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In a recent post I made some comments about the 'major media' covering a tea party event. To my simple eye, they just didn't seem to matter. People didn't line up to be interviewed, and the camera's seemed invisible to the crowd.
Nobody seemed to care about the local TV news crew, or even the ones who piled out of the big expensive white truck with no name on it.
Nobody cared about them.
That is finally sinking home, and I examined my own life to see what part the traditional media plays in it. I am somewhat of a news junky, and like to have an idea what is going on in the world. A few years ago, that meant I read a few newspapers every day, and watched a few different cable news channels each day as well. The internet also provided it's own news hit.
Compare that with today, where I read maybe one paper, maybe once a week. I watch almost no TV of any kind, with cable news making up just a percentage of what little I do watch. Today, in my daily review of the world's news, I turn almost solely to direct reporting from people actually on scene. Not 'trained journalists' adding their filtered spin to each story, but regular people blogging their lives, and their local news.
In my own life, the major news media has almost spun out of existence. They've relegated themselves to the back of the closet, as over the past few years I've caught them in one bias after another, one lie after another, and one unprofessional act after another. Judging only by my life, the mass media have played themselves right out of the game.
I wonder.... is this why the hundreds of people at that rainy day tea party just didn't seem to care about the TV camera's? Have they also abandoned the dinosaur media in favor of more direct news sources? Have they also gotten tired of the filtered spin machine which has overcome the old tradition of professional journalism?
My day now involves multiple hits to sites such as Instapundit, Hot Air, Drudge, Google news, and bloggers around the country. How about yours?
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4 comments:
My wife is a news junkie and to an extent so am I. But, we no longer read a newspaper. We stopped our subscription to the KC Star several years ago when we could no longer stomach the bias---not just on the editorial page but throughout the entire newspaper even to the extent of censoring the "letters to the editor."
In that same vein, we no longer watch broadcast news, our local stations for the same reason. We do listen to the radio. We have two stations that broadcast conservative programs. Is that biased? Yes, but I can verify those reports elsewhere and see for myself whether I'm being told the truth or being lied to as I am from the print and broadcast media.
We now get most of our news on the internet. I have my own web and e-mail server and I built a webpage for my wife providing links to all her favorite internet sites and the list grows.
The print media is dying. BO wants to subsidize them via TARP funds to insure he and the dems continue to have a propaganda outlet.
Let'em. I won't be reading them.
Caveat: we do get a free copy of the KC Star once a week. We don't subscribe but when we stopped our subscription, then continued to send us the Sunday paper. My wife takes out all the local grocery ads and coupons and the rest lines our cat's catbox.
Pretty much the same, although overseas it's BBC3 or CNN(country) as those are about the only english language ones available...
I see your point as usual, but will counterpoint. I enjoy many articles I read in Time magazine. Not just the politics, but things that are not necessarily political...like the article about a major increase in homeless children attending public school - and what the school districts are doing to keep the children in the same school even when they have no home. I do see a liberal bias in Time and CNN, which is why I try to balance them with other more conservative views such as your blog. I am a huge fan of NPR. I don't see much bias from them, however my conservative friends can't stand NPR...so I imagine there is. We tend to read what we want to hear...so whatever your media, I'd encourage you to read something else just to keep an open mind.
As you suggest happens with our industry and banks, natural selection will occur with the professional journalists. Newspapers are barely surviving. I imagine all forms of media are at risk. They are already having to reinvent themselves to compete with the plethora of free journalism as you speak of above. That's probably a good thing. Keep up the blogging...I appreciate it.
Judy, I too listen to NPR, and do pretty much every day unless they have a beg-a-thon running.
The most important thing in being an educated viewer/listener/reader is to be aware of the source. Be aware of it's bias, and you have immunized yourself from it. Whether you lean left or right, liberal (HA!) or conservative, or like me choose not to be saddled with a preconceived label.. it's most important to think for yourself and always question.
It's not the bias which is sinking the dinosaur media, so much as the hypocrisies and vitriol. The news media has ever been biased, one way or another, and that is accepted (by me, anyway)as a human condition. Where the line is crossed is with the evident arrogant claim that they are unbiased, and the new paradigm of journalism is worse than worthless.
While exhorting news readers and viewers to be customers of their dieing service, they are lambasting the same people for daring to seek their information elsewhere.
Pretty sad.
There is already talk of taxpayer funding being provided to support many newspapers (but only of a certain leaning), thus turning them fully into a propaganda operation.
Just as the banks and the auto companies have learned what danger lays in taking government money, so will the newspapers, although I doubt they'll mind so much.
On thing is certain.... it will be an interesting future!
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