I've posted 10 times!!

[seanpencil]

and I got a nice email from DU noting that, telling me I could post a thread, so here goes.

We can agree or disagree or disagree to agree or whatev.

When do we get our media and elections back? Forget the guns! That ain't where the crazymaking and violence is coming from!

DU fills a gap. The innernetz provides alternatives. But when when when do we again have actual journalism and decentralized media in this country? THAT's what's up.

[JohnnyRingo]

1. Welcome to DU

I hope you find membership here as broadening and enlightning as I do.

[seanpencil]

11. me 2

[renate]

2. wouldn't it be nice if independent and objective journalism were the norm rather than the exception?

Imagine a world in which Fox News isn't allowed to call themselves a news channel. That would make SUCH a big difference.

[RZM]

12. It's tough to argue that the government can decide what an outlet calls itself

That would mean the Weekly World News and who knows how many other outlets would have to change their names too. Sounds like a first amendment issue to me. If you want to call yourself a news outlet, I think you have that right, no matter what type of content you are providing.

Besides, think of poor Batboy. What would become of him!!!!!

[seanpencil]

13. 1996

[RZM]

14. Uhh, ok.

I guess?

[seanpencil]

28. Telecomm Act

Imagine a world without it.

"Imagine a world in which Fox News isn't allowed to call themselves a news channel. That would make SUCH a big difference."

Not a "first amendment issue" of what to call themselves, but a whole different animal from what they are now.

Imagine.

[renate]

3. oops... I forgot to say--

Welcome to DU!

[seanpencil]

4. yes and thank you very much

the debate over guns is important and secondary to the hate-filled airwaves!

[Tx4obama]

5. Welcome to DU :)

[seanpencil]

10. hey yall

[longship]

6. Welcome to DU to you.

I can't say your first thread is the best, but it's very far from the worst. Happy to see you aboard. Seems like you have your head on straight. Don't let the chair throwing around here get you down.



BTW: this thread had an ad for "Take the 2012 Congressional Tea Party Survey"

I passed on that. Probably virus infected.

[seanpencil]

8. "Don't let the chair throwing around here get you down."

LOL

Virus? Prolly bacteria.

[Kalidurga]

7. I hate to be a pessimist...

But, I don't think we are going to get the media back. Reporting real stories takes time, money, and dedication. While reality tv and entertainment news are cheap to produce and pull in ratings.

[seanpencil]

9. Yeah, but

oh

[longship]

15. Damn!!! I missed Big Brother tonight.

The best hour of broadcasting EVER.


Instead, I watched Maigret on MHz Worldview which is broadcast on a local PBS station 24/7. World news and drama. (Sadly, no more Australian football.) But their International Mysteries (FB) are great. All in their native tongue (subtitled). My favorite is the Wallender series in the original Swedish with Krister Henriksson as Wallender. Many of you may have seen Kenneth Branaugh in this role on PBS Mystery. But the Swedish is the original, and it is very good; Henriksson is great as Kurt Wallender.

I have not seen the Branaugh versions. I know that they were filmed in Ystad, Sweden, some simultaneously with the Swedish production. PBS has more coming up this summer with Branaugh. I certainly will be watching them.

[seanpencil]

29. sounds great!

[blondie58]

16. wecome to DU, seanpencil

[And watch out. DU is addictive!

[madokie]

17. Welcome to DU

You will like this haven from the storm I promise.
Peace

[BrooklynBoy]

18. This Is My Third :)

But, who's counting?

[madokie]

21. You are.

Welcome to DU. Pick a chair, park your ass if news of what matters and what matters is news to you, you've found the right place.
Peace

[Surya Gayatri]

19. Welcome to DU, seanpencil! Pertinent first OP--keep them coming!

[seanpencil]

30. thanks nice ta meetya

[Warren DeMontague]

20. The internet IS the decentralized media. The bad "news" is, Cable and Network and Newspapers are

mostly still centrally owned by a very small group.

The good news is, compared to 10 or 20 years ago, when they lie or spin, I don't think people fall for it as much. Maybe some do, but more and more, don't.

I think the Iraq War period, followed by Katrina, was a watershed for some of this. I think people really started to see through the BS.

[seanpencil]

32. really good point

[FarPoint]

22. Welcome to DU....

[seanpencil]

33. Hi!

[malaise]

23. Welcome to DU

[seanpencil]

45. charmed I'm sure

[Robyn66]

24. Welcome to DU!

This place can be a lot of fun, there are some asshats here but 99% are really great and you can have some fantastic conversations!
Have fun!

[seanpencil]

35. haha

asshats

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Welcome to DU

And in answer to your hypothetical question - we have to "buy" our own media outlets (stations), create more syndicators and program packagers, do more to support current progressive programming (like what is left of Air America), and rely on online media / blogs /forums that support liberal and progressive views. Anything "corporate" is in it for the dollar bill and those dollars seem to be flowing more freely to them from the right, because the left reserves their money to help others (people) rather than to hurt others (people) via saturation of the media with fear and hate-filled propaganda.

[seanpencil]

36. that's the problem

mainstream power over people "rather than to hurt others (people) via saturation of the media with fear and hate-filled propaganda" needs to stop

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

26. Welcome to DU

And to answer your question, I'm getting cautiously optimistic. The billionaires who throw money at the Republican Party are buying "old media" and that's getting less and less effective. When they tell a lie, ten thousand bloggers and citizen journalists pounce on it and expose it for what it is. So telling bald-faced lies is becoming somewhat more difficult. And I think people are getting more savvy about the ridiculous crap that gets generated by the internet -- we're becoming more conscious consumers of information.

[seanpencil]

39. great post

[4_TN_TITANS]

27. Journalism integrity will always be questionable

when the networks get so much campaign cash funneled back to them for ads, etc. They have a vested interest in furthering controversy and the myth that everything is a horse race.

it's not perfect, but this is why I'm a fan of NPR...

[seanpencil]

40. that's what I meant

by "our media." Lying to the massses

[mrs_p]

31. welcome!

[seanpencil]

41. gracias!

[edhopper]

34. The only objectivity I've seen

is on The Daily Show and HBO's Newsroom.

And I expect at least one State will have it's election stolen by the Repukes this year, and it won't be reported in the MSAM and nothing will be done.


I don't see it happening for a long time, if ever.

[seanpencil]

42. yeah

[Lone_Star_Dem]

37. Welcome to DU!

[seanpencil]

43. thankyouverymuch

[Marrah_G]

38. The problem is that things have gone to far

Congress is not going to reign in and regulate the very corporations who are supporting them financially. It's created an awful cycle that I do not see a way of stopping.

[seanpencil]

44. yup

yuk

so there's the innternetz!

[lunatica]

46. Welcome to DU

DU definitely fills a gap.

[seanpencil]

48. thanks!

good central source. love the vids and good reads.

[DevonRex]

47. Welcome to DU.

That's a great point.

[seanpencil]

49. thank you

the official crazymakers make me crazy!

[DonRedwood]

50. 50th reply gives you your (first) flames too!

[seanpencil]

52. hahaha

[abelenkpe]

51. When we dust off those anti trust laws

And break up big media corporations?

[seanpencil]

53. yeah that