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When I played with talk radio, I used to have a reference book on "experts" on various topics. Most of these were names placed out there by PR and booking agents who use talk shows to sell their goodies. I was amazed at how many of these so-called "experts" had little substance to them other than a fancy title...and many had some kind of corporate tie in. For example, if I had wanted to do a show on Global Warming, the "book" (and this was common among other talk show hosts) was loaded with Phds...almost all connected to a "think tank" that was subsidized by an oil company. If it was medical, be assured that you could find an expert who would gladly discuss the latest new "drug" or technique...and hidden behind the school or wherever they were based was the grant money of one pharamcutical company or another. Thus, be careful when the term "expert" is thrown around.
I agree, the corporate media loves to short-shrift most discussion on serious topics...trying to take complex issues and sum them up in 15-30 seconds...and the hope is that either the host or producer will throw them the softballs...everyone goes home happy. The sad thing is how unprepared some of these people are...both the interviewer and the interviewee. That's because many times the guy who does the hard work isn't the one who either gets the credit or gets the interviews...you're usually getting their boss.
Also, always be careful as to whose behind the "interviews"...our corporate media has many tenticles and aren't beyond using them on their broadcast outlets to promote the overall corporate interest. Just keep in mind that virtually everyone on the teevee is selling something.
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