Last night's cspan delight has abruptly weaned me off most cable *news*

[liveoaktx]

It was so great to watch the pure, unadulterated by commercials or *republican noise machine* distortions, reality of the convention. Made me realize how much I pick through the *news* on other channels looking for those bits that I can agree with and enjoy, and how utterly poisonous the shows are.

It's not that I object to hearing 2 sides of an issue. But when the dominant speaking points are those that denigrate personalities, reframe issues on trivialities, seize upon irrelevancies to trumpet over and over while ignoring serious, criminal issues, why should I have to (or want to) listen?

One point yesterday that I recorded (before switching completely to watching cspan) was the Tweety/Al Franken exchange about the value of having liberal points of view, where Tweety tried to say it was wrong of liberals to have their own media devoted to an idealogy. Franken said something like "Are you kidding me?" and I realized I don't want to hear Tweety any more. Ever.

The Dem Convention, having lost one purpose of actually being the place to work to nominate a candidate, still is a terrific pep rally. And watching cable news AND the pep rally is like having eating a delicious meal with large roaches mixed in. Sure, the food is still great, and you can pick out the bugs, but why not eat the same meal with your friends in a classier, and cleaner place uptown?

(Edit: PS. Except for Countdown with Keith Olbermann!!!!!!)

[Connie_Corleone]

1. I wanted to see what the other networks were saying...

Every time I turned the channel, I heard nothing but bashing of Democrats, bashing of John and Theresa Kerry and bashing of the Clintons.

C-Span was definitely the ONLY choice for coverage.

C-Span and CNN were the only ones to show Patti Labelle singing too.

[Birthmark]

2. Welcome to the club.

I gave up the infotainment channels when the war broke out. I haven't regretted it. I took one quick look this morning, was disgusted within three minutes, and moved on.

If anyone hears of an actual news channel, let me know.

[tibbiit]

14. I turned off cable news

During the BS fall of Saddams statue in the square, april 2003.
I havent turned it on again.
Cable news (except Daily Show) is not necessary for life:)
tib

[ronatchig]

3. On PBS

the joy of the evening was watching Brooks. He saw the writing on the wall. I could tell he did not like the taste of the wine being served.
It was Jimmy Carter who damned the thugs imho. After saying what a humanitarin Carter is and his honesty Brooks was aghast at this great man's un adulterated condemation of Bushco it was great to watch. And all in a very gentle way that Carter has I loved it.

[Warpy]

4. It's also the only place you'll hear the platform defined

and the candidates tell you what their agenda in office will be. Check out any newscast, they're all blowdried bobbleheads yapping about how the horse race is going, who is traveling to where, but no words from any candidates and certainly no issues.

Although it's lost a little of its suspense, it's still the only place a voter has a chance of being informed.

Forget the major networks on coverage. They covered Clinton's speech, but not Carter's. Both were of equal importance, IMO, and Carter gave the toughest speech I've ever heard him give. PBS was the only place the cable impaired could find his speech.

The poison you describe on cable news has also crept into network news, as all felt compelled to have right wing spewbots on their commentary staff. Odd how "fairness" suddenly matters when the Democrats take center stage, isn't it?

[Hubert Flottz]

5. I watched Cspan also!

And I never once got mad until I changed the channel at the end! I watched Tweety for about 30 seconds and turned off the TV! Cspan may not be perfect but it's way ahead of whatever's in second place! I watch CBS news in the evenings usually, but Cspan is putting them all to shame with their convention coverage! Cspan is the Real Deal too, on this!

[HEFFA]

6. Most of the mainstream cable and network television media believes in...

providing fair and balanced coverage.

Y'know, they've got both kinds of commentators -- neocons AND fascists!

[liveoaktx]

7. Adding that PUSHING the FCC for public hearings on Media Ownership

is critical right now. Michael Powell LOST in court but he is not done planning how he can push what he wants through. Tell everyone you know to call or write the FCC to DEMAND public hearings on Media Ownership Rules.

[Yogi]

8. C-Span is the only way to go.

You feel like your almost there. No annoying anchors telling you what they think the speaker said. It's C-Span for me.

[Florida_Geek]

9. Maybe just me but the picture on CSPAN

was clear.....

[jean]

10. c-span kept us happy all night - plus we could dance to the music!

Did the networks cut away during the music?

The song sung after Clinton's speech was a perfect ending to the night - magnificent but very soothing at the same time.

[WolverineDG]

11. aw, c'mon

admit it, it was fun going over to faux for a few minutes to watch the delegates flash kerry/edwards signs or blank pieces of paper in front of the faux bobblehead faces & say stuff about faux whilst they're live on the air...heh heh

but then, yes, i had to switch back to cnn (my local cable was running a county commissioner's meeting instead of the convention dammit :grr: ) once juan williams started whining about how the speakers weren't bashing bush as much as the delegates wanted them too. yeah, whatever :eyes:

dg

[liveoaktx]

12. Nope, not fun. Realized pretty quickly that I didn't want my happiness

spoiled by the Repugs. Again, it's like picking through a pile of poop to find a nugget of gold; I'd rather leave the sh*t to the flies.

Now, if you had no other CHOICE of CHANNELS, no Cspan, no PBS, that's different.

[WolverineDG]

15. well SUPPOSEDLY

i was supposed to have a choice between pbs & cspan, BUT the local cable co. ran a county commissioner's meeting (which with our wacked-out county judge CAN be fun, but he must have been on his meds last night...) instead of the democratic convention, so i went to pbs. well the pbs station had LOUSY audio...loud hissing that almost drowned out the commentary, although i toughed it out to watch the interview with jimmy carter :thumbsup:

so, i flipped between faux & cnn....that's when i saw the delegates trying to sabotage the faux bobbleheads..heh heh heh...i did notice later on they tried to put their bobbleheads AWAY from the delegates...but then wound up back on cnn for clinton's speech.
:grr: to leslie for commenting as clinton walked out "this is why they only want him here on monday." :grr:

dg

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. I totally agree

except I don't know what Countdown is or who Olbermann is.

I will ONLY watch CSPAN, I don't even want to SEE the spittle forming at the corner of Tweety's mouth or the rat-faced looking talking heads trying to tell me HOW I should FEEL or WHAT I should THINK.

Screw that. I'm not giving republican bush-shillers disguised as journalists ANY air time in MY home.

[ElkHunter]

16. I enjoy the C-SPAN coverage...

...but I have Air America on as well. Like 'em both.