Comments on: A matter of context http://themoderatevoice.com/15095/a-matter-of-context/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 03:58:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: GreenDreams http://themoderatevoice.com/15095/a-matter-of-context/comment-page-1/#comment-98219 GreenDreams Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:42:54 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/media/media-criticism/15095/a-matter-of-context/#comment-98219 Jack, I share your distaste for the loss of the venerable style in which newspapers have traditionally presented news stories. The concept, as I understand it, was that by going from general to specific, the story could be cut to fit by editors without losing the essentials. Now one can no longer skim the first paragraph to get an overview of the story. Headlines are even worse, often failing accurately to reflect the story at all. And, yes, it's even worse that 'news' is now routinely editorialized or slanted in a way that distorts the facts entirely, or trivializes the most important aspects. As many here have pointed out, one of the victims is the reporting of issues in political campaigns, now reported as horse races. And the reporting of news from the Middle East (or New Orleans, etc.) as a Democrats vs. Bush story robs us all of the complexity and context that could truly inform us. Jack, I share your distaste for the loss of the venerable style in which newspapers have traditionally presented news stories. The concept, as I understand it, was that by going from general to specific, the story could be cut to fit by editors without losing the essentials. Now one can no longer skim the first paragraph to get an overview of the story. Headlines are even worse, often failing accurately to reflect the story at all.

And, yes, it’s even worse that ‘news’ is now routinely editorialized or slanted in a way that distorts the facts entirely, or trivializes the most important aspects.

As many here have pointed out, one of the victims is the reporting of issues in political campaigns, now reported as horse races.

And the reporting of news from the Middle East (or New Orleans, etc.) as a Democrats vs. Bush story robs us all of the complexity and context that could truly inform us.

]]> By: krit http://themoderatevoice.com/15095/a-matter-of-context/comment-page-1/#comment-98208 krit Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:31:04 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/media/media-criticism/15095/a-matter-of-context/#comment-98208 Bush has a 5% credibility rating on the war. So, wasn't it a brilliant move to turf his policy to the immaculate Petraeus, who cannot be attacked because he represents our brave troops on the ground. It is similar to the decision to have Colin Powell present Bush's decision to invade Iraq to the rest of the world. I have no doubt that Petraeus believes in what he is doing, but find it revolting that Bush no longer has the guts to fight for his own war, and so must hide behind a military hero. Bush has a 5% credibility rating on the war. So, wasn’t it a brilliant move to turf his policy to the immaculate Petraeus, who cannot be attacked because he represents our brave troops on the ground. It is similar to the decision to have Colin Powell present Bush’s decision to invade Iraq to the rest of the world. I have no doubt that Petraeus believes in what he is doing, but find it revolting that Bush no longer has the guts to fight for his own war, and so must hide behind a military hero.

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