A Lesson about the Media

[Mizmoon]

I recently have been in the media. Very minor stuff, but my project was covered by two media outlets. I have something to tell you folks ... every single thing about the media is bogus.

They made my organization seem much bigger and more powerful than it is, they misstated my cause into something that better fitted their needs, and even though the pieces are complimentary to my work, they are out-and-out misleading. They took clips from my interviews and worked them into the story so it fit better to the point they were trying to make. At first I was amused but now I'm a little upset about it.

It's sort of like being sucked into a vortex over which you have no control whatsoever. You realize they could just as easliy trash you to death and you'd have no recourse whatever. None.

If this is what happens to my tiny little topic, what on earth do you think happens to giant topics, like 9/11, the election, etc?

[Kolesar]

1. Our town newspaper would print lies about elected officials

My brother was a small time elected official. The newspapers would print things that he never said. He would contact the editor who would just ignore his complaints. This was in a metro area of about 450,000--not just a small town newspaper.

[AmerDem]

2. call me a dreamer but....

This is the United States of America. We deserve honest fair reporting on all levels with news media. The reason this false reporting is happening is because politicians have let it become the case. The politicans set the tone and behavior pattern that the country end up following. If we have leadership that is corrupt,law breaking and showing themselves above the rules of everyone else the media will in turn follow. Now more then ever we need to get back towards our center if we are going to further grow and help as one nation. I honestly feel 4 more years of these fascist crooks in the white house and America as we knew it is all but over!

[flordehinojos]

3. we sort of get a taste of that when,

Christ Matthews asks Howard Dean seven hundred times, and each time in a different way, and each time asking the question in a way that Matthews hopes, will have Dean or whatever other guest answer closer and closer to the answer he wants. Like yesterday when he asked Dean just about seven hundred times, "are you saying that Bush is playing politics with the terror alerts?" "Are you saying that there is a brain in the Bush administration who is in charge of playing politics with terror alerts"? "Let me understand you clearly, are you saying ...?" My God, how many times does Howard Dean have to give the same answer? Perhaps Chris Matthews was hoping to confuse Howard Dean with his own answer, or maybe he was hoping to get him to retract his statement ... luckily, Howard Dean knew what he was talking about and stuck to his guns and gave the same answer over and over again, and what became clear was just how much Matthews wanted to manipulate Dean's statement.

Leslie Wolf Blitzer, Judy Woodruff, Tim Russert, Candy Crowley, Bill Hemmer, Soledad O'Brien they all do the same thing, or they'll say "that's a pretty serious allegation you are making there, then gasp for air, and ask again, Are you saying that ..." (which I think Matthews even said last night. Someday someone ought to just answer back. "No, it is not an allegation. It is simply just a statement of fact."

x(

[cthrumatrix]

4. Dean was in favor of breaking up the media conglomerates

before Iowa...see what happened to him.

This is how the TPTB run the world .... it hwould horrify america. But who isgoing to tell them they are being deceived for the gain of a few while they can watch football and britney spears.

It's just a mess

[Orangepeel]

5. the primary agenda is a good story

there are some media outlets with a clear political bent (e.g., fox), but most media outlets and reporters simply want what they perceive to be the best story. That doesn't always coincide (rarely coincides?) with the truth.

Occasionally, I'm interviewed as an expert in my field. I'm hardly ever quoted in a way that accurately conveys what I said. A reporter talks to me for an hour and then pulls out a sentence that validates what they wanted to say in the first place. It isn't malicious and there is no reason for the reporter to lie. It's just that, first, they want to write what they think is the best story. Second, it's human nature to hear what we want to hear.

[Lex]

6. Chamilto, if you haven't seen the documentary "Outfoxed"

then try to snag a copy.

You will be further astounded by what the media has become.

I saw it last night and I still can't stop thinking about it.

http://www.outfoxed.org