Comments on: The Great Mainstream Media Implosion

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:51:29 +0000

Does at least some of the media's poor performance stem from increased corporate ownership and therefore decreased independence in their traditional watchdog role? It seems like the MSM has become increasingly wary of offending Washington Bigwigs or losing sponsors if they report anything that is even slightly controversial.

That is one reason I turned to the internet for news.

By: runasim

runasim — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:24:24 +0000

Slamfu,
It's about the money.
Without subscriptions, looss of income.
Without money, not much professional journalism.

I think the NYT tried on-line subscription fees, and it failed.

By: Slamfu

Slamfu — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:23:39 +0000

Why is that frightening? Why does the transition away from paper media for news have to mean the death of investigative reporting? Why can't an online news source be valid and hold true to journalistic practices?

Also, that liberal media bias is such a pile of crap. Conservatives believe that for two reasons.

IFirst the world is a complicated place and conservatives like it simple and preferably already in agreement with what they know to be true. Report things as they actually are, and conservatives can not help but link this disconnect with their view of things with a liberal bias confusing the issues.

Second, by claiming loudly and often that all non-FOX news sources are liberal, you create a "working the ref" scenario, like they do in sports. By constantly accusing the arbiters of a situation of preferential dealings, you create a psychological push the other way future calls. Its pure BS.

By: runasim

runasim — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:37:37 +0000

Great post, and the truth does hurt.

The excuses news personalities are using for not doing their job are pathetic.
'It was the time we were in" is my favorite. Psst. It's always the times, and it's the meida's job to find out what defines and steers the times.

The role of blogs as replacement news is frightning, because real news and real facts are so inertwined with opinion. In debates, I see more and more links to blogs as a way of saying 'that proves it'. . It's opinion based on oponion, but taken to be the ultimate truth.

It all gets back to money. How to finance the kind of investigative reporting and professional journalism that is desperately needeed?

By: ChrisWWW

ChrisWWW — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:03:30 +0000

Great post.

It might be time for me to reread Manufacturing Consent.

By: RememberNovember

RememberNovember — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:30:10 +0000

After reading the first 30 pages of So Wrong for So Long, it is apparent that the media engaged in pack-journalism and cheerleading because it was their only option- toe the White House Lyin', or suffer a career collapse by speaking out and asking questions that would seem unpopular- it has become MSM Survivor. Check your integrity at the door.

Perhaps bloggers need to be vetted somehow-an internet Chicago handbook if you will and maybe they need to get filtered through some kind of snopes-like/fact-check data base- or they get filed under Op/Ed sites and don't get to hide behind front groups/anonymity.
Just an idea.