Why the US news media is shockingly bad

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So a British comedian makes this video criticising a guest segment on the Sean Hannity show relating to the Gaza conflict.

On this guest segment, Hannity:

• Prefaces his argument with the number of rockets fired while not mentioning the death toll.
• Shouts at Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the Jerusalem Fund.
• Refuses to let the man speak about anything other than a 'yes/no' answer to a loaded and totally useless question.
• Directly insults the man.

In response, Hannity produces this:

http://youtu.be/XHENMrUojhg

What's interesting about this is that when you don't allow the host to direct the agenda, putting forward a reasonable perspective actually makes the host and the show look ridiculous. It's especially ironic given that the premise of Hannity's rebuttal is about how Hollywood actors are expressing dangerous and simplistic public opinions about the Gaza conflict - yet at no point does Hannity even admit that there is any other perspective other than some rockets have been fired and that terrorists must be killed at any cost.

It amazes me that there is any mainstream audience for this kind of thing - who watches it? Does it inform? Entertain? What exactly?

“One of the definitions of a terrorist is using intimidation to reach your goals. Who in that situation was behaving like a terrorist? Using intimidation, bullying, being unreasonable? Sean Hannity, that is where the terrorism is coming from.”

Totally right.

[Boiler 45,651]

It is not just Fox. A valid question. What is the answer?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

No it is not just Fox, that's a given.

In my experience a lot of people on VJ say that because there is a certain tribal mentality about the media - that somehow criticising the content of a commentary show or in a particular news report is somehow an attack on that person's world view.

What's the answer? I don't know - maybe to hold these people up to as much public ridicule as possible. I don't much care for Brand - but I think he is right in what he's doing. Of course, he's a celebrity and celebrities are anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic. Hannity said so. Must be true ;-)

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Personally I thought the worst bit there was that they introduced the Hannity 'rebuttal' segment with a pop song and ended it with Hannity and guests having a joke and a laugh while Hannity played with a football. It's not as though they're talking about anything important - like a war or people dying and what-not. These people need to learn a bit of humanity because they've totally lost touch.

But never mind any of that. IS HAMAS A TERRORIST ORGANISATION!?!??!!! ANSWER ME DAMMIT!!! IF YOU DON'T ENGAGE WITH THE QUESTION YOU ARE A TERRORIST!!!

Because of course, that's the only thing worth talking about. Disgraceful.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[OriZ 3,157]

You're missing the point of his question. You or Karee might be willing to admit Hamas is a terror organization, but alot of people, including some on this forum, don't. I think it's important to expose their opinions.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Here's a couple of (less loaded) questions for you to ponder:

1) Do you think that Hannity's treatment of Yousef Munayyer was reasonable?

2) Do you think asking someone whether or not Hamas is a terrorist organisation (with only a yes or no answer being deemed acceptable) is in the spirit of a reasoned, rational debate on the wider issues pertaining to the Gaza conflict?

3) Why is Hannity more concerned with the number of rockets fired than the death toll or the conditions in Gaza faced by the population there?

Personally I don't think hannity has any point there at all. His show is disgracefully biased and he himself is a bully who puts forward arguments in the style of a fascist.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Boiler 45,651]

I think you are missing the point, Hannity's show is mainly about Hannity and his views. If you do not like it then just switch channel and you will find plenty of other shows that take a diametrically opposed view.

1. Unlikely, but then without watching I would say that about anybody who may hold a different view to him.

2. Sounds like a yes or no question.

3. Rockets are what started this and will what will finish this, conditions are directly related, but that may not be his reason.

[Karee 4,190]

Here's a couple of (less loaded) questions for you to ponder:

1) Do you think that Hannity's treatment of Yousef Munayyer was reasonable?

2) Do you think asking someone whether or not Hamas is a terrorist organisation (with only a yes or no answer being deemed acceptable) is in the spirit of a reasoned, rational debate on the wider issues pertaining to the Gaza conflict?

3) Why is Hannity more concerned with the number of rockets fired than the death toll or the conditions in Gaza faced by the population there?

Personally I don't think hannity has any point there at all. His show is disgracefully biased and he himself is a bully who puts forward arguments in the style of a fascist.

That's why it's not news. MSNBC and Fox News are not news. They're both something like Bugs Bunny or some other form of entertainment. Even CNN is going down that road.

I generally watch Al Jazeera for news now. For the most part, it's NEWS. Not blowhard opinions. I get all the blowhard opinions I can handle right here on VJ.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think you are missing the point, Hannity's show is mainly about Hannity and his views. If you do not like it then just switch channel and you will find plenty of other shows that take a diametrically opposed view.

1. Unlikely, but then without watching I would say that about anybody who may hold a different view to him.

2. Sounds like a yes or no question.

3. Rockets are what started this and will what will finish this, conditions are directly related, but that may not be his reason.

I think you are missing the point, respectfully.

This is on a mainstream news channel. Extremist, borderline fascist views being broadcast on a mainstream news media channel. That someone can change the channel is irrelevant, this sort of thing should be vigorously opposed.

What I'm getting at is that the guy who hannity shouted down is trying to talk about the effect that the Israeli offensive is having on the civilian population. That's quite apart from who started it and who is to blame. What this mainstream news commentary show is suggesting is that any discussion of the wider issues isn't welcome and all one needs to do to shut down discussion is to throw out some extremist rhetoric for the express purpose of changing the conversation. He may not be trying to overtly justify the deaths of civilians, but he's using a bait and switch argument to avoid any discussion of that side of things whatsoever. Once again, it's fascist extremism.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's why it's not news. MSNBC and Fox News are not news. They're both something like Bugs Bunny or some other form of entertainment. Even CNN is going down that road.

I generally watch Al Jazeera for news now. For the most part, it's NEWS. Not blowhard opinions. I get all the blowhard opinions I can handle right here on VJ.

I agree that US corporate TV networks are pretty bad across the board but its amazing what people find acceptable. Obviously there is a sizeable audience for this stuff and nobody bats an eye at a talk show host screaming down one of his guests because that's what they do and what people apparently expect. There are lots of Hannity types in the media, but there shouldn't be because the news media should have some basic standards of quality, quite apart from the political bent of any particular story.

It's in no ones interest to shut down discussion about Gaza or the US manifest destiny in relation to its treatment of Israel and the middle east. What it does do is make Americans complicit in what is happening over there.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Pooky 3,804]

What's shockingly bad is calling broadcast media in the US " news".

[Boiler 45,651]

What's shockingly bad is calling broadcast media in the US " news".

That was what I was thinking, Fox anyway has a tiny reach. As does MSNBC if you prefer it the other way.

Why watch Fox if that is not to your taste?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

As I said the mainstream media should not promote a non mainstream fascist agenda or give anyone a platform for legitimising extremist views.

[Boiler 45,651]

They are not mainstream, and why no mention of MSNBC for example?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What do you consider to be mainstream broadcast news media?

Why do I need to talk about msnbc? My issue is the presentation of the Gaza conflict in a specific example. If you have any similar stories from other networks feel free to discuss them.