What's up with all this manufacturing of the news?

Question

What do the news networks think they can pull over our eyes? And where's the journalistic integrity?

http://www.creators.com/opinion/michelle-malkin/punked-faking-the-hate-manufacturing-the-news.html

Answer 1

Allow me to quote H.L. Mencken,

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them
imaginary."

I don't really know that is as much of a case of networks thinking they can "pull the wool over our eyes." As Malkin points out in her article, The regular news media, and more important prime time news shows parading as news shows, such as Dateline get busted most of the time they try to foist something off on the public. Consider Prime time's two latest attempts to show what an intolerant society we are. . The gay couple issue that Malkin alludes to, as well as the "racism towards poor innocent 'Muslim looking men" at Nascar races.
Both times, interestingly, busted by either Fox or Fox affiliates.

Look at Rathergate, where in CBS news people did not verify the authenticity of certain "documents" supposedly leaked about George Bush's Air National Guard record. These where quickly shown to be forgeries. But once again, as Malkin pointed out in the article you reference, most convenient about the time they were released, just before the election. . . humm. . But even more interesting is that Rather, even after confronted with overwhelming evidence that the memo's were forged, yet, he still states that he believes the story is correct.

There is an interesting blog about Rathergart at:
http://www.rathergate.com/

While we are on the subject of Dateline, perhaps you remember the 1993 story about how easily certain General motors pickups exploded when hit. Good overview of the issue at (see note 3)

It should be mentioned here that as a result of Dan Rather's escapade:

"CBS apologized to viewers, terminated Mary Mapes, and demanded the resignations of Senior Vice President Betsy West, who had been in charge of all prime time newscasts, 60 Minutes Wednesday Executive Producer Josh Howard, and Howard's top deputy, Senior Broadcast Producer Mary Murphy. Murphy and West resigned on February 25, 2005, and after settling a legal dispute regarding his level of responsibility for the segment, Josh Howard resigned on March 25, 2005." (4)

Regarding the Dateline Gas tank story:

"The following Dateline NBC producers were dismissed: Jeff Diamond, executive producer; David Rummel, senior producer; and Robert Read, producer of the report on the pickups. Michele Gillen, the reporter involved in the segment, was transferred to Miami station WTVJ. Michael G. Gartner, president of the news division, resigned under pressure." (5)

So, at least in some cases dealing with national news media, there is some accountability for the "false reporting" stories. Of course, as is always the case, you find out about the retraction on page 17, never on the front page.

It has been speculated and is probably true, that with the rise of the internet, the rapid ability to check facts, the numbers of people willing to come forward to point out facetious news reporting, whether on national news or National news shows like dateline. It is interesting however, that dateline seems to be a suffering from constant recidivism, for which there seems to be no real contrition.

I feel I must also comment on the statements she makes with reference to academia. . .Once again, let me start with a quotation:

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher regard those who think alike than those who think differently." — Nietzsche

With regard to the last quotation, consider what happened recently at Columbia University. Where the Iranian president is welcomed (6)

But someone with a viewpoint that is not politically correct: (7)

Another issue, another non politically correct person with a "dangerous viewpoint:" (8)

The issue does not seem to be as clear cut, nor is there any serious accounting on some college campus. There are constantly tales of Liberal intolerance on such campus. A few examples at (9)

A was pointed out in the article "The top five politically correct outrages on college campuses,

"Free speech has been a rare commodity at college campuses this year, particularly when conservatives are doing the speaking and writing. " (10)

There is documented backlash to such actions, but the rath of the public has been slow and steady: (11)

IN SUMMARY
The reasons for news stories which are blatantly false are more likely a quest for ratings at any cost. Fear mongering in a 10 second sound bite to have people watch the nightly news. Or in the case of shows like dateline, improper over site for the same end. What the producers of these news shows fail to see is that over time, they have lost rating share steadily. People old enough, certainly remember the dateline gas tank issue. Those who have paid attention over the last few years are aware that "rather gate" was bogus. However, there is some point where share ratings decline will slow. The most likely reason for this is what is sometimes referred to as "Preaching to the choir". In any spectrum of viewers, there is an extreme right, and extreme left and a vast number of middle viewers. Those who identify as liberal, especially those who "Hate Bush" above all else, are likely to watch with relish any story which discredits the man, true or not. Conversely, there are those who identify as Conservative who will view or listen to anything which discredits the left, accurate or not.

The same is not always true on college campus. although frequently left leaning professors try to indoctrinate new students, it appears that most students of the conservative strain have developed excellent coping skills. They capitulate and regurgitate the party line and go on, their viewpoints unchanged, but more assured that college campus are attempting to indoctrinate. .

One side tries to influence the other, often without success. Most people are intelligent enough to know propaganda when they see it and reject it as such. It is never ending and there is no let up anywhere to be seen.

Answer 2

Journalistic integrity is now an oxymoron. What scares me is that there are people who still take in and believe the garbage the networks spew out.

Answer 3

This looks like one step beyond the other news creation done by the main stream media: so-called political polls. The media creates a poll, does a survey, analzyes the results, then reports it as news.

Answer 4

Read Noam Chomsky's book "Manufacturing Consent"