I just read an article on the CBS news website in which they RADICALLY distorted facts, presented outright lies, and showed misleading video. The subject was semi-automatic weapons, and the article represents a severe abuse of the trust one should have of news media, in order to promote a political agenda - in this case, anti-gun. It is here. If you watch this, be aware it is just plain bogus. Read the comments.
Many years ago, in the coverage of the Three Mile Island nuclear incident, I remember the news anchor using the expression "hydrogen explosion" several times. They were talking about a hydrogen GAS explosion, but the commentator was so happy to make it sound like a hydrogen BOMB explosion (thermonuclear) that the deception of the play on words disgusted me. The commentator was almost gleeful as he could just about see his ratings going up. Probably scared a lot of people that didn't really need to be scared.
Almost everywhere you look, deception and lies, usually slanted far left. The far left loses my vote right there, just because they use such techniques to spread their crap.
I am really, really tired of being lied to by news media that we should be able to trust.
The only news media I regularly watch any more is Fox News, and even with them I pay attention to make sure they don't start drifting off course. So far, they're still good. When they are talking opinion, it is clear that is what is going on. And facts are facts. This is no longer true of any other major news organization.
I wonder if it is legal to sue a news organization for intentionally publishing falsehood and lies? Why should they be immune from prosecution for this? I mean, after all, if you purchase a product that has been misrepresented, you can sue; so why not for the news? It should be illegal to publish a lie without labeling it 'fiction' or 'opinion'.
Yes, I know, free speech and all that. OK, let them publish their lies - just label it as such. They can say anything they want, as long as they let you know whether it is factual or not.
Well, I'm voting with my feet. I'm not watching CNN, or CBS, or any other news media I catch doing this kind of crap. Newspeople, you lie to me, you lose my attention because your credibility is destroyed. And I hope you go out of business. I'll do my part to make it happen.
-Pop
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3 comments:
I agree with you for the most part, however I wouldn't go so far as to say Fox is totally reliable. While they may not bend the truth as much, I notice they readily use captions that suggest more drama than is necessary. Comparing websites (I check both CNN and Fox daily), Fox also seems to answer the far left news by pushing far right news. There is no such thing as unbiased media. I have ranted about scare tactics in the media before (http://jalan46.livejournal.com/4658.html) and I think you're right on target about the hydrogen bomb scenario.
Even though we live in a world where you can sue McDonald's for spilling hot coffee on yourself, I doubt it will ever come to the point where you can seek legal retribution for misleading news. Simply because you can choose not to watch it if you don't like it. If you buy a product and it is falsely advertised or results in injury, that's different than hearing someones words that are wrong. If it were possible to sue someone for lying, this nation wouldn't last a day.
Regarding the left vs right media, it's kind of like the understanding that you're enemy is always the good guy in their own eyes. The left believe the left, the right believe the right. It's a very Dr. Seuss' Butter Side Up, Butter Side Down fight and I try to remain in the middle wherever possible. The current state of affairs is about a 30/70 split and the left is on the high end of the stick, therefore they get more voice because more people agree with them right now.
It's a sad and unchangeable situation which makes it all the more frustrating. Keep it coming Pop! (you ol' curmudgeon, you)
After thought... I've heard plenty of preachers get it way off speaking right from the pulpit(according to my interpretation of the bible). Should they be susceptible to a law suit as well? Cause if you're talking about a group we should really be able to trust, I think the church would fall into that category as well.
Thanks, J;
I'll have to disagree with your statement about 30/70 split and that more people agree with the left, now. I think in reality it's more 50/50, or maybe even 60/40 conservative, but the owners of the news media themselves have a bias to the left. I believe I can back this up with some research.
On the church front, that would have to be labeled 'opinion' except when explicitly quoting the Bible.
My basis for suing the media for intentionally distorting facts is based on the deception. A person cannot 'choose not to watch it' if they are not already aware it is a lie.
-Pop
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