You See, The Thing is...

(Taken from a post for my "Diversity and Multicultural Education" class)

Ever since I took Intro to Communications freshman year I have always thought, "The news media on t.v. and in the newspapers is not much more poignant and relevant than a romance novel." First it was Fox news refusing to cover a train accident that involved a partnered train company with Fox so as to not tarnish any ties and funding. Hundreds died but why should Fox report it when they'll lose money, right? Then it was the topics that people focus on most, sadly.

People look to celebrity news and fashion for their daily news fill. Doing so only makes the financially troubled newspaper business look to celebrity news and fashion styled pieces in order to gain readers and ultimately funding. This general principle is not common knowledge, as seen by how many more Glamour, US Weekly and Star magazines are sold everyday over newspapers. So is it really too shocking to see the amount of news coverage focusing on Hillary's "low-cut outfit" during one of her speeches? How about the focus on the sex appeal of Sarah Palin? THIS is what average American's want to see, who gives two-cents about what they stand for? Donny Deutsch sure doesn't.

I found the amount of political backlash against Hillary Clinton running interesting. The 11-1 vote by major news media claiming it was indeed fine to refer to her as a "bitch" stayed in my head. Not only does that rule out the neutral stance reporters are supposed to take, but it is expressed as though everyone should also refer to her as such because 11 of 12 major political anylists think so. You use toothpase because 9 out of 10 dentists reccomend it, so why not vote against Hillary because 11 out of 12 anylists reccomend it. Poor execution news media.

Ms. Pozner did leave everyone, I think/hope, with a sense of renewed vision. I know for myself I have learned to look even more closely at what exactly is being covered by the news media and have yet even more reason to disregard the multitudes of reports and opinions out there. Think for yourself, look at the cold hard facts and be intellectual. Follow that and you'll be a whole-damn-lot better off. And thats no Lord Chesterfield's Letters to His Son knowledge, its merely common sense.

(1) Supporting Example: http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212170927.shtml

(2) Contradictory Example: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/24/campbell.brown.palin/