To Whoever's Interested ...

[NanceGreggs]

... in The Vast Wasteland of MSM News

I am interested in hearing about the events of the day. I am not interested in the opinions of those who read accounts of those events off a teleprompter, as though doing so somehow qualifies them to speak with authority on any issue. In fact, as has been proven time and again, these people usually know absolutely nothing about those topics on which they somehow feel compelled to opine.

I am interested in facts. I am not interested in a version of the facts, a selection of the facts, nor anyone’s interpretation of the facts, any more than I am interested in hearing some of the facts while others are edited, skewed, or omitted in their entirety as is convenient.

I am interested in hearing facts that have been vetted and verified before they are stated as facts. I am not interested in hearing outright lies being stated by anyone, especially an elected representative, while a bobble-headed “news person” sits there idly, unwilling or unable to challenge the veracity of what is being presented as the truth.

I am interested in knowing the sources behind purported facts, and the reliability thereof. I am not interested in knowing what some people, those in a position to know, someone close to the situation, or an unconfirmed source have been allegedly heard to have anonymously stated.

There are certain things in which I will never have any interest, under any circumstances whatsoever. These include (but are not limited to) Dick Cheney’s assessment of Obama’s policies, Michael Brown’s evaluation of Obama’s handling of the current BP oil spill disaster, or Sarah Palins’s opinion about anything.

As a qualification of the aforementioned, I would only be interested in what those people have to say should they decide to take responsibility for their lies, deceit, hypocrisy, and constant dissemination of misinformation, or to apologize for their crimes against humanity and their country. As for some people still being discussed incessantly by the current crop of newscasters, my only interest in hearing about them would be in the form of an obituary notice.

I am interested in the people who actually contribute to the direction of my country, and the shaping of world events. I am not interested in people whose fifteen minutes of fame were exhausted months, or even years ago – and whose only current claim to fame is the fact that the mainstream media continues to give them airtime as though they are somehow relevant.

I am interested in the accurate coverage of events reflective of the thoughts and attitudes of my fellow Americans, as well as my global neighbors, to whit: I am interested in knowing that hundreds of thousands of people worldwide protested the invasion of Iraq; I am not interested in knowing that three dozen people showed up for a Teabagger event.

Further to that idea, I am interested in real news about real events. I am not interested in events that are initiated by those who are supposed to be reporting the news, not creating it.

There was a time when I was interested in what those on “the other side of the aisle” had to say about the party in power. However, being as it’s the same side of the aisle who gets the lion’s share of the airtime, regardless of who is in power, such interest has become pointless.

For these reasons, I no longer watch the “news” as it is presented (distorted) by journalists (teleprompter readers), sold as a commodity that requires tweaking to satisfy corporate owners/sponsors, jazzed-up with sci-fi-inspired graphics, and packaged for consumers like a reality show – that somehow lacks the component of actual reality.

The opinions I have expressed are my own. But I doubt that I am the only one who holds them.

[pinboy3niner]

1. No, Nance, you are not the only one

You have lots of good company.


Wonderful post! Stop making sense, already.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. You are certainly not the only one holding those opinions, my dear Nance!

But you put them so much more explicitly, so much more truthfully and accurately, that I (for one) have no problem allowing you to speak (without a teleprompter, no less!) for me!

Well said!

And of course K&R!

[pinboy3niner]

4. Thanks, dear Peg--I'd forgotten to R!

Fixed, now--mea culpa, mea culpa.

[emulatorloo]

3. Another great post -- You are not alone. KICK AND REC n/t

[jotsy]

5. Crowd of kickers building here.

...interesting.

[one_voice]

6. No you're not the only one who holds them...

I've read so many of the things you've written..even before I "officially" joined DU, yes I used to lurk. I wish I had a grain of your talent for writing. As long as you're writing, I'm reading.

Thanks for all the wonderful threads you've done.

YOU ROCK!!

[NanceGreggs]

9. Thank you for your kindness, one-voice ...

... and welcome to DU!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. It's as if you read my mind.

[The Doctor.]

8. You are one of the few people about whom I can honestly say

Both your doubts and opinions are valid... and equally so.

[bertman]

10. You're not. I feel the same. Rec. nt

[tavalon]

11. I killed the TV about a decade ago

We watch DVDs and I watch Olbermann and Maddow and follow the news through DU.

[xiamiam]

45. I quit watching tv in october...will NEVER go back to watching or supporting the media celebrity

the most interesting thing..is that I also tend to avoid the posts here from the tv controlled..easy to pick it out when you are not influenced by the nonsense they shove down our throats..

try it..the world is a much better place without it

[WCGreen]

12. Some say....

The use of that phrase should be banned from the English Language...

[NanceGreggs]

13. In this particular instance ...

... some would be right.

[madamesilverspurs]

14. You are sooo not alone on this.

And I do remember when you did another rant in which you expertly castigated those "talking hairdos"...

K & R, natch
-

[JDPriestly]

15. I want the reincarnation of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.

Actually, rehiring Dan Rather would be just great.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. Or as I call it, "NEWZ™" ... I stopped halfway through the run up to the 2004 election. Except for

coverage of major events, like Katrina, I've pretty much stayed away since.

[Newest Reality]

17. Given a big ol' kick here!

I concur with your cogent points and am a former TV addict on the wagon for about 15 years now.

I consider myself an anti-TV evangelist, but I do temper my missives with suggestions of moderation in lieu of complete withdrawal from the hypnotic, glowing rectangle. Television is a stranger invited into the house that is allowed to say and show whatever it wants to, and is even allowed to sell ideas, ideologies, and consumerism to children and even insult their parents while those parents stare complacently at it and say nothing. The idea of television, early on, was fantastic and offered to open new vistas. What we have, for the most part, ended-up with is an addictive, corporate monoculture evangelist that preaches a sermon that is an alluring panache of distraction, misinformation, stimulation, artifical needs and pure propaganda designed to manufacture consent consistently and both overtly and with cunning and stealth.

One has to seek out one's news and that usually is done online with the caveat of discernment and discretion. What the MSM is calling news is merely sanitized,(if you can call bullshit sanitary) fancily packaged, corporate agitprop that reeks of underlying, but specific, agendas, social engineering and deliberate management of the masses.

Thanks for sharing your insights and delineating with clarity and integrity what is actually of interest to more people than you might suppose. You are not alone and we unite with you in the spirit of truth seeking, an ancient endeavor that could use a concerted resurgence to set ablaze the shroud of darkness and ignorance that the media conglomerates have cast over the eyes of their naively trusting viewers.

[voc]

18. You are not alone.

Thank you for an honest assessment of what "news" has become.
Please continue, you speak for many. I am proud that President Obama won.
Do I agree with everything? Of course not. But the MSM makes it appear as if there
is major descension when there isn't.
Enjoyed being on this board and appreciate everyone.

Out.

[HappyCynic]

19. K & R!

[SeattleGirl]

20. You and me both, Nance.

I'm so utterly tired of the M$M trying to lead us around by the nose (and succeeding with some folks).

I'm tired of the breathless "news" stories that are really much ado about nothing.

I've had it with the lies, the misleading headlines, the vapid twisted stories that are just that: stories with little to no basis in fact.

Murrow, Cronkite, and Huntley & Brinkley have to be spinning in their graves over what passes for "news" these days.

[ConsAreLiars]

21. You are looking for buzzflash, not DU-GD or KKKorporate Media

http://www.buzzflash.com /

Or maybe DN! or AJE or the lesser known Inter Press Service - http://www.ipsnews.net /

[nosmokes]

22. then al jazeera is for you if you want video news. best i've found

[BlueMTexpat]

23. I quit watching what passes for "news" on TV in the US many years ago.

When every news channel basically reported the same stale stories, even using the same words and phrases, while so many other events were unreported, I began to lose faith. When "news" was consistently skewed towards RW viewpoints, while anything or anyone else was discredited if it was reported at all, and yet the media were portrayed as having a "liberal" bias, I became very skeptical. Having been outside the US at the time of the 2000 election, where my faith in "democracy" was thoroughly shaken and where my information came from US cable news channels like CNN, MSNBC and Faux, I didn't even realize that there were protesters at Bush II's inauguration in 2001 or that there were massive anti-war rallies in the US until I saw the crowds in "Fahrenheit 911." I felt so alone - didn't even know about DU then. Had I been living in the US during those years, I would have gone stark raving mad by the end of 2001.
But I finally, absolutely, gave up entirely when the MSM "took down" Howard Dean in 2004 by deciding collectively to portray him as a maniac. I've never looked back and have been much happier since.
I find news here, at Buzzflash, at Common Dreams, at Truthout, at English-language newspapers such as The Guardian and The Independent and at many other sources. Even then I follow up with my own fact-checking on Google.
I am also wary of US print media, especially since flagship newspapers such as the WaPo and NYT led the charge for the war in Iraq and the NYT withheld information about wiretapping. There are some columnists in both that I read and admire, but I know that they are expressing opinion. For my facts, I verify as much as I can.
********
You are not alone in your opinions. At all. Franklin and Jefferson must be dizzy from all the twirling and whirling they are doing in their graves. It is a tragic shame that our MSM has lost credibility for so many of us, when Jon Stewart's Daily Show, which is supposed to be for entertainment, is more factual than the "news" has been for many years.
Thank heavens for the internet.
And thank heavens for you and your "rants" - and the Duers who appreciate them - because you all make me realize that I am no longer alone - which helps to keep me at least semi-sane.

[Egnever]

24. Why do you hate lindsay lohan?

I assume thats the someone you are talking about....

Well said as usual.

Who is the someone though seriously......

[dalaigh lllama]

25. A hearty, hearty AMEN!

thank you, Nance. This should be gotten up as a petition to sign and send to all the talking heads everywhere.

[NJmaverick]

26. K&R

[conscious evolution]

27. The Talking Heads

stopped making sense a long time ago.

I ain't got time for that now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Y0SMitMpk

[makemyday]

28. This really needed tobe said! Now you've said it.

Like you said, "I am interested in real news about real events."

When listening to MSM "News" I often mumble "advocacy" or "agenda."Sometimes, "entertainment." Rarely, "News."

I've blamed the failure of reporting on station ownership and control. Perhaps there's a "darker" reason.

[proudohioan]

29. My SO & I were expressing those very sentiments this morning!

[Oceansaway]

30. K&R...n/t

[DevonRex]

31. You aren't alone. Remember when newscasters were really smart?

Now all they have to be is really good looking.

[kentuck]

32. Excellent summation, my Friend.

You have the ability to read between the lines. It is rare.

[LibDemAlways]

33. I couldn't believe they were using "Brownie" as a

talking head to comment on the oil spill. That was just surreal. I guess they think the public is so ignorant no one would have any idea that he was the fuck-up who was responsible for much of the fiasco in the Katrina aftermath.

Good rant, though. I know a guy who works as a tape librarian for a network news outlet. He says all the suits care about is ratings - and that they are only giving the public what they think people want. Very sad commentary on the state of this country.

[Beam Me Up]

34. hear hear and an extra hear!

I not only stopped watching TV "news" but ALL TV when they installed that chimpanzee in 2000. I still don't understand why anyone -- especially DUers -- still watches TV. I'm doubly amazed when day after day I read someone here asking "why isn't the media all over this?" -- or some variation there of -- apparently with all seriousness. Isn't it obvious by now that the so called "main stream media" is NOT our friend? Their role isn't to inform us, give us accurate information that would empower us as citizens to make decisions in our best interests. Quite the contrary. Their role is to shape opinion that serve corporate interests and keep us at one another's throats while providing a distorted reflection of our actual thoughts and feelings as a society. THAT is now their job. To EXPECT anything different is to live in a kind of delusion. And they aren't going to change so long as they have ratings they can use as sales points for advertisers. They aren't going to change until WE stop buying (watching) the canned "consumer reality" they keep shoving down our throats. We still have the freedom to choose whether to be indoctrinated by these buffoons or not. It is a habit, for some a kind of addiction, that needs to be broken once and for all. There are plenty of on-line sources of information and although it can also be limited or distorted, one has the option to do further research and find information that falls outside the reach of the "accepted" opinion standard established by corporate interests.

[Hutzpa]

35. About time somebody puts this

in an eloquent manner, this I think should be made mandatory, if we can pull this off
I believe things will change drastically.


Edited
To add this;

There are certain things in which I will never have any interest, under any circumstances whatsoever. These include (but are not limited to) Dick Cheney’s assessment of Obama’s policies, Michael Brown’s evaluation of Obama’s handling of the current BP oil spill disaster, or Sarah Palins’s opinion about anything.

Wouldn't agree more, enough said.

[tilsammans]

36. K 'n' R!

Nance, once again,

[BrklynLiberal]

37. I get a real kick out of kicking and reccing your posts!!!

[mimitabby]

38. exactly

[zeemike]

39. how un American of you.

Not to care about the murder of young young blond girls or who will win American Idol...
You must be a commie or something.

[Blue Owl]

40. Just when you think the M$M can't dumb it down any lower

They always go and surprise me.

[rasputin1952]

41. I agree with you on all above, however, I have my own personal...

pet peeve with the "news".

I don't give a damn about "celebrities". When I turn on the news, I want news, not some crap about some overpaid, highly made up, overexposed, piece of crap that has as his/her only claim to humanity, is that they get rid of outtakes and present an airbrushed view of society. I don't give a damn about whom Angelina Jolie(sp) is going out with, or if Brad Pitt lives or dies. I don't care about the romantic exploits of Geraldo Rivera, or some "hot-shot" sports "star". I could care less about the "impact" someone has by being a celebrity. It seems to me the only thing they are good for is constant stream of "hey! look at me!", while issues of great importance get swept away because some shining "star" farted in an upscale restaurant.

At least a third to half of all "news" shows are caught up in some form of idol worship, in the mean time, people are fighting for the right to keep a job or their health care. I care that the Gulf has become a cesspool, I don't care that Lady Gaga showed some butt cheek. I enjoy movies and music as much as the next guy, but I don't dwell on the people in them, I'm looking for a message or a chuckle...I don't need to hear about how much money some goomer that has a pretty mug made. I'm more woried about the cash that BP should be laying out to clean up their "mistake".

I figure an asteroid could be heading to earth, and after reporting that, (if it's "important" enough to report on by today's standards), being assaulted by Pamela Anderson's latest boob job or if Todd Palin buys viagra by the case.

What passes for news is a joke. The few cable news people that actually deliver news, are not seen by the vast majority of Americans...and we remain ignorant of anything that truly has a sense of import.

And the masses see Anderson's chest grow, and Todd's "package" shrinkwrapped...we should all be ashamed.

[pinboy3niner]

42. It occurs to me, belatedly, that you could have picked a beter title

"To Whoever's Interested ... "? Nance, you're much better than that. But consider my criticism a gentle nudge--What counts is content, and there you're superb.

[Angry Dragon]

43. K&R

[Old Codger]

44. Amen

Absolutely no alone in that.

[madmax]

46. You Rock Nance nt

[SalviaBlue]

47. No, you are not the only one! But you stated it better than I ever could have.

Thanks!!

and a big RECOMMEND!

[Flying Dream Blues]

48. You are tapping into the collective consciousness, I believe.

Your pieces feel like they've been ripped from my frustrated, angry soul.
Brava! and thank you.

[Bette Noir]

49. Yeah, I miss actual "news," too.

It's so hard to distill the facts from all the show-biz.

[on point]

50. Our own examples of Pravda, wake up, change or die!

Got that NY Times, Newsweek, CNN, American Newspapers in general, all the on air broadcasters? Start being real sources of news and we may start buying your papers again.

Faux news, just give it up. You are a facist propaganda rag and it is good to have a live teaching example around so that we don't have to point to ancient papers from the German 1930's.

[Bobbie Jo]

51. K&R

[texastoast]

52. K&R n/t

[guyton]

53. "some people are saying"

... and if I hear one more newsreader say the "some people" lead-in to a totally garbage talking point, they won't need be needing high power lasers to initiate a sustained fusion reaction.

[lovemydog]

54. Me too!

I sure do agree. I'm happier since I stopped watching cable 'news' garbage.

[Beavker]

55. Add Hank Paulson's 2 cents on worry that regulation will go too far

First. You're done. We don't care about it. 2nd, you helped cause it. You bailed them out. Yet you're worried they will go too far to regulate these pigs.

So the rumors that you many go back and run Goldman if they shit can Blankcheck...I mean Blankfien, must be true.

[Uncle Joe]

56. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Nancy Greggs.

[RushIsRot]

57. Sheer genius, Nance! Dang, I wish you had a bigger audience.

[The Wizard]

58. The news ceased being relevant for me

during the Clinton witch hunt conducted by the Republican Congress. No one in the corporate media questioned the validity of the impeachment. At that point I realized it was propaganda that would make Goebbels, Pravda, TAAS and Izvestia blush.
The First Amendment's right to a free press would be nice if a free press existed. With defense contractors like General Electric owning major media outlets, and Pox providing cover, our ability to make informed decisions has been severely compromised.
The citizens of the Soviet Union, for the most part, realized they were getting propaganda, and the news there was a national joke. The current crop of propagandists lying to the masses here is more sophisticated, and the dumbed down citizenry is easy to induce to to things against the best interests of the human race.
Why do Republicans dominate corporate media air time? They own the media outlets.
I anxiously await the day when Beck and Palin do a Howard Beale on the air. But as long as they're paid big money to spew idiocy I'm not holding my breath.
As usual, Nance kicks some asses that need kicking.

[wolfgangmo]

59. I am an immigrant. I move to the US about 25 years ago.

It took me about 1 week to wrap my head around the cognitive dissonance of this: that the US has not functioning news outlets - period, and that the US public, in general, beleives that they do have functioning news outlets.

I think that except for Pravda under Stalin, the US has the most effective PR masquerading as news in the history of the world. And given that the USSR fell and the US hasn't (yet and hoepfully never) I guess I would have to give the nod to the US. In terms of bullshit passing for news, the USA is indeed number 1 in the world.

[JTFrog]

60. K&R

[Happyhippychick]

61. Kickin' like Beckham! You GO girl!

[MadMaddie]

62. Nance I still don't know how you always seem to top yourself!

This is another fine piece that clearly states my oppinion...

Well Done!!

[abelenkpe]

63. That pretty much sums up my feelings as well.

Thank you.

[Historic NY]

64. I gave up on TV news when * stole the election....MSM & Lame Street Media suck

[ladym55]

65. You are SO not alone ...

M$M wouldn't know journalism if it came up and kicked them in the butt. And the good-looking, air-brushed fools who stumble through their teleprompter reading nightly are so incredibly dense light bends around them. Occasionally I will point out minor (and major) discrepancies to the local media dimwits ... just to see if their bobble heads will explode.

[inna]

66. 23 unrecs? Nicely done.

[azygous]

67. Not only have I nixed watching the news,

but I threw out the TV and canceled to satellite service. Waste of time and money.

[Chemical Bill]

68. I get most of my news here.

Some of it is still lies, but there are people here who point that out. Wonderful rant, Nance.

Bill