Comments on: Media Influential

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:23:17 +0000

I think most of your commentors have identified the negatives. The one additional aspect that ticks me off with even the local news let alone the 24 hours guys is the constant ‘selling’ of their product. “Stay tuned and we will tell you about….” And they do this more than once in their programing. Hey, I’m already listening, you don’t have to sell me. Why don’t you just tell me now and use those 30 seconds to tell me an additional bit of news? When you look at all the time wasted ‘advertising’ what they are going to tell you they could have put in another substantial story! If they knew what a substantial story was.
I agree with the others, they are sensationalizing what is not that sensational.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:35:59 +0000

I don’t think the media makes any attempt any more to report news in an unbiased fashion. And I think that the effects are pretty negative. What sells is what gets published. The sensationalism aspect discourages “both sides” reportage. I stopped buying daily newspapers over 12 years ago, and have never regretted the move.

By: Teresa

Teresa — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:40:58 +0000

It’s not the greatest, but there’s good ones out there. Some media (that’s not tainted by political affiliations, pop culture, and our need to see people humiliating themselves in private settings deemed reality shows) are ok. Sadly, that doesn’t leave very many. Honestly, majority of people would find that boring and that type of media would be canceled very quickly….unless it is a kid’s show.

What I’m saying is the people behind it and the demographics of their audience are what really tips the scale. Anything can be blown out of proportion for the sake of ratings. It’s almost like it serves some sort of need for people to live vicariously through the drama of others. It’s the “can I separate my view of reality from this pseudo reality” that’s the real question.

By: Lola LB

Lola LB — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:44:55 +0000

Too much. Especially when it comes to blatant cheerleading and stating opinion as fact. Too much investigating on one side and not enough investigating on the other side. Choosing to withold information that might affect a certain event in a certain way. There’s a reason why a certain news network has the highest rating (and that is pretty much the only network I really watch anymore).

By: deb

deb — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:10:50 +0000

I am soooo holding my tongue. But lucky for you the speeches were not over something silly like double points or circular needles for knitting socks.

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:00:07 +0000

It sounds as though you heard speeches from some perceptive and discerning students. Their generation is producing some very responsible, rational thinking. The interesting fact is that from it’s very inception (which wasn’t that long ago) the media’s very reason for existence was to further a specific agenda and manipulate an audience into agreement. Trace back far enough and you’ll find that all newspapers have, as their source, the favoring some political party or platform. It’s only in recent times that we’ve somehow come to see this as strange ~ and they are pleased to have listeners buy their reporting hook, line and sinker. We would all be wise to understand this and not buy into some pie in the sky idea of impartiality. It’s just not the nature of the beast. Never was.

By: Imbrium

Imbrium — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:59:54 +0000

Well, are we talking media as in news sources, or media as in all of the entertainment and information that we receive on a day-to-day basis? I think that widespread dispersal of information is a good thing, but that the individual has to be responsible for controlling their own information intake. I think that mainstream media are what we, as a society, have made them: quick-and-dirty, without real insight or thought. Is that good? No. Is it our responsibility to change it? Yes. This, I think, is the most amazing and promising thing about the internet – there are people out there who are digging deeper, who are really analyzing the world we live in, and who are sharing those insights with anyone who cares to read them. It’s a slow process, to be sure, but I think that the internet and user-created content are changing the way that people think about and experience the world. And I think that’s a good thing. (If you haven’t seen it, this is a great article on how the internet is changing the media: http://www.shirky.com/herecomeseverybody/2008/04/looking-for-the-mouse.html)

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:25:00 +0000

For the most part, I’d say that our Media here in Canada tries to be informative. However, there are times when things are sensationalized. I find the media reports on the economy lately are that way. In the area of Canada that I live in we haven’t been impacted that much yet and sometimes I feel that negative reports add to the fearmongering. Also one thing that absolutely drives me crazy in Canada is when they talk about our sliding Canadian dollar. A low Canadian dollar is a good thing for Canada. It brings manufacturing $$ in and helps us compete with Mexico also it helps our Film Industry. If it’s not a good deal, the business won’t come here. That’s my two cents.

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:53:08 +0000

In a nutshell, the effect is negative. There is too much brain-washing and ‘programming’ (pun intended) going on. Especially in the news media. I try very hard to stay away from network news. It’s not news any more. It’s corporate programming which has an agenda based on who is buying their advertising slots, and the politics of the network.

I rarely listen to music radio for the same reason. The vast majority of stations are really just advertising outlets for record labels. They are dictating our musical preferences.

I love my BBC news (tv and radio), and NPR, and a few on-line outlets. I want to hear several different versions of a story so I can form my own opinion rather than drink the Kool-Aid.

And don’t get me started on the visual entertainment media. Product placement? Political agendas? It’s just a variation on subliminal advertising.

By: Cookie

Cookie — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:45:23 +0000

I think you need to go on tour with Dale, so you can judge the battle of the bands, too.

I believe that 24 hours is a mixed blessing. It gives us the latest updates as they roll in without having to wait until seven o’clock. However, when there is nothing much going on, there are 24 hours in the day that need to filled and a lot of the time those hours are filled with crap news, cheap to produce nonsense and nothing more than gossip.

I think that it’s a long held tradition in this country to avoid talking about and actually doing anything about the real issues of what is broken. It is much better to show the masses something shiny or sexy and get this to forget about a “war” or financial nightmares.

It is what it is and it’s not going to change anytime soon because the masses don’t care. Nor do the media folks. If anyone did care, we would not know that that Miley girl (who is 15) is dating a 20 year old man. As it is, we do know and no one seems to really care.

Frankly, I find it all rather telling and a bit sick-making. But you about me. ;^)