I try my best to follow news stories from numerous sources. I watch it on TV where I can. What I miss I try to catch online.
For those of you who don’t get your news fix online, many news agencies provide comment areas on stories in order to help promote dialogue between individuals. A noble effort, as discussion of the events are great way’s to promote understanding of various points of view.
Or at least that is the theory… in practice… not so much.
It seems that many individuals now take it upon themselves to hate on the media for sharing stories that happen in the world, if the stories they read don’t promote their particular point of view.
Case in point…
One story about families of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan hoping that the Harper Government will extend the mission in that country beyond the 2011 withdrawal date brought about 2 diametrically opposite accusations on the news agency that broke the story.
The first was shock that a “leftist pinko Media source that hates the Harper Government” would do a story that somehow promotes the military involvement in Afghanistan, against “their obvious biased against the military and the Government itself”
Within two entries, another commenter said this agency is “nothing but a Government propaganda machine” whose sole purpose is to promote this government regardless of whether people want our military in Afghanistan or not.
Which one is it people?
The discussion stopped being about the families who despite losing a child in the war are hoping to have the government continue on, and started being about whether or not the news agency should have been doing the story, and the fact that they were being slanted... seemingly on BOTH sides of the arguement.
Since neither side of the debate seemed happy that the story was done at all, it indicated to me exactly what the story was...“fair and unbiased reporting. Piss everyone off and you probably have it exactly right.
Many news agencies, including the one in question here, have done countless number of stories that cover the protests against the military actions in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. They bring us the information about the deaths and incidents that occur over there to let us know what is going on. The battles our men and women are fighting over there and the results and human interest stories associated with it.
But then we hear these clearly partisan viewers/listeners/readers throw around terms like “media propaganda”, that haven’t the single bloodiest idea what the hell they are talking about. They haven't a clue on what being fed propaganda really is. They have no knowledge of what a TRUE government operated media source is like. They take for granted the stories they hear, never once taking a moment to actually imagine what it would be like to live in a third world country, or one with a dictator who controls all media sources.
Imagine living in North Korea, or Iran, or China. Do you think the news they receive in those countries are “fair and unbiased”.
Now I know what you are all saying… “Raymond, you are just being extra sensitive to this because your girlfriend is a reporter over in Afghanistan now. You used to be a reporter and are a part of the media so you HAVE to defend their slimy actions”.
Perhaps.
I have to admit, I bristle a little when the media is criticized in this way because I was in news myself and because I know many people who are currently. While there are some who have trouble separating their own personal views from the stories they work on, for the most part, we ALL just want to tell the story. Give you the facts and let you formulate your own opinions on it from there.
Sadly, the public doesn't seem capable of giving the media the benefit of the doubt anymore because all media is under suspicion of being overly slanted one way or the other. In my mind, there are two reasons we have those suspicions.
I blame MSNBC and FOX News SOLELY for the lines that have been drawn in the sand and for perpetuating the belief that all news sources are slanted and only provide the fact that they want to show.
For the longest time I had both FOX News and MSNBC to feed the obsession/addiction I had, and then I had to stop. The frustration was getting too much to bear. No longer were the events making the headlines for these agencies. No, now these corporations were reporting on how their COMPETITION was reporting on the news. It became a bigger deal to report on how the other guy was reporting the events, than the damn events themselves.
I can’t even tell you about the countless stories that were done on BOTH SIDES concerning the RATINGS for these channels.
Are you kidding me? Ratings? RATINGS? We have war, natural disasters, economic turmoil, social injustice, environmental calamity, political unrest abroad and right here at home… and you MORONS ARE TALKING ABOUT RATINGS? You are pissing and moaning about how the “other guy” runs their channel?
I cancelled those subscriptions and have not gone back to them, despite the aggressive pull that they have on me and my news addiction. What I want is INFORMATION… not INFOTAINMENT. So while part of me understands the mistrust, I am not willing to paint all media with that same brush. I have weeded out the worst offenders and am still getting all the info I need to get through the day.
So I have a suggestion for you all. If you aren’t sure about a story you’ve heard or read, check another source’s account of the event in question. A little extra time devoted to broadening your horizons and perspective on the topic will make for a more enlightened mind and greater understanding of what's going on around you.
And for crying out loud, stop killing the damn messenger... just don't subscribe to the bad ones!
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