Government intervention, manipulation and political bias in media

[iNow]

Do you feel that it is news?

 

Only in the same way that crayons are an acceptable writing utensil when composing a college level essay. That doesn't negate, however, the large populations of people that find crayons not only acceptable, but deem them to be the best choice available to them.

[Pangloss]

Right. And that's different from The Daily Show... how?

[Pangloss]

K, that's "not at all", then.

 

Tonight's TDS rip into Justice Scalia over his 60 Minutes interview was a typical example. Scalia was talking about the legal question of whether torture fell under the constitutional prohobition against cruel and unusual punishment, suggesting that it did not do so because it isn't punishment, but rather interrogation. That position can certainly be debated with valid arguments on the other side, but Jon Stewart pulled a complete logical fallacy in his criticism, quoting him out of context on several issues.

 

But TDS's ideological criticism, framed as comedy, will probably have 5-10 TIMES the visibility amongst young people, versus 60 Minutes, a show typically watched by older people. So young people who didn't see 60 Minutes will walk away with an unfairly negative opinion of Justice Scalia. Even if they know it was a comedy piece.

 

Bill O'Reilly or The Daily Show: Pick your poison.

[iNow]

I saw both the 60 Minutes interview AND the Daily Show comedy last night.

 

I learned from both, and took different understandings away from each. Coupled with everything else I've read and seen on the subject, both presentations allowed me to form a more robust concept all by myself.

 

Where exactly is the problem again? Are we really arguing about which is a news show (the one on FOX news channel) and which one presents information in a way that makes people laugh (the one on the Comedy Central channel)? I'm pretty sure that's not why this thread was opened, nor how that even matters, but okay.

[Pangloss]

I think you're being dismissive of my argument and dodging my question.

 

I don't think TDS is news either, but I do think it's political commentary, just exactly the same as Bill O'Reilly, which is also not news, but in fact political commentary. Do you or do you not agree with that statement?

[ParanoiA]

Well surely though you could scale it back a bit and say TDS contains political commentary, whereas Billy boy is exclusively dedicated to it?

 

Neither are news, that's for sure.

[iNow]

I don't think TDS is news either, but I do think it's political commentary, just exactly the same as Bill O'Reilly, which is also not news, but in fact political commentary.

 

The Daily Show is like David Letterman.

Bill O'Reilly is like Fox's version of Larry King.

 

Apples and oranges.

 

Either way, ParanoiA answered this better than I could have, and he's quite right.

 

One "contains" political commentary, the other is fully "rooted" in political commentary.

 

 

 

I think people may recognise that news agencies are becoming increasingly "slanted", one could say in propmoting political views. I guess, it is rather obvious, that they often "spin" the news to protect their owners, and their investors' interests. This makes sense, as in any enviroment the only role of a business is to make profit, it is the yardstick of success.

 

I read a comment yesterday which resonated with me, and it was basically this.

 

Each day, I become more and more tired of the news encroaching on the market of the tabloids. Things were much better when there was less overlap between them.

 

 

EDIT: Here

[Pangloss]

The Daily Show is like David Letterman.

Bill O'Reilly is like Fox's version of Larry King.

 

Rofl. When you make me laugh like that I can't think straight enough to argue with you. Damn your hide.

[iNow]

Rofl. When you make me laugh like that I can't think straight enough to argue with you. Damn your hide.

 

Pangloss, it's a bad idea to attack and ridicule people who don't agree with you. It is detrimental to the health of the board and I won't sit idly by when it happens.

[Pangloss]

That wasn't an attack, it was a joke.

[iNow]

This guy is batshit crazy. Either that, or he's got some serious chemical imbalance. Just the kind of "still waters run deep" people we want directing the attention of our nation's populace, wouldn't you say?

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2tJjNVVwRCY

[Pangloss]

No, I wouldn't say that. I also don't shiver and worry about President Obama when Rev. Wright talks about the CIA creating and distributing AIDS in black communities, or causing 9/11.

 

But hey, if you want to do something about partisan spin doctors on both sides, let's hear your suggestion. There are some scenarios I might be willing to go along with there. I can toss out a couple suggestions as well if you want.