This is weird.I had just written to a paper saying the same thing. As a former member (albeit low level) of the Fourth Estate, I am genuinely hoping that "the second oldest profession" gives up "the oldest profession" (intellectually) after an eight-year fling.
I realize the author is being cynical, but maybe, just, maybe, a few more papers will find their soul.
http://www.enterstageright.com/0800media.htm
The coming media epiphany
By Charles Bloomer
For the past seven and a half years, the mainstream media have been derelict in their duties.
Rather than functioning as the vigilant sentinels of society, the media have shown themselves to be the propaganda machine of the Democratic Party. But I predict that in the near future, the media will change. In fact, I predict that the change will happen sometime during the night of November 7.
The only condition I place on my prediction is that this epiphany, this sudden enlightenment will occur only if George W. Bush wins the election.
On the morning of November 8, following the election of George W. Bush, the old media will suddenly awaken from their lethargy. The sleepy cobwebs will clear from their befuddled minds and they will suddenly remember what their purpose is – to serve as the public's watchdogs of the political process.
Since 1992, these watchdogs have voluntarily muzzled themselves, choosing to ignore, deny, or spin the corruption of the Clinton administration.
These guardians of truth have allowed the lies and deceit of the current occupant of the White House to go unchallenged, unreported, and unresolved. They merely go through the motions of being an independent, unbiased press.
Allegations may be reported, but no follow-up occurs. Stories are printed about scandalous behavior, but no in-depth investigation gets initiated. The lies, scandal and corruption are glossed over and buried under the concocted stories of cruise missile strikes against aspirin factories and empty caves. White House press releases are reprinted and passed off as "news". (as are HCI handouts - Oatka)
The old, entrenched media's failure to adequately cover the scandals of the current occupant in the White House has led to the rise of the "New Media", generally based on the Internet. Sites such as World Net Daily (www.worldnetdaily.com), NewsMax (www.newsmax.com), the Drudge Report (www.drudgereport.com) and CNSNews.com (www.cnsnews.com) have eagerly taken on the role as hard-hitting, tenacious news sources providing in-depth coverage of political scandals and old media complicity.
The old media practitioners claim to be unbiased and non-partisan. Or, if they admit to their bias, they claim that bias does not interfere with their reporting. But an objective review of the reporting over the past eight years provides a different conclusion.
In a recent column in World Net Daily, Paul Sperry identifies the specific failures of the old media. Mr. Sperry presents 17 specific instances of corruption in the White House that the mainstream media has ignored, minimized, or distorted.
He asserts that "after 39-plus scandals" and "seven outside investigations, you'd think Clinton's crookedness would be bumper-sticker obvious" to the sycophants that call themselves reporters. The failure to identify the Clinton administration as the most corrupt in American history, according to Mr. Sperry, is caused by ideological attraction of the old media to Mr. Clinton.
"A whopping 89 percent of Washington reporters and 60 percent of bureau chiefs voted for [Clinton] in 1992 – compared with just 43 percent of the electorate."
Mr. Sperry's lucid, straightforward presentation is hard to argue with.
The same old media to which Mr. Sperry refers will still be in place after the November election. The same faces will show up on the TV news programs and at the White House news conferences. The ideology of that media will also be in place – an ideology that is intolerant and vehemently hostile to the values and principles for which a president-elect Bush would stand. The popping sound we will hear will be the heads of the "White House ostrich corps" (Mr. Sperry's excellent characterization) popping out of their holes.
The liberal mainstream press will experience a re-awakening to its duties. There will be no press "honeymoon" for Mr. Bush. The daggers so long unused will flash in the January inaugural sun.
Will these liberal media types finally admit to their bias, finally admit to their favoritism? Don't hold your breath. The first few weeks of the new Republican President's term will be filled with hand wringing acknowledgements of laxity, confessions of soul-searching, admissions of minor inconsistencies in reporting habits, followed by a promise of renewed fortitude, a strengthened commitment to getting to the truth, a vow for a revitalized critique of the political process.
No longer will the press be remiss in its duties. No longer will the guardians of truth allow a scandal to go unreported. The apologies will abound and will echo through the studios of every newsroom in the country. "Mistakes were made," the media will admit, "We need to move on and put this all behind us. We have seen the light and now you can trust us."
Mark your calendars. If George W. Bush wins the election on November 7, then November 8 will be the Media Epiphany of the new millennium.
© 2000 Charles Bloomer Mr. Bloomer can be contacted at clbloomer@erols.com.
© 2000, Enter Stage Right and/or its creators.
[This message has been edited by Oatka (edited August 01, 2000).]
I realize the author is being cynical, but maybe, just, maybe, a few more papers will find their soul.
http://www.enterstageright.com/0800media.htm
The coming media epiphany
By Charles Bloomer
For the past seven and a half years, the mainstream media have been derelict in their duties.
Rather than functioning as the vigilant sentinels of society, the media have shown themselves to be the propaganda machine of the Democratic Party. But I predict that in the near future, the media will change. In fact, I predict that the change will happen sometime during the night of November 7.
The only condition I place on my prediction is that this epiphany, this sudden enlightenment will occur only if George W. Bush wins the election.
On the morning of November 8, following the election of George W. Bush, the old media will suddenly awaken from their lethargy. The sleepy cobwebs will clear from their befuddled minds and they will suddenly remember what their purpose is – to serve as the public's watchdogs of the political process.
Since 1992, these watchdogs have voluntarily muzzled themselves, choosing to ignore, deny, or spin the corruption of the Clinton administration.
These guardians of truth have allowed the lies and deceit of the current occupant of the White House to go unchallenged, unreported, and unresolved. They merely go through the motions of being an independent, unbiased press.
Allegations may be reported, but no follow-up occurs. Stories are printed about scandalous behavior, but no in-depth investigation gets initiated. The lies, scandal and corruption are glossed over and buried under the concocted stories of cruise missile strikes against aspirin factories and empty caves. White House press releases are reprinted and passed off as "news". (as are HCI handouts - Oatka)
The old, entrenched media's failure to adequately cover the scandals of the current occupant in the White House has led to the rise of the "New Media", generally based on the Internet. Sites such as World Net Daily (www.worldnetdaily.com), NewsMax (www.newsmax.com), the Drudge Report (www.drudgereport.com) and CNSNews.com (www.cnsnews.com) have eagerly taken on the role as hard-hitting, tenacious news sources providing in-depth coverage of political scandals and old media complicity.
The old media practitioners claim to be unbiased and non-partisan. Or, if they admit to their bias, they claim that bias does not interfere with their reporting. But an objective review of the reporting over the past eight years provides a different conclusion.
In a recent column in World Net Daily, Paul Sperry identifies the specific failures of the old media. Mr. Sperry presents 17 specific instances of corruption in the White House that the mainstream media has ignored, minimized, or distorted.
He asserts that "after 39-plus scandals" and "seven outside investigations, you'd think Clinton's crookedness would be bumper-sticker obvious" to the sycophants that call themselves reporters. The failure to identify the Clinton administration as the most corrupt in American history, according to Mr. Sperry, is caused by ideological attraction of the old media to Mr. Clinton.
"A whopping 89 percent of Washington reporters and 60 percent of bureau chiefs voted for [Clinton] in 1992 – compared with just 43 percent of the electorate."
Mr. Sperry's lucid, straightforward presentation is hard to argue with.
The same old media to which Mr. Sperry refers will still be in place after the November election. The same faces will show up on the TV news programs and at the White House news conferences. The ideology of that media will also be in place – an ideology that is intolerant and vehemently hostile to the values and principles for which a president-elect Bush would stand. The popping sound we will hear will be the heads of the "White House ostrich corps" (Mr. Sperry's excellent characterization) popping out of their holes.
The liberal mainstream press will experience a re-awakening to its duties. There will be no press "honeymoon" for Mr. Bush. The daggers so long unused will flash in the January inaugural sun.
Will these liberal media types finally admit to their bias, finally admit to their favoritism? Don't hold your breath. The first few weeks of the new Republican President's term will be filled with hand wringing acknowledgements of laxity, confessions of soul-searching, admissions of minor inconsistencies in reporting habits, followed by a promise of renewed fortitude, a strengthened commitment to getting to the truth, a vow for a revitalized critique of the political process.
No longer will the press be remiss in its duties. No longer will the guardians of truth allow a scandal to go unreported. The apologies will abound and will echo through the studios of every newsroom in the country. "Mistakes were made," the media will admit, "We need to move on and put this all behind us. We have seen the light and now you can trust us."
Mark your calendars. If George W. Bush wins the election on November 7, then November 8 will be the Media Epiphany of the new millennium.
© 2000 Charles Bloomer Mr. Bloomer can be contacted at clbloomer@erols.com.
© 2000, Enter Stage Right and/or its creators.
[This message has been edited by Oatka (edited August 01, 2000).]
