My take on the Fourth Estate and Media in the Internet Age of handheld computers.
I can remember sitting in front of a TV watching 1 of maybe 2-3 broadcasted channels with the picture only being in Black and White.
I watched the first landing on the moon on that same B&W TV. I remember my maternal grandmother sitting in front of her B&W TV watching her soap operas on the 4 channels or so her TV antenna could pick up.
Back then you were lucky to get 2-3, maybe 4 broadcasted channels, over the air waves, well enough to watch programs and news.
Usually the channels would actually sign off or stop broadcasting content at midnight or 1am.
Newspapers ruled the day with their news, reporting, entertainment and opinion printed on paper overnight and distributed in the early morning hours. Readers could read the paper over breakfast or at their work desk with a cup of coffee. And chastise their 4 legged pets with rolled up newspapers. Or use the previous days newspapers to line the bottom of a bird cage.
The Fourth Estate, then, was able to present their information and opinion to their watchers and readers because there were few sources of information and opinion available to the masses.
Then with the 80's came the cable explosion of content available 24hrs a day. Where there used to be 3-4 channels broadcasting 18hrs a day there were now a couple hundred available at any time of the day or night. But we still had the major networks we could count on for national news and opinion. But we had a NEW cable TV channel we would turn to - Cable News Network (CNN). And the newspapers still got printed and delivered.
The 90s with the explosion of home computers brought with it the era of dial-up access to the WORLD WIDE WEB (WWW) via Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) and EMAIL and forums to post information, quips, share stories or photos. Cable TV reached even more subscribers. The major networks still offered up their news and opinions to viewers. But then in 1996, an alternative source of news and opinion (that a significant percentage of the population solely relies on for "fair-n-balanced" information) was broadcasted for people of a different opinion to turn to. And the newspapers still got printed and delivered.
With the 21st Century came internet access over the very same cables carrying all those hundreds of TV channels. The explosion of news sources inundated and overwhelmed those viewers or readers seeking information. But we still had the major national TV networks we could turn to, count on and trust somewhat. And the newspapers still got printed and delivered but began the shift to providing the very same printed content on the WWW via the INTERNET.
The 2010s saw a decline in readers of newspapers as more people turned to the internet and cable news for information. A lot of newspapers had to shut down the presses because they could not turn a profit printing newspapers in the digital age of information.
And the masses started carrying around handheld computers with instance access to information, entertainment, news and opinion previously found only in newspapers, on network TV, on cable TV channels and computers on home desks via the internet, no matter where they were or what they were doing, even while driving a vehicle.
The Fourth Estate, or media, that we have turned to and trusted for information and opinion, has been diluted as a source of information and opinion for most of us what with all the cable channels and internet sites we turn to for information.
But not the other side of the aisle. They have 1, one, uno, singular news and opinion source that they count on and trust to reinforce their "formed opinions". Oh, they have had a couple other channels offered up over cable to challenge Rupert's stranglehold on information but the other side always return to the fold. Because the messaging is focused. Because the content is focused. Because the opinions are focused. Because the messaging, content and opinions are reinforced constantly. And never diluted even on associated websites across the internet.
Republicans can show up on THAT channel and reach tens of millions of viewers at one time. And thus their messaging reaches its intended target to persuade, influence and otherwise capture the hearts and minds of their viewers.
Democrats turn to the diluted media in the hopes, thoughts and prayers of getting their messaging out to influence, inform and persuade with their information and opinions, while their consumers sit around waiting to vote, hoping to affect change, praying that with maybe, possibly a few more wins for a couple more seats in state and national legislatures our side might bring about actual real change in these states and for this country, for our future and posterity. For our children and our teachers. For our shoppers, movie goers and parade watchers.
Yes, this was a sort of history lesson, and most definitely MY OPINION, based on my experiences over my 6 decades of existence on this planet and in this country. Over the last two years and for my immediate future, I get to "enjoy" THAT channel every single day, turned up so loudly so the hard of hearing can have his "informed opinions" influenced and reinforced.
In that paragraph about Democrats and messaging, I let slip an idea and opinion that I "hope, pray and think", might actually influence some "brighter, younger, more intelligent minds" to address, resolve, focus on and use to better their messaging to me, and others.
Do hopes, thoughts and prayers equate to sitting around, waiting for elections, to VOTE? I've begun to think so. What do YOU, the reader that even bothered with reading this posting, think, hope and pray?
= new reply since forum marked as read
IF you call it NEWS it must be fact based. Tell the people what IS happening, who it is happening to, who is doing it.
THEN let the people decide what to think about it.
IF you move on to Opinion, then the NEWS portion of the program is done and a disclaimer must flash at the bottom of the screen.
THIS IS SOMEONE'S OPINION, it is NOT the NEWS anymore.
And call it INFOTainment. It's all for entertainment purposes and no one should take these opinions seriously. No one should use these opinions as a basis for their understanding of the NEWS.
AND we should write up a clear definition of what the Fourth Estate protects and preserves and each year give an award to any NEWS outlet that consistently performs up to those standards.
We could give them Ducked It Up awards when they don't.
I hope and pray you will find this potentially a good idea and at least get some entertainment from the delivery.
(Working on my schtick)
