Conservative Value. Liberal Idea.
It used to be a given, that the News' network, departments, were not a part of the profit center. Now it is a given that they are. And Dan Rather, who is a great journalist, and comes from a great tradition, was at the center of an enormous change, an invisible change, which made the News divisions (become) expected to be profit centers.That's why I've always hated Dan Rather. He was good. He did reporting right. He sold out his reporter's integrity for the salary he thoroughly believed he'd earned.
Richard Dreyfuss on Real Time with Bill Maher
For what? For risking your life? Wasn't it worth it without the cash?
For anchoring to a stagnant ratings pond of Network news? Turning the news into infotainment that sells advertising woven around a segment of the viewers attention span where the ads are supposed to be irrelevant. If people really want to find out about events in the world, they'll tune in regardless of how interesting the News is to anyone else. They'll just know to trust that what they're seeing is what is actually happening, not just be drawn in by the bits which grab your attention for their shock value.
Networks can and should sell entertainment for profit driven motives. Seriously, what the hell. It's only Rock-n-Roll, right? Well, usually anyhow. Most people can tell the difference between News and Entertainment, at least until the Glitz budget went way up for Danny, CNN and even fledgling Fox, after Desert Storm.
{shakin'head}
Good segment. I found it trying to find another part of the same Real Time clip that Darwin's Dagger had posted, but that now says "... is no longer available."
I dig Bill Maher when he's wearin' his serious pants, but he's just 'bout the lamest Comedian this side of Kosmo Richards' latest stand up routine and as mean as Drew Cary (ie, someone who's been picked on and is snot-assed about it.)
And Dreyfuss talks about his Civics coursework and why Impeachment, regardless of political (Vote Profits?) likelihoods, is our Civic duty, and almost requires us hold this President, this Administration, responsible for what they've "accomplished" in the last 5 years. And I loved hearing him speak the quote I opened with, about Rather's Choice and the disintegration of the 4th Estate.
Seriously again, I know this webplace is too personal and silly. No matter how decent some o' my amateur analyses may be, this'd never be considered a "news site". KOS is still a quasi-mega-blog, rather than investigative reporting. And RenaRF on KOS has more transcripts from the show with Dreyfus talkin' 'bout Civics. But it shows that the Fourth Est is still beating.
If we can keep the profit motive out of it, I'd say it's an easy bet the News would be in for a renaissance.
Conservative. Liberal. Who cares? As long as the idea works for everyone equally and justly, thoroughly and accurately. We've got a bill of rights in place, and a Civic duty to at least be aware of what that means.
Rather than just snarkin' on teh IDiots we've got in power, November 7th showed that we can oust them as well. Here's to ousting their King on his own merits!
L8
I read someplace that most of us rely upon the internet for news. It's true, so many bloggers do quite a bit of research. They must have incredible databases. As soon as the Chimp says something, they come up with 99 documented instances when he said the opposite. Or when he says he didn't say something, we get to see the video of him actually saying it. Fun.
ReplyDeleteThis was the whole point of what Jon Stewart was saying when he ripped Tucker Carlson a new one -- folks like Fox news do a diservice and they are not honest. If you are news, then be NEWS. Just report it and GO HOME. How hard is that?
ReplyDeleteAll those clips can be found at:
ReplyDeleteOne Good Move
Hola Mary, Isn't it wonderful how freedom of Information can make it so very ubiquitous?
ReplyDeleteVive le Internets!!!
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Just report it and GO HOME. How hard is that?
Precisely, AG! 'Tain't difficult at all 'less'n the news agency is in it for a little $omething more...
Thanks for that link, Frederick. I spent so much time looking at what else is there, I've yet to find the other part of the Maher/Morello clip.
And I love the tag-line: I thought these things might be clues. Spot on, hombre!
We can thank the Republican obssession with deregulation for the fix we're in now. Used to be the public airwaves were for the public - entertainment and information. Couldn't keep your license unless you had actual news and info.
ReplyDeleteNow, well, they don't have to so they don't. And "the public airwaves" and no longer held in trust for us and licensed but bought and sold for billions.
Yes, my mother always said the East side really sucks and so does Regan's deregulations.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, thoughtful post, Michael. Of course the problem is simply that money touches everything, which is mostly OK, as we need a way to exchange value and goods and services, but I have come to believe (as you) that too much money poisons the news-reporting business. Those people have to get paid, of course, but some of them are making $10 million and up. Who can blame them for peddling their asses for that kind of dough? There's no telling what you or I might do if a carrot that tasty were dangled before us.
ReplyDeleteSo I think we have to take our traditional sources of news and information with a grain of salt, understanding just where they are coming from. Internet access gives us a chance to get unfiltered information from around the world, and to read and hear what other citizens are thinking about events, trends and issues. More thinking and education is required, but that's the horrible price we must pay.
BTW, I've always though Rather was a fake and a jerk, so I was really torn when he tried to bust Bush for being a deserter in the 70's, and wound up looking foolish and getting fired.
More thinking and education is required, but that's the horrible price we must pay.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's still a helluva lot less horrible than what we're paying for right now, no doubt about it. Imagine transferring about 1/3 to half of the last 3 years' Iraq budget to Health and Education.
Now, that kinda tax burden could drag on until they figure out how to save money technologically, in heating, construction, maintenance materials costs, and we have a more rationally motivated civilization.
Wise mother, AG. ;-)
No doubt 'bout gleefully ill-advised DeReg dragging down community definitions of obscene, Kevin.