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| Thread: News and Bias |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 · NEXT» |
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 11:04 AM |
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News and Bias
Now I am sure everybody here knows to take things they hear with a grain of salt. There is no such thing as 'fair and balanced' when it comes to news..despite what some might claim. Of course it is simple really, the news channels try to create controversy .. because that is what sells.
Take Glenn Beck for instance check out what was said by him here..
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/0426/entertainment-fox-news-simon-schuster-glenn-beck-inc.html
Where he basically admits that what he does is for money, not for the political process. Which, don't get me wrong is not bad. Not at all. Others on the 'other side of the fence' do it also. It is ALL about the benjamins (ie money).
Every news channel has their slant, and they push it hard so people will watch..and believe everything they say..without doing their own homework. Not all the information is false, but nearly all of it is slanted in a way to make it either 'good' or 'bad'.
Normally I can tell you how say Fox will report on something, and what say the Huffington Post might feel about the same thing. Not that I can't be suprised mind you. Recently Fox did a bit of a shocker by actually having a decent article on Obama..didn't call him a heathen socialist or anything!! (Or something equivilent).
Which also brought up something very interesting from the Pres for once. ((Not a huge Obama fan, but every once in awhile there is something interesting..good or bad)). Where he had good advice..if you listen to say Glenn, you should read the above Huffington post. If you are a Huffington Post person, listen to Glenn. You might not AGREE with them, but you might find something interesting.
Which is as it should be. Never take one side's word about how things are, get the FULL story before making up your mind. It is like if you have two friends and they get in a fight..
Jane (your female friend) tells you that John (your male friend) called her a very unflattering name or attacked her (or whatever would be bad enough for you to stop being friends with John). Now if you only got her side and stopped being friends with John..that MIGHT have been the right thing to do, but John might have a reason (legitimate) why it happend. Ie say he hit Jane..you ask him why and learn that it was icy and he slipped, but since they were arguing at the time Jane didn't wait around for him to appologize but just assumed the worst.
Information is power, get all you can before making a decision. A wise man reasons where fools rush in.
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Keksimaton
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posted May 02, 2010 11:31 AM |
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I am a man who lives in a country where it was not a very long time ago that a huge legal battle was being fought on wether or not commercial TV channels get to broadcast news programs. The communist propaganda is at a constant clash with the capitalist sensationalism, yet I still can't help but to raise an eyebrow and laugh when taking a look at American news programs. 
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JoonasTo
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posted May 02, 2010 12:03 PM |
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Quote:
I am a man who lives in a country where it was not a very long time ago that a huge legal battle was being fought on wether or not commercial TV channels get to broadcast news programs. The communist propaganda is at a constant clash with the capitalist sensationalism, yet I still can't help but to raise an eyebrow and laugh when taking a look at American news programs.
Coming from the same country I can't but agree. All things considered I am surprised at how small the bias in television news in here actually is. You might almost say that they have a professional take on things. Most of the time at least. BBC has lost all credibility in my eyes a long time ago and that was the only other news channel I even know of that has had a reputation. You could say I trust the Finnish national television news more than any other news out there. Just not in news regarding Middle-East. For everything else it's pretty good. It does have some colouring at times but that doesn't change it that all the facts are there, they aren't altered or "forgotten".
I heard China is making a news channel. Might be nice to check it out.
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 12:08 PM |
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News from any source is not inheritantly bad. Heck I think Beck is one funny guy, and very entertaining. He is a worse conspiracy nut then I am, and that takes some effort! He is a political commentator however..I knew that it was all for ratings a LONG time before he admitted it (accidently or not). ALL political commentators are, period (for either side).
If you do your own homework, and don't follow like sheep..it doesn't matter who you get your news from. Just better if you get it from multiple sources, with multiple different slants.
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JoonasTo
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posted May 02, 2010 12:12 PM |
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Political commentators do not belong in news.
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 12:14 PM |
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Edited by Mytical at 12:20, 02 May 2010.
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Quote:
Political commentators do not belong in news.
I agree.
Then again, half of the news shouldn't really be news either. Like say Tiger Woods. Could care less, no wait..I couldn't care less if I tried. Absolutely no interest if he had more women then 100 people combined. Never cared about him before, don't care about him now, won't care about him (or golf in general) ever. So why do I hear about it on the blasted NEWS?
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Binabik
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posted May 02, 2010 12:23 PM |
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One of these days I probably should actually watch Fox News to see what the fuss is all about. It sounds like all the liberals are getting a taste of what conservatives have been putting up with for decades, i.e. extremist liberal bias in the news, and television media as a whole. Waaaaa, the liberals only have a 95% monopoly on television propaganda now instead of the 100% monopoly they once had.
Anyway, I've never seen or heard Glen Beck, I've only heard the liberals whining about him. But for the record, when you talk about "News and Bias", Beck is a commentator not a newscaster. There's a big difference.
There hasn't been any pure "news" on television for four decades or more. It's mostly editorializing. Pure news, of necessity, needs to be boring with stoic newscasters. When a so-called newscaster reports a story about torturing little kittens, and then says "that's sad", they are editorializing. Sure, most people would consider torturing kittens sad, but that's opinion not news. News is simply reporting the facts, no comments, not shaking of the head, not even a subtle raising of the eyebrow. Again, pure news is boring and stoic.
It used to be that way. Newscasters were boring. News broadcasts were almost more of a public service. Then sometime in the 70s or so the networks decided that "news" should be entertaining and profitable. It started becoming about viewership ratings, with the networks competing with each other. The "news" became sensationalized to get more viewers.
But the news is not really where the main bias is. The bias, and outright brainwashing, is in the regular television programs. The vast majority of what is on television is social and political propaganda and brainwashing. It's very powerful and highly effective. A good example from back in the 60s up until modern times is Star Trek with its extremist liberal propaganda (Gene Roddenberry even stated this was his goal).
I can't remember for sure when it started, but sometime in the late 70s to early 80s even children’s cartoons became infested with propaganda and "social engineering". It doesn't matter if someone agrees with what the kids are being exposed to, or of it is good or not. What matters is that it's the role of parents to raise children and teach them whatever values they see fit, not the role of cartoons.
What we have in modern media, from radio to television to internet, is information overload. Compare to a time when news traveled more slowly. Compare to a time when people went about their lives, when they had days or weeks or even months to digest whatever the latest news was. They had plenty of time to think about it and discuss it and mull it over in their minds.
Now, people are inundated with news and information. People are exposed to hundreds of pieces of information in a very short period of time. Bam bam bam, one right after another. There is no time to really think about it. There is only time to give it a split second litmus test for legitimacy before moving on to whatever occupies us next. People's minds and opinions are manipulated by 5-10 second sound bites. They are manipulated by images. They are manipulated by instant emotions, by instant impressions. Truth and thought are not what's important in modern media and the control of people's minds. It's all about emotions and imagery.
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william
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posted May 02, 2010 12:29 PM |
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This is mostly the reason as to why I don't bother with News (except if it's sport).
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 12:31 PM |
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I agree Bina. I have, and do, watch Fox. Just like all other news, however, I know they have their slant on things. Which is honestly fine with me. Gives a different perspective on things, and helps make a whole picture instead of a one sided one.
I also have to agree with pretty much the entire post you made. I would put myself as a 'liberal' with a lot of conservative leaning, but those are just labels. Keeping an open mind about things is important. My whole point is not to take what any news says as absolute truth without question.
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Keksimaton
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posted May 02, 2010 12:31 PM |
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Me and Joonas are most likely the victims of what Jacek Rutkowski calls "the Finnish matrix." We are lulled into a dreamworld where all is fine and dandy and the outside world is full of nutjobs and American news programs (and nutjobs on American news programs). The true nature of the world is unknown to us and all that we are able to do is watch Uuno Turhapuro films and drink vodka in the dark corners of our lakeside cottages.
You know, I've been thinking. What is it that you American people consider this so called indoctrination to be? Is it Sesame Street having a skit about telling kids how it's important to share? Is it an anti drug PSA at the end of G.I. Joe? Is it a buzzword?
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 12:56 PM |
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Edited by Mytical at 13:05, 02 May 2010.
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Indoctrination can mean different things depending on who you ask. Some people link it to some religions. Others to corporations who just want you to buy things. Can be a political view point or a number of other things as well.
Indoctrination is where you get told something over and over and over, but are not supposed to question it. Questioning it is BAD. Anybody who questions it is : A) Going to the pit of fire B) Sheep C)Fools D) Socialist E) Communist F) Capitalist pig..((Take your pick))
Some people believe that people who give their children vaccines are indoctrinated. Some people believe that those who don't are. It's a hard thing to pin down, because it depends on WHO you ask.
For instance. ((And this is not meant as something against any person, place, belief system, etc)) The Bible there are some (and I am not one of them, so don't throw your stones this way) who argue that the Bible is actually a Political book. Made by the rich of the time to keep the poor in line. The 'give what you have to charity and follow Christ' was to keep people from trying to get wealthy..etc. So those people believe that religion is all indoctrination of a sort.
I won't argue about if this is correct or not, but it is just an example of how some people see indoctrination.
Others believe that the State Indoctrinates people to be greedy, anti-religious, etc. Again I won't argue for or against, just stating some people's view.
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Keksimaton
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posted May 02, 2010 01:05 PM |
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You make it sound like it is being used as a buzzword.
Can anyone give examples of things that supposedly are the methods of indoctrination or ways that indoctrination manifests itself within the American media?
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Mytical
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posted May 02, 2010 01:10 PM |
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Edited by Mytical at 13:12, 02 May 2010.
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It IS a buzzword, and used by people to get others to believe their view points. Don't get me wrong there are messages in Cartoons. GI Joe glorified the Military and Uncle Sam. Several cartoons have people fighting a 'oppressive government' of one kind or another.
People can read into things about ANYTHING, and scream indoctrination about everything.
IE if you don't believe their view you have just been indoctrinated and are not thinking for yourself. Doesn't matter though, if you believe them then the other side says you are indoctrinated and not thinking for yourself. Lol.
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del_diablo
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posted May 02, 2010 01:31 PM |
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Seems a bit rude to ask, but how did it come to be so bad? Where did you lose the common sense the world seems to have kept a bit more of?
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Keksimaton
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posted May 02, 2010 01:34 PM |
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Isolated cultural development and the cold war.
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mvassilev
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posted May 02, 2010 08:28 PM |
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Quote:
Seems a bit rude to ask, but how did it come to be so bad? Where did you lose the common sense the world seems to have kept a bit more of?
Because Europe's so much better, right?
There's only one thing that rivals American exceptionalism and that's anti-Americanism.
And I don't see any need at all to watch any kind of news. It's easy enough to get news from the Internet, and the various news agencies have much less bias than either FOX or MSNBC. As for commentary, I prefer blogs, particularly about economics.
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william
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posted May 02, 2010 08:45 PM |
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Because Europe's so much better, right?
Well to be fair, it actually is...
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JoonasTo
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posted May 02, 2010 08:52 PM |
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Edited by JoonasTo at 20:55, 02 May 2010.
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I read most of my news online or in the paper, sometimes radio. Rarely watch telly anymore. It's a dying format to me. So few series worth watching. A few Finnish ones but otherwise it's so full of boring crap that I don't even bother to see what's on.
@Mvass:
Truth is some of Europe is better. And also truth is some of U.S.A. is so ridiculous it's hilarious. Some people just can't see why things are like they are in U.S.A. Another thing why people don't really fan U.S.A. is the world police thing. Learn to keep your fists to yourself and maybe don't leave a guy to die if he gets a short stick with some disease and people will stop with the down U.S.A. attitude.
But we''ll still be laughing on our ass off on your foolish ways. 
But I think you're on the wrong route Mvass. That what you call anti-americanism here is nothing like it. It doesn't even border it. Try the middle-east to see what anti-americanism is like. There are some real anti-americanists there.
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JollyJoker
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posted May 02, 2010 09:43 PM |
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I think, the Finnish won the PISA studies a couple of times (which means - for all Americans - that Finnish pupils score best in EU wide school tests), so you can count on Joonas having a point. 
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Binabik
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posted May 02, 2010 09:48 PM |
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Quote:
Some people just can't see why things are like they are in U.S.A.
My experience is that most people in other parts of the world have absolutely no idea what "things are like they are in U.S.A." That's especially true of Europeans. What I see from Europeans is ignorance and gullibility. In seven years here at HC I've been totally amazed at the things people think about the US and wonder where the heck they get such crazy ideas.
As near as I can tell it's a combination of believing the garbage news/television like we are talking about, believing rumor, just plain gullibility, not using their brains to think if something even makes sense, and having a know-it-all attitude that someone who has never even stepped foot in a country think they know more about it than people who have spent their entire life here.
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don't leave a guy to die if he gets a short stick with some disease
This is a perfect example of total ignorance. This statement itself doesn't say much, but the overall view of people about this type of thing in the US is JUST NOT TRUE. Come on people, stop believing all the bull**** that you hear!
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