We know the symptoms, but what's the cause? MSM revisited.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

Cohen writes a hack article praising the twin idiots, while complaining that Colbert was a "bully" and worse, not funny.
Chris Matthews takes dictation from the White House, in an effort to confuse America why the CIA director was unceramoniously canned.
Elizabeth Bumiller takes dictation from the WH and writes about the growing danger in Iran.
Cable stations put on morons like Frank Gaffney (who claims the WMD are STILL in Iraq, we just need to "find" them) as representative of 1/2 of the population, while another conservative represents the other half.
Kristol et al, punditorializes about how great the Bush team is after all the changes.
Most of the WaPo and NYT staff still write fawningly about the president.
LATimes comes closest to doing a critical analysis, yet they fire the two most honest and realistic newsmen on their staff.

Polls show 80% of americans being critical of the job bush is doing.
Some show support at 30%, others, even conservative ones at 33%.

Do these journalists think that Bush will bounce back or something? Why are they so unrealistic, so pro-Bush, so offended by Colbert?

What am I missing? It cannot be mere corporate ownership. It must be that and a lot more. I am just too ignorant to understand what that "a lot more" could be.

Class? Anyone? Anyone?

[napi21]

1. I actually think they're all trying to overcompensate for the

YEARS of "Liberal Media" accusations. I think it was somewhat true...a very long time ago! I'm talking about going back to Cronkite, Sam Donaldson, Huntly & Brinkly, etc.

I also think the success of Limpballs and his ilk made a lot of the networks believe that was the way to go.

The only think that will change that is for their ratings to go up when they fight against Power and back down when they kiss "A".

[otohara]

3. Agreed

now they've gone to the right, but still are accused of being liberal and boy do they overcompesate when that criticizm raises it's head, which is complete bullshit these days.

[otohara]

2. Their Owners Are Hoping GOP Will Open Doors For More Deregulation

That's my guess....and the fact that most are indeed republicans and will defend this horrible administration to the death.

I know many newspapers are chomping at the bit to buy up television stations. I also think the days of more media consolidation have come to the end, based on what happened the last time when Michael Powell said yes to more consolidation. The outpouring of dissent was overwhelming and could not be ignored. One thing all American's have come together on is more deregulation for the media is a BAAAAAAAAAAD thing.

Nothing works, you can't embarrass them into being better, ridicule doesn't work, criticizing does no good. Letters, e-mails from viewers, readers doesn't phase them. Poll numbers saying most think the media sucks doesn't work.

Instead of getting better, they are getting worse.

I worked in radio for many years and I can tell you these people live in a bubble. They actually think they are doing a bang-up job.

[Joanne98]

4. Their advertisers and big shareholders tell them what to do!

Look at the commerials. Oil BP Exxon, Food ADM, Defense Boeing. There's no reason for them to be pitching us. I'm not looking to buy a 747 airplane. It's Big Business as usual. Follow the money. Everything else is a waste of time.

[valerief]

5. That's it. They're just all part of the King's Corporate Court. n/t

[The Wielding Truth]

8. Great phrase "King's Corporate"Court. Mind if I use it?

[valerief]

9. Sure. Use it.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Everybody (Except the Oil Companies) Made More Money Under Clinton

But it's the oil barons who have been running the show since the 2000 coup.

[AndyTiedye]

6. The NSA Wiretapping Gives Them Control of the Corporations!

They get to listen to ALL the phone calls the CEOs make.
They have ALL the inside information for EVERY major corporation.
That's "inside" as in "insider trading",
and "leaking inside information to competitors".

There is also the potential for

[pdxmom]

10. I believe it is a combination of things that have caused this. First

it's trying to fight off the "liberal media" label that the Right has successfully hung around their necks.

Then, it's the corporate heads and all they are controlling.

Third, it's fear of losing access. All of government is controlled by the Repukes. They want access to get a story first - to hell with truth. Look at how many "exclusives" Fox gets because of their coziness with this administration. I completely believe that they think that they have to play footsie with the admininstration to get anything to win a ratings battle.

And finally, I think it's ego. These media people are personalities, not reporters. They socialize with those they report on. They aren't the middle class - they're part of the ruling class. And they have totally lost all perspective on what their jobs are and what the populace is really thinking and is all about. Despite all the criticism the media receives, they don't see that THEY are who the critics are talking about.