# I'm tired of mainstream media insisting on "balanced" news **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859 "2009-09-04T14:28:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/21 "2009-09-08T02:25:55Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Interestingly, ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting is banned in every other democracy in the world. Please provide a cite for this with respect to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/22 "2009-09-08T02:43:06Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I agree 100%… but there’s a difference now. Back then, it was maybe a twice-daily paper, 2 TV news reports, and some radio news. This made them at least vet what they did somewhat; they had a limited number of minutes or column inches to work with. > > Nowadays, they have effectively unlimited column inches and/or time with the web and 24 hr cable networks. They can literally print anything, no matter how frivolous, and I suspect that they have a hard time filling that time and/or space, so they print lots of absolute crap, that often has a partisan spin, or they give undue time to crackpot viewpoints and fringe ideas. You have a good point, but you forget the silver lining to having so much media. If the consumer can get through the vitriolic talking heads and the “For Your Health!” footage of fat people from the neck down, he may actually be able to do some fact checking of his own. Sure, it’s a cacophony of mostly bullshit, but because there are so many voices, it’s harder for one or two media outlets to claim that a foreign power blew up an American warship in Havana harbor without fifty others screaming “it was an on board fire! … It was caused by global warming!.. Safety break down in the armory! … Lone homicide bomber! … Catastrophic accident! … Lindsey Lohan is recording an album!” Nowadays, if you can sort through the bullshit, you can usually figure out what actually happened. In the past, you had a limited amount of info that was spoon fed to you, and it was hard _not_ to believe what you were told. In other words: in a way, it’s better now. Sure, we have to put up with the likes of Glen Beck and his manufactured controversies, but at least now we can look to other places to find out exactly how and why he’s so full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/23 "2009-09-08T04:43:01Z")
> [@Paul Krugman](#): > > Long ago I said that if liberals said the Earth was round, while conservatives said it was flat, the news headlines would read “Shape of the planet: both sides have a point.” [Shape of planet blogging - The New York Times](http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/shape-of-planet-blogging/) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/24 "2009-09-08T06:10:08Z")
I agree, in some ways it is better now, in that if you an inclination, you can find multiple sources of news stories (including talking to people online who actually may have seen the event or are at least very close to it). The problem with that is getting Joe Public to look past his spoonfeeding and see that there’s a world of better resources out there that he has to go find on his own. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/25 "2009-09-08T07:24:59Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > The problem with that is getting Joe Public to look past his spoonfeeding and see that there’s a world of better resources out there that he has to go find on his own. I somewhat agree, but be wary of thinking elitist. If you start thinking that Joe and Jane Public can’t do it, then that’s about the time they storm the palace with pitchforks and guillotines. Never underestimate the common man. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/26 "2009-09-08T08:05:23Z")
Addendum to above: **Cat** , you _are_ Joe Public. So am I. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/27 "2009-09-08T21:57:07Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Please provide a cite for this with respect to Canada. Can’t find one. Is there a national broadcaster or newspaper in Canada that’s owned by a company that does government contracting? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/28 "2009-09-08T22:19:44Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Can’t find one. Is there a national broadcaster or newspaper in Canada that’s owned by a company that does government contracting? Tweet! Goalpost moving! You initially said: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Dick Dastardly > Interestingly, ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting is banned in every other democracy in the world. If it so happens that there is no national broadcaster or newspaper in Canada that’s owned by a company that does government contracting, that IS NOT equivalent to a BAN on such a relationship. You made the initial claim of a ban. It is up to you to support this assertion. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/29 "2009-09-09T00:26:10Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > Interestingly, ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting is banned in every other democracy in the world. thanks for confirming that you are talking out your as when it comes to your assertion that Canada bans ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting. (Actually, that’s a rather kinky and somewhat scary image, a Dick talking out his ass.) Now how about providing cites to support your assertion with regard to all other democracies. Either that, or simply do the ethical thing and retract your statement. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/30 "2009-09-09T02:10:10Z")
I’m not retracting anything. Ownership of media by companies that do business with the government isn’t allowed anywhere else in the world, or at least in anyo other democracy. I can’t remember where I read it and I’m not getting any luck with google but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Prove me wrong. Find another democracy where media is owned by a company that does government contracting. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/31 "2009-09-09T02:28:24Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > I somewhat agree, but be wary of thinking elitist. If you start thinking that Joe and Jane Public can’t do it, then that’s about the time they storm the palace with pitchforks and guillotines. > > Never underestimate the common man. I don’t think I was clear enough; I don’t think Joe Public _can’t_ do it, I think Joe Public doesn’t and won’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/32 "2009-09-09T02:39:35Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > I’m not retracting anything. Ownership of media by companies that do business with the government isn’t allowed anywhere else in the world, or at least in anyo other democracy. I can’t remember where I read it and I’m not getting any luck with google but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. > > Prove me wrong. Find another democracy where media is owned by a company that does government contracting. 🙂 What’s you’re point here, though? Why can’t government and media do business? Is BBC wrong? Is PBS? ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/33 "2009-09-09T02:45:16Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I don’t think I was clear enough; I don’t think Joe Public _can’t_ do it, I think Joe Public doesn’t and won’t do it. Fair enough, as long as you remember you’re guilty of the same thing too. That’s not really a criticism, it’s just a safe bet. I’d lay money that neither of us have read Obama’s complete health care proposal and yet we both still have an opinion. We’re Joe Public. We’re lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/34 "2009-09-09T03:07:53Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > I’m not retracting anything. Ownership of media by companies that do business with the government isn’t allowed anywhere else in the world, or at least in anyo other democracy. I can’t remember where I read it and I’m not getting any luck with google but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. > > Prove me wrong. Find another democracy where media is owned by a company that does government contracting. 🙂 Here ya go, Dick: [http://www.canlii.org/en/index.php](http://www.canlii.org/en/index.php) That’s every statute, regulation, and major judicial decision in Canada, and nowhere in all of it is there a ban of ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting. As far as media owned by a company that does government contracting, BCE, the primary telecommunications supplier to the Canadian government, including the Canadian military, owns the second largest television network, CTV, and our leading national newspaper, the Globe and Mail. The largest television network, CBC, is a corporation that is wholely owned by the government itself. So once again, do the ethical thing and retract your assertion that “ownership of media companies by corporations that do any military/government contracting is banned in every other democracy in the world,” for you have been making up and spouting out pure nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/35 "2009-09-09T03:36:59Z")
> [@Dick\_Dastardly](#): > > I’m not retracting anything. Ownership of media by companies that do business with the government isn’t allowed anywhere else in the world, or at least in anyo other democracy. I can’t remember where I read it and I’m not getting any luck with google but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. > > Prove me wrong. Find another democracy where media is owned by a company that does government contracting. 🙂 Google? You want to put your faith in Googe? type in “concentration of media ownership in canada.” That will refer you to a Wiki article on that subject, which states: “Radio and television ownership in Canada is governed by the CRTC. The CRTC does not regulate ownership of newspapers or Internet media, although ownership in those media may be taken into consideration in decisions pertaining to a licensee’s broadcasting operations.” [Concentration of media ownership - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership#Canada) (Broadcast licences are subject to constraints on foreign ownership – nothing at all to do with government contracting.) So once again, get off your intellectually lazy butt and either prove your statement or retract it. You have been provided with the Canadian law, yet you have failed to identify any part of Canadian law that bans companies that do business with the government from owning media corporations. That is intellectual laziness on your part. Your continued insistence that such a ban exists in Canada is plain old dishonesty on your part. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/36 "2009-09-09T03:46:40Z")
**Muffin** , take a breath. _inhale… exhale…_ Feel better? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/37 "2009-09-09T03:48:19Z")
**Dick** made a baseless statement, which he challenged **Muffin** to disprove, and **Muffin** ’s in the wrong for getting irritated? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/38 "2009-09-09T04:20:08Z")
I have a low tolerance for fools on parade. Rather than derail the thread: [Dick Dastardly, quit with the ignorance - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=531254) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/39 "2009-09-09T04:32:04Z")
Now, this is just a guess, but I would bet some money that General Electric does business with most of the governments on the planet, and they own media like nobody’s business. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859/40 "2009-09-09T04:46:59Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > **Dick** made a baseless statement, which he challenged **Muffin** to disprove, and **Muffin** ’s in the wrong for getting irritated? Easy now. I was just remarking on **Muffin** angrily replying to the same post twice. And the half an hour **Muffin** spent between the two posts stewing on such a slight to Canada. **Muffin** , **Dick’s** wrong, but it’s a pretty minor point and doesn’t add a damn thing to the discussion, anyway. I ignored it. Let it _go_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-tired-of-mainstream-media-insisting-on-balanced-news/508859.md?page=3)