Is the media, part of the problem or the solution?

Question

i'm 52 and i have wistnessed the media push for a war and then when the president(not just Bush,but any president) declares war, then it does a 180 and starts talking about how terrible the war is and we should withdraw, etc. i've witnessed this tactic, i know 3 different times in my lifetime, what do you think?

Answer 1

They are definitely part of the problem.

Answer 2

Yes, I am 56 years old and I do agree with you! My lifetime
has shown me many terrors of this such as the Vietnam war
that lasted forever it seemed. I may have well lost my brother
in that war as he was Never the same and died at a young
age never forgetting, not able to live a whole life ever again.
Then so many classmates and friends that were just like the
family members of so very many whom shall never see their
loved ones again. But to me 9/11 was just like a nightmare as
for the first time I was truly afraid to walk or ride down our lands
streets feeling safe as before, I could not go into a shopping
area surrounded by a multitude of people for years and have
not forgotten how unsafe feels. That's why I get all emotional
when someone attacks our President. Though I did not vote
for him that term, I was glad he was President. Then when all
the traggedies occured surrounding all that it was horrible and
I will never forget the many children that have no parents or the
families that never saw those loved ones again and the fact
that many could not even bury their dead. Now this current war
is so very painful though my sons are all grown up and having
lost my youngest last year in an unanswered manner right here,
I am amazed at the strenght and courage of so very many
whom I can not begin to even emphathize with as I know it has
to be nightmare after nightmare. But the media seems to for-
get how much a huge part they do play and never tell it all. They
throw a rock and hide their hands so to speak and it is only a
tactic to play on the dollars that sell the newspapers and tv
news that I do not know whether to believe it or not anymore?
It seems to be the same thing and they call it keeping the pub-
lic informed? Which part can be believed anymore and how
about the families that read it who have loved ones over there?

Answer 3

I agree with the first part of your semi-question -- which is yes, the media is sometimes a problem -- not always. if the media is the solution -- no it is definitely not. Media comments on what it sees and also what it can collect from different contributors -- past political gurus -- like Kissinger or the likes. Great thinkers and real advisers will stay on the side-lines and will not go public with their views. the reason is simple-- not everyone has access to all material affecting this particular war. thus -- not all analysis is complete. back to your question and a direct answer --generalisations is not a way to solve this war (it would be nice to know the 3 war examples you have in mind) -- as a general rule of marketing the media -- simply does what it knows best either to sell their news or their newspapers or whatever they happen to be in business...It is a double edged sword and the best way to resolve it is to have among the top echelon of the president's close advisers -- highly structured thinkers, a team -- not associated with the political parties and get their input in formulating --a policy that is practical and efficient. It is obvious that when this particular war started -- there was no far fetched consultation on where this war might end. Hope it helps.

Answer 4

Good news never sells. You are right. Counting the casualties everynight and interviewing the bereaved families is the same as complimenting the enemy on a job well done and encouraging more attacks. The media is happy because then they have more bad news to report. More people are killed drunk driving in the USA every day, but you don't see the daily toll on that, or interviews. (And no I wasn't slamming the fat surrender monkey Teddy). i do know that if they abandon Iraq now, all those lives lost and people wounded will be for nothing, and the blood bath of reprisals and violence in the vacuum we would leave behind would be worse than after the debacle of the runaway in Saigon. The media doesn't care. I was watching teh armed services committe testimony by Gates on C-span the other day and one dem could barely keep the smirk off his face while he spoke about being questioned by the 25 families of killed soldiers he visited about why they had to die in Iraq. His compassion was really "moving". But since Jan. 1st we are getting blacked out on news stories, if you want to know what is going on you have to gp to overseas sources, not that they are anymore honest, but at least they are discussing things that our (state run?) media doesn't feel is worth our knowing.

Answer 5

One thing we must bear in mind that 'media' is business. It will give the information which people want to know. Reporting of death toll clearly indicates the partiality of media. Many nations are supporting Mr. Bush in his war against terror. However, American deaths are given prominence. Some columns are written without investigating the realities.
One thing we should not forget that media is one of the pillars of democracy. Many media men have tasted death performing their duties i.e. providing on the spot information of realities. They have the right to frame their policies keeping the interest of their own nation.

Answer 6

Maybe more than the media we ourselves are the problem
Do you notice that in your own mind you are looking for faults the whole time ? We tend to criticise, that's the mind's work.
Seldom do we see that when we point out one finger the other 3 are directly pointing at us. If we enjoyed good news the media would give us that !!

Answer 7

Yeah. Damned if they do, and criticized if they don't most of the time I miss good old objective reporting (like the BBC used to feature ) without the outrageous FOX -type, box-brained, holier -than- thou, howling boob - job morons you have to put up with these days. But I have to say, Australia's world news service still retains the best of traditional news reporting that I've seen..

Answer 8

The media is the greater part of the problem.

They slant their reporting so they can subtly manipulate public opinion and influence the creation of wars that would automatically generate and provide them with the news that is their lifeblood.

Answer 9

I agree. All the media is trying to do is create problems these days, i can't express in words what i mean, but i think you already know what im getting at

it's really sad, and it's a pathetic trick the media does but everyone loves it

Answer 10

I would concur with you.

Having said that, however, we are fortunate in this day and age to have access to a variety of places to gather news and events and disseminate them as best we can in order to draw a conclusion.

Most news stories these days seem to dwell on the bizarre, brutal, and strange habits of human beings because it sells.

Good News stories are usually relegated to the back pages.

Answer 11

I believe it is part of the solution because we can't trust the Bush Administration won't give us or the world the truth about the situation in Iraq since day one.