Has News Always Been This Bad?

POSTED BY: AnthonyT
UPDATED: Saturday, October 11, 2025 22:12
VIEWED: 6485
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ANTHONYT

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 5:23 PM

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2008/07/08/ng.slain.student.cnn

Hello,

I was watching this video feed from CNN, and something rubbed me the wrong way. It's come up before, but it feels like it's becoming more and more prevalent.

I feel that when I was a young person, you had news shows which reported the news, and editorial shows which gave opinions on the news.

Now it seems as though all news shows also editorialize the news. I don't like to see my news reporters getting loud and excited and pointing out obvious personal opinions. Waving your hands in the air and saying, "Right There! Right There," in the middle of a news story strikes me as poor news delivery.

I want my reporters to deliver the news, not interpret the news or give opinions on the news, unless I'm looking at a special editorial segment or show.

Has news always been this bad, or is it getting worse?

--Anthony

"Liberty must not be purchased at the cost of Humanity." --Captain Robert Henner

CHRISISALL

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 5:26 PM

News was worse during the Vietnam War, IMO.

Ancient Chrisisall

KWICKO

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 6:21 PM

You kind of have to expect it on 24-hours news networks - they have 24 hours to fill, every single day, and they have to look excited about SOMETHING.

If all you want is reporting of the news, I'd say switch over to Headline News for a start, or read a paper, which will usually give you far more NEWS and facts, and less hyperbole.

Also, it kinda helps to mix up your news sources a bit, and to also know going in that this guy or that girl has a certain bias. I *like* Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" program, but I don't pretend he doesn't have a leftist agenda. If you watch it for any length of time, you'll also figure out that he's not just biased toward the left, but he's biased towards certain particular individuals on the left. As such, I tend to try to take it with a large-ish grain of salt.

Has the news always been this bad? Well, there was worse news coming out during Viet Nam, but to answer what I think you're trying to ask, the editorializing has always been around, but not always quite so blatantly or prevalently (is that even a word?). Cronkite editorialized after the Tet Offensive in 'Nam that the war was unwinnable, and that was credited a great deal toward shifting American attitudes towards the war at the time - if Cronkite said it, it must be true!

So, yeah, it's always been around, but you didn't used to get beat up with it 24/7/365 like you do now, from all angles. Used to be you'd get your dose at 6:00 and be good for the day.

Mike

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence[sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero, Real World Event Discussions

I can't help the sinking feeling that my country is now being run by people who read "1984" not as a cautionary tale, but rather as an instruction manual. - Michael Mock

The Myrmidons were an ancient nation of very brave and skilled warriors as described in Homer's Iliad, and were commanded by Achilles. - Wikipedia

SIGNYM

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 6:57 PM

It's infotainment.

In the late 60s and 70s the media did SOME investigative journalism. Now, they just lap up whatever the authority spouts, whether it's the WH spokesperson or the local chief dog-catcher. But it used to be worse... back in the 50's and early 60's. I recall "duck and cover" (as if THAT would help!), previous to that there was the Red Scare, which was broadcast with a breathless frisson of terror.

---------------------------------
Let's party like it's 1929.

FREMDFIRMA

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 10:24 PM

Yes.

But thanks to the internet breaking their lock and stranglehold on the information that reaches you, and the increasing blatancy of the biases, which breaks the often-willing suspension of disbelief - they just get CAUGHT more often, is all.

I find it just annoying as you to crosscheck sources against each other only to find that every single one of them copy-pasted the article verbatim from someone elses press release, and in truth the last serious investigative journalist who wasn't a total hack was Sam the Shovel Donaldson, who blew his own career and reputation when he ADMITTED (with apology) that we was forced to favor a particular candidate or risk his job.

He should have told em to go to hell, but at LEAST he had the damn decency to both admit it, and apologise, even knowing what that would do to his career - took a certain amount of guts, though not as much as tellin em to piss off in the first place woulda.

These days, if you want real investigative journalism, you have to do it yourself.

-Frem
It cannot be said enough, those who do not learn from history, are doomed to endlessly repeat it

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 10:38 PM

If it bleeds, it leads. The news will always go w/ the premise that bad news gets viewers. W/ the dinosaur media dying out, they'll stop at nothing, - NOTHING to draw viewers to their 'shows'.

"Man gives birth to baby "

No, a man did NOT give birth to a baby, but that's what you'll see in every damn headline. Why ? Because that's far more interesting than the FACT. A woman, who grew up, had some surgery and chemical therapy, got pregnant ( because SHE STILL HAD THE PARTS TO GET PREGNANT ) and then delivered a baby - like ALL mothers do, via their birth canal. She might have changed her name, but she had women parts, all the same.

SHE wasn't a man, no matter what the headlines tell you.

It is not those who use the term "Islamo-Fascism" who are sullying the name of Islam; it is the Islamo-Fascists. - Dennis Prager

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 6:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by AnthonyT:

Has news always been this bad, or is it getting worse?

--Anthony

News was bad before TV, too. There was a lot of coverage of unpleasantness between 1860 and 1865; during the 1930's and 40's, epecially Dec 1941 to 1942 and various other times.
And during the TV era, news was real bad during Dec. 2002-- Fox cancelled this low rated TV series they had for a while.

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 9:23 AM

Much worse before, and many didn't even know it.
Fox News Channel really helped balance things out, and free access to information via the internet also helped clarify.

CITIZEN

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 9:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jewelstaitefan:
Much worse before, and many didn't even know it.
Fox News Channel really helped balance things out, and free access to information via the internet also helped clarify.

Phfffftt! heh, excellent example of your keen critical analysis. Helps explain all of your posts. So you like your news "thoroughly un-fact checked and biased" then, bravo!

More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

JONGSSTRAW

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 11:49 AM

Has News Always Been This Bad?

The answer is for most of America's history its been worse. Fear not, things will improve, they always do.

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