Town Hall Protests Distorted By Irresponsible Media

[Joanne98]

By Steve Benen, Washington Monthly
Posted on September 3, 2009, Printed on September 3, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/142397/

UNDERSTANDING AUGUST.... At this point in the debate over health care reform, the Republicans' #1 talking point has nothing to do with "death panels" or "socialized medicine." It's all about the town-hall meetings lawmakers held over the August recess.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the "the public outcry" makes it "clear" the country doesn't support reform. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said if "town meetings are going to mean anything," he has no choice but to listen to protestors. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said the raucous events is all the evidence he needs: "I think the voice of the people have been heard quite loudly in the month of August."

There are all kinds of problems with this kind of thinking. For one thing, the screaming, right-wing critics of reform have been confused with nonsense, and don't even understand what they think they're opposed to. For another, they represent a small part of the population. For that matter, basing policy decisions on who can throw the biggest tantrum is never a good idea.



But E.J. Dionne Jr. today raises arguably the most important question of all: "hat if our media-created impression of the meetings is wrong?"

There is an overwhelming case that the electronic media went out of their way to cover the noise and ignored the calmer (and from television's point of view "boring") encounters between elected representatives and their constituents.

It's also clear that the anger that got so much attention largely reflects a fringe right-wing view opposed to all sorts of government programs most Americans support.... Over the past week, I've spoken with Democratic House members, most from highly contested districts, about what happened in their town halls. None would deny polls showing that the health-reform cause lost ground last month, but little of the probing civility that characterized so many of their forums was ever seen on television.

Lawmakers heard from plenty of skeptics -- and plenty of supporters. Rep. David Price (D) of North Carolina had someone from a television network come to his town-hall event and who told the lawmaker in advance, "Your meeting doesn't get covered unless it blows up." Price's audience was generally receptive to reform, so the network ignored it.

Continued>>.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/142397/town_hall_protests_distorted_by_irresponsible_media/#more

[FrenchieCat]

1. The corporate media will be the death of us......

and it wasn't supposed to work that way!

[babylonsister]

2. It sure is. Rec'd. nt

[Altoid_Cyclist]

3. I had this discussion with my wife the other night.

As usual, I at least try to give the CM 5 minutes a night to see if they've somehow undergone a complete metamorphosis in the last 24 hours. As usual, the answer is a resounding NO! As I was yelling at the TV again, I mentioned that all they ever show are the Reptilian press conferences that once again perpetuate the inane idea that nearly ALL Americans are against HCR. When she asked why the Democrats don't call their own press conferences, I explained that it's pretty simple. They do, but when the networks are owned by large corporations controlled almost entirely by the RW, they are not going to show anything except their own propaganda(otherwise known as lies). I've read more actual and TRUE news here in the last five years than I'll ever live to see on the networks. I'm pretty sure that without DU, I would have destroyed our TV's by now. It's my link to sanity.

[108]

4. Cable News is the death of civil discourse

It's pretty pathetic...and the Right are going to be doing this type of stuff during Obama's whole presidency..

[JohnWxy]

5. anti-Reality television:

Rep. David Price (D) of North Carolina had someone from a television network come to his town-hall event and who told the lawmaker in advance, "Your meeting doesn't get covered unless it blows up." Price's audience was generally receptive to reform, so the network ignored it.

This, of course, is not journalism. When news outlets decide in advance that only anti-reform protestors are worthy of coverage, it's an example of the media dictating the discourse. Your opinion is only deemed newsworthy if it meets the expectations of those who decide what's newsworthy. In this case, Tea Baggers, LaRouche cultists, and assorted crazies were deemed important. Everyone else, not so much.

As Dionne concluded, "he only citizens who commanded widespread media coverage last month were the right-wingers. And I bet you thought the media were 'liberal.'"

To base a historic public debate on what folks "learned" from cable news coverage of hand-picked town-hall events would be a ridiculous mistake.

[Kablooie]

6. Problem is that the GOP plays hard ball while the Dems are still playing ping pong.