From: eyc@acpub.duke.edu (EMIL CHUCK)
Newsgroups: alt.activism.d,alt.rush-limbaugh,talk.politics.misc
Subject: Re: Media bias
Keywords: bias
Date: 22 Jul 92 22:43:00 GMT
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Distribution: usa
Organization: Duke University; Durham, N.C.

alex@umbc4.umbc.edu (Alex S. Crain) writes:
:	I have no faith at all that my views are mainstream in any society,
:but I still think that the liberal media is a conservative boogie man. The
:media, particularly network news, is hotly competitive, and if the media
:were off base, there would be a valuable opertunity for one of the major
:networks to shift to the right and grab a chunk of the audience. This has
:not happened, nor will it.
	Oh, boy, that will be the day. I'd like to see the day that the
CEO of either ABC, NBC, or CBS decides to go with a more
moderate/conservative news perspective. Where will Peter Jennings, Tom
Brokaw, and Dan "getting the gray right outta my hair" Rather be if the
shoe falls on one of their mouths? Well, it would surely alleviate the
budget problems the news organizations are having nowadays.
	Just like there are too many friends in social circles, I
sincerely doubt that any news organization in New York will go
conservative. CNN is a bit more moderate, but they also don't have to
worry about condensing life into 24 minutes each day.

:	As a casual viewer, I can't tell the difference between any of the
:networks. Why? because the networks have all gone to great lengths to tune
:their broadcasts to a single mass audience. The news covers local human 
:interest because thats what the public wants to see. 
	I can't tell the difference between the networks either. To me
that's pretty bad. It's sorta like having every fast-food restaurant
mimic McDonald's. You get sick and tired of it after a while. (At least
I do.)

:	The American public is not stupid, much to the chagrin of Rush
:and the dittoheads. The media, be it news or entertainment, is purely
:a commodity, and is marketed just like any other. If there is a liberal
:media, then it's because there is some kind of controlling force that
:makes it so, driving out conservative influences -- Without that force,
:the media would simply gravitate to what sells.
	Ever heard of "sweeps months"? Have you seen what some
newspeople will put on the air during sweeps?
	Actually, I've heard the media coronate many a politician and
political race. I don't think the American public is stupid either. But
sometimes, I think they just don't care about what's on TV.

:	I don't believe in a Liberal Media Conspirisy, so I conclude that
:the public is getting what the public wants. What I do believe is that
:the public is not as conservative as Rush and the Dittoheads would like,
:just like they're not as liberal as Jerry Brown would like. This being the
:case, it doesn't surprise me that both sides are claiming persecution from
:the media.
	Again, I cite the deceased editor of the Duke _Chronicle_ who
claims if anyone is happy with the way the news is delivered, he (as the
editor) is doing a bad job.
	Well, either the public is getting what it wants, or the public
isn't watching. That's usually the case.
	What I'd like to see in my news broadcasts: if at all possible,
speeches unabridged and unadulterated, point-counterpoint discussion,
and Garfield and Peanuts animated for 5-10 minutes per diem. :)

-- 
Emil Thomas Chuck		DUKE BLUE DEVILS: 1992 ACC CHAMPIONS!
Biomedical Engineer 1993	1992 EAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!!
Duke University, Durham, NC	AND 1992 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!
Newsgroups: alt.activism.d,alt.rush-limbaugh,talk.politics.misc