Enron

Thomas · Feb 21, 2002

I would have choosen Dan Rather over Walter Cronkite.

Dan Rather played the side at the time which was winning the war,and thru out the years he use the back door more than once to his advantage.
Yes Walter Cronkite did tend to be a tad wishy washy,but he told you like it was.
Daivd Brinkley...he will tell you where the bear poops in the woods for sure. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bayrat · Feb 21, 2002

By today's standards, most of the old TV icons were less /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif bias. Todays "reporters"/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif and talking heads are a side show for the left wing. But you have to put it all into perspective according to the times. Jack Kennedy offered and provided for tax cuts and defense spending. He was considered a liberal democrat at the time. In reality, I would compare him to the W. Bush of today. He did have a slightly seedy personal side but he was a good leader and certainly the better of the Kennedy's in politics. Unfortunately for us common folks, it is dollars and power that drive the news media today. I of all people give them that right to earn as much as they can, but don't help usurp the freedom of citizens doing it. Since they are granted the rights to use public airways, the real "news" should be just that. Say what happened and don't embellish upon it with your personal agenda. Balance the news, if you run a story showing a shooting with an "automatic weapon" (you know, the ones banned from the public in the 30's), also show how the person arrested for the crime was coddled by the judicial system in previous arrests and is probably out on probation for another armed robbery or murder and possesed the weapon illegally to begin with.

Wingnut · Feb 21, 2002

I'm staying out of this one just to prove I can .... but I will say that unbiased reporting would be extremely easy to recognize .... "just the facts, ma'am" ... haven't seen that in a great many years!

(Right)WingNut

Chuck52 · Feb 21, 2002

Bayrat, I would agree with you that most of the mainline news anchors seem to be on the liberal side, which I find particularly irritating, because they also aren't very bright. They don't represent what you might characterize as my liberal attitudes/views very well. On the other hand, I think the balance of "talking heads" must work out better. At least I find myself really PO'd fairly often when they get going; i.e. judging by my blood pressure, there must be quite a few conservative talking heads out there. I remember thinking during some exchanges between a few of these folks that the conservative ones must go to some kind of school for talking heads that teaches them to never allow the liberal talking head they are debating to finish a sentence.

Chuck

PitbullMidwest · Feb 21, 2002

(Right)WingNut 

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Chuck52 · Feb 21, 2002

(Right)Wing Nut 

AH HA! One finally comes out!

Chuck

Egon · Feb 21, 2002

Somewhere I have read that western media is controlled/ owned by approximetly 10 groups.

Egon

Thomas · Feb 21, 2002

I agree about your view on news coverage!!
The top 4 tv stations I believe are worried about one thing..rateings..so maybe thats where the go be on whats needed.

Bayrat · Feb 21, 2002

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gifFunny you should say that Chuck! That is my experience only in reverse. Again, perspective plays a big part here. I believe most people in the media and MANY in politics are just plain overbearing and obnoxious. It is a required major in reporting/debating school/w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif. My personal experience with them is limited to emergency scene reporting and corporate reps...in both cases the theory holds true. What has amazed me is they can be given specfic facts for a particular incident and when you watch it on the news or read it in the paper you honestly wonder /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif if they were at the same disaster as you. And I mean this happens every time.

TerryinMD · Feb 22, 2002

Bayrat,

There is a very simple reason for the "hows" of the reporting. It doesn't fit the adopted formula and the reporters views. As Thomas pointed out, ratings are one of the key factors for the "news" programs today.

Why do all of the national and local stations have to advertise their news programs with promos? Hint-hint.... /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

Terry