Mainstream Medi- Ad Nauseum

[XLFD]

This week the rampant protests that have shaken many of the world's governments to their foundations reached a new fever pitch in Spain where they spread last month, more details emerged of the systematic sexual assault of female protesters by the military in Egypt using so-called "virginity tests," the U.S. Congress debated enforcing the War Powers Resolution and the U.S. Constitution itself against Obama's illegal war in Libya, which has lasted longer than the 60 day deadline after which the President requires Congressional approval, and another debate raged over the U.S. debt ceiling.

Yet for an entire maddening week, all the mainstream media seemed to care about was Anthony Weiner's wiener and Sarah Palin riding a motorcycle.

Never mind true world-historical events that are shaping the future for generations to come, all the mainstream media obviously wanted you to think about this week was the former governor of Alaska riding a motorcycle.

And don't forget! She also had lunch with Donald Trump! That's right, Sarah Palin had lunch. Hey guys-- you'll never believe this-- Sarah Palin had pizza today! Put that on the front page!  It's like for an entire week, all the major news media  became Sarah Palin's personal Twitter feed, letting us all know when Sarah Palin rode a motorcycle, ate lunch, or sneezed.

But it should concern us deeply when news companies that purport to be serious sources of information to enlighten and inform the public are in reality peddlers of tabloid journalism and shallow entertainment. Their coveted reputations should be challenged relentlessly until they change or admit what they really are.

What's especially dangerous about tabloid journalism disguised as legitimate news is the way it clouds real political issues and reduces them to this or that politician's most recent sexual scandal, conflating that politician's ideology and policy stances with his or her private sexual behavior. I do not agree with Anthony Weiner on a lot of issues, but dragging him through the mud because of his private sex life and making him the object of public ridicule for his personal choices and his admittedly humorously unfortunate last name is not real news.

The mainstream media is clearly financially invested in your ignorance. While wars, protests, and economic crises rage the world over, while Congress bipartisanly repudiated the President's actions in Libya, the media spent an entire excruciating week pouring over the minutiae of a politician-turned-celebrity's dining and transportation choices and a single congressman's sex scandal.  At best, these should merit the Entertainment section in newspapers, and be discussed glancingly in the monolog of late-night entertainment shows.  And serve as levity on blogs.

 

Neither of these events will be in the history books, but if future generations of students are lucky, there will be a lesson on America's rampant 21st century problem with Yellow Journalism.

[Willy]

The problem is not the journalist but the people who want to wallow in this garbage. News medias are only giving the people what they want. This new generation and much of the older generation have been spoon fed so much crap on TV that they believe almost anything that is told to them. People are just not using their heads and digging into issues to find the truth. They have been conditioned to skim over information and draw conclusions from the minute and imcomplete propanganda issued by the tabloid media. People today want quick and easy to understand information and they really don't care if it is accurate.

[XLFD]

Your astute reasoning is why I left the third news event this week out of the mix, the Casey Anthony trial, which is more tabloid than court news.  Ratings move these guys so much nowadays, and they think going full-tabloid sells more papers or increases commercal ad rates. 

The straight news on FOX Report w/ Shepard Smith seemed to be about the only news show this week I noted that is not fixed on just these stories, and they do well in the ratings game.  News junkies should get off their fixes on the fluff that passes for news.

[easymoney]

to many people believe reality tv. is real DUH