Just a little rant: I am fed up with the older women on cable: collagened

[LittleApple81]

lips, botoxed brows, and so much plastic surgery the face only contorts or stays frozen... the necks look like accordions and then they are looking yearningly at the camera and spouting stupidities.

And for the younger ones: the only reason they are there is because they are bimbettes. Not an ounce of common sense.

And now the men: Oh, the men.... what can I say? They are like little roosters, prancing and preening, trying to demonstrate how much they know. WHICH IS NOT MUCH!!!! I had a female friend that said when she went to meetings with male colleagues they were so eager to impress with their knowledge and wit YOU COULD HEAR THEIR BALLS RATTLE.

Both the women and the men are practically interchangeable.

Where is a Walter Cronkite? A Bill Moyers? a Helen Thomas? Or an Amy Goodman?

[Skittles]

1. all that plastic surgery

steals away the charactar of a face; they absolutely look freaking plastic.

[salinen]

2. It's the century of

you are what you look like.

[NMDemDist2]

3. where are they good ones? Starving mostly

there is not much journalism left, it's all become "infotainment" and pretty light on the "info" part IMHO

[SharonAnn]

12. No, read about "Outfoxed", Murdoch's bias controls Fox News

http://www.outfoxed.org/

Outfoxed examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. At the beginning of your post

I thought you were talking about one of the shop channels (QVC, HSN)!
Then I got to the last line and realized that you and I think alike.
News media is so dumbed down and shallow. It's all about ratings and controversy and appearances.
I miss Cronkite and when "breaking news" was a real big deal.

[KoKo]

5. The "Blonde Heathers" and the women who are "Wanna Be" Heathers?

Is that what you're talking about? ROFL...it's pretty creepy isn't it..

The flower of the "Women's Movement" with the botox and face lifts who've turned into Media Whores trashing the "women" behind them trying to make it in the world.

ENTER the "HEATHERS" with identically "streaked hair" and those necklaces out of grannies attic and we have the complete picture.

Problem is that the "Womens Movement" skipped from "Andrea Mitchell back to Kaity Kelly and then to the Heathers...but skipped some of us "tweenies."

The "enhancements" are really interesting...and I suppose they do what they gotta do to compete with the "hair plugs, viagra, jowl implants and the rest that the male anchors do to stay ...IN BUSINESS...

After all...as they tell us it's the "ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS." It's not NEWS! News is dead...

[AlCzervik]

6. There is some woman "News" reader on Faux

she has blonde hair and she has had so much botox that she always looks angrily surprised and her forehead is so tight and wide you could show a movie on it.

[KittyWampus]

7. Off On A Tangent- Katherine Ross Was On Biography

it was bio of Dustin Hoffman.

She looks GREAT... aged naturally.

It is so unusual but so uplifting to see the few women who allow themselves to enjoy their natural beauty.

Sorry for the non sequitor.

[ibegurpard]

8. agreed

I love it when she shows up in a film.

[Samantha]

9. The art of individuality is lost

Society now cultivates "team players" who look alike and think alike. One individual substitutes for another without anyone noticing the difference ...

And along those lines, when you hear the term "group think" as we are hearing it often today, isn't that just another term for "sheep mentality? If "group think" has permeated even our "intelligence" communities, where does that leave the rest of us who are not quite as "intelligent"?

Look alike, talk alike, and think alike -- but whatever you do, don't stand out.

[Wind Dancer]

10. LittleApple81, a treat for you!

Walter Cronkite at CBS in New York


Dear Friend,

When I anchored the evening news, I kept my opinions to myself. But now, more than ever, I feel I must speak out. That’s because I am deeply disturbed by the dangerous and growing influence of people like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell on our nation’s political leaders.

Especially after Robertson and Falwell both shamefully blamed America’s courts and the highest levels of our government for the horrific September 11 attacks on our nation. They said it happened because we “insulted God.” Falwell went on to blame feminists, pro-choice Americans and other groups he despises.

Like you, I understand that freedom of speech is a founding principle of our nation, and I respect people with the courage to speak their minds. As a concerned person of faith, however, I have watched with increasing alarm as the Christian Coalition and other Religious Right groups manipulate religion to further their intolerant, political agendas. Over the years, Robertson and Falwell have gained considerable influence on local school boards, in the administration, and in Congress. They have shrewdly twisted the traditional healing role of religion into an intolerant, political platform.

Using religion as a tool to push their personal political beliefs – especially, in a time of national tragedy – not only insults people of faith and good will, it also diminishes the positive healing role religion can and should play in public life. This is why I am speaking out today, and why I urge you to speak out, too. It is time we challenge those who equate religious beliefs with partisan politics, and if you agree, there is something you can do about it today.

http://www.interfaithalliance.org/About/AboutList.cfm?c=101

[LittleApple81]

11. He is so great...sigh....THANKS A MILLION! n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Which Cable Channels Are You Talking About?

Because, for me, these days History, Science and Discovery are about all I can take.

More than 20 minutes of the alphabet cable news networks and I start screaming at the tv, the veins in my head start bulging, and I repeat this litany "lies.. lies.. more liessss.... utter fabrications... unmitigated bullshit... even more lies.."

But I will say that, Lou Dobbs, bless his pointy (well, round, actually) little head, has been doing a nice job this year of rippin' the Bushco. Admin a new one over outsourcing. And Anderson Cooper & Keith Olbermann are, IMHO, two of the better, fresher faces. Olbermann's a riot, sometimes.

And Dan Rather still hasn't told me what the frequency is. Bastard.
:tinfoilhat:

[Suspicious]

20. Watch closely...

More than 20 minutes of the alphabet cable news networks and I start screaming at the tv, the veins in my head start bulging, and I repeat this litany "lies.. lies.. more liessss.... utter fabrications... unmitigated bullshit... even more lies.."

The alphabet cable news channels and the cable channels you mentioned are all owned by the same intertwining mega-conglomerates. If you watch History, Discovery, etc., with a discerning eye, the agendas and the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) propaganda bleed through - unmistakable.

It's mindblowing, when you begin to see what has happened here.

http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Well, Actually...

Not too long ago the History Channel Ran a little week-long piece: excellent, if you can find it- on "The Men Who Killed Kennedy"... emphasis on "men". I don't think that was the work of an agenda-based group shilling for the status quo.

I agree with ya, though, a few big guys own most everything. But they can't be all places at all times, and I do think some excellent, informative programming exists; if you know where to look.

As for news, I figure the news channels are okay as long as you watch em with a jaundiced eye, and realize that American "news" bears almost no resemblance to what the rest of the world sees. Thank Eris for the inn'rnet...

Beyond that, most of the shows I get into that are not news based, it'd be pretty hard to stick an agenda in. When the Science channel explains quantum physics, for example. I eat that sh*t up, and it's a welcome break from politics.

[Suspicious]

27. I agree - not all of it is tainted.

I also love Science Channel (watched something on human parasites this afternoon and found it very interesting).

The taint does exist, however, in much of what passes as "informative programming". I'm certainly not saying none of their programming is informative - some of it truly is. However, that does not negate the fact that some of it is outright propaganda, while other programs' sole purpose seems to be nothing more complex than the further dumbing down of America (Discovery Channel, for example. I'm thinking along the lines of "American Choppers", "American Casino", "American Hot Rod", etc. -- notice anything?).

There was "The Hunt for Osama Bin Laden". When you've seen this particular informative piece, you can even take their quiz online to see what you've learned about U.S. high-tech surveillance methods and anti-terror weapons.

I've noticed that channels such as Discovery often use this assertion technique - they present their statements as fact, with the implication that what they are stating is self-evident and requires no further proof. The U.S. and its actions in any given conflict are almost entirely portrayed and discussed in a subtly positive tone. I've seen this in countless Vietnam "documentaries". Recently, I watched "The Ravens" on Discovery Times. In it, they discuss the (illegal) covert operations of the U.S., via CIA-trained military operatives (the "Ravens"), in Laos during the Vietnam War. Granted, the program makes mention of the fact that the operation violated international law, but it goes on to rationalize said violation - the ultimate message being, "Yes, the United States illegally invaded and bombed a neutral country, but our leaders had good reason to do so." America and her impunity.

Pure propaganda, and every bit as intentional and dangerous as the BS that passes for news in this country.

(I realize you said you don't watch the news-based programming as much as the scientific-based programming, but I still wanted to clarify my first post a bit...and who doesn't love quantum physics?!) :)

[formernaderite]

14. Not just cable look at congress....Nancy Pelosi's tight skin....

comes to mind. I don't understand why anyone feels the need to go through this stuff...Get a life and grow old. At least whoever's been doing Theresa Heinz's face understands subtlety.

[nightperson]

15. If you have internet access, why pay for cable?

TV is only entertainment, at best. It's a toy aimed at children. Why get upset about it? It's in collapse. I used to be amused, now I'm just disgusted. Maybe I'm missing something, but if so, I'll hear about it on the net.

[LittleApple81]

17. Actually, I got it because my son wanted to watch the European

soccer championship... on pay per view...$20 a pop (he watched 2 games--even he was amazed at the cost), besides the fee for the box. So I have this for two months... then I won't need to rant any more. I am just channel surfing, and looking at all these weird masks. I don't know who is who... it is like carbon copies.

BUT I DO LOVE THE DAILY SHOW... it makes it all worth it.

[DemBones DemBones]

16. I had Judy Woodruff paused on TiVo today -- what a

contrast between her tight face and her wrinkled neck! Is she saving up for the neck job or what?

[SoCalDem]

18. Where are their type?? On BBC and CBC

:)

[iverglas]

24. a few CBC types

http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/personality/personalityAToZ.jsp


Jian Ghomeshi
Host of a couple of shows, and of "Screw the Vote" (let somebody else decide your future), the CBC's anti-voting cross-country tour leading up to last month's election, Canada's answer to "Rock the Vote": http://www.cbc.ca/screwthevote/


Peter Mansbridge
Known to many of you as anchor of The National.


Allison Smith
Other host of The National.


Suhana Meharchand
Host of Saturday Report and of Newsworld Primetime newscasts.


Jacquie Perrin
She does stuff on news shows.


Rita Celli
and

Ian Hanomansing
Early evening news.


Michaëlle (pronounced as in Gorbachev) Jean
Host of Passionate Eye documentary series.


Carol Off
Regional correspondent. Used to date my little brother, older than me, so mid-50s.


Azeb Wolde-Giorghis
London correspondent.


Wendy Mesley
Our own boopsie, we're supposed to take her seriously, she used to be married to Peter.


Bernard St-Laurent
Okay. He's definitely radio. ;)


Joe Schlesinger
Retired foreign correspondent (Gulf War I), occasional contributor, the foreign correspondent with the gravitas.


Barbara Smith
Yeah, yeah. She's radio too.


Paul Workman
Foreign correspondent (Kosovo, Kabul), The National

And our last, and definitely least, for tonight, the bizarrely hideous to look at and bigotedly nauseating to listen to piece of shit Don Cherry, of Hockey Night in Canada:



My fave isn't on anything these days. I'm one of Ralph Benmergui's two fans. Ralph's an incredible cutie.


(This seems to be the site belonging to his other fan, who has dedicated it to Benmerguism (The Church of Ralph) - For your worshipping needs.)

Ralph once told the story of the USAmerican television journalist visiting Canada who went off on a bit of a rant about the strange names of so many of his Canadian counterparts (that "Ian Hanomansing", in particular, confounded him) ... at the end of which he said to Ralph "What did you say your name was?"

[SoCalDem]

19. January 30, 2002........."When News Isn't"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/30_news.html

When News Isn't
January 30, 2002
by SoCalDem

Those of us of a "certain age" remember the days of Huntley & Brinkley, and Walter Cronkite. In those days, our news was delivered to us in a straightforward manner, with little, if any, commentary. As Walter used to say at the end of every newscast, "That's the way it was on ...(fill in any date)."

Most cities of any size, had at least two newspapers, a morning and an afternoon paper. People read the morning paper with breakfast, the afternoon paper after work, and settled down for the evening news on television. Back in those days, some broadcasts were only 15 minutes long. The amazing thing was that in that short amount of a time the newsmen actually conveyed a sense of what was going on around the world.

When did the news stop being the news? Why does a slice of our demographic pie actually think what we get today is NEWS?

The format of a news broadcast has a lot to do with it. A look back at those archived, grainy old black and white images tells the story. A man, a desk, a microphone, a clock, and a serious demeanor... That's about what it took in those days to convince most people that they had better pay attention, because what they were about to see was important, and worthy of their attention.

The format has changed little over the decades. There are women now, but most of them are window dressing. The men of broadcasting age, but the women are replaced as their on-camera persona becomes less Barbie-like. Advertisers have burned the image of a desk, a man, a microphone, and a clock, into the collective psyche of America. That image conjures up NEWS.

It's no wonder that over time, the forces out there who would try to control the American Mind would adopt the very same format to get their message across. It comes to us wrapped up like a news broadcast, but like the Bizarro World of Superman, it isn't what it pretends to be. People out there in viewerland see the desk, and the trappings of a newscast, and they think that is what they are getting..

As the Fairness Doctrine faded away into the sunset, we were besieged by endless "faux" news programs. Corporate moguls hungrily devoured smaller broadcast venues as they built their vast communication holdings. Most of these moguls have very different worldviews than the average citizen does. It became easier and easier to insinuate their own political and ideological leanings into every aspect of their burgeoning empires.

In past times, when a news anchor wanted to change jobs, he would mail tapes of representative reportage to various media outlets across the country and wait to see if he got any offers. If they were a bigger outlet or offered a higher salary, there was little impediment to the newsman's acceptance of that offer.

This was the way it was then, but now with all the consolidation, that movement is dictated by the men at the top. When they control media all over the country, the individual broadcasters are not free to look around. They are more like indentured servants to their master. If they get on the wrong side of the message they are supposed to convey, their trip up the ladder is over. That they are well paid cannot be of much consolation, because their mobility and their very jobs are always in jeopardy, if they say the wrong thing.

The "Screaming Head" shows of today are an offshoot of the media consolidation too. When cable hurled itself into the "News Game," they gave birth to a beast that needed constant feeding. The OJ phenomenon showed that masses of people would velcro themselves to a couch and watch one single story over and over for months on end. Advertisers had to be wearing drool bibs when they realized that. But all "good" things must end, and eventually, we had no more OJ to kick around.

Enter... Politics.

Granted, the niche market for politics may be a narrow one, but political junkies are loyal, and they are interactive. The fact that most of the owners of the media are corporations who feast at the teat of the government, is not incidental. The message gets very important when it comes to the rules and regulations that the ones at the top need to go their way.

They know which party will acquiesce, and they know the drill. In order to get favorable legislation, the media must constantly sell the message that will urge the public to the polls and keep the "right" people in office.

If a non-compliant congress acts in the best interest of the public, the corporations will take a hit in the bank account. This must be avoided at all costs. It's a kabuki dance of dangerous proportions. Access is divvied up like the spoils of war between fewer and fewer rich men, and the spillover is that they control cable, satellite, mainstream broadcast and even the old fallback, newspapers.

The old maxim "If you can't beat them, join them" no longer applies. The modern version is, "If you can't beat them... EAT them."

More and more news outlets are being controlled by fewer and fewer ideologues. Strangely enough, there are still many people who see the desk, the man and the clock and their mind says... NEWS...

[Wind Dancer]

22. Great post SoCalDem!

It brings back memories of long ago - thanks for sharing!

[bossfish]

21. On the short-lived sitcom with Wanda Sykes

Where she played a TV reporter, one of the first episodes had a character who was a woman like you described. Wanda's line towards her was something like, "Your face looks like a cat squeezing through a fence."

I think that is the right image.

[LibDemAlways]

23. In my neighborhood

plastic surgery isn't just something you gawk at on tv. It's a way of life. If you aren't a size 2 with DD breast implants and collagened lips, you might as well be dead because you will be mightily ignored.

Stepford has nothing on these suburbs.

[LittleApple81]

26. I spent two summers in California some years ago... I could feel

that drift... but no botox at that time. Now everything is congealed...