Can someone explain to me why OJ is such big news? I just don't get it.

[babylonsister]

The man is the scum of the earth who allegedly committed a petty crime while we have thousands and thousands of people demonstrating in the streets against the criminals in the wh, and OJ is the story? If I never heard his name again it'd be too soon.

[rodeodance]

1. nothing going on with Brittney or Paris??/

[BrklynLiberal]

14. That was my first thought too..

:+
Appealing to the lowest common denominator!

[BlooInBloo]

2. Totally. Somewhere there's a breastfeeding woman to talk about.

[Vincardog]

3. IT is just an excuse not to cover the protests marches

[orpupilofnature57]

4. While we're looking at the pterodactyl ,He's stealing the Country

and the 'Forced Estate' has been his biggest Ally.

[jobycom]

5. People are looking for Karmic justice entwined in a real life morality tale.

Would be my guess.

[H2O Man]

6. For the same reason

McDonalds has sales offering $1 double-cheeseburgers: to attract consumers.

[Raine]

7. O.J.'s like a train wreck

it's hard to look away as he self-destructs before your very eyes. :o

[babylonsister]

11. I have NO problem looking away; I could care less. nt

[Raine]

23. You can look away cause you're intelligent but

the majority of people will go by their gut and they just got to watch the whole thing unfold. The media knows that so that's what they put on the "news" to get viewers and ratings. x(

[NanceGreggs]

8. OJ is made into Big News ...

... so the MSM has an excuse not to cover the 'small news' - like war protests, tens of thousands of dead Iraqis, dead soldiers, torture, wiretapping, corruption in government, vote fraud ...

I'm sure OJ doesn't want the 'publicity' either - but we're gonna hear it anyway, 24/7, for weeks to come - unless and until Paris Hilton winds up getting arrested again.

Jeez, I'm SO OLD, I remember when this kind of crapola was restricted to shows like Entertainment Tonight and Hard Copy. Now it's nightly fare - and you can't help but wonder who out there DOES ever want to hear OJ's name again ...

[Lobster Martini]

21. Close--it's not an excuse, it's just easier

Sure, the other stories might be more important, but you would have to do some research, put events in context, and that takes time. Plus, you really can't get good photos of government corruption, and it's all just depressing anyway.

On the other hand, you can write a quick O.J., Paris or whoever story, it doesn't need context, you have all the photos you need, you meet your deadline, and the honor box is empty before the train leaves the platform. There is no incentive to be a responsible journalist.

(And this is the point of view of a local newspaper editor. I can only imagine how bad TeeVee news must be.)

[NanceGreggs]

25. We are in total agreement.

By 'an excuse', I merely meant that when the MSM gets called out on this bullshit, they invariably proffer the 'excuse' that they WERE covering the news of the day.

Of course, their idea of the news is - by virtue of the corporations who own their coverage lock, stock, and barrel - world's away from what any thinking American thinks of as "news".

What they haven't thought through is this: there WILL be a Democrat in the White House in 2009; there WILL be a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House. The MSM will, because they are whores who will do ANYTHING for ratings, spend much time and effort trying to recapture the liberal/Democratic audience.

They're just too fuckin' dumb to realize that (a) once your credibility is gone, it's GONE, and (b) the viewing audience is not nearly as stupid as the people who run the MSM.

There is a reason why people are turning to the internetz more and more for their news - and that's NOT a trend that is likely to see a decline any time soon.

[WinkyDink]

9. Because he won THE college football award. Fame and notoriety are brothers under the skin.

And because THIS crime is DIRECTLY related to his OTHER cirme: a double-murder. (Oh, right; he was acquitted.)

[Frogger]

10. I don't either.

The man murdered his wife, and is not shunned by all right thinking, decent people? I just don't get it.

And you're right. There are far more important issues going on.

[bemildred]

12. Why is Bush the President?

Your problem is that you expect things to make sense.

[Disturbed]

13. US Media is now Tabloid Media. Real issues are not

sensational enough. Now if a few hundred people were killed at the DC protests, the Corp Media would present that. I don't think it's a conspiracy to blank out political issues. It is that Entertainment as voyerism is the standard. It has been that for decades, only now with 24/7 coverage the focus is on a grander scale of sensational events. The covered the bridge collapse ad nauseum, also other disasters.

[babylonsister]

18. I think disasters are somewhat legit for awhile: OJ, never. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. The same reason Britney and Paris are "news"

Distraction from what really has an impact in your life

Oh and the other reason... have you ever seen a bad car wreck? Those three serve the purpose since we tend to slow down for them car wrecks too

[mentalsolstice]

16. He is so 1990s. eom

[Hieronymus]

17. I haven't heard groups protesting that OJ is being accused falsely because

of his race, like they did in the '90s.

[2rth2pwr]

19. He killed 2 people, used high powered lawyers and

a jury intent on righting past wrongs to get off scott free with a promise to hunt down the "real killers" for the rest of his life.

Now he is going around with goons and guns ripping off people.

Many people are upset that he is free and able to commit crimes like these.

[blm]

20. Know how many regulations and laws were undone during LAST OJ spectacle?

By the GOP congress who was just settling in to power in 1995 when the months and months of 24/7 coverage of the TRIAL kept the newsmedia and just about every American ENTRANCED and......occupied?

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. It's the media - they've got YOU talking about him.

See? It works.

Distraction, distraction, distraction.

ON EDIT: my last OJ post. ever.

[babylonsister]

24. Guilty. My last one, too. nt

[peacefreak]

27. Don't forget who just had a book come out.

"If I Did It"????????

[earth mom]

26. Because the real news doesn't sell cars and other crap they want to shove down our throats.

:grr:

[SaveOurDemocracy]

28. Pathetic, ain't it?

... and I know 'ain't' ain't proper gramur. :evilgrin: