warning about the Michael Jackson documentary

Imran Zaidi · February 9th, 2003, 02:11 PM

I couldn't agree more. It's really sad the way news in America is presented to the American audience. Everything is shown in easily digestible soundbites, in a way that supports currently established popular opinions or agendas. Very seldom do we ever hear anything in the news that challenges the question of who is right or who is wrong - we just get America-centric, America-approved versions of everything that advertisers will feel happy to advertise along with so as not to alienate any precious consumers.

I sometimes muse about what would happen if we had robots relaying the news. We might be shocked and frightened about what an impartial opinion might actually say, because it will often make everyone look bad, in all countries. That's just the global landscape we have - few people in the public eye are actually representative of popular opinion, but nonetheless have the public ear and capability of shaping popular opinion. Or at least, the only opinion that is loud enough for everyone to hear so we all just sorta nod along and say 'yeah, man, so true'.

This is a heavily capitalist society we live in, and unfortunately, the news media is living in that same society and driven by those same goals. As all these media companies merge and slowly blossom into bigger and bigger businesses, we should expect no less out of them. In big businesses, the bottom line is key. If one decision is less profitable than another, well, the more profitable solution wins out. And the bigger the organization is, the more so this is true. They have investors, advertisers and bottom lines to answer to, so corporate decision makers will make the business decisions that support the best financial result.

In a sense, this is a demented form of impartiality - they don't care what the subject matter is in the information they portray - as long as it is a form of legally justifiable truth that keeps the business legitimate and afloat by providing services that consumers ingest. Call it capitalist impartiality.

Derrick Begin · February 12th, 2003, 01:20 PM

Edward R. Murrow would jump-up and roll-over in his grave for the news sensationalism/spectacle/freakshows of today. News buried under everybody's opinions. Make it entertaining full of flashbulbs, beautiful people, and keep it short.

Even newspapers, front page stories of who's in bed with who. Does this do any good for anybody? The news, people should be in touch with, is pushed beneath a cement block of whats going on in the entertainment world.

Two point check varification out the window... Just print/air it and if we're sued its good P.R. and a great advertisement.

This 'entertainment' is equivalent to paying a quarter at a carnival...

"Alive! A two headed person! Alive! Half man, half bumble bee! See it here first!"

This was an effort to stay visable...

I apologize for going off on different tagents. I'm going to organize my thoughts and go for the jugular...

Kenn Jolemore · February 12th, 2003, 03:25 PM

There was a recent comment about todays "entertainment' and I assume they are talking about the "supposed" reality TV that has permeated the market that basicly said it is sucessfull even though people deride it and complain about it because it still has huge numbers in the ratings and is cheep to produce and deliver.
Much like the MJ interview , it is like watching a car reck . We all want to look away yet at the same time want to see the awfull results, the impact upon others.
We have long been on the Jerry Springer road,I see no divergence in that interview(if you wish to call it that)

February 14th, 2003, 06:28 PM

it's pointless to watch any basic programming here whatsoever. Only those who can afford a satelite dish have a few options like the independent film channel, sundance, or flix. i think if a person is constantly watching abc, nbc, fox, or cbs they are gonna get fed the same bland, right wing, subliminal content which may cause people who don't know any better (esp. children) to form some fallacious opinions about themselves and the world they see. As for news i tune my radio dial to radio stations like Pacifica where one can hear an alternative media voice.

Joe Carney · February 14th, 2003, 07:09 PM

I have Sundance, Independent film channel, plus the encore suite of channels gives me a good steady diet of foreign (from America) fare. Only wish there was something like Facets (of Chicago) locally.

Marc Betz · February 15th, 2003, 09:31 AM

I think you meant LEFT wing didn't you?

Imran Zaidi · February 15th, 2003, 12:37 PM

Well the media is definitely full of biased left and biased right stuff. Very seldom do we really see commentary that falls in the middle. It can actually be really unsettling to most, because you can't tell where the person is coming from.

An example is entertainer Bill Maher. He's a very unsettling character to watch when he's talking about politics. Though you could say he lives the lifestyle of a left-winger, he often spits out both left and right wing opinions. To me, he's very representative of 'independent' ideals because he 'calls em like he sees em'. Yes, he has his flaws, and many times I may not 'see em' like he 'sees em', but what I respect about him is that he speaks out on issues, rather than left or right wing platforms.

How many people do you know go to the polls and just look for the little R or D next to the republican or democrat, and that's all they need? It's so horrible, this bipartisan system. Full of politicians hiding behind the R and the D, without having to truly stand on issues independently.

It sounds like this is off-topic, but really, this ties directly in with the media. Everyone has a friggin' agenda. No one wants to just give you the news anymore, untainted, unbiased. In the end, the media wants to give us what we want, and you could say that is their only sin. But really, often what we 'want' is not what we need. What we need is cold hard news, not warm and fuzzy 'tell me what I want to hear' news.

February 12th, 2003, 03:25 PM	#18
Kenn Jolemore Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: norfolk Va. Posts: 124	There was a recent comment about todays "entertainment' and I assume they are talking about the "supposed" reality TV that has permeated the market that basicly said it is sucessfull even though people deride it and complain about it because it still has huge numbers in the ratings and is cheep to produce and deliver. Much like the MJ interview , it is like watching a car reck . We all want to look away yet at the same time want to see the awfull results, the impact upon others. We have long been on the Jerry Springer road,I see no divergence in that interview(if you wish to call it that) __________________ KennJ

February 14th, 2003, 06:28 PM	#19
miguel felix Posts: n/a	what to watch in u.s.a. it's pointless to watch any basic programming here whatsoever. Only those who can afford a satelite dish have a few options like the independent film channel, sundance, or flix. i think if a person is constantly watching abc, nbc, fox, or cbs they are gonna get fed the same bland, right wing, subliminal content which may cause people who don't know any better (esp. children) to form some fallacious opinions about themselves and the world they see. As for news i tune my radio dial to radio stations like Pacifica where one can hear an alternative media voice.

February 15th, 2003, 09:31 AM	#21
Marc Betz Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NH Posts: 95	Miguel I think you meant LEFT wing didn't you? __________________ Marc Betz

February 9th, 2003, 02:11 PM	#16
Imran Zaidi Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,315	I couldn't agree more. It's really sad the way news in America is presented to the American audience. Everything is shown in easily digestible soundbites, in a way that supports currently established popular opinions or agendas. Very seldom do we ever hear anything in the news that challenges the question of who is right or who is wrong - we just get America-centric, America-approved versions of everything that advertisers will feel happy to advertise along with so as not to alienate any precious consumers. I sometimes muse about what would happen if we had robots relaying the news. We might be shocked and frightened about what an impartial opinion might actually say, because it will often make everyone look bad, in all countries. That's just the global landscape we have - few people in the public eye are actually representative of popular opinion, but nonetheless have the public ear and capability of shaping popular opinion. Or at least, the only opinion that is loud enough for everyone to hear so we all just sorta nod along and say 'yeah, man, so true'. This is a heavily capitalist society we live in, and unfortunately, the news media is living in that same society and driven by those same goals. As all these media companies merge and slowly blossom into bigger and bigger businesses, we should expect no less out of them. In big businesses, the bottom line is key. If one decision is less profitable than another, well, the more profitable solution wins out. And the bigger the organization is, the more so this is true. They have investors, advertisers and bottom lines to answer to, so corporate decision makers will make the business decisions that support the best financial result. In a sense, this is a demented form of impartiality - they don't care what the subject matter is in the information they portray - as long as it is a form of legally justifiable truth that keeps the business legitimate and afloat by providing services that consumers ingest. Call it capitalist impartiality.

February 12th, 2003, 01:20 PM	#17
Derrick Begin Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New York Posts: 329	Edward R. Murrow would jump-up and roll-over in his grave for the news sensationalism/spectacle/freakshows of today. News buried under everybody's opinions. Make it entertaining full of flashbulbs, beautiful people, and keep it short. Even newspapers, front page stories of who's in bed with who. Does this do any good for anybody? The news, people should be in touch with, is pushed beneath a cement block of whats going on in the entertainment world. Two point check varification out the window... Just print/air it and if we're sued its good P.R. and a great advertisement. This 'entertainment' is equivalent to paying a quarter at a carnival... "Alive! A two headed person! Alive! Half man, half bumble bee! See it here first!" This was an effort to stay visable... I apologize for going off on different tagents. I'm going to organize my thoughts and go for the jugular...

February 14th, 2003, 07:09 PM	#20
Joe Carney Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centreville Va Posts: 1,828	I have Sundance, Independent film channel, plus the encore suite of channels gives me a good steady diet of foreign (from America) fare. Only wish there was something like Facets (of Chicago) locally.

February 15th, 2003, 12:37 PM	#22
Imran Zaidi Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,315	Well the media is definitely full of biased left and biased right stuff. Very seldom do we really see commentary that falls in the middle. It can actually be really unsettling to most, because you can't tell where the person is coming from. An example is entertainer Bill Maher. He's a very unsettling character to watch when he's talking about politics. Though you could say he lives the lifestyle of a left-winger, he often spits out both left and right wing opinions. To me, he's very representative of 'independent' ideals because he 'calls em like he sees em'. Yes, he has his flaws, and many times I may not 'see em' like he 'sees em', but what I respect about him is that he speaks out on issues, rather than left or right wing platforms. How many people do you know go to the polls and just look for the little R or D next to the republican or democrat, and that's all they need? It's so horrible, this bipartisan system. Full of politicians hiding behind the R and the D, without having to truly stand on issues independently. It sounds like this is off-topic, but really, this ties directly in with the media. Everyone has a friggin' agenda. No one wants to just give you the news anymore, untainted, unbiased. In the end, the media wants to give us what we want, and you could say that is their only sin. But really, often what we 'want' is not what we need. What we need is cold hard news, not warm and fuzzy 'tell me what I want to hear' news.