Media musings

I've been thinking about this for a while now. Especially considering the departure of Lou Dobbs. How has the media devolved to the point where we are today? The national networks all devolved into a cult of personality, sniping as each one was more interested in the numbers of viewers versus giving the public the freaking news of the day. I'm not sure if it started with Watergate, but I think that's when network news "jumped the shark". This led to the rise of CNN, which used to be an unbiased, almost BBC-like, above it all entity that focused strictly on the news itself, reserving judgement. Then it devolved into the nightly white child kidnapping/celebrity trial and/or tragedy network. Now we are left with FAUX news (the conservative opinion network) and MSNBC which does the intricate dance of catering to the right in the mornings and to the left at night.

I've been thinking about this for a while now. Especially considering the departure of Lou Dobbs. How has the media devolved to the point where we are today? The national networks all devolved into a cult of personality, sniping as each one was more interested in the numbers of viewers versus giving the public the freaking news of the day. I'm not sure if it started with Watergate, but I think that's when network news "jumped the shark". This led to the rise of CNN, which used to be an unbiased, almost BBC-like, above it all entity that focused strictly on the news itself, reserving judgement. Then it devolved into the nightly white child kidnapping/celebrity trial and/or tragedy network. Now we are left with FAUX news (the conservative opinion network) and MSNBC which does the intricate dance of catering to the right in the mornings and to the left at night.

With the advent of the Internet and the immediacy of the "I need it now" generation, the local and national newspaper reporting is soon to be no more. The writing is on the blog, as a manner of speaking. The thing is, who is holding us bloggers accountable? how do we keep the tone and the facts in line to make our case without the use of vitriol and venom. How can we be heard over the shouting from the fringes of folks that refuse to listen?

I think CNN is a real reflection of our times, the news has "become too complicated" for the folks at home or so the network execs appear to be indicating based on their programming choices, so we give them something personal to worry about in hopes that they'll tune in as if it was a nightly soap opera and sayonara to any actual news reporting. I tune in to Rachel and Keith where I hear some incredible things being said and I wonder wtf, how are these idiots still in office? aren't we supposed to be electing people that have our best, albeit local, interests at heart?

What I want to know is, if the number of rascals that we have in office is this bad (democrat and republican alike) why in the hell aren't the local rags and media picking up on this stuff and holding these people to the properly high standard of being a national representative? I know that Rachel and Keith have some incredible staffs, but cripes, isn't anyone out there trolling the back alleys of the web to find this stuff out and keeping tabs? Or do we go ahead and have to give our local (and in many cases our national) media a huge freaking FAIL and have to do it ourselves?

For those greedy and corporate purchased dems and these whacko repubs, where are our media paladins to get this stuff into commercials to let the voters know, just who is doing the decision making for them? I have faith that the public would be appalled to see some of the hyperbole that is being thrown around in the name of partisan politics and in championing the interests of the well heeled over those in need. Also, the incredible amount of stupid that is performed by the misinformed and the misguided on behalf of the American people is staggering. I believe that we can make a difference, hell just based on what I see nightly on TV, there's about 30 of these guys/gals who are too dumb or too arrogant (or both) for their own good that we should be focused on allowing them to find their way in the new economy.