. . . and we'll give you the world!
Yeah. Right.
Well, the New York Times reports that the three major US networks spend on average a whopping 2 WHOLE minutes per week covering the Iraq war. Thank God they keep the heavy stuff down for us, eh? I mean Britney Spears' sister, Jaime Lynn had her baby on the 20th after announcing at the age of 16 that she was pregnant. That got more than 2 minutes coverage. Only an hour ago we all got to hear how Britney herself was mobbed by paparazzi at the airport when she returned to LA. They never once mentioned that British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, held closed-door meetings with the US backed, unelected Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad.
We get to hear all about Don Imus and his "Well, there you go. Now we know." Comment after inquiring about the color of a man arrested for a sixth time. That's SO much more interesting than finding out that Britain announced on Thursday it would put a freeze on troop withdrawals from Iraq, due to an upsurge in fighting with Shiite militias. I mean, why bother? The Shrub-in-Chief and his minions have declared victory almost continuously since the "Mission Accomplished" banner five years ago . . . right up until the surge with only a few breaks to fan the flames of fear and hysteria in the mix, when and where needed.
Well the "surge success" that failed to meet the benchmarks we were given to measure the success with . . . oh, and failed to stop the upsurge in Shiite violence that ended British withdrawal, leaves 4,500 troops stationed primarily at an airport camp near the southern city of Basra.
A man who died during the Iowa Triathlon is newsworthy . . . but the networks aren't telling the public about the deaths of Iraqi civilians, and they haven't since the invasion (anywhere from 600,000 to 1.2 million) or about the displaced Iraqis both internally and outside the country (more than 5 Million).
Britain suspended plans to withdraw about 1,500 troops this spring after fighting broke out last month between Iraqi forces and Shiite militiamen. Britain's Defense Secretary, Des Browne, on Thursday acknowledged Iraqi soldiers being trained by British troops are months away from being ready to deploy.
Congratulations . . . that's two weeks worth of news if you took only 4 minutes to read it. If you're getting your news only from MSM . . . you not getting news at all. Only propaganda and diversion . . . and mostly diversion.
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Comments: 81
Thank you for the 2 weeks worth of news in 4 minutes. That's about all I have time for today.
And, of course, you're right. There is a lot that is skipped over. My immediate reaction was: "Well... Our society is so dumbed-down by this point that most people only care to hear about stupid Jamie Lynn Spears." After all, ignorance is bliss, no?
I guess we all have priorities. Thank heaven yours are where they ought to be.
Ha! Way to go, CC.
Doyle - you know my personal opinion of MSM and the people who both gobble up this total crap and then have the stupidity to publish Gather articles on it or spread ridiculous emails about it. I never watch MSM and only get to see their total void of intellect on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart decides to (again) show their total lack of ethics, standards and brain cells. It is hard enough to watch even as satire.
They keep telling us that this is what we actually want. I don't know where they are getting their data, but why not at least TRY to bring at least a small proportion of their programs back to legitimate NEWS reporting, just as a trial. Say, from 8-10 at night. I'd like to see a Huntley/Brinkley-type program back with real world news reported from real locations by at least slightly impartial journalists. Just a test - to see if anyone watches.
I do check in at CNN every day too. Thank goodness, or I wouldn't have known who won the World's Ugliest Dog contest.
My daughter and I watch 20/20 and 60 Minutes every week. Not bad for a nine year old.
If it wasn't for you, I'd know nothing about how very important science is.
And... Is that Christie Brinkley you're talking about?
HAHAHAHAHA!
It is my belief, that the Bush controled media, has instructions not to put a face to the many deaths of our brave in Iraq. Just like the Bush Administration has prevented any pictures of the flag draped coffins being assimilated to the public, they have also tried to stop as much coverage concerning the real cost of Bush's ego driven war.
"They keep telling us that this is what we actually want. I don't know where they are getting their data, but why not at least TRY to bring at least a small proportion of their programs back to legitimate NEWS reporting..."
"They have to get ratings to get big advertising bucks and to do that they have to keep YOU interested."
I'm not so sure about the cause and effect . . . dumbed down because they get this trite pablum or dumbed down and so that's what they want? I tend to agree with Sheryl . . . they don't report the important things but I challenge the assertion that they cannot get ratings by reporting true, investigative news and serious issues. Since there's no viable alternative . . . they just cannot know.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
And just don't WANT to know. It comes back to that Bush aide's remark about the BA "creating reality". They knew right from the start that to show actual pictures of these wars, to report on the real facts, would cause the citizenry to quickly question WTF we're going over there.
Arm chair Rambos, eh Tony? perhaps they don't want to see the...umm...."success"! ;P
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Ahhhh, Sheryl...it's truly amazing how easy it is for him to satarize those buffoons, is it not? Almost jaw-dropping in the depth of insanity spiraling around our society today.
Andrea . . . you're amazing. :)
Thanks Deborah.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
*Sniff*
So, I'm sitting there with my mouth agape wondering if I was watching a Saturday Night Live sketch or if this is real. I am pretty sure it was real.
And (believe it or not), it all kind of ties in with what Doyle is saying. People want bullshit. They crave it. They long for it. If there's a guy with a guitar on the street singing "Living la Vida Loca", he's a panhandler. But if you put a cowboy hat on him and a camera in front of him, he's country and western. People want to sit back with their mouths open like baby birds and say "feed me!"
Juan, you're absolutely right about the media control . . . a page from the propaganda playbook by Goebbels. Vietnam came into every American living room and THAT kind of coverage escalated an end to the war. Same with the flag draped coffins. THAT reason makes more sense than the artificial excuse about ratings. Look at Jessica's comment to see the sanitizing effect!
"... in the same token, I don't care about the useless war anyone is fighting either."
Jessica, you'd care if you knew how much it did effect you, not to mention the generations to come. Have you noted the inflation that will continue to worsen as every single dollar you have is hit with that hidden tax? Each dollar is worth less as each new dollar is printed. Debts will end services and they will try again to kill Social Security . . . healthcare will be a sideshow . . . deaths will eventually affect you personally . . .
This illegal occupation simply MUST stop.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
I rely on your comments for information - not necessarily news. You jam-pack your comments full of good, smart information...
Way too much propaganda.
Hansen made the front page of the Toronto Star here.
I don't buy this argument . . . there ARE those that want the news . . .
"And just don't WANT to know."
I think they DO know . . . they just won't say and that ties in nicely with Juan's comment. We already KNOW the BA is very media savvy and has specifically sought out media to the point of writing the stories for them.
Lori . . . very COOL! Cunieform?
Good for you, Steph . . . I'll be looking! ;P
Thank you Kimber!
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Darling, why won't you answer my question??
Is it because I'm a female?
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Don . . . no kidding. :)
Flit . . . it's not real "news" anyway. "Traffic and weather: Together"? Get serious, the only time a traffic report would help me is if I got it IN the car . . . AND if it applied to my route. It's never happened yet. I can get the weather by looking at my cell phone. Sports requires me to push a button on the cell phone . . . oh my! There's just NO real news.
Thanks Steph . . . no need to kick me . . . I'll check out the peeps! :)
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
While I'm here, I want to leave this:
"Okay, I agree. We've won. So bring the soldiers home. That's what winning means." (Ann Weaver Hart)
Maybe the greatest comment ever made anytime, anywhere.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
My peeping can be found here.
60 Minutes not so much. But I force her to watch it with me because of my Andy Rooney worship.
I know what the kick was for Steph . . . and that was after I self deleted the getting the coffee comment! Of course . . . the kicks aren't exactly punishing when I enjoy them. :P
Man . . . an Andy Rooney love-fest? Okie Dokie then! LoL!
I'm over 40 ya' lil whipersnapper!
He's WAY over 40!
By "WAY" I mean more than 10 years over.
"By "WAY" I mean more than 10 years over.
Lainie P., Jun 24, 2008, 2:31pm EDT "
HAHAhahahahaaaaa . . . Oh Darling . . . I'm NOT in my 50s. You're cute when you're SO wrong . . . so . . . run along now and do something important in your world . . . like your nails. (*snicker* ------ *ducks*)
You're WAY WAY over. : ) I was just being polite. : )
I take the over.
Darling, you're old. It's okay.
I'm a freaking fossil?
I followed Stephanie's link over to Clark's article about James Hansen, and I, too, noticed the wacko neocons, one in particular, attempting to swiftboat Dr. Hansen. It's sad but typical that these types resort to ad hominem attacks when they can't dispute the evidence.
I'm a freaking fossil? "
Nonsense . . . she's one of those . . . umm . . . babies having babies. :)
You are better informed than way more than half the people just from the programs you listed, Roy. I love NPR's "All Things Considered" and I'm a prodigious reader . . . online and off. Actually, that's why I was stunned to see the 2 minutes per week listed. I cannot imagine getting news from a source like that.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Doyle is. : )
2. The news issue is difficult at best. I watch NBC, MSNBC (Oberman, Tim Russert (:( ).
The issue is we as a community are not expecting the news to be real or to cover more. I think part of the issue is we have found sound bites to be more to our liking than the concept of a real story. I do not mean the sensationalism of 48 hours or even 20/20. We are not expecting more, therefore we do not get more.
Absolutely NOT buying it Grems. I don't expect more because they have shown time and again there will BE no more.
Jean . . . exactly . . . those were war correspondents that were NOT "embedded" and giving us the DOD spin. They dug out their own stories and risked their lives to do it and it DID something to raise awareness AND end the war!
Thanks very much Elizabeth!
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Some of us do expect more and we do find other sources for our news as noted above. Unfortunately the newsmedia believes they are serving a purpose by limiting the exposure to the negative news regarding the war. Unfortunately, those who want more information have to deal with the media views that are tainted with politics at this point.
Tell me, where do we find what is true and what is real. Each of us has our own understanding of the truth, colored by our beliefs and at times our own fantasies. We could become very existential and discuss what is the meaning of truth and how do we find what is true. I suggest that we keep finding articles that challenge us to think and to ascertain what is true by looking for the facts and who has reported the fact as fact.
They're serving a purpose all right. But not for OUR benefit!
"Tell me, where do we find what is true and what is real. Each of us has our own understanding of the truth, colored by our beliefs and at times our own fantasies."
Truth is NOT that elusive. Common sense will show every time if one keeps an open mind.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
My first vote was for Nixon. I know, hard to believe I was ever that uninformed. (Please tell me that is what you were thinking.)
Umm . . . WHAT packs Karie Ann?
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Wish that was the last time I was fooled.:-(
That was all I needed to hear. I didn't want to lose another friend.
They would rather tell you about Britney, or Lindsey, or Paris - it is more entertaining. I don't want to hear about airheads I want to hear about the news. I don't necessarily want to see graphic displays of violence but I do want to hear about it. That is important for people to hear about. Maybe they will change their opinion on it if they do. They aren't afraid to show it in other countries. If you watch the BBC news or BBC America, they show it. Just nothing on CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN or FOX.