Let's play, "Ask a journalist." Here's your host, HEyHEY

[HEyHEY]

Let's her your media related queries!----- I'm at work and it's a slow night.

PS: I don't want to hear about my grammar. When relaxing I don't give a fuck.

[L.A.dweller]

1. What did you study in college?

And how did you get started in the field of journalism?

[HEyHEY]

2. French and Journalism - first job was in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta

I hopped in the car after quitting a well paying job to make $8 an hour in some shithole.

[Uncle Sinister]

5. was it worth it? nt

[Uncle Sinister]

6. Can alternative media save democracy?

[HEyHEY]

8. No

Alt media can't because most of those guys get their info from mainstream media and don't have the knowledge or resources to really suss out things.

And yes, it was worth it. I'm doing very well now.

[Uncle Sinister]

12. What can alt media contribute, then? -->

Journalism has to be healthy for a democracy to be healthy. I think most of our problems boil down to a lack of information and communication. Media need play a role, but MSM is sterile and scripted, and most alt media is still really bad. So what do you see as the role of media in society?

[HEyHEY]

13. For starters there needs to be a journalism guild

That encompasses all media under one umbrella. The only people who seem to care about the integrity of journalism are journalists. I've seen many a reporter kick up a fuss because they felt their story or job was being compromised by penny pushing weasels. If we were all one, and set the rules on what is considered good practices of reporting, then that would help.
As it stands now, Alt media needs to stop shying away from everyday news and move in there to fill the gaps. In my city the alt papers typically have stories that are esoteric, though interesting. They are often scared to compete with the daileis and such for news that effects their readers more directly.

[Uncle Sinister]

17. The stories that count (locally) get done here by the underdog, snarky, upsart of our two weeklies->

Mind you, that's more their "image" (there's those consultants again), than substance, but their three local politics reporters are actually pretty damn good.

As to you point, all media? Can't quite see how that would work. As to the integrity of journalists, do you think that holds at the national level? Sometimes I wonder if Wolf Blitzer can possibly retain a shred of his soul; he says what they tell him to say, day after day after day.

and our channel #2 news just reported: a body under a bridge, an explosion at a firefighting training station, a kidnapped child, our county sherrif resigns before he is indicted, and a paralyzed woman who almost got raped. Oh ...and Hillary is in Seattle. She won't come here, our primary doesn't count. Welcome to America's most livable city.


*sigh* I need another drink.

[Uncle Sinister]

3. Why has the MSM become so lemming-like in the past 20 yrs?

[HEyHEY]

7. Well, mainly it's shitty consultants

There's this group of pricks out there who own media outlets and they just want to make money. Then there's this group of douchebags, not unlike car salesman, that have no understanding of the TRUE function jourmalism is supposed to provide. Many of them aren't the types to actually watcht the news, they're too busy driving around in sports cars with prostitutes and coke. See, THEY care about being hip. And, to them, news and learning isn't hip. And their job is to find a way for news to make money. So, rather than say, "Hey, let's go with good solid journalism let's make it all simple, quick and easy so as not to bore the dumb people." This becomes the new "Strategy" from the assholes upstairs, who don't care about integrity. So, it all gets cheapened. Instead of spending money to investigate stories, money is spent on haircuts.

[Uncle Sinister]

16. I assume you've seen "Network"? God, that movie was prophetic. -->

If it bleeds, it leads! (sorry...random thought...happens on my 3rd drink)

I'd blame the MSM's problems more on consolidation. The shrinkage in number of owners (7 companies control 90% of media outlets, IIRQ), has lead to such a homagenization of media. You hear the same radio stations, watch the same news, read the same newspaper in San Diego and Tulsa, and Portland and Detroit. With local variations, of course.

But man, 2 years ago I did a cross-country road trip (Portland to New Orleans and back) over a 2 month stretch. So I'd notice how exactly alike ALL the media was from town to town) It got to be rather spooky. Even the TV anchors. Not look-alike, but every town the same ...types,down to hair and wardrobe style, saying the same thing. I had honestly never thought deeply about journalism and the media until then. It was a most definitely eye-opening experience.

[enigmatic]

4. Did Peter Warren wear a toupee?

I gots to know!

[HEyHEY]

9. probably - wish he wore a muzzle

[Oeditpus Rex]

10. Are you going to post this in GD?

:D

[HEyHEY]

11. I thought about it

[MonkeyFunk]

14. Do you get free pencils at work?

[HEyHEY]

15. yeah, mechanical ones!

[UrbScotty]

18. Why is the media so liberal?????

[Uncle Sinister]

19. you funyy!