I doubt our founding fathers ever anticipated a free press driven, not by the desire to inform the populace, but driven primarily by the desire for profit. Today's "Press" (now popularly expanded to all forms of information dissemination, and called "Media") is the true Power Behind the Throne. (Oh, you thought we live in a Democracy?)
Do you ever wonder why it takes 150 photographers to record one congressional hearing? Or 40 rabid reporters thrusting microphones into the face of some hapless "person of interest" asking incredibly stupid questions? Couldn't have anything to do with personal gain, could it?
Find old tapes of interviews, or, better, of early Presidential press conferences, and you'll immediately notice that the reporters weren't the stars of the event. While you heard them voice their questions, the camera stayed on the object of the interview! How novel!
Pay attention to the TV newsreaders when they are forced to ad lib. Not too articulate, are they. So who is writing the words they're reading? Shouldn't we know that?
Are you dismayed when you're told "Americans think . . ."? I have trouble finding three other people who agree with what I think, let alone the entire country. Or, how about turning off your TV because you are sick and tired of the endless babel over Michael Jackson's trial, or some other media-hyped event - Then, when it's over, one of those hypers turns to a fellow hyper and says, "Why is it that America was spellbound by this trial?" (Maybe they were referring to a friend who happened to be named America??) Not.
Do you ever wish you could find balanced information about something you consider newsworthy - instead of only hearing about what "Media" has decided is newsworthy? Is there any doubt why we turn to the internet for information (even though newsreaders will be quick to warn us that the information is "unsubstantiated")?
The internet. What a blessing. Sure, there are those who abuse it or misuse it, but, for the first time in human history, we have an incredibly powerful communication tool, that is truly controlled by The People. I wonder when and how They will figure out how to take it away from us?
2 comments:
OK, I already disagree with your 1st 2 posts! WHO I am does matter, because Im a newspaper reporter. And I think your comments are lopsided and unfair. Some of us are in this job becaues we care passonately about the people's right to know what is going on in the world.
I'm glad you're passionate (note the spelling - I hope that was just a typo, although typos can be deadly, too, in your line of work.
Oh, you missed on "Im" and "becaues" as well. It takes more than passion to do the job right. If your spelling is innacurate, why shouldn't I worry about the accuracy of your facts?
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