[CLUE-Talk] Political compass \\ tv news

[bill ehlert]

--- Jeff Cann <j.cann at isuma.org> wrote:

    . . .

> Unfortunately,  (IMHO) the majority of
> Americans prefer entertainment/news 
> casts, rather than just
 straight news.  'News'
> tends to be unsexy and boring.  
> But, some clever producers
 over the past 15-20
> years figured out how to 
> sensationalize it and guess
 what?  -- even the
> local TV (lame) newscasts are 
> constantly fear mongering
 and sensationalizing
> their 'news' stories about 
> West Nile or 'whatever you
 should be scared
> about, tonight at 10'...


**  how painfully true.

    another aspect of tv news that's
    also contemptible and irritating
    is the "hook":

    "the entire solar system will
    be destroyed tomorrow morning at
    9:00 a.m.  stay tuned to channel
    17 for details."

    then whoever said that turns to
    the other person at the "anchor"
    desk and they smirk at each other.
    
    then there are several minutes of
    commercials.

    but why the heck watch any tv
    news at all?  [ some exceptions:
    9/11, bombs on baghdad, the
    presidential theft-fest ; i
    couldn't stay away from those. ]


> Let me suggest two books for an interesting
> take on the media.
> 
> "Inventing Reality" by Michael Parenti (1993)
>  +
>
http://www.michaelparenti.org/InventingReality.html
> 
> "Culture of Fear"  by Barry Glasner (2000)
>  +
>
http://www.booksense.com/product/info.jsp?isbn=0465014909
> 
> Jeff





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