American Journalism and the Politics of Distract and Attack

Hello Papamoka Bloggers! Well it was another weekend of American Sunday talk shows giving angry Republicans a place to distract and attack. This time it was the Pelosi distraction. What's next?

As usual, the follow-up questions were slim to none. It's clear the weekend talk shows have been compromised by the same disease that infests the cable news shows, and it's not pretty.

William Randolph Hearst would be thrilled to know that his legacy of yellow journalism for corporate profit and power is alive and well. Finding the truth on the Sunday talk shows, which used to matter, seems to be less important these days. They're all stuck on the same Washington spin cycle, and what's good for America and it's people is way down their agenda.

I guess we all should be wise to the media's game of hosting false interviews for the sole purpose of generating high ratings, but it still irritates many of us who remain hopeful for things to improve under Obama. I guess the dumbing-down of American journalism - and America - is in full swing, whatever president or party is in power.

Let's face it, we live in a "corporatocracy," and the CEOs are in charge.

It's bad enough large chunks of America watch propaganda spewed by beauty queens and ex-fashion models on FOX "News," but I had hoped the trend would steer clear of intelligent journalism. Unfortunately, Meet the Press, This Week and Face the Nation all seem to be headed down that path as well. I guess we shouldn't be surprised when Miss California soon co-hosts Meet the Press. I guess it's only a matter of time.

You know it's bad when I regret that Meet the Press didn't go to Chris Matthews. He's not perfect - swings to and fro with the prevailing political winds too much, but at least he'll challenge a guest with facts every now and then. David Gregory has become a tool of the Washington elite - he's lost credibility with me these days. I never thought I would miss the days of Tim Russert and his pull quotes.

He was no Edward R. Morrow, but at least news-makers would squirm when he used their own quotes to contradict their latest spin. Gregory doesn't do the homework. He's too easy on them.

Yes, it's clear that American journalism has been broken by its corporate overlords. Now it all seems to be bought-and-paid-for by the Washington elite and it's attack dogs, the DC PR industry. Once great news organizations have been reduced to pseudo-news entertainment designed to illicit fast one-liners, stir political gossip and discover meaningless political intrigue. High ratings stem from colorful news, not informative news.

It all seems designed to get us to tune in without actually informing us of anything important. It's almost as if we're witnessing another free market bubble, but this time it's a corporate news bubble, where we're kept fat and happy on large helpings of distraction and spin. It's obviously all designed to manipulate us into a false sense of control. Unfortunately, it's an illusion. They have all the control.

If it wasn't for a few die-hard print news organizations that bloggers like us rely on, the American people would be left to fend for themselves. We owe them our thanks. I may sound naive, but I do believe they sacrifice some of their potential profit to help us. I do want to believe that so much.

Most of this is the fault of Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress of the nineties. The GOP wanted corporations to own larger chunks of America's media -Rupert Murdoch and FOX "News" donated most of the support. It was a battle with the Democrats, but in the end President Bill Clinton was too distracted and accepted the deregulation of American media. It was a huge mistake that has led us to this depressing point in our history.

It's bad enough that ratings are now controlling journalism, but it's even worse when you think about how special interests - like industrial-military, health care and pharmaceuticals - control it too. We've all seen Lockheed Martin, Boeing and big pharm commercials while watching the news. Doesn't it make you wonder just what kind of impact they're having on those corporate news rooms? It should, because they are having an impact.

Unfortunately, we probably don't even know the worst of it. Let us hope and pray that it's not too horrible, or too late.

The PR journalism of distract and attack needs to end. The American people need to demand serious media reform now. I realize that it's not high on the agenda, but the President and Congress need to make it so - and long before the next big elections. Serious journalists and congressional investigators cannot do it all alone. They need our help now. As I always say, please take the time to contact your representatives. Let them know that America needs serious media reform. The truth is out there, and we need to find it.

Michael Boh
Papamoka's Left Coast Contributor
from Our Rants & Raves Blog

Colin Powell Steps Up for Obama

In the last two weeks of the election for President the endorsements from Newspapers across America are flying off the news racks. One of the most interesting was from the Chicago Tribune, a newspaper around since the early 1800’s, that endorsed Barack Obama for President but has never endorsed a Democrat before. When it comes to endorsements most newspapers really don’t matter anymore in America because they are left or right leaning publications and it can be proven by reading the opinion page every single day in their paper. But the Chicago Tribune? A staunch Republican paper goes for Obama, now that is news!

Moving on, then you have one man with one voice, with character beyond question, a Republican, a former chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff for America’s Military, and a former Secretary of State that has broken party ranks to endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. I’m talking about General Colin Powell who announced his endorsement on Meet the Press today with Tom Brokaw. MSNBC has this video on the historic event today…

Video Link



It’s pretty common knowledge that the Bush Administration threw Secretary of State Colin Powell under the bus to get this nation into the war in Iraq. It is also common knowledge that he resigned to “Spend time with his family” as a disgusted American and life long public servant that was duped by President Bush and Vice President Cheney. If Colin Powell ran for President as a Republican then I honestly have to say that I would vote for him over Barack Obama if he was the Republican nominee. That being said, if he thinks Barack Obama can and will be a better President then Obama is a lock for many moderate voters.

Colin Powell summed up why many Independent and Moderate voters are looking at Obama more favorably than McCain, it isn’t the issues, it’s the rhetoric and suggestion of discrimination from the base and some of the leaders in the Republican Party. When he speaks of Robo calls, and defamation, insinuations, and accusations against Obama from the campaign of John McCain he is talking about questions that happen every single day in the states in play. Questions still suggesting Obama is a Muslim, Obama is associating with terrorists, Obama is anti American. Phone calls to mom and pop taxpayer and voters during the dinner hour. What General Powell said is correct in the thought that those types of politicking is not worthy of someone wanting to be President of one nation. That form of disgusting politics is divide and conquer and that is not what America is all about. If McCain can not sell his position on the issues then why is he and his campaign going so negative with the Robo calls? Why do they have to make it so personal and frankly Un-American? Politics is a dirty way of life but it was never this bad before. John McCain has his name on the bumper stickers and no matter how you look at it he owns the negativity one hundred percent.

In the long run, elections are not always won by who fights fair and who fights for what is right but who connects best with the American people. John McCain can not make that connection and Barack Obama has in more ways than you can count. Many of us should consider the wisdom of Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff, General of the Army, Vietnam Veteran, and just one voice as a Republican and just a citizen like Colin Powell that will be voting for Barack Obama for President.

Papamoka

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Biden Palin Debate Saturday Night Live

Once more Saturday Night Live has another great skit out and this one features Queen Latiffa as Gwen Ifill. The moderator of the Palin - Biden debate. If you saw the real debate then you will see the comedy behind this skit on Saturday Night Live. Thank you NBC for making this video available...

Video Link

Tim Russert, the Gold Standard of Journalism

With the sudden passing of Tim Russert I find myself in the same company of many of the friends he worked so closely with. His presence on our nations televisions was that of the friendly and jovial uncle that just loved politics simply because it was a competition of the best available candidates for our times. His style and grace when confronting political figures called them to task where others would have given them a pass. Honestly, I feel like my brother or my closest Uncle has died. His passing is very personal to me and I’m just a political blogger.

Tim brought to journalism what no other person could in today’s media hubbub, the truth. Politicians love to hide behind the real story and yet he alone called them to task and dared to ask the questions that nobody else could find the guts to even think of asking. His secret was a relentless pursuit of the truth in politics and for that I thank him from the bottom of my heart. If you were a guest of Tim Russert on Meet the Press then there would be no softball pitches coming across the plate. That kind of journalism he left to the people dreaming of being a real political reporter that found themselves swooned by the politician.

Tim Russert was not about fluff pieces and feeling the love to anyone that dared to sit in the hot seat of Meet the Press. What perplexes the media institution that he built is the fact that anyone wanting an interview with him had better be ready to face all the facts no matter how ugly they were. And yet, politician after politician would seek him out knowing the gauntlet they would have to face. Facts do not lie, Tim never hid those facts from his guest and in the long run the truth or an inkling of it was established during his broadcast of Meet the Press.

One of the things I admired most about Tim Russert was his devotion to friends in the business. He never forgot his friends during the bad times they each faced. From Mike Barnicle during his alleged plagiarism debacle at the Boston Globe to Don Imus and his Rutgers girls basketball disgrace. While the rest of the press, politicians, and people that were supposed to befriends were running fast and furious, Tim stood by his friends, backed them and supported them. In the media business friends are for the most part there only as long as you shine, Tim was there during the dark days lighting a candle of light for a friend who thought the world had forsaken them. That was just who he was. His friends were for life, his love of people unquestionable, and his deeds quietly done because he was at the heart of his being just a man that loved people.

On many occasions while listening to Imus in the Morning over the years Tim would be on and dog the I Man on how his little boy was doing in between talking about political issues of the day. Tim was never impressed with the fact that Imus in the Morning was listened to by millions of people, that wasn’t the important part of the friendship. The Imus family little boy that looked up to his mom and dad was the key figure in the relationship. In every friendship that Tim had, the kids were the ones that made many of them call him simply Uncle Tim.

When he wrote of his hard working father in Big Russ and Me, it reminded me of the many trials my own family had faced over the years. No family is perfect and here was the moderator of one of the longest running news broadcast in our nations history telling the story of his dad. It inspired millions in more ways than he will ever know. Evidenced by the follow up book from many of the people that read about his life with Big Russ. In my mind, Tim gave the fathers of this nation and many others something to live up to with actions as a dad rather than just words. The old saying of anyone can be a father but it takes hard work and faith to be a dad was the Russert credo.

It’s a dark day for political reporting just knowing that the extreme grasp that Tim Russert had on politics is lost. There is not in my mind anyone that can fill his shoes and do what he did with the shear simplicity that he was able to do so effortlessly. His broadcast seemed almost like watching a figure skating routine and the scores garnished depended on how the person in the hot seat replied. The more squirming the higher the score.

My personal condolences to the Russert family and to all of his many friends including his viewers on many of the broadcasts he participated in. His quick wit and sharp mind will be missed.

God bless and keep you close Tim Russert. We can only hope to carry on with the same integrity that you brought to journalism.

Papamoka

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