This article discussed just what we've been talking about in class lately-- How my future career in news broadcasting, among other fellow classmates, is seriously lacking in fairness and neutrality.
We always talk about where the nutgraf is, right? Well in this article, I felt it was really far into it. I could be wrong, but I think it is the seventh paragraph in...
"The shift of audiences toward cable news outlets — with their manifest agendas — as sources of truth and transparency may have something to do with a credibility gap that now confronts more mainstream news outfits. Lately, the idea of objective journalism has been on a pretty rough ride (that means you, CNN), with viewers deciding to align themselves with outlets that share their points of view — warts, agendas and all."
Keith Olbermann donating $7200 to Democratic politicians, Fox news having 3 Republican candidates commentating on the rallies in D.C., Fox Host Sean Hannity donating $1 million to the Republican Governor's Association, these are just a few examples of what news outlets are doing now to boost ratings and gain viewers, despite losing any neutrality that once existed.
News outlets at one point in time were not allowed to say what their political rooting interests were. But in the world today, this has definitely changed. News stations, for example MSNBC, still claim to worry about whether they are considered fair news brokers. When you have anchors who blatantly show what their political interests are, the news you are reporting is no longer fair.
Unfortunately, it isn't just the news media on television suffering from a lack in fairness. Another quote from the article that summarizes what I mean by that statement...
Now news anchors lecture the federal government on its response to disasters, cable networks function as propaganda machines for political parties and newspaper writers throw aside neutrality to tell readers what is really going on behind the headlines.
After being suspended for donations made, Olbermann received 275,000 votes on a petition demanding that he return to MSNBC. The man does have outrageously high ratings, but could there be more to this than his likability? The writer implies how it could be more of an outcry from the Progressive wing of the MSNBC party, who agree with Olbermann's political views.
On Election night, Fox news lead everyone's coverage with 7 million viewers. Fox is so ridiculously successful that their news personalities can make any donation they want and will not face any consequences for it. Why? --because they are the highest power in the news world.
My future dreams as a news anchor are looking a bit cloudy right now, maybe I should consider becoming a high school Spanish teacher... Estoy jugando. Voy a estar en las noticias de un día. Hopefully you didn't have to translator.com that, it's pretty claro.
Ciao for now...
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