus on the issue being reported and not go off in dozens of other directions that are immaterial to the issue being reported.

Would you have the same objection if the piece had been an expose' on Fox News?

So again, what did they get wrong in that story? One thing? Anything? Show the bias please.
 
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The problem with news in this country is extremely serious. The press is the only defense we have against government corruption. With the press firmly and unabashedly on the side of the democrats, no one can trust them.

This leads to politicians on both sides of the isle being able to do as they please. On the right, they can do whatever they want and just claim it’s fake news. On the left they can make up anything they want to and IF the ever get caught, they simply move quickly on to the next made up thing.

In the end we get situations like in Roy Moore’s case. We don’t know what’s true and what isn’t. Those who support him believe it’s a set up by the left and it could very well be since the left never has anyone call them to the carpet. They are above the law. The Moore supporters know that and it bolsters their belief in the conspiracy. Meanwhile, those on the left who get fed a steady diet of left wing slanted news don’t get to hear anything that doesn’t support the narrative about Moore.

What should have happened is the media should be non-partisan and lead the charge against corruption no matter what party they belong to. This would have kept the left honest and given the right news they can believe. Then Moore would be either never bothered or completely fucked depending on wether he’s guilty or not.

It’s terrible. The government is out of control and the people have no way to control them.

Yes the government is out of control and has been for a very long time now. Perhaps not be design but because of the sheer size and inability of the people to hold it accountable for anything.

But this thread focuses on how the media reports on that government and/or other issues of the day, and how is gets it wrong, misstates things, misrepresents things, falsifies things, or demonstrates utter incompetence. And we the people have zero ability to hold it accountable.

As an example:

Just this morning, I saw a posting that "The Guardian" reported that last night in Pensacola, President Trump said that people SHOULD HAVE TO stand for the National Anthem. He didn't say that. He did say people SHOULD STAND for the National Anthem. Big difference between those two things. And that turned what could have been accurate reporting into fake news if The Guardian in fact did say that--I haven't found the Guardian source yet to determine whether that post misquoted The Guardian.
 
The problem with news in this country is extremely serious. The press is the only defense we have against government corruption. With the press firmly and unabashedly on the side of the democrats, no one can trust them.

This leads to politicians on both sides of the isle being able to do as they please. On the right, they can do whatever they want and just claim it’s fake news. On the left they can make up anything they want to and IF the ever get caught, they simply move quickly on to the next made up thing.

In the end we get situations like in Roy Moore’s case. We don’t know what’s true and what isn’t. Those who support him believe it’s a set up by the left and it could very well be since the left never has anyone call them to the carpet. They are above the law. The Moore supporters know that and it bolsters their belief in the conspiracy. Meanwhile, those on the left who get fed a steady diet of left wing slanted news don’t get to hear anything that doesn’t support the narrative about Moore.

What should have happened is the media should be non-partisan and lead the charge against corruption no matter what party they belong to. This would have kept the left honest and given the right news they can believe. Then Moore would be either never bothered or completely fucked depending on wether he’s guilty or not.

It’s terrible. The government is out of control and the people have no way to control them.

Yes the government is out of control and has been for a very long time now. Perhaps not be design but because of the sheer size and inability of the people to hold it accountable for anything.

But this thread focuses on how the media reports on that government and/or other issues of the day, and how is gets it wrong, misstates things, misrepresents things, falsifies things, or demonstrates utter incompetence. And we the people have zero ability to hold it accountable.

As an example:

Just this morning, I saw a posting that "The Guardian" reported that last night in Pensacola, President Trump said that people SHOULD HAVE TO stand for the National Anthem. He didn't say that. He did say people SHOULD STAND for the National Anthem. Big difference between those two things. And that turned what could have been accurate reporting into fake news if The Guardian in fact did say that--I haven't found the Guardian source yet to determine whether that post misquoted The Guardian.

I know what this thread is about and my post addressed it and my reasons that I voted “extremely serious”.

My point was that without trust in the media and without the media unilaterally holding politicians feet to the fire, the government runs out of control.
 
There has always been some dishonesty and incompetence in news reporting. The problem today is that the administration is characterizing anything they don't like as "fake news" and a significant proportion of the electorate is swallowing it whole.

Can you give some examples or even one example of the Administration characterizing something as 'fake news' that was actually inaccurate?
 
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I'll start with this piece from the Daily Caller listing seven times this year that CNN has botched or put out fake/erroneous news:

7 Times CNN Botched The News In 2017

These include:
--Comey testimony
--Scaramucci smear
--Fake news about fake news
--Feeding fish in Japan
--The President's knowledge of Japanese cars
--Funding of the Dossier
--Don Jr. and Wikilieaks

And that's just CNN. Let's see other examples or examples of news declared fake that was actually true.
Since the article ONLY involves CNN as "fake news," I'd say the Daily Caller is also involved in being "biased"
So let's add them to the list, shall we?

The article was about CNN specifically. It was about ONLY CNN and not any of the others that could have been included.

So what did the article get wrong? How does it show bias in any way?
The "bias" is in investigating only CNN. Fake News is news which is made up and spread with the intention of misleading the reader. When CNN corrects a mistake, the Daily Caller is still calling them "fake news." Why is that? Maybe we have a different definition of what "fake news" is.
I see strong bias by both CNN and Fox. I don't watch either one. Even PBS newshour, though, is biased in how they lead the discussion by their analysts. I don't remember a lot of analysts on Walter Cronkite's news. That was fine. If you want analysis, put it on opinion shows and keep it out of the news. THAT is where the news has gone wrong.
If you think about it, every news organization in the world has to sift through what to report in their half hour/hour or on their front page. Bias begins right there. Why must we hear about terrorist attacks in Pakistan? Ethnic cleansing in Myanmar? From the news, it sounds as if the world is going to hell in a hand basket, when actually this has been the longest relative stretch of peace in our history. It will be looked back upon as a Golden Age. Yet we see the sensational "bad news." It's all biased, Foxfyre. I'm sure you live your life and see all around you that we are a good people. When any politician tries to tell you that half of us are .... deplorables or hysterical bleeding hearts or "rapists, drug dealers and criminals," something is wrong. I know you know that. Don't let it fool you

Acknowledging that because they didn't bring in the NY Times, WAPO, ABC, NBC, the Guardian this morning, et al, you will call them biased. But only if the story is about media in general.

There is no bias when the investigation is clearly designated a report on CNN 'fake news'. That does not mean that the media source is not investigating anybody else or hasn't or won't report on anybody else. The piece was about CNN and nobody else.

As a journalist myself, I was trained to focus on the issue being reported and not go off in dozens of other directions that are immaterial to the issue being reported.

Would you have the same objection if the piece had been an expose' on Fox News?

So again, what did they get wrong in that story? One thing? Anything? Show the bias please.
I already answered that question once, and I'm not going to answer it again.
I believe we should intelligently listen to all the news and if you find CNN twisted, there is a choice, you know?

I also agree with you, as I stated, that the straight news doesn't need "analysts" discussing their opinions and predictions. That makes things confusing for a lot of people.
 
The problem with news in this country is extremely serious. The press is the only defense we have against government corruption. With the press firmly and unabashedly on the side of the democrats, no one can trust them.

This leads to politicians on both sides of the isle being able to do as they please. On the right, they can do whatever they want and just claim it’s fake news. On the left they can make up anything they want to and IF the ever get caught, they simply move quickly on to the next made up thing.

In the end we get situations like in Roy Moore’s case. We don’t know what’s true and what isn’t. Those who support him believe it’s a set up by the left and it could very well be since the left never has anyone call them to the carpet. They are above the law. The Moore supporters know that and it bolsters their belief in the conspiracy. Meanwhile, those on the left who get fed a steady diet of left wing slanted news don’t get to hear anything that doesn’t support the narrative about Moore.

What should have happened is the media should be non-partisan and lead the charge against corruption no matter what party they belong to. This would have kept the left honest and given the right news they can believe. Then Moore would be either never bothered or completely fucked depending on wether he’s guilty or not.

It’s terrible. The government is out of control and the people have no way to control them.

Yes the government is out of control and has been for a very long time now. Perhaps not be design but because of the sheer size and inability of the people to hold it accountable for anything.

But this thread focuses on how the media reports on that government and/or other issues of the day, and how is gets it wrong, misstates things, misrepresents things, falsifies things, or demonstrates utter incompetence. And we the people have zero ability to hold it accountable.

As an example:

Just this morning, I saw a posting that "The Guardian" reported that last night in Pensacola, President Trump said that people SHOULD HAVE TO stand for the National Anthem. He didn't say that. He did say people SHOULD STAND for the National Anthem. Big difference between those two things. And that turned what could have been accurate reporting into fake news if The Guardian in fact did say that--I haven't found the Guardian source yet to determine whether that post misquoted The Guardian.

I know what this thread is about and my post addressed it and my reasons that I voted “extremely harmful”.

My point was that without trust in the media and without the media unilaterally holding politicians feet to the fire, the government runs out of control.

I agree with that. When the media makes no effort to get it right and in fact sometimes deliberately gets it wrong to sway public opinion, we the people have a much more difficult time getting to the truth of anything. And some simply lack the skills or ability to do the necessary research to identify and expose the bias. And of course some don't want to.

It isn't like the media itself is retracting or prominently publicizing their misrepresentation and errors and printing flat out lies as the truth.
 
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Fake news isn't a problem at all. That Trump and Trumpkins haven't any idea of what fake news is and is not, yet they persist in using that term and declaring thus any news they don't like, is the problem, and, yes, it's a big problem.
 
Semantic slanting of the news has been going since Journalism was invented...In fact, the idea that news reporting should be factual and unbiased has only been in vogue for a short time...call it a hundred years. Even at it's height...publishers have always leaned their papers one way or the other. The good ones kept it to the op/ed page..the bad ones...slanted everything. We all remember Hearst, right? The man who literally started the Spanish/American war to sell newspapers? The man for whom the term, "Yellow Journalism" was invented? Then came TV. Appearance became paramount..content took 2nd place. "If it bleeds, it leads" became the watchword. Print has been struggling to catch up, ever since. Now enter the internet...everyone sees themselves as a citizen journalist..although most are partisan hacks..that slant EVERYTHING--when they don't make it up out of whole cloth. The news market is hyper-saturated with input--and it is up to the consumer to make up his/her minds. Most do not bother..they take a stand..and choose the news that bolsters that stand. Since it is hard to verify facts..facts become devalued. The fact the one agrees with..becomes the fact that is true.

Many feel that the issue with fake news is an issue that is all about the MSM. I disagree. The issue is that without context facts are without meaning..and everyone is spinning the context now. Everyone. Divining the context..and making informed decisions is not hard..really. But it is time consuming..and sometimes..quite inconvenient to one's world view.

So more and more, people are not bothering.

As for the MSM..it has become a climate..that..if you get it right 99.9% of the time..and get it wrong once....everything is instantly devalued by those who spin....so they can ignore certain facts that are inconvenient.

In the end, it is up to the news consumer...to sort the wheat from the chaff
 

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