Jan 10 2008
Journalism A Dying Trade-craft
If this poll is any indication of what the biased reporting has brought the news media it means ‘journalism’, as practiced by the likes of Dan Rather, Keith Olberman, Chris Mathews, the NY Times, etc., is a dying trade-craft. Most Americans find their products suspect – at best. The lack of objectivity and the many instances were those practicing (but clearly not perfecting) the trade were suckers for false or planted stories by political hucksters and our enemies overseas has eroded the only asset these businesses have – their credibility. Personally I think if you produce a crappy product you deserve to be flushed into the bin of history.
It used to be that news was a “loss leader” for a broadcast company. For example, in the 1940’s, radio networks made money selling ads during the shows but lost money on the news. It was quite expensive to send correspondents overseas during the war and the news didn’t really make any money but it drew people to the network who listened to the show after and before the news broadcast.
These days the news is a profit center. The notion is not to inform accurately, it is to attract attention. Get the most number of people to tune in so they can be shown advertising. Networks get paid more if the ads reach more people. So the notion has been to put out stories that people are interested in, not that people need to know. Which is why Fox carries a daily “pop tarts” section and a weekly report from the sexologist. They attract eyeballs to the advertising.
News designed only to inform would be dry and most would turn away to the more entertaining broadcasts about what Brittany did today.
Fox News (27.0%), CNN (14.6%), and NBC News (10.90%). These were followed by ABC News (7.0%), local news (6.9%), CBS News (6.8%) MSNBC (4.0%), PBS News (3.0%), CNBC (0.6%) and CBN (0.5%).
My unscientific observation would put NBC in a deadheat with ABC to see who could compete with MSNBC (NBC). I put all three behind CBS today. And it is not Charles Gibson (ABC).
Their power is being able to keep pictures on Abu Ghraib on the front pages………forever. Their power is never having to print the picture or even attend the press conference when a huge group of war heroes took a stand. Don’t count them out yet. I watched them pull out their knives at ABC this morning on Obama. My gosh, I think I just found common ground with ABC.
According to Fox business NYT got down to 15.12 per share but rallied slightly and the 2.5 loss estimated for print news has escalated to 7.9% loss this year. Serves them right. Maybe someday they will learn we want the news – good, bad or indifferent. Just straight accurate non biased news. That was the whole point of the constitutional amendment and not to steer or guide the country in any direction of their choosing.