Been a while, but this bugged me

I know its been a while. I have been busy trying to do work that will pay the bills. Although I love doing this blog, it really doesn't pay the rent, phone, electric, car, etc bills. But this article by one of my mainstream colleagues kind of peeved me. I started to write a comment reply and it ended up getting to long. So here I am responding via blog.

Olivier Knox over at Yahoo News! wrote and article entitled "Everyone knows politicians lie. Why don't reporters say so?"

In the article Knox asks if it is an important question. "Does it matter?"

Part of the answer is that we don’t necessarily know when someone is lying — meaning when they knowingly pass along something that isn’t true with the intent to deceive.

One official told me Clapper’s assertion that the NSA doesn’t collect information about millions of Americans was technically true because the intelligence community definition of “collect” means that an analyst has reviewed the information. So the NSA could scoop up millions of phone records and that wouldn’t technically count as “collection.”

More broadly, there is the thinking that if someone believes their statement to be technically true, it doesn't meet the definition of lying — at least for reporting purposes

This article splits way too many hairs. Although it is not always necessary to label something a "lie" or someone a "liar", it is certainly incumbent for the media - mainstream or otherwise - to make the public aware of the falsehoods. To ignore that the President has told one or more of these falsehoods gives the public a false sense of security in their commander-in-chief when he does not deserve it. It IS important to point this out. When a government official lies because of incompetence (he didn't mean to tell a lie, he just doesn't know what is going on), the media needs to be the eyes and ears of the public and let them know. So many elections are accused of failing to focus on the issues but the truth is the media isn't giving them the information they need to BE INFORMED. The only poignant and true thing this reporter tells about the media is that they fear losing "access" for their next story. It should be government officials and politicians who fear losing access. The media should be the disciplinarian here when it comes to access, not the supposed public servant. If an official lies - or misrepresents the truth due to "technicalities" or "incompetence" - it should be they who fear the media for shining that light on their lie, incompetence or misrepresentation. The media, as the fourth estate in this country, has a responsibility to the public to not only report but investigate and report on government, industry, the public.

Well, thats my bit. Anyone who has read my blogs before knows how I feel about the reponssibility of the media to the people. I know this won't be my last complaint about the whole argument of media access to government officials or government activities. It surely won't change if these two things never happen.

1) The media does have to stop being "pansies". ("“I do think the blogosphere is too quick to say ‘You guys are pansies 'cause you won’t say lie,’” Ron Fournier, the National Journal writer who worked for years at The Associated Press, told Yahoo News.") I think Fournier is a little sensitive on this issue. If they would step up no one would be quick to call mainstream media "pansies". But since they won't step up AT ALL, the label sticks.

2) Politicians need to understand that their actions and words, whether an outright lie or a incompetent repetition of unsubstantiated information they are passing along as fact, have consequences. They lie or they unknowingly pass along a lie, their credibility with the public MUST be called into question. It must be they who fear losing the media and the public.

Anyway, thats my thoughts. You can agree or not, its all good. Don't take my word on it. Look at all the information from all sides and make your own decision. An INFORMED decision. Think for yourselves and avoid the spin. But, hey, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

There is NO Fact Checking from a biased media

I love this post by Ed Morrissey over at HotAir.com!!

True, it has its own leaning. I mean he is defending his "side", but he is also pointing out the failure of today's media in not only their duties as the Fourth Estate but in their professionalism. How sad that they can't even do something as simple as research before stating "facts" that are easily proven wrong.

Which brings me to my main gripe (and no, its not the failure of today's so-called professionals in journalism).

Okay, yes it is.

I am so sick and tired of these people making all this money NOT doing the job they are supposed to be doing. All of them! CNN, FOX, NY Times, etc . . . every last one of these cretins who make big bucks while those of us in "alternative" media struggle. We have been holding BOTH sides accountable for the past (nearly) decade. And we make either NOTHING or peanuts. Not that I don't get other, personal, benefits from doing what I do. But it annoys me that these "professionals" make a mockery of journalism by getting paid to do something that is NOT journalism.

So why do we, the alternative media, do it? I can't answer why anyone else does it. I know there are ways to make money on blogs, but I have been unable to figure that out. I know there are ways to reach the "right" people and turn your successful blog into an earning opportunity. Those in positions of help don't seem to be reading mine.

So I cannot speak for anyone but myself.

And that is kind of the point of why I do it. I have a passion for it. I have a need to vent my feelings and make use of this small talent I possess to get people to think for themselves. I believe in the fourth estate. I believe that those in power need to be held accountable by the people and that the people need to be protected from those in power. Because, lets face it, even those with the best of intentions can be pulled from the straight and narrow path of "serving" their constituents. And it is our duty, those of us who have a modicum of skills in news gathering and presentation to remind them of their duty to the people.

Maybe those in the mainstream media who lean one way or the other have forgotten the passion. Maybe they never had it in the first place. I don't know. I just know they are far from the professionals they claim to be. Sure they make the money, but they don't do the job.

Anyway, enough of that particular rant. It doesn't matter if you agree with me or not. The point is that I just want you to start thinking for yourselves and stop listening to politicians who TELL you what to think, and these so-called professionals in the media who use their gifts to SPIN their thoughts into yours. Do that and I will consider my work done. Either way, its okay. Because this is, as usual, just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

What do they have to hide?

I know the Democrats have a lot to hide this Primary season. But what is the media hiding? Why are they STILL playing favorites when it comes to Obama.

In South Carolina, the SC Democratic Party decided NOT to hold a Primary in 2012. What they decided to do was hold elections during their party reorganization meetings between now and the end of March. Of course Dick Harpootlian will say it is because of the expense. But thats not very open and democratic of them. And the only way to find this information out was by going to the SC Elections website.

No media is interested in how Obama is doing in the Democratic Primaries. I mean, here is the sitting president with "no opposition" in the Primary and he only got 82% of the vote in New Hampshire. (There is no way of knowing how many votes he got from the Iowa Caucus because those numbers aren't available anywhere.

But the mainstream media only seems to be interested in reporting the GOP races.

Why? Wouldn't the people like to know that the Democratic Party is not as "unified" as they would have you believe? Don't you think they would be interested in knowing that if Hillary were on the ballot, Obama would have a RACE on his hands? I mean, there are states and districts all across the country where Hillary would actually BEAT Obama at the polls.

But where is the media on any of this. Asleep at the wheel and STILL a tool of the Democratic Party and the "Yes We Can" front man, President Obama himself.

I not only demand that the Democratic Party open this information up instead of hiding in the shadows of their slick and deceptive leadership. And I chastise the media for not standing up in the role as the Fourth Estate. They squander their privilege as the watchdogs of government for the people and maintain their "need' for access to the current powers that be. That is a sad excuse, as they should neither be influenced nor controlled by ANY governing body, because they are the people's eyes and ears within that said body politics.

(For those of you unfamiliar with the idea of the 'fourth estate,' it was considered a separate body to watch over and advise the other three main groups within government. Its current position as the eyes and ears of the people came from Edmund Burke and others during his time. They promoted the idea that the media (which they referred to journalist as a professional group, or editors of papers - but with today's diverse media of radio, television and internet, is any news reporter) is the watchdogs of government, being only beholden to their readers. Unswayed by who was in power, as those individuals were transient and served by the will of the people, they (media) are free to shed the light of truth and public scrutiny on those politicians and elected officials, so that the people could stay informed of how those they elected governed.

Without an unbiased and unswayed media, the people have no advocate to keep watch over their interests. And today more and more politicians fail to realize they govern only by the will of the people. So today, more than ever, we need the media to NOT abdicate their responsibilities.)

Agree with me that the Democrats are hiding the growing unpopularity of their President by those in his own Party or that the media has abdicated their responsibilities, or disagree with me on any and all topics discussed here. Either way, it makes no difference to me. All I ask is that it be YOU who agree or disagree, and not that someone TOLD you to agree or disagree with me. I just ask that you look at all the points I make and THINK about it. Think for yourself and don't be SHEEP. If you do that, than I consider my job well done. But hey, this is, after all, just me Thinking Out Loud.

Have yourself a great day.

Charles