Why does the media feel they have to push Republican talking points?

[kentuck]

They act like they don't even realize they are doing it. They seem oblivious. The Chris Matthews Show this morning is a perfect example. He starts the show by referring to Howard Dean as "Dizzy" Dean, implying that he was "dizzy" in the head. He could have offered a little balance for the Democrats by reminding folks that "Dizzy" Dean threw a helluva hard fastball. But, he didn't.

One bitchdog posing as a reporter misspoke and was clearly embarrassed for a good bit afterwards, even though no one called her on her faux pas. After making inflammatory and ridiculing remarks about Dean, she started to say something about "our side" and then abruptly caught herself and corrected her language. It was so blatantly obvious and Chris Matthews or no one else said anything about it...

[billbuckhead]

1. Because they are owned by Republican corporations?

:banghead:

[Conker]

6. Cable news

Aren't all the cable news networks Republican except CNN?

[AntiCoup2K4]

12. CNN is arguably the worst.

Because it used to be a decent news channel, the Repukes have typecast it as the "Clinton News Network". But like Hillary herself, they have become total whores for the neocon agenda.

[billbuckhead]

20. Corporate News Network?

The misadministration has had CNN in their pocket for quite some time.

[Eric J in MN]

43. "The Chris Matthews Show" is on NBC Sundays, not cable.

This was the Sunday show, on broadcast tv.

His weeknight show is "Hardball" on cable tv's MSNBC.

[lenidog]

2. Maybe because it gets you to do exactly what you are doing now

[democrat in Tallahassee]

3. to get their pay checks

[patrice]

4. e.g. in today's K.C. Star, Abramoff referred to as controversial.

Isn't he a fellon?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. Not yet

We still have that "innocent until proven guilty" thing in our country, courtesy of the Constitution.

[GetTheRightVote]

5. I watch the shows to but it still is American Media, Corporate owned

and spinning for the Republicans as usual.

:kick:

[rodeodance]

10. Repug talking points are simple--newscasters can remember them.

[LiberalVoice]

8. Because thats what they are paid to do.

The Bush admin is only one of the problems this country faces. Our media has a plague that needs to be addressed, otherwise this country has no hope of survival.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

9. Why are you watching them?

Why give them a scintilla of your time, interest, or energy?

Do something better with your time. If you stop feeding them - and this post is a great example of feeding them - they will lose their power over you.

[kentuck]

13. How would you know what they are up to if no one watched...?

You would come to DU and read about it? I don't understand that logic.??

[OldLeftieLawyer]

15. Who gives a shit what "they're up to"?

They're nothing but paid talking heads without anything to contribute.

They're cartoons, worthless and insubstantial, and once they were paid to read the news, not to BE the news.

As long as you give them any credibility or attention, they stay alive.

Who cares? They're nothing.

[kentuck]

21. They are propagandists...

and how would you know what they are spreading if you did not listen to them. What would you be talking about if it was not in the "news media"? They will not disappear if we ignore them...no matter how much we wish that were true.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

23. I don't listen to them

I've been a Washington lawyer for almost thirty years. I know these people. They're worthless. The American news media is worthless.

You're wasting your time.

Follow the British press instead, and concentrate on getting things done here in the US instead of reacting to a bunch of empty heads.

[kentuck]

24. I hear you...

But isn't it to your advantage to know what your enemy is doing??

[OldLeftieLawyer]

25. I know exactly what's happening to my country

Perhaps more emphasis on what's going on out there and less on watching stupid TV commentators who have no vested interest in anything except rousing the rabble might be in order.

If you believe you're actually learning anything about our current political situation from watching those shows, you're sorely mistaken.

[kentuck]

26. It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it...

But our "current political situation" has a lot to do with these shows, whether they are crap or not...unfortunately.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

27. No, they are not

People who vote are resonating to the things that these shows get away with, that's all.

The Democrats' job is to counter the bullshit, and to do it in a way that gets across to the majority of the voting public.

These shows have as much power as we - the Democrats - choose to give them. Like any bullies.

Like the Republicans.

[kentuck]

28. "The Democrats' job is to counter the bullshit"

How do you do that if you don't know what the bullshit is??

[OldLeftieLawyer]

29. You don't see what's going on in the country?

In the House?

In the Senate?

In the Oval Office?

In the schools?

In Iraq?

In Guantanamo?

In our infrastructure?

In our health insurance problems?

In our hungry children?

In our homeless?

Do you really need some blown-dry talking heads to tell you what's going on in the country?

I think not.

[kentuck]

30. You have to get the skunk out of the kitchen...

before you can cook supper. Otherwise, nothing will get done. It cannot be ignored.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

31. You'll forgive me

for not understanding whatever that skunk thing was supposed to mean.

[kentuck]

33. You're forgiven..

:)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

35. Apparently,

all sorts of things just fly past without scrutiny.

No wonder Dean has such impotent supporters.

[kentuck]

40. Unfortunately...

The corporate media is very powerful, however useless. If they want people to talk about Aruba, they have that power. We do not realistically have the power to go head to head with them at this time. But we can point out what and where they are wrong and attempt to diminish their credibility with as many people as possible and hope we can make a difference with our own message, but make no mistake, we are the underdog. But we cannot ignore them and expect to be anything but an "enlightened" minority. Personally, I have been criticizing the media for many years and I agree with you about their present worthlessness but , perhaps it was Sun Tzu who said, know your enemy.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

42. The point is not the media

The issues are the point, and bringing them home to the people.

The Democrats are reactive, not proactive, and they'll continue to be so as long as people embrace the reactive stance assumed by Howard Dean.

The media is not the enemy of the Democrats. You're missing the point.

The Democrats are the point.

The media was worthless during Vietnam and Watergate, but things got done because there were fearless people extant.

As I said, you're letting the matter fly past without scrutiny and you're going for the nice, shiny diversion offered by the Republicans. How very disheartening.

[kentuck]

44. The media is the point...

That's what the thread was started about. My fear is that there are even people that read DU that don't understand the reach of the propagandists. My hope is that by reading a few comments about this will help open their eyes, if they are not aware. It is disappointing to me to see someone jump in and smear the motives of someone without knowing what is the intent or the reason for a post...

[Doctor_J]

36. Amen,

OLL. There are ALOT of DU posters who do nothing but post the GOP talking points that flood the airways 24/7. They claim outrage or "I'm just knowing my enemy" sort of crap, but in fact they are feeding the beast. WE ALL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. WE DON'T NEED 50 THREADS A DAY HERE TO KNOW THAT THE MEDIA IS REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED. IF YOU CANNOT KEEP YOURSELF FROM WATCHING IT EVERY DAY, AT LEAST STOP CLUTTERING UP OUR BOARDS WITH IT. IF I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TWEETY, LIMPBALLS, INGRAHAM, ANDY COULTER, HANNITY, LIDDY, GALLAGHER, OR THE OTHERS ARE SAYING, I WILL TUNE IN.

[kentuck]

41. If it is of no interest to you ??

Why did you post on this thread???

[OldLeftieLawyer]

45. Time to give it up, friend

The point's been made, but, alas, you're not in on it.

[kentuck]

49. I'll rest my case...

But I will not give up the point.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

50. No case to rest

You just really are pushing a big rock uphill, and it keeps rolling back down over you because its inherent error is heavier than your hope.

You'll be fine, I am certain.

[kentuck]

51. You're entitled to your opinion...

I will not argue with that.

[kentuck]

11. But they need to know that we know they are giving Repub ...

talking points. Which they do all the time. Why? We know.

[Gays_R_Family]

14. It's their job ...

If they want to keep their job, they have to tow the line as written by their bosses who are in Bush's back pocket.

[Coexist]

16. to be "fair and balance" see cartoon for explanation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1824115

[autorank]

17. Could it be........MONEY! Isn't that why they're called "MEDIA WHORES"

[DrGonzoLives]

18. Well

the Democrats have not done a good job at creating their own. Sure, they have some, but when you use the language of the other side, you're not helping yourself out any. Consequently, you end up fighting the battle on their turf. This is stupid.

[OneTwentyoNine]

19. Rove says DO IT or have your license revoked.....

Pretty easy just to kiss ass and make millions off of advertising instead of rocking the boat.

[eek]

22. Anyone see G Stephanopolis' this morn?

Incredibly, they were on the topic of MSM rollingover for the bushies.

The seg began wiith a great clip of Hillary C going off on the press.

She was all "what's wrong with you people? Get a spine!"

The pundit panel were john fund (ugh) ,John Harris and Katrina Vanden Heuvel.

Nobody got too yelly and KvdH got some super points in as regards DSM and more.

Fund said some BS about Howard Dean and his "temper", Katrina fired back that this fake controversy was a great exampple of the media's rightward slant. Thereis neer a word about Dean's cross-country work and fundraising, only when he says something 'tough" doeshe get coverage. She said"this just in" Howard Dean has a temper! nice and sarcastic-like.

Best was when she brought up the DSM: she pointed out that is took 5 weeks for this hugely important story to break through . fundy tried to paint the memo as old, unimportant stuff rife with un-names sources; a story so insignificant that it wasn't even a big deal in the UK.

Kat came back with the fact that the DSM was barely mentioned here "despite it being front page news" in the UK but all we had on TV was wall-to-wall-runaway bride.

Woo!

[Mich Otter]

32. Getting their paychecks depends on doing what they are told.

The bosses are mostly in favor of the Republican BS.

[sendero]

34. I think the simpler answer is the true answer...

... basically, producing content costs money. When the Republicans fax them the content every day, why not use it? It is free.

[usregimechange]

37. Because most are owned by them.

[Carolab]

38. Just remember: They are LOSING viewers. n/t

[Chauga]

39. Wait! I thought the media was all a buncha librul commies!!

[leesa]

46. It's their job. Dean's a threat to corporate Merikkka, they are owned by

corporate America.

[Cats Against Frist]

47. I have a theory -- and while I hate to vindicate the media

I've been thinking about this, for some time, and I figure it's one of two or three things:

1. Rove's been working OT to infiltrate the media with jr. & associate AEI types.

2. Of course, the media is corporate, and right leaning.

and

3. In some ways, unfortunately, since people are so interested in American Idol and other useless trash, the public discourse, once being "drug down into the mud," by the right-wing, sensationalist hate mongers, has actually BECOME a full-blown crapfest. Especially with AA radio (I'm not saying it's bad -- or not necessary), and lefties joining the shrill.

When it's all shrill, the right, having years and years to build their think-tank, hate radio network -- as well as get their little clones through J-school and into positions of influence, simply out-paces us, in terms of "network." I think that innocent, lazy and stupid journalists who are part of this "fold," see it more, sometimes, as a sort of social discourse, than actual policy discourse, or stewarding a democracy. As in: "Hey, did you hear what Howard Dean said about the GOP?" It simply becomes news when Hannity and PigBaugh start braying about it -- because they're setting the sphere of discourse. Television news, increasingly, in order to up ratings, has been getting more sensationalist. What better way, than to stick your toe, in the butt-fucked-cat brawl of the talk radio circuit?

[Spectral]

48. Did we ever find out which American lab employee sent the anthrax?

:donut: