Comments on: The lucrative business of Obama-bashing

By: voomies

voomies — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:02:40 +0000

Barney Frank duet with Nancy Pelosi over the healthcare bill plus Obama’s holiday song at http://storyburn.com

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:35:11 +0000

“If serious news was separated from entertainment and made democratic this problem would not exist because WE would decide, democratically, what is news.”

It was probably unintentional, but your statement seems a bit too much like “Nineteen Eighty-Four” for my liking.

-This just in. The American public have voted, by an overwhelming 5%, that Obama is beyond criticism. From this moment all American mass media is state owned and is no longer allowed to criticise the president or otherwise question the ability of the Democratic Party…-

By: don fagen

don fagen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:27:40 +0000

America news media, especially TV, is an embarrassment to the world. I agree, it’s more about increasing ratings through sensationalism and sound bites instead of reporting significant events in detail. Who cares about balloon boy, Scientology and the irrelevant Levi? American broadcasters need to tune into BBC to understand quality reporting and honor a “back to basics” reporting without taking political sides.
Don F

By: GB

GB — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:55:04 +0000

This is just another example of how this country would be a lot better off with a one party system. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about an opposing view.

By: Michael Ham

Michael Ham — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:07:59 +0000

Mainstream media in the US= ABC news, Fox news, NBC news, MSNBC, CNN, Newsweek, Time Magazine, Washington Post/New York Times/Wallstreet Journal those are what I’d consider mainstream media in the US.

Maybe Reuters is big elsewhere, but I wouldn’t consider it mainstream media in the US. They’re too honest about Israel to be a mainstream media outlet here.

By: Benny Acosta

Benny Acosta — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:02:01 +0000

It’s main stream media that asked the question. Why would we go elsewhere to answer it?

That would be like starting a war in Iraq when the enemy is in Afghanistan. Who would be so retarded?

By: drewbie

drewbie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:55:47 +0000

I’ve gotten a chuckle out of all the posts talking about how bad the mainstream media is. Where do you think you are? Reuters isn’t some underground site.

By: brian

brian — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:41:33 +0000

If serious news was separated from entertainment and made democratic this problem would not exist because WE would decide, democratically, what is news.

If we are willing to let the running of our entire countries be democratic, why not OUR news-media?

The most important democratic tool WE have (mass media) should be controlled by US not a few billionaires, this can only be seen as anti-democratic behavior.

By: Benny Acosta

Benny Acosta — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:51:13 +0000

This whole thing boils down to the fact that the citizens go unrepresented in the media. Our media outlets are not publicly owned. And so they are in business for ratings and profit just like any other entertainment programing. We don’t have news any more. It’s all sound bites, statistics, poll results, opinions and shock drama.

Until we actually have a free media that serves the interests of the citizen we won’t get real news. C-Span is about the only news service that is open about what’s going on in Washington. But this is limiting only because C-Span is the only service of it’s kind that I’m aware of in this country.

We have no honest journalism on main stream media any more. So I get my news on the internet. You get better news there. Because self styled reporters aren’t afraid to investigate. And with the internet you can check your facts a bit more easily. Unfortunately many don’t have the skills of journalists. But it’s worth the trouble when you compare internet news to fox and all that other rubbish.

Bashing is easy. Any fool can destroy something. Being a good reporter or a respected news agency takes work. I see work being put into shiny graphics and catchy sound bites. But I don’t see nearly so much effort and skill being placed on finding out and delivering the facts (drama free).

It’s not just Obama bashing. “News” is nothing more than entertainment. We like our news to single out points of conflict and sources of malcontent. But rarely if ever is the opposite true.

By: Michael Ham

Michael Ham — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:12:28 +0000

RMB,

It’s too bad we didn’t call for that same debate when we decided to kick off our warmongering nation building escapades.

I agree with you though, we shouldn’t do anything we can’t afford. Healthcare, wars, gov’t spending, welfare, etc.