Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Before It Is Lost - 2 Points


1. Some historical perspective provided, interestingly, by the New York Times. Both Clinton and Bush thought they had redrawn the political maps...something we find unbelievable at this point but which, at the time, sounded right to those who had won.

For example, if you look at the county results in Florida, Obama only won three counties more than Kerry in 2004 and it gave him the state. In Ohio, he won 5 more. Both states went for Obama by around 200,000 voters each. That is no landslide. Governing is the next test.

2. This second point is directed at fellow blogger, YBS, in regard to the "live blogging" post and my view that "NBC is the fairest of networks."

While I did not actually say that NBC is the fairest of networks, that is beside the point. My comment was made while watching (an intoxicated) Brit Hume on Fox News, which, let's be honest, is definitely not fair or balanced unless you are watching two televisions at the same time, one tuned to Fox News and the other to MSNBC. Both have made blatant decisions to move toward one ideological perspective.

YBS must also be unaware of the reaction within NBC News (network) to their cable network's leaning, something I believe, actually legitimizes the attempt by NBC News toward journalistic credibility - something unquestioned under the editorial leadership of the late Tim Russert. I can no longer stomach FoxNews or MSNBC. NBC News, while currently leaderless, provides some idealogical moderation under Williams and Brokaw, as does CNN (although, Wolf Blitzer leaves much to be desired).

In all, I challenge YBS to stop arguing for the legitimacy of Fox News (and thereby quit living up to his initials) and I leave him with words from Washington Post columnist, Howard Kurtz, and from the executive producer of BBC World News America, Rome Hartman (pictured above):

Prime-time viewers of Fox News and MSNBC get vastly different perspectives on the campaign that sometimes approach mirror images. This goes well beyond the hosts' political views to the booking of guests and the way stories are framed, pumped up and sometimes ignored. In that sense, the programs reflect the increasing polarization of the media world, where columnists, strategists, bloggers and radio talkers have built thriving careers catering to those who already agree with them. As high-profile hosts adored by fans and derided by critics, Hannity and Olbermann provide a case study in the power of ideological punditry.'

Hartman:


Viewers are retreating into their own cocoons. If you have a business culture where the boss says one thing and everybody toes the line and says 'Boy, boss, that's right, you're right,' well, that's a business that's not going to last very long.


Brought to you by theYreport at y-report.com

No comments: