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The Missing Links “[T]he media narrows the expression of viewpoints to an extraordinary degree. We’ve already discussed the small population of talking heads on cable shows. At the same time, the interest aroused by figures like Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul occurred because, in my view, the American public had never heard people talk that way. Similarly, the Rev. [Jeremiah] Wright is espousing views that are hardly rare, but people react with shock and awe. People should take it as a sign that something is wrong—the media isn’t giving them the full story. By a long shot.”
(Thanks to alert WORDster Anne W. Anderson)
NOTE: The WORDman and alert WORDsters know—although Crichton apparently didn’t—that “media” is a plural noun...
Today in History
2007: Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveils iPhone; 1987: Reagan memo launches Iran-Contra scandal; 1972: Fire breaks out aboard Queen Elizabeth; 1958: First Japanese cars arrive in California; 1913: Richard Nixon's birthday; 1776: Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense; 1493: Columbus identifies manatees as mermaids in the Dominican Republic.
Jim, a veteran network newsman, writes:
ReplyDeleteDavid Brinkley once said: "I decide what the news is." He was speaking about cramming ten pounds of nightly crap into a five pound bag, but the truth of that statement is wider than his intent. In truth, the media DO decide what the news is just because they have to weigh news value and cram that five pound bag. I have noticed that a lot of the excess is trivial, peripheral or parochial. But, no doubt, some of it isn't. It's the daily quandry of a few charged with making decisions, judged often by people who have no criteria for their judgment..so they go to the internet and react as their grandparents did regarding newspapers: "I saw it on the internet, so it must be so.." (small amendment)
Indeed. One of the (increasingly) most important classes I teach here is a media literacy course I invented a decade ago, called "Media Smarfts: Making Sense of the Information Age." It offers students the tools to digest their media intake more critically--individual selective percetion, gatekeeping, agenda-setting, etc., and how their media diets "cultivate" views of the world that may not be entirely acccurate. You would think that people like Crichton who pay such close attention to media and news would understand that the window they provide on the world is a partial and incomplete view at best. But most of us are too close to the beast to understand it well--as Marshall McLuhan observed (sort of): "I'm not sure who discovered water, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a fish." Submerged in our own little, parochial pools, we see and hear and breath in and out the limited environment we're in, oblivious of its relative purity or toxicity.
ReplyDeleteEnuff with the lecture, prof.....
I think the general population is used to having the news given to them in a pretty neutral voice. Generally, Journalists aren't going to be extreme one way or the other on a story. (Unless you watch debates or talk shows) When someone like Mike Huckabee or Rev. Wright speak out it does catch everyone off guard because they aren't exactly playing it safe or neutral. I like to see people break away from the mold, so long as they don't get annoying.
ReplyDeleteJournalists arent supposed to be extreme one way or the other... hate to trot out the phrase, but here it comes....when I went to journalism school(!), we were taught that it was our job to present both/all sides of an issue, without comment, to let our audience make up their own minds....
ReplyDeleteAlexis says she likes to see people break away from the mold, so long as they dont get annoying... wonder who judges what is annoying and what happens to someone who becomes annoying... is the definition of annoying someone who wont back down from a viewpoint others disagree with, perhaps?
And does Alexis' definition of annoying match the definition of annoying held by other people?
We are entitled to any view we wish but the day Journalism and Journalist will allow us to formulate our own view will probably be the day we are all journalist and there are no longer lead journalists and great writers. We like to make fun of newspapers, television stations and websites that hold a far left or far right view of what's going on in the world but really thats what we want isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI like the diversity myself. I like being able to know the different styles f writers and reporters because I can hear the different sides.
In the end with the amount of blogging and internet reporting that is going on, we are al becoming writers and these lead newspapers and magazines will really have to rework there approach to keeping a large audience of readers.