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so-called news
2007-Dec-09, Sunday 03:02 pmIt's not limited to FOX, but they're certainly the most egregious offenders. I'm not sure when or how it happened. Gradually, of course, but how exactly did news reports transform to become mere entertainment? Is there no (inter-)national organization that licenses reporters for their credibility? Near as I can tell, there isn't.
I want there to be some sort of label that can be attached to video clips or web articles, quickly identifying those which are delivered by people reliable for their factual accuracy. In my scheme, Jon Stewart of the Daily Show would not have such a license. Yes, he reports some information on daily events, but his job is entertainment. Similarly, I don't think that FOX should be granted such licenses. All they are is entertainment. I'm offended that they're still allowed to call their productions "news". FOX is so bad, that there's even a website devoted to documenting their inaccuracies. Their name is Fox Attacks, with a tagline that includes "They Distort. We Reply."
For months, I've grown increasingly uncomfortable watching shows like "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", or even MADtv when they're shown on the FOX channel. A few days ago, I was at a Wells Fargo bank and they had FOX News showing on the television! CNN I could certainly understand, but FOX editorial-as-news? In a bank? The last straw, though, arrived today. I watched the video compilation on YouTube showing FOX News broadcasts disparaging the concept of global warming. This is like flat-earth, intelligent-design nonsense pretending to be factual scientific analysis. It has to stop.
I've finally reached the conclusion that I need to DO something. So far, the only thing I can conceive of doing is just to stop watching. No more Fox television shows, movies, books, or other networks such as (sadly, I confess) National Geographic.
I wish there were something more direct that I could do, something to restore credibility and delineate the difference between reporting and entertainment. If you can think of something practical, please let me know.
I want there to be some sort of label that can be attached to video clips or web articles, quickly identifying those which are delivered by people reliable for their factual accuracy. In my scheme, Jon Stewart of the Daily Show would not have such a license. Yes, he reports some information on daily events, but his job is entertainment. Similarly, I don't think that FOX should be granted such licenses. All they are is entertainment. I'm offended that they're still allowed to call their productions "news". FOX is so bad, that there's even a website devoted to documenting their inaccuracies. Their name is Fox Attacks, with a tagline that includes "They Distort. We Reply."
For months, I've grown increasingly uncomfortable watching shows like "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", or even MADtv when they're shown on the FOX channel. A few days ago, I was at a Wells Fargo bank and they had FOX News showing on the television! CNN I could certainly understand, but FOX editorial-as-news? In a bank? The last straw, though, arrived today. I watched the video compilation on YouTube showing FOX News broadcasts disparaging the concept of global warming. This is like flat-earth, intelligent-design nonsense pretending to be factual scientific analysis. It has to stop.
I've finally reached the conclusion that I need to DO something. So far, the only thing I can conceive of doing is just to stop watching. No more Fox television shows, movies, books, or other networks such as (sadly, I confess) National Geographic.
I wish there were something more direct that I could do, something to restore credibility and delineate the difference between reporting and entertainment. If you can think of something practical, please let me know.