Does a tabloid populace portend, or is it a consequence of, a bureaucracy-based oligarchy maintained by a complicit media?
Priorities in the local, national and international news in the past few days show a definite pattern in what people find important and feel a need to know.
The top nine out of 10 places in the press and on television have been taken up by Michael Jackson's death, both in the headlines and hours of live, repetitive coverage, including many sordid details better left in the dark.
Sharing last place, but worth noting in passing, seems to be news of Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, U.S. health care and environmental bills, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's bombshell and, oh yes, Farrah Fawcett died, too.
Interesting, the tabloid mentality that prevails!
Molly C. Gray
Aiken, S.C.
Comments
Does a tabloid populace portend, or is it a consequence of, a bureaucracy-based oligarchy maintained by a complicit media?
Sad ain't it?
This is the law of "supply and demand." Public demands it and the media supplies it.
i'm with you charlie.. if people wanted to know about the important issues they would seek it out. the only people without some sort of internet access (library, relative, neighbor) are yak-herders in mongolia. You cannot blame the media for this. People have the choice of going to Broad St. Burgers to eat, but for some reason, its never packed like that nasty faux food McBurgerjoint.
An uninformed population is easier to manipulate. Read the posters on this site that get their information from CNN and NPR.
Yes an uninformed public is easier to manipulate. That's why people should read, view, and listen to a variety of news and reference sources and then form their opinions, otherwise they run the risk of becoming nothing more than dittoheads, without an original thought, and have to rely on parroting what they hear on the radio. Just read some of their posts.
I do not see why there is any complaint about MJ. He was a fine upstanding child molestor,a heavy drug user,and he was rich.What is the problem with deifying this saint of a man?
I see where there was a gathering at he apollo in ny to celebrate mj,s life and music.I wonder how many children were molested to celebrate THAT part of his life.
Or, just read some of TechLover's post..er...copy/paste.
I caught the last part of an interview with a women in the Obama administration defending the cap and tax bill last night. She went on and on and on. Finally the commentator asked if he could ask her one last question. "Have you actually read the bill?" It was like a gunshot to the belly. She hemmed and hawed for about 2 minutes before admitting that she hadn't.
Actually reading a bill would be almost as crazy as "actually" knowing what went on in Michael Jacksons personal life.
southern: Mathews and Olberman are not my favorites. I did used to like Mathews years ago but he has changed his style greatly. just: Sorry, C & P is needed at times as a time saving device. I do try to cite the source. It does show, however, that I am at least researching to find information. Unfortunately, many on these posts are unfamiliar with that concept and just repeat what some talking head says on the radio or tv. I will correct innacuracies made by those on the left and right. I do try to overlook typos (unless they're real funny).
techlover, the problem with your C/P is you always take them out of context as was pointed out to everyone yesterday. It has, unfortunately, made your comments, like shivas/willis, irrelevant to the point that I quit commenting on them because it has become so obvious. Because I know you to be smarter than shivas/willis, its worse because you do it on purpose.
People have a fascination with celebrities. My gosh, doesn't anyone remember the press coverage of the deaths of Elvis ad Princess Diana? Why did they run it? Because people watched it. Michael Jackson was not one of my favorites. The last thing I bought by him was the 45 of I'll be There" (telling my age). I never understood the fascination over Princess Di and couldn't care less about Elvis. It ticked me off that every story was about him and the death of Groucho was buried (he died 3 days after Elvis). I did mourn John Lennon's death (go ahead PT and make a Lennon and Marx joke).The difference between then and now is that we have almost unlimited sources of news and information. You can find other coverage if you wish. Im sure MJ's fans appreciate the coverage so who are we to deny them? He was an entertainment superstar after all.
Much of the media is simply not reporting the news. There was a CONSTITUTIONAL coup in Hunduras and Obama sided with the president who is seeking to overturn the contitution and usurp power. The cap and trade bill is a mess.. yet the press reports little. A Duke university faculty member (white homosexual with live insignificant other) has molested his african Ammerican adopted children and offered the five yar old on the internet...How much reportin?, Walpin, and inspector general was illigally fired by Obama, how much reporting? Obama is issuing an executive order to allow indeffinate detentions for Git Mo prisoners and or prisoners of the war on man made disastorshow much reporting?
Americans are tired of the press and are voting with their pocket books, that is why the press is going bankrupt..
You can't report real news, real issues, and real facts. It makes the "majority's" head hurt because they would have to think and add up numbers.
molly with all due respect i'm so sick and tired hearing about North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, U.S. health care and environmental bills, every day in and day out. i'm HAPPY to read and watch some 'fluff'.
An uninformed population is easier to manipulate. Read the posters on this site that get their information from FOX and Rush
hey Techlover, pt beats that what radio and news stations people watch to death don' t he? god bless em
so true Tech 905
just: Sort of like taking one line of Sotomayor's quote. Google and read the text of her entire speech and it's not quite what her detractors would have you believe. You can also find the text and video of Alito's comments. Beltwayblips has a lot of links
Van LOve, if watched CBS,NBC, ABC and CNN you would know less than a box of rocks..What do you know about the hounduran constitution?, What do you know about Obama sideing with Chavez, Castro etc against the hounduran constitution in favor of a communist? Won't get much form the lame stream media...
An uninformed population is easier to manipulate. Read the posters on this site that get their news from FOX, Rush, Hannity, and Rove. HELLO! HELLO!
jello jello ripe and mellow flavored for that commnist fellow..
Lets unite together and support Michael Steele 100% as he tries to remake the republican party to at least make it competitive. HELLO! HELLO!
southern: Congratulations. Hope she arrives home safe and sound.
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