The Fourth Estate: still functioning or no longer reliable?

What is your view of our American media? (Check all that apply.)

  • Most sources still do a good job.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Few sources still do a good job.

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Most journalism is pretty objective.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • There is far too much bias and/or manipulation of the facts.

    Votes: 6 100.0%
  • It is damaging when news reporters support a particular perspective.

    Votes: 5 83.3%
  • News reporters should support a perspective they believe in.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • There should be no discernible bias in straight news reporting.

    Votes: 5 83.3%
  • Editorial opinion should always be identified as opinion.

    Votes: 5 83.3%
  • The media still provides the information we need.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • It can be dangerous to trust the media too much for information.

    Votes: 3 50.0%

  • Total voters
    6

Foxfyre

Eternal optimist
Gold Supporting Member
Oct 11, 2007
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Desert Southwest USA
FOURTH ESTATE: Journalists, newspapers, magazines, television, radio. All means of communication of the news of the day to the population as a whole.

I am not going to specify any single issue in this thread but devote it to the Fourth Estate in general and the deplorable state into which most of it finds itself. Perhaps others will be motivated to include examples, good and bad, as we go along. No need for extensive discussion on any particular topic as the good stuff deserves its own thread, though of course discussion is always welcome. I hope we will illustrate the intentional dishonesty, blatant bias, and shoddy journalism that is prevalent through the whole slimy mess as well as the better sources that are still out there.

Of course we aren't all going to agree on which news organizations deserve the most criticism, and we won't agree on what is good reporting and what is wanting. Our Leftist friends consider any news source that does not condemn something or somebody right of center to be biased; ditto our friends right of center don't accept much that glosses over or supports most concepts on the left.

But whatever your views, please leave the schoolyard insults at the door and try to keep it civil. If we cannot conduct an adult conversation re a single concept on which we may or may not agree, then perhaps there is no hope that journalism could return to objectivity either?
 
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What prompted my interest in this topic was this piece I ran across this morning.

One excerpt:

On June 13, the CBS Evening News devoted a story by David Martin to the Afghanistan death count reaching 2,000, as Martin interviewed a mother of a fallen Marine. CBS was alone. There was no story last week on the Afghanistan death “milestone” on ABC, NBC, the PBS NewsHour – or even on the MSNBC programs found in Nexis, including Rachel “Our Military’s In a Perilous Drift” Maddow.

But the networks were all more aggressive when the 2,000 mark arrived in Iraq on October 25, 2005. The Big Three networks devoted 14 morning and evening news stories to the death toll from October 24 through the end of October, and another 24 anchor briefs or mentions. They used the number to spell “disaster for this White House.”

Read more: Unlike the 2,000-Death Count in Iraq, ABC, NBC, PBS, MSNBC Skip 2,000 Marker in Afghanistan | NewsBusters.org

The only explanation as I see it, is a mainstream media that is heavily pro-Obama/Democrats and reports and/or omits information to reflect more favorably on this administration. And they reported and/or omitted information that reflected unfavorably on the previous administration.

The whole piece gives other examples.
 
Interesting topic, Foxy.

Just yesterday, I noticed 4 separate threads about results from Bloomberg polls. Each one was started by one of our left wing posters, celebrating a variety of issues on which - according to said polls - Obama is polling stronger than Romney.

One poll was based on the underwhelming figure of 734 respondents. The other, a massive 1,002. Yet when one asks perfectly reasonable questions, such as "What is 53% of 1,002" they ignore it.

Now, this made me wonder.... though, I do think the media has a responsibility to publish responsibly, I really do wonder at the intellect of people who regurgitate what is clearly bullshit. Why do people ignore such blatant attempts to manipulate them?
 
Because of my personal background, I may have a stronger interest in this than some, CG. Also probably a longer history with it than most. :)

But I think it is human nature to resent anything that doesn't root for our heroes and accept anything that does. And I have absolutely no problem with commentary on anything, pro or con, so long as it is clearly presented as opinion. The problem comes when the media itself takes sides in the way the facts are presented or omitted in the straight news reporting--that is if there IS such a thing as straight news reporting anymore. In such a case, it is very difficult to use your own judgment as to what the facts actually are.
 
"Journalism kind of scary and of it we should be wary"- FZ "Packard Goose" (Caution, this song contains a guitar solo so vicious, so nasty, so totally fucking evil that you should not listen to the solos while operating heavy machinery or performing a bris)
 
Fox, Drudge and Wall Street Journal are the only news I need or want

Drudge contains an excellent well balanced collection of news and commentary from both left and right. As one of the single most viewed sites on the internet, I suspect every news entity and organization checks Drudge first thing in the morning and intermittently during the day to determine what the issues of the hour are. I don't know how he researches this stuff, but he does seem to have an uncanny instinct for what is going to be news.

The WSJ tilts markedly mostly right in its editorial point of view but tends to tilt left in its news division. So while I deem it an excellent and reliable source, it does need to be checked against other sources before buying the content hook, line, and sinker.

Fox obviously tilts mostly right in its editorial emphasis--it is the only major television network that does--but I agree of all prominent news organizations, it does the best job in getting all perspectives out there.
 
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Fox, Drudge and Wall Street Journal are the only news I need or want

Drudge contains an excellent well balanced collection of news and commentary from both left and right. As one of the single most viewed sites on the internet, I suspect every news entity and organization checks Drudge first thing in the morning and intermittently during the day to determine what the issues of the hour are. I don't know how he researches this stuff, but he does seem to have an uncanny instinct for what is going to be news.

The WSJ tilts markedly mostly right in its editorial point of view but tends to tilt left in its news division. So while I deem it an excellent and reliable source, it does need to be checked against other sources before buying the content hook, line, and sinker.

Fox obviously tilts mostly right in its editorial emphasis, but I agree of all prominent news organizations, it does the best job in getting all perspectives out there.

I was a Conservative when the entire Conservative "Movement" consisted of: Editorial page of the WSJ, NY Post and Bill Buckley on Crossfire.
 
Fox, Drudge and Wall Street Journal are the only news I need or want

Drudge contains an excellent well balanced collection of news and commentary from both left and right. As one of the single most viewed sites on the internet, I suspect every news entity and organization checks Drudge first thing in the morning and intermittently during the day to determine what the issues of the hour are. I don't know how he researches this stuff, but he does seem to have an uncanny instinct for what is going to be news.

The WSJ tilts markedly mostly right in its editorial point of view but tends to tilt left in its news division. So while I deem it an excellent and reliable source, it does need to be checked against other sources before buying the content hook, line, and sinker.

Fox obviously tilts mostly right in its editorial emphasis, but I agree of all prominent news organizations, it does the best job in getting all perspectives out there.

I was a Conservative when the entire Conservative "Movement" consisted of: Editorial page of the WSJ, NY Post and Bill Buckley on Crossfire.

I was right there with you and that was pretty much our choices back then even though most Americans are mostly philosophical modern day American conservatives. Still are. I think the vast vacuum that existed for conservative thought during that period was what opened the door for conservative talk radio. It filled a large void. People who were hungry to hear their point of view expressed grabbed onto it whole heartedly and a whole new industry was born. I think it changed radio forever. :)
 
What prompted my interest in this topic was this piece I ran across this morning.

One excerpt:

On June 13, the CBS Evening News devoted a story by David Martin to the Afghanistan death count reaching 2,000, as Martin interviewed a mother of a fallen Marine. CBS was alone. There was no story last week on the Afghanistan death “milestone” on ABC, NBC, the PBS NewsHour – or even on the MSNBC programs found in Nexis, including Rachel “Our Military’s In a Perilous Drift” Maddow.

But the networks were all more aggressive when the 2,000 mark arrived in Iraq on October 25, 2005. The Big Three networks devoted 14 morning and evening news stories to the death toll from October 24 through the end of October, and another 24 anchor briefs or mentions. They used the number to spell “disaster for this White House.”

Read more: Unlike the 2,000-Death Count in Iraq, ABC, NBC, PBS, MSNBC Skip 2,000 Marker in Afghanistan | NewsBusters.org

The only explanation as I see it, is a mainstream media that is heavily pro-Obama/Democrats and reports and/or omits information to reflect more favorably on this administration. And they reported and/or omitted information that reflected unfavorably on the previous administration.

The whole piece gives other examples.

That's worth a Nobel right there.
 
Drudge contains an excellent well balanced collection of news and commentary from both left and right. As one of the single most viewed sites on the internet, I suspect every news entity and organization checks Drudge first thing in the morning and intermittently during the day to determine what the issues of the hour are. I don't know how he researches this stuff, but he does seem to have an uncanny instinct for what is going to be news.

The WSJ tilts markedly mostly right in its editorial point of view but tends to tilt left in its news division. So while I deem it an excellent and reliable source, it does need to be checked against other sources before buying the content hook, line, and sinker.

Fox obviously tilts mostly right in its editorial emphasis, but I agree of all prominent news organizations, it does the best job in getting all perspectives out there.

I was a Conservative when the entire Conservative "Movement" consisted of: Editorial page of the WSJ, NY Post and Bill Buckley on Crossfire.

I was right there with you and that was pretty much our choices back then even though most Americans are mostly philosophical modern day American conservatives. Still are. I think the vast vacuum that existed for conservative thought during that period was what opened the door for conservative talk radio. It filled a large void. People who were hungry to hear their point of view expressed grabbed onto it whole heartedly and a whole new industry was born. I think it changed radio forever. :)

Rush was and is a breath of fresh air.
 

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