Media

[StuntJunkie]

Even those guys seem biased compared to the Brits. I'm telling you, if you've never caught BBC news you'd be amazed at how little BS is packed into it. We need news like that here. We'd all be so much better informed.

I'm sure all of the UK knows our president isn't even a citizen or that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They had it on in the chow hall from time to time for the contractors working with the British company Agis. I was amazed at how much more they inform and how much less they let opinion or politics conflict with cold hard facts.

[636pilot]

I was just joking, Glenn Beck is a liar and wacko and Rush Limbaugh just plain fucking sucks. I told my mom's husband who is addicted to FOX news and Beck about the BBC and he wasn't having it. He also believes that we are going to be a communist coutry in a few years and that the internet is controlled by the right and you can't get any good info from it cause it's ran by liberals.

[CBR1000Tim]

I'm telling you, the Brits know how to report fact-based news without opinion or political correctness getting in the way.

Just like my boys that supposedly killed an innocent Iraqi family according to CNN.

What really happened: They took fire from the house next door to the one they were raiding. They fired back. When the smoke cleared they went in and found the two gunmen down along with their wives and an injured 4 year old girl. The AK rounds in everyone proved that the soldiers didn't kill anyone, they pulled a murder/suicide of the whole family but thanks to our medic the little girl lived.

That's how BBC reported it.

On a similar and also well known occurrence...my high school gf's brother was an Army Ranger in the convoy that Pat Tillman was killed in. I remember him being home visiting one time and throwing a huge bitch-fit about the story the news was telling about it. He said he couldn't tell us much but was sure to tell us that it didn't happen like they are saying it did and to never believe what the media puts out bc it's shaped and formed to their liking.
Sorry for your experience with media lies and glad your home and safe, informing us of the truth! And thanks for the BBC heads up. I'll have to check that out

[AdamKY]

An insider’s view on why broadcast news is what it is today…

Political: On the national level a significant distortion of the facts began to become apparent with reports coming out of Vietnam in the 1960’s. The facts that did get out resulted in Lyndon Johnson declining to run for a second term in 1968. The facts the media reported concerning the Nixon presidency resulted in his resigning from office in 1974. The lesson learned was that the media had to be controlled.

Business: Prior to roughly 1970 television news was considered a public service that generated little profit. When it was realized by media owners that their news operations could become major profit centers is when tabloid journalism appeared on the tube (many say patterned after such publications as The National Enquirer & The Star). Controversy attracts readers/viewers which in turn leads to higher advertising rates. By 1980 the tabloid phenomenon permeated even the smallest TV markets.

Rules of the game: What is reported must be factual. However, not all facts are told. Those that are presented are presented in such a way that is often misleading but not so much so that could not be defended in the event of a legal challenge. Most stations have an attorney on call to review stories that are considered “edgy” before airing.

Practice: Today’s media generally avoids stories that might have a negative impact on reputations or the bottom line. Those stories include advertisers and powerful figures in business & government. However, if it is a story that must be told, it will be presented in such a way that minimizes any such damage. Certain people/subjects are avoided altogether.

Summary: Investigative journalism is nearly extinct. The constitutional roll of the press has been subjugated to the power & greed of the players. Television news is little more than a vehicle for airing commercials. You can see it in the multiple newscasts stations are airing: practically the same news content each half hour but different commercial messages. The term ‘infomercial’ comes to mind.

The BBC receives substantial funding from license fees charged to set owners thus minimizing commercial and government influence. BBC World News America currently airs on KET at 6/5pm central and again at 11/10pm central.

Prescription: Ripping along the back roads on two wheels is a great way to temporarily put the state of broadcast journalism out of one’s mind. If you can’t get out you can watch “Network”on DVD. Stay tuned…

-Walt

[cowasockee]

When my house burned down I told the fire chief that I was working on a motorcycle at the time but don't think that was the cause of it. It was really an insignificant comment. I told him I didn't really know what caused it.

That night on the news it was said "a man's house burned down because he was working on a motorcycle". The very next day a dead raccoon carcass was found at ground zero indicating that little bastard caused the fire by knocking over a gas can. OK I was the one who left the door open and the lid off the gas can but that was never reported.

The facts were there but the truth was quite distorted. And the moral of that story....facts aren't necessarily the truth.