Why the US news media is shockingly bad

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Fascist viewpoints on Gaza are certainly not 'politically correct hoarse poo'. So what? You win because that $hit is popular? That's pretty sad.

A few pages ago we were disputing whether or not that stuff is mainstream. Are we now admitting that this is in fact the case?

Edited August 3, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Btw the topic here isn't the popularity of Fox News, its that this episode the Sean Hannity is propagandising the gaza conflict and promoting evil ideas. I think its highly suspect to even attempt to gloss over that.

Be brave, if you think what Hannity said is reasonable and justifiable, just come out and say so. Don't try to pretend that popularity and viewing figures are an endorsement of factual accuracy or journalistic integrity.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Karee 4,191]

I think its very suspect that very few of the posters in this thread have actually commented on the Hannity segment with the Yousef Munayyer.

Why is it more important to downplay the whole thing thanthan simply admit that it is garbage and promotes extremist views?

Is it wrong to just admit that?

I don't watch Sean Hannity. Here or anywhere else. I don't need to stick my nose in a pile of horse cr@p to know it stinks, just as I don't need to watch a video of Sean Hannity to know he's a moron.

Now Cr@p is a bad word? How about they publish a list of allowed words?

Edited August 3, 2014 by Karee

[JohnR! 5,495]

Btw the topic here isn't the popularity of Fox News, its that this episode the Sean Hannity is propagandising the gaza conflict and promoting evil ideas. I think its highly suspect to even attempt to gloss over that.

Be brave, if you think what Hannity said is reasonable and justifiable, just come out and say so. Don't try to pretend that popularity and viewing figures are an endorsement of factual accuracy or journalistic integrity.

Even if you want to endorse Sean's message by wys of his vehicle, the rargument falls flat. Fox News has little credibility and commands no respect from its peers. No other network would take Hannity.

Back to the topic, his behavior is indefensible, no matter what you think of the conflict.

Edited August 3, 2014 by JohnR!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't watch Sean Hannity. Here or anywhere else. I don't need to stick my nose in a pile of horse cr@p to know it stinks, just as I don't need to watch a video of Sean Hannity to know he's a moron.

Now Cr@p is a bad word? How about they publish a list of allowed words?

I think everyone needs to know what is being promoted in the mainstream news media. Fascism isn't acceptable political commentary. It should be opposed and reviled, not downplayed.

[Karee 4,191]

I think everyone needs to know what is being promoted in the mainstream news media. Fascism isn't acceptable political commentary. It should be opposed and reviled, not downplayed.

Like most things in this country, bringing a lot of attention to something tends to make it more popular. The last thing I'd want to do is increase his ratings. I'd rather he just fade away.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Like most things in this country, bringing a lot of attention to something tends to make it more popular. The last thing I'd want to do is increase his ratings. I'd rather he just fade away.

Back to what I said. Hannity is what it is opinionated theater. It makes no bones to be anything else. I agree with your and Rlogans points. My only point is, that many on this site want to shut don Fox News, byt have no problem with MSNBC and other outlets that lean the other way. Bill Maher is Sean Hannity in the other direction. He is abrasive, radical and very left entertainment TV. I do watch him from time to time, and don't always disagree with him. However you never here the left screaming about the other unbalanced media.

[Karee 4,191]

Back to what I said. Hannity is what it is opinionated theater. It makes no bones to be anything else. I agree with your and Rlogans points. My only point is, that many on this site want to shut don Fox News, byt have no problem with MSNBC and other outlets that lean the other way. Bill Maher is Sean Hannity in the other direction. He is abrasive, radical and very left entertainment TV. I do watch him from time to time, and don't always disagree with him. However you never here the left screaming about the other unbalanced media.

I don't think any of them should be shut down. MSNBC is the equivalent of Fox, just from the viewpoint of the left, and without the ratings. One guy I USED to respect on MSNBC is Chris Matthews of Hardball. He used to be a pretty fair guy that leaned a little left. Now he's a Sean Hannity clone on the left. Kinda like how John McCain used to be a reasonable moderate politician. Moderate politicians can't win primaries nowadays. They would probably do great in general elections, which is the sad part.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

They shouldn't be shut down but people certainly should have an expectation of quality in their news media - perhaps through an independent regulatory body with real powers.

We shouldn't make any assumptions about a person's beliefs because they find a particular piece of content grossly offensive. Imo that's just bait and switch for the purpose of playing down a legitimate criticisms.

As I say, I don't much care for Russell Brand. He is an arrogant #######, but he is right on the money in his assessment of that Hannity segment and it's not something that should in any way be condoned as a state of normal.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Boiler 46,246]

Lots of Countries have State controlled Media.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm not talking about state control.

[Boiler 46,246]

Actually you did.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't believe in state control of the media. I believe in self regulation via an independent body.

I think people ought to be more critical of new reporting and news commentary and more activist in opposing extremism in the media. It shouldn't be accepted as a state or normal, nor should objectionable content on another channel be justification for objectionable content on another. It exposes a tribal mentality as I said earlier.

Obviously we don't live in an ideal world.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Hannity is in Israel. Presumably we can expect some searching, investigative reporting.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[SMOKE 1,426]

Sean Hannity is such a badass I got my hair cut like his.