TV is the devil
I have a theory.
I have been overseas for the last year, and while I never watched TV news much, I have now also been cut off from local papers. Instead, I have been relying on magazines for my news (FP, The Economist, US News & World Report) and now the folks on TV all seem super extreme - even when I know what they are saying and it isn't that extreme. I think the quick format of all TV news and most major market newspapers prohibits any meaningful consideration of the issues, and counts on inflammatory statements to get sales and ratings.
I don't know what can be done about it - just griping I guess...
TV gets ratings by saying "if you don't watch you'll die," or "if you don't watch the president will kill you!" or "if you don't watch, the government will take all your money." The only way they can sell that is by being extreme.
In my opinion.
Cannot think of a name
15-05-2005, 01:43
Reading Media (how it's made, how it interacts, how it's read, etc.) needs to be part of the ciriculum(sp). Without that, the populace as a whole is really just media's bitch.
I have a theory.
I have been overseas for the last year, and while I never watched TV news much, I have now also been cut off from local papers. Instead, I have been relying on magazines for my news (FP, The Economist, US News & World Report) and now the folks on TV all seem super extreme - even when I know what they are saying and it isn't that extreme. I think the quick format of all TV news and most major market newspapers prohibits any meaningful consideration of the issues, and counts on inflammatory statements to get sales and ratings.
I don't know what can be done about it - just griping I guess...
I hope TV IS the devil! I worship TV! Therefore, if TV is the devil, I am officially a devil worshipper! AWESOME!
If lovin tv is wrong then I don't wanna be right!
I hope TV IS the devil! I worship TV! Therefore, if TV is the devil, I am officially a devil worshipper! AWESOME!
What a bright youth.
What a bright youth.
I hope that wasn't sarcasm. FYI, I took an IQ test at 11 years old and scored 160. I am a child genius! *I say, as I spell check the word "genius". ;)*
Phylum Chordata
15-05-2005, 01:49
You need a public broadcaster WITH LOTS OF BUILT IN PROTECTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE to provide facts, and public education, etc. For example, the BBC in Britain, which is trusted throughout the world, and the ABC in Australia which is (generally) trusted throughout south-east Asia. I'm sorry, but I can't think of any news services in the Americas that I could call trusted, but surely there must be some, no?
You need a public broadcaster WITH LOTS OF BUILT IN PROTECTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE to provide facts, and public education, etc. For example, the BBC in Britain, which is trusted throughout the world, and the ABC in Australia which is (generally) trusted throughout south-east Asia. I'm sorry, but I can't think of any news services in the Americas that I could call trusted, but surely there must be some, no?
Turner Network Television(TNT)
I hope that wasn't sarcasm. FYI, I took an IQ test at 11 years old and scored 160. I am a child genius! *I say, as I spell check the word "genius". ;)*
You can always tell who the really smart people are because they constantly feel the need to remind everyone of their IQ, GPA, SATs, etc...
You need a public broadcaster WITH LOTS OF BUILT IN PROTECTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE to provide facts, and public education, etc. For example, the BBC in Britain, which is trusted throughout the world, and the ABC in Australia which is (generally) trusted throughout south-east Asia. I'm sorry, but I can't think of any news services in the Americas that I could call trusted, but surely there must be some, no?
Well, FOX news and NPR are both honest and unbiased, right?
You can always tell who the really smart people are because they constantly feel the need to remind everyone of their IQ, GPA, SATs, etc...
Duh! I'm a geek, it's all I have! :p
Ainthenar
15-05-2005, 01:58
wait, so TV is the devil, or TV news is the devil? I dont know about you, but I like watching sports on TV more than reading about them in magazines. but, you have a point about the media.
Duh! I'm a geek, it's all I have! :p
Nothing wrong with being a geek. The ladies love it! I myself am a dual major in Math an Physics (minor in Computer Science) with a 12th level Elven Cleric/Mage; I can recite the entire first series of Babylon 5 in Klingon!
My hobbies include Wheel of Time books, Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft and Comic Books.
I slept with this one girl once, in Canada, and I'm sure you don't know her.
Ainthenar
15-05-2005, 01:58
Well, FOX news and NPR are both honest and unbiased, right?
I really hope thats a joke.
Aphroditie
15-05-2005, 01:59
I have a theory.
I have been overseas for the last year, and while I never watched TV news much, I have now also been cut off from local papers. Instead, I have been relying on magazines for my news (FP, The Economist, US News & World Report) and now the folks on TV all seem super extreme - even when I know what they are saying and it isn't that extreme. I think the quick format of all TV news and most major market newspapers prohibits any meaningful consideration of the issues, and counts on inflammatory statements to get sales and ratings.
I don't know what can be done about it - just griping I guess...
actually i've been studying mass media in college and you're exactly right. viewers of tv do tend to see the word as a harsh place called 'mean world syndrome' and there are a lot of exaggerations on tv. in the old days, this was done with news papers but now it's much worse.
StephenTheBOB
15-05-2005, 01:59
Well, FOX news and NPR are both honest and unbiased, right?
I SERIOUSLY hope that was sarcasm....
I have a theory.
I have been overseas for the last year, and while I never watched TV news much, I have now also been cut off from local papers. Instead, I have been relying on magazines for my news (FP, The Economist, US News & World Report) and now the folks on TV all seem super extreme - even when I know what they are saying and it isn't that extreme. I think the quick format of all TV news and most major market newspapers prohibits any meaningful consideration of the issues, and counts on inflammatory statements to get sales and ratings.
I don't know what can be done about it - just griping I guess...
Print Media has less time constraints to worry about, and less senses to stimulate, so it may focus on more on the intellectual side.
In addition, your theory may be confused...it may be YOU that is changing, completley independent of television/print media. :p
Super-power
15-05-2005, 02:05
You need a public broadcaster WITH LOTS OF BUILT IN PROTECTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE to provide facts, and public education, etc.
How are those two things reconcilable? Considering that a public broadcaster is government-owned, how can it have built-in protections against its OWNER interfereing with it?
Swimmingpool
15-05-2005, 03:02
How are those two things reconcilable? Considering that a public broadcaster is government-owned, how can it have built-in protections against its OWNER interfereing with it?
I don't know, but the fact that the BBC (publicly owned) is less of a propaganda channel for the Labour Party than FOX (privately owned) is for the Republican Party proves that it is possible.
Cape Carnivale
15-05-2005, 03:10
You need a public broadcaster WITH LOTS OF BUILT IN PROTECTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE to provide facts, and public education, etc. For example, the BBC in Britain, which is trusted throughout the world, and the ABC in Australia which is (generally) trusted throughout south-east Asia. I'm sorry, but I can't think of any news services in the Americas that I could call trusted, but surely there must be some, no?
But with the current US regime, I think they would simply create it so as to be hyper-biased in their favour, rather than proximate to neutral.
Cape Carnivale
15-05-2005, 03:15
How are those two things reconcilable? Considering that a public broadcaster is government-owned, how can it have built-in protections against its OWNER interfereing with it?
I think it's more that they broadcast, not, with intentions of obtaining a large number of viewers, meaning that they would report more on things that are interesting, and fluff them up, to render the more interesting.
But, yes if the owner if somewhat corrupt/depraved, then you would probably have ultra-bias as I had said.
It probably has to be established by a morally decent administration, with neutral ethic, and then could have some sort of indepedant under the propaganda artists.
Super-power
15-05-2005, 03:47
It probably has to be established by a morally decent administration, with neutral ethic, and then could have some sort of indepedant under the propaganda artists.
Still, "power tends to corrupt....," which is why I utilize MANY news media outlets in print, TV, and Net