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and I apologize for the length. I suppose I should edit it down...
‘NEWS’ MEDIA RATING SYSTEM
In 1938 a story was broadcast on a radio program entitled Mercury Theater On The Air. Done in a newscast format, listeners were unable to distinguish the veracity of what they were hearing. In the most reknowned incident of its type, Orsen Welles’ War of the Worlds created widespread pandomenium. Due to the spectacular content of that broadcast it was quickly repudiated and the public panic quelled. Consequently, later rebroadcasts were preceded by disclaimers stating what the listener was hearing was a theatrical representation of an alien invasion.
This was not the last time that this ploy was used by mass media on their markets. Eventually, it became so prevalent in children’s television programming, that in 1968 the FCC mandated that programs targeted at children must inform the viewers that a commercial break was occurring. In the history of electronic mass marketing, that was the most extensive use of government intervention to make the public aware of the fiction/reality dichotomy of televised programming. (Based, of course, upon the assumption that most adults were quite adept at distinguishing between a documentary / news format and ‘artistic’ programming -- movies, television, shows, and music – including radio).
Today, the adult viewing / listening public is being subjected to a more subtle and insidious repetition of the Welles’ misdirection technique. A recent study by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) shows a definite correlation between which news source an individual utilizes and the accuracy of their perception of facts concerning the War in Iraq. Among the misconceptions found:
1. 48% believed links had been found between Iraq and Al Qaeda;
2. 22% believed weapons of mass destruction had been found; and
3. 25% believed the US had the support of world opinion concerning the invasion of Iraq.
What this tells us, as responsible Americans seeking truth in programming, is that the mass media is not monitoring itself and that some adults, like children, need to be informed when what they are viewing may be fiction in the guise of ‘news’. The question then arises, what do we do about it?
Ideally, all adults would learn to verify facts from independent sources rather than one source that agrees with their preconceived notions. (Rather like a patient doing a self-diagnosis then looking around for a doctor who concurs and is willing to treat him for that ailment.)
The probablity of that occurring is very slim.
What I propose, as an alternative, is a rating guide for programs which present themselves as ‘news’ (this includes talk radio). Parents use a rating system for movies and television programs for their children. Why not for ‘news’ programs which (theoretically) exist to keep the public informed?
Listed below is a suggested rating system and a brief description of what each entails:
News: Factual Truth. (No opinions).
Discussion: Factual truth interlarded with opinion ( clearly indicated with “In my opinion” or “I believe”).
Opinion: Mostly opinion substantiated with fact.
Alarmingly Skewed: Polititically skewed interpretation of facts – may or may not be substantiated.
Blindingly Skewed: Political fiction - Any resemblance to reality is entirely coincidence.
Note: ratings to be vocally given at the beginning of every program and at the end of every commercial break prior to the continuation of each segement.
I am willing to acknowledge that such a rating system will create a furor within the ‘news’ community, but their inability to moderate their own excesses has lead to this extreme measure. Debates about each rating and what it incorporates as well as the desire by individual programs to ‘earn’ a better rating will result in extensive re-evaluations of their content. And, viewers/listeners will no longer be mislead about the content of ‘news’ programs.
The ultimate goal, however, will be the intense personal satisfaction to be derived from hearing a voice-over preceding Rush Limbaugh and Fox News stating : “ Due to material content, the following program has been rated B.S."
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