Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
#46
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Heck they barely do any reporting at all on tv news anymore. They actually often read press releases verbatim.
Pete
Pete
#47
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
The level of condescention and superiority towards Americans here is ridiculous, but hardly surprising. Yes in fact, we're all useful idiots who passively consume what the media feeds us in an unquestioning and sheep-like manner. Yes the US press and populace is uniquely blinkered, self-absorbed and ignorant. You've got us pegged. Please.
The end result is a bit horrifying. I remember one of my first visits to the States and my mother in law saying that she thought it was very important to always watch the news. We sat down to watch it later on - turned out it was the local channel featuring stories about children being rescued from a swimming pool, bears being spotted eating from bird feeders and the latest shooting in Lawrence. Great for what is on your doorstep but about as parochial as you can possibly get.
A lot of people don't even watch the 'world news' slot from the main channels which are about 30 mins long. These seem to be depressingly lightweight and short on analysis (amusingly they nearly always feature a 'health scare' story - something along the lines of 'new evidence that your iphone can cause you to develop herpes'). Now it is true that there are many other decent sources of news in the US. It's just that the main ones people choose to draw on are pretty superficial to say the least.
#48
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
I love the idea here that NPR, the New York Times and Comedy Central represent heroic, honorable and completely unbiased news sources championing truth and justice where as Fox and the WSJ are dangerously unbalanced, evil radicals who threaten the free world. I'm exaggerating, but that's the vibe I'm getting here. That's terrific.
#49
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Joined: Jun 2010
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Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Reactions to this thread:
The level of condescention and superiority towards Americans here is ridiculous, but hardly surprising. Yes in fact, we're all useful idiots who passively consume what the media feeds us in an unquestioning and sheep-like manner. Yes the US press and populace is uniquely blinkered, self-absorbed and ignorant. You've got us pegged. Please.
The level of condescention and superiority towards Americans here is ridiculous, but hardly surprising. Yes in fact, we're all useful idiots who passively consume what the media feeds us in an unquestioning and sheep-like manner. Yes the US press and populace is uniquely blinkered, self-absorbed and ignorant. You've got us pegged. Please.
[waits for the flaming to begin]
Is it good/bad? Dunno.
It is different though, sometimes frustrating, and takes a while to get used to.
Doesn't stop almost every person I've met here being genuinely nice, sincere, helpful etc...
#50
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Posts: 842
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
This is a fight I have with the online editor at the local TV station quite often. He'll post a story and people will ask for more information in the comments section. His answer is always "that information isn't in the press release". He portrays himself as a journalist. At least call the source and ask the questions.
#51
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Reactions to this thread:
The level of condescention and superiority towards Americans here is ridiculous, but hardly surprising. Yes in fact, we're all useful idiots who passively consume what the media feeds us in an unquestioning and sheep-like manner. Yes the US press and populace is uniquely blinkered, self-absorbed and ignorant. You've got us pegged. Please.
I love the idea here that NPR, the New York Times and Comedy Central represent heroic, honorable and completely unbiased news sources championing truth and justice where as Fox and the WSJ are dangerously unbalanced, evil radicals who threaten the free world. I'm exaggerating, but that's the vibe I'm getting here. That's terrific.
The level of condescention and superiority towards Americans here is ridiculous, but hardly surprising. Yes in fact, we're all useful idiots who passively consume what the media feeds us in an unquestioning and sheep-like manner. Yes the US press and populace is uniquely blinkered, self-absorbed and ignorant. You've got us pegged. Please.
I love the idea here that NPR, the New York Times and Comedy Central represent heroic, honorable and completely unbiased news sources championing truth and justice where as Fox and the WSJ are dangerously unbalanced, evil radicals who threaten the free world. I'm exaggerating, but that's the vibe I'm getting here. That's terrific.
You flick on the tele and the random news channel, or pick up a newspaper and well, that's what you get.
Sure there are great sources out, but you've got to look out for them.
And there isn't much anyone can do about it when the news just like any other program is a business to make money, it makes the news less reliable.
#52
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Weasel, it's awful. Cheaper than paying reporters I'd expect.
Harry, agreed. Because we're so large we don't have the day to day interaction with other countries most others do, we tend to see the US as the 'world'. Well perhaps we see Canada dimly as some sort of 51st state, and Mexico as a giant spot on the southern map where garden workers come from.
Thanks for the compliments too
Pete
Harry, agreed. Because we're so large we don't have the day to day interaction with other countries most others do, we tend to see the US as the 'world'. Well perhaps we see Canada dimly as some sort of 51st state, and Mexico as a giant spot on the southern map where garden workers come from.
Thanks for the compliments too
Pete
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Harry, agreed. Because we're so large we don't have the day to day interaction with other countries most others do, we tend to see the US as the 'world'. Well perhaps we see Canada dimly as some sort of 51st state, and Mexico as a giant spot on the southern map where garden workers come from.
#54
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
It's funny - outside of the NHL Americans don't appear to give a **** about Canada. Doesn't seem to be any coverage of it and you would be hard pushed to find people that know who the Prime Minster is. It doesn't seem to register on the public consciousness. Mexico does because of the immigration and the headless corpses. Maybe the trouble is that Canada is too civilized and boring.
#55
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
It's funny - outside of the NHL Americans don't appear to give a **** about Canada. Doesn't seem to be any coverage of it and you would be hard pushed to find people that know who the Prime Minster is. It doesn't seem to register on the public consciousness. Mexico does because of the immigration and the headless corpses. Maybe the trouble is that Canada is too civilized and boring.
#58
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
Is this really true? Most of the stories on my local news seem to be traffic accidents, arson, & murders, leavened with a few cute stories about local school-kids or pets. Then there are several detailed weather reports. I don't see what products are being touted . . . ?
#59
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
They also had a long news item supporting Taco Bell at the time there was adverse publicity about their 'ground beef'.
Last edited by Sally Redux; Jul 11th 2012 at 11:43 am.
#60
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Washington state
Posts: 120
Re: Recommendations for good (and balanced) US news organisations?
As for Canada, we're close to the border so we do hear a bit about them and we can (and often do) tune into their newscasts.