Comments on: Media polarization good or bad? http://themoderatevoice.com/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:43:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Think Progress twists study to make Conservatives look bad « Think Progress Watch http://themoderatevoice.com/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-111961 Think Progress twists study to make Conservatives look bad « Think Progress Watch Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:37:22 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/media/tv-news/fox/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/#comment-111961 [...] Media polarization good or bad? [...] [...] Media polarization good or bad? [...]

]]> By: Think Progres twists study to make Conservatives look bad « Think Progress Watch http://themoderatevoice.com/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-111960 Think Progres twists study to make Conservatives look bad « Think Progress Watch Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:14:15 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/media/tv-news/fox/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/#comment-111960 [...] Media polarization good or bad? [...] [...] Media polarization good or bad? [...]

]]> By: runasim http://themoderatevoice.com/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-146951 runasim Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:33:03 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/media/tv-news/fox/19223/media-polarization-good-or-bad/#comment-146951 When drawing upon lessons from hisitory, a little (a lot, actually) care should be taken.. <br>Since conditions can't be replicated, the lesson can't be transplanted in toto,either. The effect of a UTube clip taken out of context is different than the effect of an out-of-context quote read in print. Furhter, the effect of dispersed tracts and newspapers is different when, as now, the content is immediatly amplified and enlarged upon by commentary on the Internet. Every distortion for parisan reasons is amplified 1000 fold. A fractuous media is much more dangerous.in the modern world, because it is much more powerful/<br>Besides, I would think that we would want to improve on historic experiences, instead of blindly copying them.<br><br>The debate between Lipman and Dewey is just that, an intellectual debate in a time whick was vastly different from today.<br><br>There is also a world of difference between an 'engaged' public and a public that is so revved up by hatred of the opposition that it no longer cares what the rtuth is, so long as the oppositon is destroyed.<br><br>A fractuos, divided media also feed the extreme partisanship in Washington. While the oft cited influence of special interests is also a part of that, news outlets that serve as propoganda machines for a party or policy urge on the worst of politcs in Washigton. I wouldn't call 'engagement' by Congressmen at current levels as being helpful to any of us. <br><br>I lived for several years in the '50s in Sacramento, CA, which had two newpapers.<br>One was left leaning and the other right leaning.. They differed in the choice of news stories , and the editorial pages were highly argumentative.<br> There was no hate speech, however, and no Limbaughs or Obermans to exploit the public's baser instincts. The public was 'engaged' , but not rabid.<br>That kind of partisanship is totally different from what we see today. when Dobbs's immigration crusade goes under the heading of 'news'.<br><br>I can't be other than alarmed and frightened by the fractuousness of the media and the public as it affects civic life and governmental functioning. . When drawing upon lessons from hisitory, a little (a lot, actually) care should be taken..
Since conditions can't be replicated, the lesson can't be transplanted in toto,either. The effect of a UTube clip taken out of context is different than the effect of an out-of-context quote read in print. Furhter, the effect of dispersed tracts and newspapers is different when, as now, the content is immediatly amplified and enlarged upon by commentary on the Internet. Every distortion for parisan reasons is amplified 1000 fold. A fractuous media is much more dangerous.in the modern world, because it is much more powerful/
Besides, I would think that we would want to improve on historic experiences, instead of blindly copying them.

The debate between Lipman and Dewey is just that, an intellectual debate in a time whick was vastly different from today.

There is also a world of difference between an 'engaged' public and a public that is so revved up by hatred of the opposition that it no longer cares what the rtuth is, so long as the oppositon is destroyed.

A fractuos, divided media also feed the extreme partisanship in Washington. While the oft cited influence of special interests is also a part of that, news outlets that serve as propoganda machines for a party or policy urge on the worst of politcs in Washigton. I wouldn't call 'engagement' by Congressmen at current levels as being helpful to any of us.

I lived for several years in the '50s in Sacramento, CA, which had two newpapers.
One was left leaning and the other right leaning.. They differed in the choice of news stories , and the editorial pages were highly argumentative.
There was no hate speech, however, and no Limbaughs or Obermans to exploit the public's baser instincts. The public was 'engaged' , but not rabid.
That kind of partisanship is totally different from what we see today. when Dobbs's immigration crusade goes under the heading of 'news'.

I can't be other than alarmed and frightened by the fractuousness of the media and the public as it affects civic life and governmental functioning. .

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