What do you think about journalism in the mainstream media today?

Well, since you asked and this is another Friday night I am spending alone I have time to tell you what I think about journalism in general.
The problem is with your word "Today" because I stopped following journalists about 10 years ago and have no desire to start that nonsense again.

My opinions expressed in this topic response may or may not reflect the current conditions of journalism in today's society.

I got tired of getting "The Rest of The Story"
- I don't need the rest of the story on every single story that is written.

I got tired of Journalistic Favoritism
- Too many times I had watched or read a story from a known journalist that is assumed to be a gift to the trade and found more enlightenment from "lower-class" journalists from obscure companies with no incentive to sensationalize to sell.

News is supposed to be the Facts and only the Facts.
- I don't need some pompous guy with influence telling me which opinions I should or shouldn't have about anything.

Journalism has become 90% speculation and opinion.
- If a hurricane hits there it will be devastating, No kidding? What if it doesn't make landfall at all?
- The Koreans have nukes. Oh Gawd, Everybody panic, flee, flee, run for your lives!
- well, If jimmy Joe gets elected to office things are going to be just awful for the working class citizens. "Listen dumbshiats, Things have been awful for the working class citizens for like...ever!"

Your documentary with scientists saying things makes it important.
- I recall a scandal with a documentary where the scientists that were shown on the film sued because their words were taken out of context to promote the documentary's agenda. Can't remember the details tho. It wasn't really important to me.

Headlines written for uneducated 5th graders.
- Monkey Flies Jet Plane! ~ a monkey sat in the pilots seat for a photo op while the plane was in auto-pilot.
- Judge gives chimpanzees human rights for the first time. Really, I know a judge that needs fired. Chimpanzees are NOT freakin HUMAN! Humans are Human. DUH!
- Big hubbub about political prisoners not being afforded their rights. If you are convicted of a political offense against this nation, keyword prisoner, you have LOST the rights afforded to our citizens because you are no longer a citizen. You lost that status when you did whatever you were convicted of to earn the status of a 'political prisoner'. To allow you to retain your citizen rights is a smack in the face dishonoring all the men and women that have fought to give and retain our rights.
- Granting foreign nationals our citizen rights. Its the same thing I just stated above. You are not a citizen of this country so you should not have our citizens rights, ever.

Too many unimportant things given too much emphasis while important things are under-reported.

Too much 'Human Side' of the story.
-aw, Johnny drew a picture of a gun in school then made a gun like gesture with his finger. Our precious little snowflakes might be scarred for life.
The Pussification of America is VERY real. Journalism makes it happen.

Princess Diana's death.

Terri Schiavo's death.

People being mobbed outside their homes, work places and community so they can 'get the story'.

Johnny Cash Gives Birth To An Alien Baby!

Walmart is evil because it has a productive business model and people go there and spend their money.

Oil companies are evil because they provide what we want and make a profit.

The Gulf Oil disaster had to be because someone was at fault because of evil malice. Accidents never just happen.

Plane goes down in open ocean and we can't find it - this has got to be a conspiracy, people died!

Guy shoots up a night club in Florida but he was a troubled soul. Big hubbub then poof, nothing.

I could go on and on but journalism is not the only thing wrong.
Just think about selective advertising and themed advertising campaigns.
I hate watching TV because I can no longer Tolerate commercials.

Thanks for the hilarious input tom4.

I think it's a good job today's media wasn't in control during the ww2,
We'd probably be goose stepping everywhere!
Loose lips sink ships as the poster went

how bout it!

I think MSM is dead. Clown NEWS NETWORK, keeps embarrassing it self. Majority of Americans have no confidence in MSM. It's sad.

I think that journalism is a reflection of culture

when people embraced common standards and values , those are the things reflected in journalism

when people began to embrace 'individual freedom 'in all things, that also began to be reflected in journalism

I miss the days when journalism was more about facts and accountability to facts for an audience that wanted facts

now it seems it is about freedom to say and imply anything that meets the bias that the audience wants reinforced,,,



It is not just 'mainstream' media either, but internet as well, because both these venues rely on sponsorship funds, which means they need to 'cater' to the consumer base of the sponsors

the safest media, to me, is the publicly funded types like NPR which have no specific demographic or consumer base to coddle,,,

From an historian's viewpoint, things haven't changed much, other than how many people are now able to pretend to be a part of "the mainstream media" (or pretend not to be, as the case may be).

Journalism is called that, because it started out as essentially hand-written diaries which were published. Blogs, if you will. It has ALWAYS been a mix of all the aspirations and failings of humanity.

What is most interesting to me from my big-picture point of view, is that we are now in the middle of a VERY important struggle that few people are really aware of, because they are too busy taking sides, and trying to take advantage of it. That struggle is over the concept of what should control reality itself, when you get right down to it.

We had a relatively brief period back in the 1960's, where there was a general sense that what we now refer to (usually disparagingly) as the Mainstream Media was seen as the primary source for a stable sense of what was going on in the world. But that period was VERY brief. Since then, probably because the American public doesn't have a clear memory of what happened, lots of people have taken to proclaiming that everything is awful NOW, as never before.

But now we have so many sources, no one has any sense of who they can depend on for factuality. Worst of all, many people have decided to make their decision based entirely on their own emotional reactions to what is said to be "news," and to cater to their own prejudices in selecting who to pretend to themselves is telling the Truth.

I think it's a damaging mistake to think that the so-called Mainstream Media is the problem, and that non-mainstream sources are inherently different. I can see absolutely ZERO difference in the fundamental human behaviors and motivations which result in reporting things, whether it's being done by a guy in a thousand dollar suit, or someone who you don't even see, using their cell phone.

Mainstream Media, Advertisements, Jounalistic Viewpoints
No thanx...

I don't need someone to tell me what to buy.
I don't want someone to tell me what is important.
I don't need anyone to tell me how I should feel.

I'm weird because I don't follow 'the NEWS'.
I used to.
I was so stressed out about so many things that really didn't matter.
Not anymore.

I watch horror movies.
Many think I am sick & twisted because of that.
I know that those movies are fiction.
The horrors in the NEWS are real.
Now, who is really sick & twisted?

Many are so hypnotized by the media they have no idea how much they are being influenced by it.
If you try to tell them, you're the bad guy.

In Commercial Arts class we used to make fun of all the subliminal aspects of graphic designs in product packaging. The woman on the pack of Camels was the easiest to spot. We were tasked with creating a subliminal message in our work and then had to identify others messages to the class. I got really good at spotting them.
Then we started to do store layouts. We studied impulse zones and floor plans. All the things that a shopper deals with that are established to make them want to spend their money.

That subliminal manipulation extends into the journalistic media. Its reinforced by the community power stuctures. In public speaking it is well know to use keywords for audience control.

I'm surprised more people don't see it?

I challenge anyone to go cold turkey for a month.
Shut off the TV, Radio, Phone.
Don't follow the NEWS on the internet - only look at statistics and local warnings. Look at the weather, the stock market figures or science news.
If you must read the news, only read the headlines.
For that month, look at the world around you. See what is actually happening and pay attention to the people and what they do and how they act.
I doubt many could go a day or two without their NEWS fix.

I like all the opinion based news programs. Its always interesting to hear diverse views

But opinion is not the same as news, and Im concerned that no real differentiation is made between the two in modern times

Yes. Diversity and facts Peggy. Listening to news channels that tell you the president hasn't done anything since he was elected and their only agenda is to stay aligned with the previous agenda.

It is sad Rob. I don't know how some of them can can do this. How could you be proud of yourself knowing you were on national stage.

I get it, I agree Igor. What is interesting to me is your view on what/who's behind this struggle over the concept of what should control reality itself. YOU GOT MORE?

I used to be weird now I watch one news channel cause I know what's on all the rest.
I have been paying attention to people for a year and a half and it's like a bunch of unapproachable people and most of the time face planted in their phone. I think they do more texting while driving.
I read what you say about people out there today and I can totally relate. To put it all in words is a bit complicated and involved. I know what it was like to go to town 15 years ago.

Even though I don't understand you.
You have some good points and views.
NPR News is that based out of California?

there is an npr in most places I have lived,, it is local and run off of public donations,,,

Headquarters Washington DC
Brodcast nationwide
900 stations
CEO Jarl mohn is from Brentwood California

yes, the stations are local, but the membership organization seems to be in DC

most of the time is rubbish ... they really can't say what ...
they want ... they will get fired ... remember there are only so many stations now ... and it is controlled ...


some journalism is really good ... but seems to always come from ...
a station... that is not controlled with their journalism ...like the main stream is ...

it is a sea of fish that gives people the opportunity to cosign their own biases and perceptions and write off others that don't line up as 'fake'

its an OVERABUNDANCE of information , from an overabundance of perceptions,,,,,