Not too right wing for VJ but

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Some really appalling stuff comes out of the US media. It really is deplorable.

But I think we can safely predict the way that this thread will go - spurious defences of Fox News via attacks on other outlets, how Fox "tells it like it is" and that it is the only network telling "the other side of the story".

Clicheed and puerile arguments all.

Really, can you give some examples? The major media right, not the no name loonies? Your not referring to Glenn comment about deep seeded hatred for white people are you? One might disagree but to say appalling seems a little melodramatic.

I guess the question I should ask myself is how many times I want to have the same discussion...

The problems I have with the US media are many and various: the blurring of traditional reporting with commentary shows, the fact that many people (including a lot of posters here) use figures like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh as figureheads for their own politics, and vociferously defend the outrageous things they say, almost as if criticisms of the commentator amount to criticisms of their personal ideology.

There is next to no actual analysis of (any) major story on the TV networks - save for dubious "contributors" who are promoting whatever book they happen to have coming out, and the selection of stories and how much airtime is given to spurious guff.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

[Peikko 1,575]

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

[zqt3344 21]

Meet the press? are you serious? hello, that is the ObamaNewsNetwork! Come on get real, they are as wildly radical to the left as Fox(FacistNews) is to the ultra conservative right! And CNN is lost, they have half the network working the liberal spin crowd and half working the right wing spring crowd and sadly are not reporting the news like they did when the network first came out. You truly cannot believe everything you see or hear from any of the news networks anymore, each one has it's market niche it is trying to pander to, thus they tailor their news to fit those needs, and instead of news it becomes lies!

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

I miss Tim Russert. David Gregory is a hack. What is going on over there at NBC? There are now worse that CBS Face the Nation. Sunday shows used to be sacrosacnt. Chris Wallace still does a good job on Fox News Sunday. ABC still has a good show as well, and George Stephahoweveryouspellit is a good moderator.

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

Edited August 20, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

I watch that stuff sometimes - its interesting as a curiosity, as an example of overt propaganda, but if you're not into what the guy is saying the appeal dies off fairly quickly. Same deal with Rush and Savage - when you break it down to basics they're all about making whatever political story that happens to be in the news into some sort of world-ending disaster.

Really it can only appeal to people who like angry rhetoric.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

I miss Tim Russert. David Gregory is a hack. What is going on over there at NBC? There are now worse that CBS Face the Nation. Sunday shows used to be sacrosacnt. Chris Wallace still does a good job on Fox News Sunday. ABC still has a good show as well, and George Stephahoweveryouspellit is a good moderator.

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

You are not going to go all 'you have to watch it to know' on me are you? Seriously, if this was good journalism from the right, I would be all over it but it's not, obviously.

Edited August 20, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[My Name Is Nobody 3]

Some really appalling stuff comes out of the US media. It really is deplorable.

No #######, Have you seen MSNBC or NBC lately? Its more than deplorable.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Meet the press? are you serious? hello, that is the ObamaNewsNetwork! Come on get real, they are as wildly radical to the left as Fox(FacistNews) is to the ultra conservative right! And CNN is lost, they have half the network working the liberal spin crowd and half working the right wing spring crowd and sadly are not reporting the news like they did when the network first came out. You truly cannot believe everything you see or hear from any of the news networks anymore, each one has it's market niche it is trying to pander to, thus they tailor their news to fit those needs, and instead of news it becomes lies! whistling.gif

Not sure where all that came from but my point was that there is programs out there that go into depth on issues. Simply true regardless to what conspiracy you subscribe to.

I miss Tim Russert. David Gregory is a hack. What is going on over there at NBC? There are now worse that CBS Face the Nation. Sunday shows used to be sacrosacnt. Chris Wallace still does a good job on Fox News Sunday.

Ah yes I miss Tim Russert, just not the same anymore with out him.

Edited August 20, 2009 by looking_up

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

I miss Tim Russert. David Gregory is a hack. What is going on over there at NBC? There are now worse that CBS Face the Nation. Sunday shows used to be sacrosacnt. Chris Wallace still does a good job on Fox News Sunday. ABC still has a good show as well, and George Stephahoweveryouspellit is a good moderator.

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

You are not going to go all 'you have to watch it to know' kinda guys are you? Seriously, if this was good journalism from the right, I would be all over it but it's not, obviously.

Sometimes you have to watch the loonies to see what they on on about. Mighty tough to give a diagnosis without some direct examination. The more the right was is power, the more I listened to KPFA, and the more the left is in power, the more you should listen to the loonies on the right. And the stronger the rhetoric gets against our enemies overseas, the more attention I pay to LINK-TV. Propaganda from the establishment is too easy not to believe.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I watched some of that "analysis" I don't think those shows go into any real depth at all.

Noone in the TV media really asks hard questions of politicians - you have folks like Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobs, but they don't really manipulate the interview to put the person on the spot as much as shout them into silence.

My parents in law were quite shocked when I showed them an episode of Question Time around the time of the last UK election where frontline politicians from the 3 major parties were grilled by members of the public and the journalist hosting the event wouldn't allow them to get away with spewing some stale party political rhetoric to avoid answering a straight question.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ok that is your opinion. I have seen plenty of discussions and in depth look at certain topic. Sure your not going to get it on CNN headline news, maybe your just watching the wrong shows. Try meet the press.

I miss Tim Russert. David Gregory is a hack. What is going on over there at NBC? There are now worse that CBS Face the Nation. Sunday shows used to be sacrosacnt. Chris Wallace still does a good job on Fox News Sunday. ABC still has a good show as well, and George Stephahoweveryouspellit is a good moderator.

It's pitiful that this is considered the epitomy of American media excellence ...

I've heard Glenn Beck called many things, by supporters and detractors alike, but an "epitome of media excellence" has never been one of them.

Glenn Beck serves a purpose. He rattles the rafters, and that is a good thing.

No, I don't think simply 'rattling the rafters' is good enough, particularly if said roof rattling is based on simple hatred and belittlment and not on a desire for improvement or change to existing problems.

Good investigative journalism has a point beyond name calling.

Do you watch his show?

No, I have better things to do with my time Actually, I don't even know what time it airs, but really, I don't have time for this stuff - it's emptyheaded. Don't get me wrong, politicians should be scrutinized and made to feel uncomfortable but not over such buffoonery.

You are not going to go all 'you have to watch it to know' kinda guys are you? Seriously, if this was good journalism from the right, I would be all over it but it's not, obviously.

Sometimes you have to watch the loonies to see what they on on about. Mighty tough to give a diagnosis without some direct examination. The more the right was is power, the more I listened to KPFA, and the more the left is in power, the more you should listen to the loonies on the right. And the stronger the rhetoric gets against our enemies overseas, the more attention I pay to LINK-TV. Propaganda from the establishment is too easy not to believe.

Still not buying it. They are not journalists, they are commentators and they are spouting puerile hatred. I don't need to give it any credibility by watching it to know what it is. Not watching it doesn't make me ignorant - I don't confine my media sources to one side of the spectrum.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I watched some of that "analysis" I don't think those shows go into any real depth at all.

Noone in the TV media really asks hard questions of politicians - you have folks like Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobs, but they don't really manipulate the interview to put the person on the spot as much as shout them into silence.

My parents in law were quite shocked when I showed them an episode of Question Time around the time of the last UK election where frontline politicians from the 3 major parties were grilled by members of the public and the journalist hosting the event wouldn't allow them to get away with spewing some stale party political rhetoric to avoid answering a straight question.

Ok we will have to agree to disagree. Im not a fan of Bill but I do think he does ask the hard questions but the biggest problem is he doesn't give his guests enough time.

[Peikko 1,575]

I watched some of that "analysis" I don't think those shows go into any real depth at all.

Noone in the TV media really asks hard questions of politicians - you have folks like Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobs, but they don't really manipulate the interview to put the person on the spot as much as shout them into silence.

My parents in law were quite shocked when I showed them an episode of Question Time around the time of the last UK election where frontline politicians from the 3 major parties were grilled by members of the public and the journalist hosting the event wouldn't allow them to get away with spewing some stale party political rhetoric to avoid answering a straight question.

Ok we will have to agree to disagree. Im not a fan of Bill but I do think he does ask the hard questions but the biggest problem is he doesn't give his guests enough time.

If you don't have any context to judge by, then you can only go by what you know. People in the UK are used to a much tougher more informed brand of journalism and scrutiny.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Sometimes you have to watch the loonies to see what they on on about. Mighty tough to give a diagnosis without some direct examination. The more the right was is power, the more I listened to KPFA, and the more the left is in power, the more you should listen to the loonies on the right. And the stronger the rhetoric gets against our enemies overseas, the more attention I pay to LINK-TV. Propaganda from the establishment is too easy not to believe.

Still not buying it. They are not journalists, they are commentators and they are spouting puerile hatred. I don't need to give it any credibility by watching it to know what it is. Not watching it doesn't make me ignorant - I don't confine my media sources to one side of the spectrum.

So, what shows do you watch to get some perspective on the anti-establishment crowd?