One reason major media is so much more right wing recently...

[Ruffhowse]

I'm just a very average working guy with a wife and 2 kids, who works my ass off everyday to pay the mortgage and all the bills. I'm on my 3rd layoff in 2 years right now, so things aren't so rosy in the financial department. I barely make 15 bucks an hour so you could say my family is at best middle class. Bush's tax cuts had essentially no effect on my life. But it seems to me that most of the people who work in the "media" earn far above what I ever have, especially those at the mid to upper levels. And I know for sure that media celebrities such as anchormen, high profile correspondents and columnists make extremely high salaries. It seems to me that this wasn't always the case. Just as in pro sports, there has been huge wage inflation for media members over the years, and they are now much less the common man than one would expect. Now, with their high salaries, I can understand their politics changing as well. Many in the media made off like bandits with Bush's tax cuts, and I'm sorry to say, but their greed has seemed to cloud their journalistic judgment. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that if you dangle more money in front of some people, they will compromise a lot of principles to get that money. So it seems now we see a lot of the media slanting the news in Bush's favor....he is now "their guy". Maybe I'm way off on this, but it's something that has been bugging me for quite some time. I hate it when I see some overpaid celebrity anchorperson (Matt Lauer or Katie Couric for example) twist an interview or a news story to the conservative agenda, when I know they benefit from that agenda personally.

[Racenut20]

1. You got it right.

[cthrumatrix]

2. I would add... theat the anchors are TOLD what to say and how to act

and that idiology of a network (based on ownership and agenda) is quite obvious.

Notice how fast MSNBC took off Donahue who had better numbers than others still on.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. Yeah, I would bet it comes from the top down

Where the money is bigger, and the favors of the FCC and congress are more important...

[dumpster_baby]

6. In most cases, everyone already knows what is expected

I used to write some of the news scripts read off the teleprompter at a CBS affiliate. Everyone already knows what is expected with respect to how a story should be slanted or presented. It is sort of a filter that has developed over the years.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Outfoxed

I've heard that this movie goes into detail about "talking points" that people at Fox News are given each day-they follow the right wing agenda of Rupert Murdoch. I'd say the high salaries these anchorpeople get probably is one reason they toe the line.

[dbt]

5. Well said, Ruffhowse, but the trouble goes much higher.

If you're as "average" as you claim, the rightward bias in TV "news" is glaringly obvious. And you're definitely on to something with the high-salary aspect of the talking heads. Add to that the increasing commercialization of the "news" shows, and the trail points straight to the top:

Five humongo corporations effectively control all media in the US. That is, everything you see, hear and/or read.

These five corporations are run by bu$h supporters--big time. There's your trouble.

I want to see more of your thoughts on the Media, please!

:hi:
dbt
(Watching the News from inside since 1971.)

[Pepperbelly]

7. Their motto: Will Smear for Tax-cuts. nt

[HarrietBrown]

8. If I remember correctly, I think Eric Alterman covers this

really well in "What Liberal Media." I loaned my book out so I can't check, but whether he covers it or not...you make a great point!

[rman]

9. it's about much more then salary

All of the mainstream media are owned by the same small group of big corporations that benefit most from 'hardcore' capitalism (deregulation and privitization of everything, aka free-trade, aka globalization).

Ie General Electric is the largest media owner, and a major weapons manufacturer. So GE has no interest whatsoever in ending this war, they have no interest for instance, in having their media outlets show the casualties of war (mostly civilians), since that would turn public opinion against the war (see Vietnam war and related protests).

www.takebackthemedia.org (see "who owns the media")

some documentaries on the subject of democracy, media and big corporations:
www.orwellrollsinhisgrave.com
www.thecorporation.com

[Junkdrawer]

10. Compared to the GI Bill vets of a previous age...

I think you're on target.

[dumpster_baby]

11. check out this article

http://villagevoice.com/issues/0431/perlstein.php

[Bowline]

12. I didn't benefit very much from the recent tax cuts either.

However, that doesn't mean tax cuts are bad. Any money I get to keep, instead of sending to Washington, is money I can spend on my family. I earn about the same as you so I'm firmly middle class and by no means rich (defined by the government as anyone making over $150,00 a year, or the top 10% of income earners). The reason I didn't see much benefit from the tax cuts is that I don't pay all that much in taxes in the first place. After deductions for myself, my stay-at-home-mom wife, and my two young children, along with the Earned Income Tax Credit and a small retirement fund, my taxable income is pretty darned low so I actually pay very little federal tax. The reason the "rich" people in this country appeared to benefit more from the tax cut than you or I is because those 10% pay nearly 50% of the income tax actually collected by the IRS. A large portion of the population, especially those earning even less than you and I, pay no income tax at all. If one pays no income tax at all then one cannot reasonably expect to receive a tax cut or tax rebate. You can't get a tax cut on zero taxes.

That said, I certainly agree with your belief that media personalities are far less impartial than they used to be and that is due in large part to the huge salaries they are paid in return for saying what the networks and media corporations want them to say.

[sadiesworld]

17. Sorry, the tax cuts ARE a raw deal for middle America.

While the * tax cuts may have reduced federal income taxes a bit, state and property taxes have increased, college tuition has skyrocketed, and the solvency of SS has been put (further) at risk.
Not to mention the fact that it is borrowed money. No sane person would run her household finances the way * is running the government's budget.

You do understand the end game here, right? No federal financing of education, no SS and Medicare, no EPA, no SEC, etc.

I am also middle class, but the tax cuts have been AT BEST a wash considering other increases (nowhere near a wash when SS insolvency and increased debt are factored in). Furthermore, I kind of like the country I grew up in...I don't want to live in a banana republic.

I think you're missing the forest for the trees here.

[Jacobin]

13. I think there is a whole lot to what you are saying

Their personal greed and pressure from their bosses makes it easy for them to be awful "journalists" although that word hardly applies to these talking heads anymore.

[JanMichael]

14. $15/hr doesn't sound "Middle Class" for a family of four.

Actually it would almost (Might actually make it) qualify for housing assistance here in NC.

Does your wife work?

[Ruffhowse]

19. It sure does require a stretch to make $15/hour cover all my family

expenses, but we live an OK lifestyle in the Portland, OR area. My wife works periodically, and that helps tremendously. In fact, that's the only time we really are able to catch up on our debt. I do feel the constant creep of inflation stretching expenses beyond our capacity. It's very frustrating.

[LTR]

15. My theory

I've been thinking about this lately. The so-called 'news' media likes drama, IMO. They know Kerry will win. And they feel Kerry consistently running away with the race will start to bore people.

Therefore, they like to portray the race to be as close as possible. It gives them something to report, and a reason for people to continue watching. Hell, I'm sure some of these so-called 'journalists' personally want Kerry to win, but they want to go beyond the drama of 2000's election, just so people will watch. In short, it's just another reality show from the networks.

I'm really starting to believe this is the media mindset. They know Bush will lose, but they want it to seem closer than it really is.

Another theory is that they secretly want Bush to win. A second Bush administration would likely be more interesting for them to cover, what with all the skeletons likely to fall out of the closet and all. This could be another Nixon.

I'm sure the news people could care less about covering stories related to their concience. They want controversy. As much as possible.

[cthrumatrix]

16. they want $$$$ and viewers...screw the truth

[kentuck]

18. I think your comments apply to Congressional salaries also...

Some of these rascals know they will never make such good money again... and they will do anything or say anything to stay in their professional position of politician....

[CaTeacher]

20. well--I have to admit that the tax break was

quite generous (and I am just a lowly teacher now). I got several thousand dollars back--so it definitely does benefit the middle class to some extent.

The problem is--I would get MORE of a benefit if my money was kept by the government and USED WISELY to support GOOD social programs. This way--we would ALL benefit--which in my opinion is much preferable to me having an extra 3-5 thousand dollars in my pocket.

We need to think to our whole society--and not be greedy--a few thousand dollars are not worth it. When you combine a few thousand from me--with the money that the government gets from others--then we have enough to do some really socially worthwhile things. That is what society is for.

So--don't send me a refund of a few thousand dollars--I would rather have Uncle Sam keep our money. BUT I don't want it to be spent on helicopters, body armour, and supporting Israeli terrorist settlers. I want to see my tax money spent to fund the arts, and feed the poor.