Since it was first brought into being, our American version of a "free press" has been constantly evolving, but unfortunately, not always in a manner that was necessarily for the better. And as time has passed, many of those who have come to comprise what is commonly referred to today as the "mainstream media," seem to have lost their way, so to speak. They have gotten to the point where they now approach their job in journalism less from the perspective of simply reporting the news to more of one where they have come to perceive themselves as now being the ones responsible for creating the news. Too many see their job as being one of influencing, or "educating," their viewers, or readers, regarding the "proper" position to be held on any particular issue. They have forgotten what their role is supposed to be in a free and open society. Too many in their profession have arrived at place where the need to tell the truth is now seen as being more of a character flaw and no longer viewed as necessarily being an admirable quality or positive trait. The truth is now judged to be whatever it is that they deem it to be, having now become something that is either expendable altogether or, at the very least, as something that can be harmlessly manipulated, if necessary, in order to get the story in, in time for the six o’clock news or the morning edition. Facts have become of a secondary or even tertiary importance to simply getting the story. Accuracy is no longer of any importance. Therefore, the truth is frequently sacrificed, or outright distorted, in order to promote a desired position or opinion. Fictionalized accounts are now passed off as late breaking news, slanderous accusations have now become commonplace and character assassination that is politically motivated is now pretty much the rule of the day. So how exactly did we come to be here? How did our "mainstream media" manage to sink so low?
To start with I guess, I do find myself wondering just what it is exactly, that motivates someone, especially in view of today’s journalistic environment, to choose to go into this field in the first place. Are they drawn to it because it is seen as a method that allows whatever exposure one may acquire to then serve as a platform from which to advocate some personal cause? Or, is it seen as a genuine opportunity for them to actually do some good, to work toward keeping an often distracted public, that is just as often starved for accurate information, informed regarding the important issues of the day without the usual biases being present. Sadly, many who are involved in the “mainstream media" today are, more often than not, individuals who have arrived on the job with a chip on their shoulder or an ax to grind, driven by some deep-seated grievance. And under normal circumstance this isn't the type of behavior that one should expect to see coming from those who consider themselves to be respectable and serious journalists. Today's “mainstream media" is made up of those whose stock and trade has become nothing more than incendiary vitriol directed at anyone whom they see as having an opposing viewpoint. Hence, it has gotten to the point where there is no longer any reason to tune into the nightly news, or grab the morning paper, because the whole scenario has become so adversarial. You, the viewer or reader, are now being subjected to an individual on a regular basis, who is trying to convince you that the only acceptable viewpoint or opinion is the one that they, or the “news” organization that they represent, hold. They are constantly trying to push their opinion onto the viewer, or reader, disguised in a “news” format. This, my friends, is nothing short of journalistic malpractice.
It just seems that in a day and age when there is so much disinformation which has as its source that which is still considered to be the "mainstream media," I fail to understand why someone who wishes to be a journalist in the truest sense, would wish to associate themselves with the present cadre of unseemly individuals who comprise most any major “news” organization. Because in truth, this little collective of zealots that forms today's “mainstream media" is not very well respected, or trusted, by a general public who generally feels that it is never being told the truth by any of these very same individuals. It's really a sad commentary on journalism today, that our so-called "free press" can no longer be relied upon to keep the public suitably informed regarding what the government frequently is so determined to force upon the people of this country. Yesterday's media has morphed into an apparatus today that is essentially nothing more than a government sponsored information bureau designed to exalt the benefits of an ever expanding government as well as very busily disguising the freedom killing agenda of a very progressive political party as well as an outright socialist president. There is no sense of reality in anything that we are constantly being told by those who we have always assumed were someone that we could trust to be honest with us. We were supposed to be able to trust them as being the watchdogs over our Republic, letting us know when those in government were trying to pull a fast one or were involved in any kind of monkey business. Instead, they treat such things as classified information or portray them as being something other than what that actually are. What might the motivations be for such deplorable actions taken by the vary ones relied upon as a source of unfettered information? It would seem that freedom of the press is under attack by the very ones whom you would think would be its most ardent defenders.
Our “mainstream media" has long been on a slow downward slide ever since well before the time of Walter Cronkite, who, while we were always told that he was being honest with us, the truth of the matter is quite different. Old Walter was not being quite as honest as we were all lead to believe. On any number of occasions, when looking through the lens of today, we now know that he took unfair advantage of the trust that was placed in him by millions of Americans. The spiral downward has continued over time, with it picking up substantial speed until it finally got to the point were it pretty much simply crashed and burned under its own weight. Its demise was brought about by its own pathetic and obvious biased reporting throughout the 2008 presidential campaign. It was during that period that supposed serious journalists were heard exclaiming that they had thrills going up their legs at the mere sound of "their" candidate's voice. At the same time these very same "journalists" were very busy perpetrating what can only be described as outright deception and blatant fraud in relation to some pretty radical statements directly attributed to, as well as very questionable past associations of, again, "their" specific candidate of choice. So, if there were actually to be a headstone placed on the grave of our “mainstream media," the date recorded as being the date on which it was officially pronounced as being dead, that date would be November 4, 2008. Over time, those in the media have obviously lost sight of what was supposed to be their purpose in life. That being, to keep the American people informed, and to assist them in their vigilance and in the safeguarding of our liberties. In the end however, they would go on to become nothing short of accomplices in the robbing of the American people of many of the rights and liberties granted to them not by a man, but by God. And for that act alone, they shall never be forgiven. Trust is a very valuable commodity, and once it is lost it is very difficult, if not impossible to regain. But apparently, the lack of trust the presently exists in how a majority of Americans feel toward the “mainstream media" today, seems to be of very little consequence to those involved.
So what might the motive be for such an egregious act, especially by a group of people whose very existence is guaranteed by our Constitution? What made so many of these people relinquish their duty and move to the "Dark Side?" Did they just wake up one morning and say to themselves, "Screw the people, they don't know what's best for them, and I do." Is it all ego driven? Or, have they managed to get so caught up in their own over-inflated sense of importance that they have essentially lost sight of their proper place in the big scheme of things? I think it pretty safe to say that many of them seem to be guilty of having some rather drastically skewed priorities, thinking that it has now become their responsibility as "journalists," to attempt to sway or alter pubic opinion toward one side or the other of a particular issue. They are completely oblivious to the fact that their job is to "objectively inform" the public regarding both sides of any issue so that citizens can then go on to make an informed decision. What they fail to understand is that they are now on the receiving end of a "failure to communicate,” because more often then not they are simply no longer being listened to. And yet, they refuse to change their message. Their bias is as obvious as their message is inane. And I'm not sure just how many viewers or readers they are going to have to lose before they come to realize that fewer and fewer people are actually listening. Why would anyone want to listen to something that is so obviously nothing more than pure, unmitigated propaganda? Any semblance of objectivity that may have at one time existed amongst these people has long since dissipated. I have to wonder, have these people come to enjoy the fact that they're no longer relevant? I mean really, who really cares what any of these people think or have to say. Their opinions mean nothing. It's all pure pabulum.
With many cable "news" outlets from CNN to MSNBC now in the toilet, ratings wise, and routinely getting their butts handed to them by Fox News, wouldn't you think that they would eventually wise up just a little and start moving away from the same ludicrous crap disguised as "news" that they absolutely insist on peddling day in and day out ad nauseam? And now we have this pompous blowhard Piers Morgan, the curmudgeon from "America's Got Talent" replacing Larry King, and making some pretty outlandish claims about how he's going to whip his Fox News competition. This stiff is nothing more than just one more boring Brit. He'll be lucky if folks stay awake for an entire show. I can almost hear the snoring already. And the nightly newscasts put together by the three major networks are really no better. Here you have three bimbos, yes I'm including Brian Williams on my list of the bimbos, masquerading as journalists and doing nothing more than droning on incessantly as the read their nightly tripe from teleprompters. And they still expect to be taken seriously? Give me a break! And then you have that absolute moron over there on the Today Show, Matt Lauer. Just what the heck are his qualifications? And why does anyone even watch that drivel? Such is the evidence that clearly reveals the sad state of affairs of today's so-called “mainstream media." As a whole it has ceased being a reporter of news and is now nothing more than a fabricator of fiction. It has now deteriorated into what is nothing more than a propaganda generating, industrial type complex that remains at the disposal of the Democrat Party and Barry "Almighty." And anyone who thinks it is anything other than that is living in an absolute fantasy world.
For decades these deniers have been pretending that they're not biased to the extreme leftward, even though everyone else knew it. And they sought to castigate anyone who would even suggest such a thing, accusing them of being either some kind of crazy conspiracy theorist or some right wing nut. But in 2008 America's "mainstream media" finally dropped any pretense of fairness and impartiality. Yes, the “mainstream media" has long been biased to the left. But that year was different. Because in 2008, the mask came off and the real face of the “mainstream media" was then revealed for all to see. And it sure wasn't very pretty. The Genie came fully out of the bottle and it isn't going back in. The good news though is that while the Old Media are rapidly on the decline (the New York Times Company is worth only half of what it was a year ago), the New Media in the form of talk radio, Internet news, bloggers, cable news (well, some cable news) and more, are growing exponentially in readership as well as in its ability to influence. People hungry for the truth are tuning in, going on line and subscribing to new media publications. It has often been said that no group in America is more responsible for making evil look good and good look evil than the “mainstream news" media. This issue of a migration, of sorts, from old to new, is something truly astounding. We are witnessing the slow, agonizing death of the Old Media taking place right before our very eyes, and the rapid growth of the New Media. It's the single most positive trend in America today. Because without a truly free press, it's really hard to have a free country.
www.werewatchingyou.net
www.theactionpage.com
www.theblaze.com
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http://remembernovember.com
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