If the press is not effective at pointing out abuses, they are failing at their primary mission?

Question

if the media is owned by big buisness and special interest ... do we know what they want us to know?

as a good man put it: "To comfort the afficted and affict the comfortable"

Thomas Jefferson was a realist.That's why he also maintained that if there was one thing in the Constitution that could never be sacrificed, it was freedom of the press, so that there would always be an effective whistle-blower that could not be silenced. Is it working?

Answer 1

When business is against the gov't it isnt a problem. The issue is that business has a huge stake in the gov't now and is responsible for quite a bit of our legislation.

As the media is almost completely controlled by Big Business, they are merely a mouthpiece for the elite who control our politicians.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA! Its the only free press left.
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Edit: Ritch (below me), I learned everything that you said in public school. Dont blame the schools for the lazy students who dont want to learn.

Answer 2

No, I don't mind when they point out abuses. It's when they start making them up that concerns me.

But two things. Please, stop trying to portray the media as not being biased toward liberals. No reasonable person can seriously make that claim and simply claiming that it is not is insufficient.

Lastly, the 'press' back in Jefferson's time was far, far worse at making stuff up than they are today. If the press hadn't made crap up, we more than likely would have never had a revolution. Sam Adams was a big fan of yellow journalism in the press. He used it to goad folks into the Boston tea party. The whole 'tea tax crisis' was completely made up. Even with the tax on tea, it was still cheaper in the states than it was in England. And yet to serve his ends, Adams wrote 'news articles' leaving out that important point. Half of the colonial complaints were blown out of proportion by a 'press' controlled by radicals simply looking to increase their fortunes through a split with Britain.

Public school did you no favors, my friend.

Answer 3

The biggest media failure this century was the rah rah support they had toward the Iraq invasion. There was plenty of evidence that the invasion of Iraq would be a disaster and that Bush was lying to us, but they ignored it. Michael Moore said the same thing to Wolf Blitzer on CNN, and Wolf just stood there and took it!

Of course, Fox News led the cheer-leading for the war, but other news organizations were almost as bad. The NY Times and Judith Martin were used as tools by the Bush administration to promote the war.

Answer 4

The next U.S. president will face three key foreign policy challenges. First and foremost will be to set a course for victory in the terrorists' war on global order. The second will be to strengthen the international system that the terrorists seek to destroy. The third will be to extend the benefits of the international system in an ever-widening arc of security and stability across the globe. The most effective means for achieving these goals are building a stronger defense, developing a determined diplomacy, and expanding our economic and cultural influence. Using all three, the next president can build the foundations of a lasting, realistic peace.

Answer 5

The "mission" of the "press" is to report on events: who was doing something, what it was that was done, when they did it, and how they did it. Like Sergeant Joe Friday, reporters should give "just the facts".

Yes, I left out "why". "Why?" is a question that historians, sociologists, and/or economists would have to answer.

Answer 6

No, they can still sell advertising space (thier primary mission) as long as people are more interested in what Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan is doing...

Answer 7

The News Media's primary Goal is to get Democrats Elected.
They will say anything to accomplish their mission.
They are Military Haters.
They never support America, when there is a Republican President.

Answer 8

TJ was also a slave owner and believed limited gov't was best.

Answer 9

too many parties