[DISCLAIMER]This rant contains no scientific research whatsoever. The only research I cite are those of my own observations.[/DISCLAIMER]
Okay, I’m tired of hearing the conservatives piss and moan about how liberal the media are (yes, media is a plural word). Where is this liberal media? I’ve searched under my bed, in the back seat of my car, and under every rock in my state, but I still can’t find it.
Truth is, I haven’t seen the media more conservative in years. WTOP, the newsradio station I listen to where I am (D.C. Metro area) used to be very critical of the Bush administration. However, ever since I learned that they were owned by the Mormon-owned, Utah-based Bonneville Broadcasting, I’ve found just how untrue that is. Case in point: Until about October of last year, every news report about an attack in Iraq was concluded with the following line: “This has been the xth day of violence since the President declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq.” Granted, that line becomes redundant after a few months, but WTOP makes no effort whatsoever to even criticize the Bush administration anymore.
As a matter of fact, the only news source that I’ve found to be consistently critical of the neo-conservative movement is The New York Times. I applaud them.
So why the shift? From what I’ve researched, I’ve found two reasons. The first is that the individual broadcasting entities of the media want to be controversial, but not too controverisal. Controversy sells newspapers. Too much controversy bears the risk of equating your newspaper to The National Enquirer. Secondly, the newsmedia entities also fear that over-criticism of the Bush administration or the Government will result in them being black-balled from interviews and press conferences. And I have a co-worker – a former producer for FOX News who confirms that my fears are true. I wanted to explode when I watched Tim Russert interview Dick Cheney on Crossfire. Tim, what the hell is wrong with you? Press him more about Halliburton! Ask him why Paul O’Neill was fired or why Ari Fleischer quit! Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Where’s Osama? Where’s Saddam? (At that point, Saddam wasn’t turned into a reelection campaign tool yet).
Alas, Tim stuck to the Government-approved script and is guaranteed access for another day.
So I suppose this is where we are: A conservative movement that the Reaganites could only dream about. Through Karl Rove’s marketing genius, we have created a regime no different from the current Chinese “republic”: A nation where you can have all the free speech you want, as long as you don’t exercise it to criticize the Government. A country where the newspaper reports only what the Government allows them to report. A place with so much spin on it that it would take decryption abilities of Nashian standards to sort through pre-processed, extra-censored, fully-regurgitated material.
Or am I the only one who feels this way?
- Adam