Dumbing of America with TV News

reply to post by Mamatus


Hahahaha

Wait what? I thought:

Sarah Palin was gay
Minorities make great presidents
Democrats are all lazy
Obama is a criminal

Now I'm confused...

Bassago
reply to post by Liquesence

 

That's bad journalism, but it got us into Iraq, and luckily the lesson was learned enough that the media started to question the source in regards to Syria, and thankfully that "intervention" was averted.

Call me suspicious if you want but not for a second do I believe that the media coverage was merely because they learned from Iraq. At the moment there is no proof of this but I suspect that someone(s) of great influence molded coverage to influence the outcome.

But who would have enough influence to go against the ones who were screaming for war in Syria? If I recall the DoD wasn't too thrilled with the idea.

Oh, I don't think it was the sole reason, but I think it was an important one after other reports start coming out about the EXTREME likelihood that the gassing was not Assad. And then the media kinda a did a doubletake and a reminiscence.

As far who has the influence to go against the warhawks enough to change the media coverage, I'm not sure. I don't think it is that sinister, but I think it was people saying "Hey, wait a freakin' minute, not again," which foiled the plans for engagement. When we look at US interest in war, it's almost all corporate interest influence (and yes, a large degree military, which is tied to corpo-congressional interests) and tied to congress. Not "policy," not "humanitarian," and oftentimes not militarily, but who benefits monetarily.

Of course, the media would have also been held responsible for one again being a cheerleader and I think they realized that, which is another reason they did a doubletake and had to rethink EVERYTHING (facts/sources/outcome/etc).

reply to post by Bassago

I for one think that's been the plan all along.

You've nailed it right there.

When it's considered that around 90% of the MSM available to the U.S populace is owned by only six corporations, we have a problem.

When considered even further that these six organisations are a consolidation of over 50 separate companies from less than 30 years ago and are controlled by executives that share the same socio/political ideologies... we have a major problem.

Television is a vast wasteland... All too true.

Who is the villain of the piece though? That vast secret, though we all know who they are, cabal out to control us all...


Dumbing down of America...

Playing to the lowest common denominator...

The powers that be are responsible? Really? Why? Why would they even bother? They, whoever "they" is, just need to sit back in their chaise lounge and watch us do it to ourselves...

Advertisers listen to their customers, they are the ones who sponsor those shows we so despise. Who are those customers? You. Me.

Powers that Be? If only that were true.

When educators, at our behest, promote for social reasons, rather than accomplishments...there is no one to blame but ourselves. Again, no nefarious powers that be need apply. ...and we're surprised and dismayed that television reflects our own wishes? Really?



Just...

reply to post by seagull


Which is what many CTers don't want to accept. They have a hero complex and need someone to fight against, and for.

Who to be against? All the things you don't like. Evil this and that.

Who to be for? The common man, of course. Then you go and try to talk with them, and are frustrated. You get depressed.

So you talk about the evil this and that online to the few who will listen.

It gets people nowhere.

If they could just accept the fact that this is the macro-social stage we're in, we could just get on with our lives, keep to those who have similar interests, and leave the poor simpletons alone.

Oh, but that's too sane... intelligent or dumb, we don't much like sanity until we're burned out and of no good use, for the most of us.

reply to post by seagull

Advertisers listen to their customers, they are the ones who sponsor those shows we so despise. Who are those customers? You. Me.

Powers that Be? If only that were true.

When educators, at our behest, promote for social reasons, rather than accomplishments...there is no one to blame but ourselves. Again, no nefarious powers that be need apply. ...and we're surprised and dismayed that television reflects our own wishes? Really?

You're speaking generally right? For one thing I don't watch TV, news or otherwise and there seems to be many even here on ATS who are similar.

Yes advertisers play to the audience but they have leeway within the choices I believe. There's always some wiggle room in most things and TV programming should have the same grey areas where critical programming decisions are made.

Which takes us to Perhaps post that the media is now controlled by six conglomerates. And those are controlled by a very few individuals who continue this offering of limited or no news to the masses. That's not by accident.

I have a question and an observation on this. My question is simple... Why would most Americans really care to hear what is happening outside the United States where it's not a story of enough size to directly impact some factor of life inside the US?

Now.. Before the lynch mob measures strong little trees and rope in bunny length, let me elaborate, because it's a serious question.

Few nations in the world are quite like the US...and I mean geographically for this. Nothing in or even near Europe would compare because every nation surrounding every other one is a part of each others events and happenings. The distances are too small. Everything is too close and too interdependent. That makes sense. I imagine, having it any other way is hard to picture for folks raised/living there. (Just as learning multiple languages is a 'huh? Why?' in the US...but plainly logical in most of the world)

In nations which DO somewhat compare to the United States....what is news like there? That would be Eastern Russia, China and perhaps Australia or New Zealand as examples. Outside of those nations nearest or directly bordering, how much is reported in those areas for what is happening more than a day's travel away? Are locals terribly interested to hear on a daily basis?

* I know we have members in all of the above areas or recently from there..so hopefully some local opinions? I'm kinda curious, as the American part is definitely right. All US unless it's near the Canadian or Mexican borders, and then some news from whichever is on the nearby border..but not too much else beyond banner headline stories.

I dont need to pay for tv to have my program be covered up my ads telling me what i need to buy.

Ads every ten minutes convincing me this new shampoo will cure my dandruff.

I dont need to be told i need the newest iphone.

I dont.

I know what i need in my life.

That is certainly not to pay for something to convince me i need to buy more things.

I could see advertising or (programming) if that's what you call it on free over the air tv programming.



Programming is being used in more than one way in my statement.

Wrabbit2000
I have a question and an observation on this. My question is simple... Why would most Americans really care to hear what is happening outside the United States where it's not a story of enough size to directly impact some factor of life inside the US?

From my perspective, the world is a system and things that happen outside the USA are still happenings in the system.

We all have to share the resources, and get along. It matters to me.

reply to post by Bassago

You're speaking generally right? For one thing I don't watch TV, news or otherwise and there seems to be many even here on ATS who are similar.

Yes. I'm speaking generally.

Yes advertisers play to the audience but they have leeway within the choices I believe. There's always some wiggle room in most things and TV programming should have the same grey areas where critical programming decisions are made.

Of course there is some wiggle room for advertisers. Assuming for the moment, they're willing to put forth the effort to watch what their sponsorship is helping to pay for... I venture to guess, and that's all it is, that as long as their commercials are getting the airtime they pay for, they really don't care. That, too, can to an extent; be laid at our feet. Those advertisers will, if forced to it, begin to sponsor better programming if it begins to effect the pocketbook...

Which takes us to Perhaps post that the media is now controlled by six conglomerates. And those are controlled by a very few individuals who continue this offering of limited or no news to the masses. That's not by accident.

That is true, and I'll not dispute that. But... (you knew one was coming...right?)

All those conglomerates are subject to that same pocket book analogy. They want to get rich with as little work as possible... When we begin to affect that bottom line, they too will have to accept our reality, or lose money/power... That's how I view it, anyway. I realize that to some that comes across as naive. But I've seen the power of the grass roots in other areas...it's very real, and can move mountains.

It's up to us to make the changes. No one else.

Wrabbit2000

Are locals terribly interested to hear on a daily basis?

I'll answer one part of your questions with a post by snowen20 in the China Plans To Seize South China Sea Island From Philippines thread. Seems the locals do want to know whats going on nationally as well as in a global perspective.

snowen20

Why is it that I currently live the Philippines, and this is not even news. I mean this thread as given me more information about things happening out there than I ever hear on the news. I'm wondering if there is a media blackout of some kind.

All of the news agencies that matter are owned by one "group " of people with one goal and Globalism is their game . They keep us uninformed to what they are doing and entertained with Zombies . And what is worse is most people can't see it . This same "group'' owns most all of the Entertainment industry , publishing industry and news papers . Disinformation is extremely valuable . If people were made aware of what is going on and who is behind it the gig would be done .
Still so many people have created their own little world of reality and do not want to know the truth .Upon these people do the Global Elite rely . This same bunch that runs the Media also runs the Financial systems of the world and will use it to take over total control of the world as they have planned for more than a hundred years . Time is running out and they have become emboldened as we now can do nothing but wait for the snare to tighten around our necks .
To most the end will come as the thief in the night upon them not to be confused with Jesus analogy of his return to the unsaved . But some will be caught with fore knowledge because we know what is being done and why .

just a point if i may. why is it just the dumbing of america? is the supposition that peolple in other countries are somehow smarter than the u.s. JUST because they can't avail themselves of our AWESOME 'think of the children, they might start thinking' public school system? i think the entire planet isn't getting stupid just MASSIVELY distracted. my son and daughters are WHOLE lot smarter than i'll ever be. and my grandkids? off the hook. but the world they grew up in is NOTHING like the one that i did. i don't think someone can actually be dumbed down by the news, but when you look at what the news is these days, not of it is ever good, and way to much of it comes packaged in nationalism or other political diseases. i don't think kids or adults are any dumber than they were before. just think the information age means we see so many more examples of what stupid REALLY is on a daily basis, and my number one nominee for proof we're not stupider, but more overly STUPIFIED, the affordable crack act! yes. its stupid. given to us by people who take stupid to a professional level. our elected lords ladies and king. when people are confronted by the affordable crack act which is STUPID on a COSMIC scale, and they can't see it? it's not because they're stupid. it's because they've been overwhelmed by the previous helpings of stupid dished up by you know who. anyway. you can find stupid people everywhere. just ask the canadians at a canadian hospital. bet they feel pretty stupid.

reply to post by webedoomed

If I had that answer I would be assassinated. Integrity in news has gone the way of the Dodo Bird. There was a time long ago that investigative journalists were true TV celebrities and capable of creating a desire for great changes in our Society.

Without them we would still be in Vietnam. Did you ever wonder why they now censor the hell out of any embedded journalists in military operations? The constant images we would be getting of drone strikes killing children would ruin the TPTB's little wars.

reply to post by Bassago


Isn't even that example looking at more or less regionally local news? China would be taking a piece of the Philippines and I know the nation is spread across an enormous area, so China is actually a neighbor. Would the same be true about Philippine folks wanting to know about something in India or outside the Western Pacific?

I've personally been a newshound or running news as background noise for entirely too long to relate to what it looks like outside that view. Others have told me this rather bluntly a couple times in RL.. lol.. So I figured I'd ask.

America is entirely too inwardly focused and news is dumbed down to an absurd level. Especially broadcast news, IMO. No argument on either of those.

S/F

reply to post by Wrabbit2000

Isn't even that example looking at more or less regionally local news? China would be taking a piece of the Philippines and I know the nation is spread across an enormous area, so China is actually a neighbor. Would the same be true about Philippine folks wanting to know about something in India or outside the Western Pacific?

It could be considered such I suppose though the possible attack of a foreign neighbor seems like it should at least make the news on some levels. I think this is an example of what's also happening here in the US, don't upset the pheasants.

As far as whether they want more global news and information I can't answer that. What I will say is I've lived in Asia, Europe and North America and people a pretty much the same everywhere (believe it or not.) I'd suggest that from what I've seen people do want to know what's going on globally as well as locally.

That is the exact reason I've always thought people who limit their sources, based on a difference in ideology hurt only themselves. Trick is gleaning truth from fiction.

The issue is actually worsened by the fact that news sources from many countries simply cannot be trusted. Truthful information from many countries is not readily available when it's completely controlled by government or theocracies and yet people believe propaganda due to their own ideological biases, again hurting themselves.

If we want the truth, only unbiased research and careful consideration of sources can lead us to real facts. Too often we stick ourselves in the eye by believing what's reported, simply because the source happens to agree with our political or religious views. I'm more than guilty of that myself.

Sadly I think most Internet News sources are even worse than the MSM. They have little reason to be factual and too often Internet sources are full of propaganda.

In the end it's up to us to dig out the truth for ourselves. Sadly few actually care as long as it does not directly impact their own lives. Some don't care even if it does.

There's a saying that i like that would fit well here for this thread.

"Half of what we hear is a complete and utter lie. The other half is a conveniently constructed lie."

Whether it be the left or the right, main stream media or alternative media it's all lies upon lies upon lies. And whether that lie is complete bullsh!t (WMDs in Iraq, or polar ice caps being gone by 2013) or constructed in such a way that it sounds like it is a so called truth (the benghazi investigation). At the end of the day a lie is still a lie.

And i too have noticed that the 24/7 (i can't believe it's not news) stations has faded out independent journalism and replaced it with propaganda, opinionated talk shows with an agenda, and celebrity trivial bullsh!t. It seems to me thats what the people want. A modern day bread and circus if you ask me.

We do have the worst news on TV. Stop the partisan liberal vs conservative crap for a while, and actually watch FOX, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and you'll find politics, but not real politics just fluff and blame, you'll find Justin Bieber and Phil Robertson, a little Benghazi and Obama Care and Octomum, and then the Kardashians. Then actually watch BBC...and it's...well actually news. then Watch Al Jazzera and...I was shocked to learn that it wasn't a bunch of Islamic fundamentalists ranting it was.. news. I couldn't find any duck hunters anywhere? lol I'm trying to branch out to other countries now to get my news. I can always google Justin Beiber and Bruce Jenner and the duck hunters anytime I want. lol We have the worst News. I also get that Benghazi and ObamaCare are news...but...There is a lot more than those two issues going on in the world, the US and in my home town.

Bassago
reply to post by Mamatus

 

Hahahaha

Wait what? I thought:

Sarah Palin was gay
Minorities make great presidents
Democrats are all lazy
Obama is a criminal

Now I'm confused...

2 out of 4 isn't bad, right?