One of the too many reasons American politics is too idiotic - Alterman

[dArKeR]

In the Tank:  One of the too many reasons American politics is too idiotic for words is the refusal of journalists to think, even for a second, about the absurdity of the crap they are asked to pass along to their readers.  This is the modus operandi of even the most elite of the mainstream media.  "We are not judging the credibility of Kerry or the (Swift Boat) Veterans, we just print the facts,” Washington Post Executive Editor explains.  Take a look at what the smart guys at “The Note” credit this morning as Bush’s “best” line to the New York Times:

Five twenty-sevens — I think these ought to be outlawed.  I think they should have been outlawed a year ago.  We have billionaires writing checks, large checks, to influence the outcome of the election.

This is his best line?  Does anyone want to bother to point out that it is completely nonsensical and hypocritical, given that the signature on the bottom of the piece of paper that put the current campaign finance law into operation reads “George W. Bush?”  If they “should have been outlawed,” they why in heaven’s name didn’t Bush refuse to sign the law?  Isn’t he calling himself a hypocrite?...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3449870/

[unblock]

1. a word about the "facts" they "just print"

virtually the only facts they print are "so-and-so said such-and-such". as in the case of the swift boat liars, it's of no consequence to the press corp that such-and-such is not itself a fact, because they don't stand behind that fact, they don't fact-check that fact, and they didn't report such-and-such as fact. they only reported that so-and-so said such-and-such.

which makes the press transparently manipulable. once upon a time, a reporter would get raked over the coals for printing anything that turned out not to be true. and so the reporter would double-check facts and spurn contacts that fed them lies. nowadays, reporters actually prefer the lies.

[DieboldMustDie]

3. Thomas Oliphant had quite a bit to say about this...

a day or two ago on Al Franken's show. When a doctor alleges that he treated Kerry 35 years ago, and that his injury was nothing more than a scratch, a reporter should ask, "do you have any documentation?" No, well then "is there anyone who can corroborate your story?" No, well in that case this isn't a story; it's nothing more than a rumor. Ahh... What ever happened to journalistic standards? :shrug:

[ixion]

5. it went out the door when broadcast news became infotainment

When then legitimate news stations decided they needed to sexy up the program to compete with tabloid shows like 'hard copy' :eyes: and talk shows.

I remember witnessing the beginning of this transition in the mid-eighties, and remember being very said, because a I was a journalism major at that time. I also a reporter for a couple years, but gave it up because you weren't allowed to tell the truth, only tow the line.

[ixion]

4. FAUX news attribution

"Some people say.." { INSERT GARBAGE 'FACT' HERE }


Thanks to the 'Outfoxed' DVD for pointing out that juicy bit.

[acmavm]

2. Oh hell, the media quit worrying about the 'facts' a long time ago.

Coincidentally, it was around the time bush* running for pResident (and lost) the first time.

[ixion]

6. it actually started with Ray-gun...

he was one of the first facists to make ignorance and hatred fashionable.

When ignorance becomes the standard, news broadcasts will drop (from their 6th grade reading level) to the standard the truly ignorant will be able to understand. Talking points and sound bites with no true substance.

[90-percent]

7. facts

Frank Zappa used the Reagan quote "Facts are such stupid things" frequently on his albums released in the 1980's.


-85% Jimmy