Posted by manualblock [ 69.112.43.172 ] on January 24, 2006 at 09:59:49:
In Reply to: Re: In the absence of Mr. Vinyl... posted by Wayne Parham on January 24, 2006 at 09:24:13:
Wayne; I hope your still here. There are no perfect institutions in life; but the mainstream press is a valuable and neccessary tool for the citizens of a free country. The news organisations have vast resources including libraries/factcheckers/reporters on the scene/ contacts; I say this: You must get information somewhere. At no time in my 53 years of reading and watching have I found that people's personal experiences were any more reliable than the news. In fact whenever I needed to do something predicated upon what I might have read in some newspaper; it turned out to be accurate. Does the news put spin on what they report? That is human nature to report what you see and when you report something you report what you find interesting. But newspapers have editors who answer to the reading public who in turn buy the products advertised in the paper. If the public refuses to buy into what that paper prints on a consistent basis then that paper loses money and consequently folds.
You as the reading public have a responsibility to seek out the most reliable news source and also to seek alternative sources as a check and balance.
If you look into the past and see how many corrupt politicians/environmental disasters/dangerous conditions et al stories that the news has printed that resulted in a safer/better/more influence free government/ world, then you must in all honesty acknowledge that the news organisation perform a valuable and absolutely neccessary function in our society.
So what would you do to find out whats happening in the world; read some blogger? He is more accurate with his little corner of the world than a vast news organisation that answers to the entire public?
I know they are not perfect; but I trust the serious news organisation much more than I trust the CEO's and the Politicians and the Generals.
The good reporters are basically honest and decent guys trying to do a good job.
Now I know people will laugh at my so-called naivete' and simplistic view of the world; nothing can be further from the truth. But one thing I do see; all the folks who denigrate the news organisations tend not to be the serious readers.
Nice to see you chime in here; makes it more like a family.
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