tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27381760169573838922024-03-14T12:18:19.809-04:00Whose Media Is It Anyway?The news media is powerful. It can determine what we fear, how we live and who we vote for. So shouldn't it be better? Here is my feeble attempt to decipher truth from hyperbole, distinguish the newsmakers from the issue-framers and to call out those who are making "news" where none exists. People are hungry for information these days. Why should we have to eat so much junk food?ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-32334263669691841962009-06-26T17:55:00.011-04:002009-09-23T10:14:35.435-04:00Whose Michael is it anyway?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.stuff.co.nz/1246183497/580/2547580.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 519px; height: 349px;" src="http://static.stuff.co.nz/1246183497/580/2547580.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />A week ago I was torn between thinking that <a href="http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/whats-driving-the-michael-jackson-mania/?scp=1&sq=americans%20died%20in%20afghanistan&st=cse">the media circus surrounding Michael Jackson's death</a> was too much, and feeling like it was warranted by goosebumps I feel whenever I hear "Man in the Mirror." Many others were feeling the latter, as his music was, well "the soundtrack of our lives." (Sorry, worst turn of phrase ever.) To be fair, a lot of the coverage is coming from and being driven by the blogosphere, facebook, twitter, youtube and random people moonwalking down the street, so perhaps the mainstream media is really taking its cue from the people. For a man who received unprecedented media attention for most of life-- a lot of it negative in the past two decades -- it stands to reason that it would only reach a climax with his death. <div><br /></div><div>But now, here we are a week later and all the major cable networks are following Michael Jackson's hearse and motorcade while all sorts of "industry experts" talk off camera about his impact, legacy, popularity. And all the while, I am pretty sure I heard that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/world/asia/07afghan.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=americans%20died%20in%20afghanistan&st=cse">seven Americans died in Afghanistan</a> yesterday. Isn't the primary role of CNN, FOX and MSNBC to cover things such as Americans being killed in foreign wars? </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not suggesting that they don't air the actual memorial service, but the parking and driving adventures of the motorcade a good two hours before the service starts? And not to single-out any one "journalist", but I thought <a href="http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/09/video-jackson-drug-intervention/">Anderson Cooper </a> interviewed heads of state and covered ravaged New Orleans? It is very unclear to me why he was voice-overing the memorial pre-show. </div><div><br /></div><div>I thought there was a division of labor where entertainment "journalists" covered entertainment and the "real journalists" covered the rest. But really, that was so 80's... when Michael Jackson was really someone to revere. </div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-66616775932925781672009-05-28T10:53:00.003-04:002009-05-28T11:19:11.575-04:00Pomp & Circumstance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/1011299718_b0a3b67a9b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/1011299718_b0a3b67a9b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />While there are many great examples of questionable, poor or sensational media coverage to draw from today, I am instead going to focus on an event that is not getting any media coverage at all. That event would be today's <a href="http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/abouthunter/index.shtml">Hunter College</a> Commencement Exercises at Radio City Music Hall, a ceremony in which I will be sporting a grape-hued gown and mortar board alongside 3,000 of my closest friends. <div><br /></div><div>My college journey began in September, 1994 and now it's over. It really went by fast. </div><div>Just kidding. </div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to graduations it is very difficult to use phrases that are not cliche. But I really do believe that everything happens for a reason. Just think: if I had graduated from Providence College in 1998 this blog would have never existed. Hard to imagine, right? </div><div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/news/#Solis">Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis</a> will be the speaker, so I will let you know how that goes. It's a very happy day, in any case. </div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-25568601462905202542009-05-18T16:00:00.000-04:002009-05-18T15:58:36.725-04:00Would You Rather?<a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=dan%20rather&iid=3113497" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/c/f/f/3/Dan_Rather_Signs_4c92.jpg?adImageId=1153521&imageId=3113497" width="380" height="568" border="0" alt="Dan Rather Signs On To Produce, Host News Show" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br /><div><br /></div>I forgot to mention that several weeks back, I heard <a href="http://gawker.com/5245236/dan-rather-daily-show-correspondent">Dan Rather </a>speak at <a href="http://www.theticker.org/sections/news/ccny-protests-against-rising-tuition-budget-cuts-1.1743254">The City College of New York</a> in a lecture called, "Democracy and the 24-Hour News Cycle." Rather's talk--which began and ended with two great anecdotes about his working life before he was one of the three "voices of God"--was, not surprisingly, critical of the fact that most mainstream media is owned and operated by major corporate interests that favor profit over content and who have a cozy <a href="http://whosemediaisitanyway.blogspot.com/2009/05/press-polls-so-happy-together.html">relationships with government officials.</a> (Sidebar: He did not once mention his <a href="http://www.observer.com/2009/media/public-relations-problem-cbs-and-memogate-revisited">$70 million lawsuit against CBS</a>)<div><br /></div><div>To his credit, Rather went to great lengths to take part of the blame for the dumbing down of the news, but he warned that those who believe newspapers are vestiges of the past or who think their proponents are merely waxing nostalgic should take heed: a healthy democracy depends on a strong and independent media. When newspapers go, Rather said, so goes what remains of original, investigative reporting. <div><br /></div><div>He spoke about the 20-minute news cycle that existed when he first started in the business (CBS and NBC carried 20 minutes of news at the end of the day) and the difference in coverage that was shorter, more vital, and not tied to profits. What a difference 40 years makes. Many of us like to think of ourselves as extremely informed because we can go online or turn on the t.v. at any time and get the latest "news," but how much understanding can really be gleaned from a 15 second clip? When does more actually become worse? </div><div><br /></div><div>You can listen to his entire speech <a href="http://www1.cuny.edu/portal_ur/news/radio/podcast/lecture_197.mp3">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-9593105865941708892009-05-13T11:36:00.009-04:002009-05-13T12:48:14.223-04:00The Press & The Pols: So Happy TogetherNo matter the party in power or the man in the oval office, no event better illustrates the cozy relationship between the press and politicians like the <a href="http://www.whca.net/dinner.htm">White House Correspondents' Association Dinner</a>. <div><br /></div><div>At its most base, the system works like this: government officials offer access and in return for that access and close proximity the press does not criticize too much or ask too many hard questions. Nothing says democracy like a good party, so to celebrate this friendship between the fourth estate and the government, there is a big black tie dinner every year sprinkled with celebrities. <br /><div><br />What a difference three years makes. Remember <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/home">Stephen Colbert's</a> roast of President Bush and the media which, oddly enough, received a scant amount of media attention? The mainstream media coverage ignored Colbert's jokes and instead focused on the Bush impersonator who preceded him in the line up. Some argued that the press was uncomfortable with Colbert's performance, making fun of the President essentially to his face. But what really made the press uncomfortable were Colbert's jabs at <span style="font-style:italic;">them. </span></div><div><br />It's definitely awkward, but worth another look:<br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BSE_saVX_2A&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BSE_saVX_2A&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Flash forward to last Sunday night. <a href="http://www.wandasykes.com/">Wanda Sykes</a> is the comedienne. Barack Obama is the president. She makes a (bad? even offensive?) <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22322.html">joke about Rush Limbaugh's kidneys failing and the possibility that he was the 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> hijacker on 9/11</a> and the media swarms. </div><div><br /></div><div>Considering the criticism the media has received for its seemingly all too favorable coverage of the now president, I would have thought Wanda would have made more jokes directed their way. But maybe she learned a lesson from her predecessor: those afflicted with Insider Syndrome prefer that you don't mention it. If you do, they will just edit you out. <br /><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1155201977" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=22689519001&playerId=1155201977&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-26373678799976423272009-05-06T13:37:00.015-04:002009-05-06T14:46:47.269-04:00Bristol's Baby Blues?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">The </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Palin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> family has obviously had a </span><a href="http://howobamagotelected.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">contentious relationship with the media</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">, which makes me wonder why Bristol would willingly subject herself to said media. She is now the </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/05/bristol-palin-candies-fou_n_196838.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">ambassador for teen pregnancy for the Candie's Foundation</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">. I'm just not clear on how she can be a spokesperson for abstinence, considering she has a baby. Still I give her credit for trying to use the fame thrust upon her to talk about the perils of teen pregnancy, but then I watch these interviews and wonder, is she?</span><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1155201977" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=22290982001&playerId=1155201977&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I'm not saying Miss </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Palin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> is an easy interview, but come on Chris </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Cuomo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">. I think the </span><a href="http://www.candiesfoundation.org/psas.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Candie's Foundation</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> , </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">whose mission </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">is "to educate America's youth about the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">devastating</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> consequences of teen pregnancy" (italics mine)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">may need to help her with her message. Or perhaps, Mr </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Cuomo</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> needs to work on his interviewing skills.</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">If you think that was awkward, press play:</span><br /><div><iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/30597400#30597400" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><p style=" margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;color:#999;">Visit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">msnbc</span>.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">News about the Economy</a></p></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">At least Matt </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Lauer</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> tried. Does he look like a bully ? Is her dad there for protection? Is asking about Levi too personal? Does Miss </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Palin</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> realize she is on TV talking about one of the most 'personal' subjects possible? Maybe she just really dislikes Matt </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Lauer</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">. She stares at her sleeping baby for most of the interview.</span><br /><div><br /></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-58169360664446939432009-05-05T21:15:00.003-04:002009-05-05T21:27:42.263-04:00BREAKING NEWS: John Edwards Broke His Wife's Heart<a href="http://view.picapp.com/default.aspx?term=elizabeth%20edwards&iid=695753" target="_blank"> <img src="http://cdn.picapp.com/ftp/Images/4/2/5/6/14.jpg?adImageId=1021858&imageId=695753" width="380" height="500" border="0" alt="30th Annual Outstanding Mother Awards" /></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js"></script><br />So Elizabeth Edwards goes on Oprah to help her promote her new<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/05/elizabeth-edwards-to-addr_n_163476.html"> memoir</a>. I don't know why she wanted to write <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/broadway/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780767931366">another memoir</a>, especially one about her husband's affair and the aftermath, but she is entitled to do as much. (Although from the looks of their house in the promos, she does not need the money.) Oprah is vigorously promoting this exclusive interview in which she was apparently allowed to ask Edwards any question she wanted. The ads are really dramatic and creepy, but fine. My question--my problem really-- is why is <a href="http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow-20090328-elizabeth-edwards">Oprah's interview with Elizabeth Edwards</a> the teaser for the 5 o'clock news and in the Times and everywhere? Where is the news?<div><br /><div>Does anyone really care about <a href="http://johnedwards.com/">John Edwards</a> anymore or his maybe baby with the other woman? Maybe you do. Obviously someone does. But why? Is he running for anything? Such rehashing of public betrayal and private pain so long after the fact is fine for a memoir or a talk show, but on the news and in the <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/elizabeth-edwards-speaks-to-oprah-about-hubands-affair/?scp=2&sq=elizabeth%20edwards&st=cse">New York Times</a>?</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess book publishers, show producers, news ratings gurus, and perhaps Mrs. Edwards herself are banking on schadenfreude as an irrepressible American impulse. Elizabeth Edwards had cancer, during which time her husband cheated on her and may or may not have fathered a baby as a result. Feel better now?<div><div><br /></div><div>It's clear that journalists are sick of writing about the economy (see <a href="http://whosemediaisitanyway.blogspot.com/2009/04/just-dont-call-it-swine-flu.html">swine flu</a>), so why aren't they digging around for the next politician who is or was cheating on his wife? If it's the misery of others we so long to see, let's at least make it about someone we might be able to vote for or against. Then at least it is news-- base and ugly, sure, but news. This is no news at all. </div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-18278520202316524862009-05-04T20:22:00.000-04:002009-05-05T17:49:33.219-04:00Just when you thought it was safe...to remove your surgical mask, this is what I heard at the top of hour during the morning commute on more than a few radio stations -- <a href="http://www.1010wins.com/Teen-Blinded-in-One-Eye--Raccoon-Ringworm-Blamed/4319874">1010WINS</a> and <a href="http://www.wabcradio.com/news.asp?c=NEWYORKCITYHEADS&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhosted%2Eap%2Eorg%2Fdynamic%2Fstories%2FN%2FNY%5FRACCOON%5FRINGWORM%5FBAOL%2D%3FSITE%3DWABCAM%26SECTION%3DHOME%26TEMPLATE%3DDEFAULT">77<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">WABC</span> </a> among them: NEW YORK CITY TEEN BLINDED AND BABY <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">BRAIN DEAD</span> FROM RACCOON ROUNDWORM. I think the Daily News broke the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/05/03/2009-05-03_raccoon_disease_hits_brooklyn_teen__tot.html">story.</a><div><br /></div><div>There is not much to say about this really, except that just when the local media decided it might have been a tad heavy-handed with the swine flu, it was deemed prudent to sound the alarm to New Yorkers about <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/baylisascaris/factsht_baylisascaris.htm">raccoon roundworm</a>. A disease, I might add, that occurs when people, in these cases children, come into contact with raccoon feces. Now, there are many potential hazards associated with raising children in the city: <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/asthma/asthma.shtml">asthma</a>,<a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/02/20/stroller_vs_sub.php"> strollers on the subway</a>, finding a decent public school, etc. Brooklyn children playing catch with raccoon feces does not seem like something we should be adding to the list. I will give the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/index.html">Daily News </a>a pass if it was a one time story. Any flagrant follow-ups by any of the aforementioned organizations will garner a big wag of the finger by me. That goes for you too <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MSNBC</span>. </div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/30565005#30565005" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;">Visit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">msnbc</span>.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">News about the Economy</a></p></div><br /><br /></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-7391939778481482482009-05-01T11:12:00.000-04:002009-05-04T14:27:07.482-04:00Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.cnbc.com/i/CNBC/Sections/News_And_Analysis/__Story_Inserts/graphics/__FOOD_DRINK/bacon_pan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://media.cnbc.com/i/CNBC/Sections/News_And_Analysis/__Story_Inserts/graphics/__FOOD_DRINK/bacon_pan.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />What is worse, the fact that this flu-that-shall-remain-nameless-because-H1N1- is-a-ridiculous-name has become such a media frenzy, causing seemingly otherwise rational people to not want to leave their homes or if they must, to wear a surgical mask OR that the <a href="http://www.who.int/en/">W.H.O.</a> (who?) has gotten in on this flu-naming act and says <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/health/01name.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=who&st=cse">no to swine and yes to H1N1</a>? They could have at least made it into a acronym that can be easily pronounced by the mask wearers (mentioned above.) Like, high-nigh or perhaps high-nee. These are terrible suggestions of course, but what of the alternative? <div><br /></div><div>My favorite highlight from yesterday, besides <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/us_world/Swine-Flu-0428.html">Joe Biden</a> confessing he wants to tunnel down into a bunker until this flu clears, was also from The Today Show. <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/14894442/">Dr. Nancy Snyderman</a>, the doctor who is on that show every day for so many segments a day, that it makes me wonder when she actually, well, treats patients? In an effort to show viewers that they cannot get the-virus-formerly-known-as-swine-flu from eating pork, she went up to a street vendor and ordered a gyro or some such pork sandwich. I don't know about you, but it is not the flu that I'm afraid of contracting when I dine at such establishments. Hopefully the street meat lobby did not hear that. <div><br /></div></div><br /><div><iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/30495925#30495925" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;">Visit msnbc.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">News about the Economy</a></p></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-87873999342998772622009-04-29T11:43:00.000-04:002009-04-29T13:02:35.832-04:00Just Don't Call It Swine Flu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqhx8O1y8ss4ULE4M0n6FlxZ7fTT9Ti8A9T4CtvypitTMyvsyZJJznOAsAXsSi7hlCbL0zXRIfeeOCd_OH0AnNXYt9UtVjnuXZPAcHcw-l3QkURQs4D_Lonz3IigZKwRGH2hWy1Q0R8c/s1600-h/swineflu.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330156923377365618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqhx8O1y8ss4ULE4M0n6FlxZ7fTT9Ti8A9T4CtvypitTMyvsyZJJznOAsAXsSi7hlCbL0zXRIfeeOCd_OH0AnNXYt9UtVjnuXZPAcHcw-l3QkURQs4D_Lonz3IigZKwRGH2hWy1Q0R8c/s320/swineflu.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div></div><div>During a <a href="http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=25188&docId=l:963111027&start=3">press briefing </a>yesterday, the <a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=bios_vilsack.xml">Secretary of Agriculture, Tom <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Vilsack</span></a> was imploring the media to stop calling this new potential pandemic virus <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/">swine flu. </a><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><blockquote><em>"Q What is the point of monitoring the swine population? If you can't get this<br />flu from swine, why check swine at all?<br />SEC. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">VILSACK</span>: Because it could impact and affect the<br />industry itself. This is more about the economics of it rather than the human<br />side and human illness side of it.<br />Q Is it because of the name "swine flu"?<br />I mean, you're not looking at horses or cows or anything else.<br />SEC. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">VILSACK</span>: Just -- which is<br />precisely the reason why we have asked, and there has been a response to change<br />the name of this. This really isn't swine flu. It's H1N1 virus. That's very,<br />very important. And it is significant, because there are a lot of hardworking<br />families whose livelihood depends on us conveying this message of safety."</em><br /><br />You can read the full transcript <a href="http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=25188&docId=l:963111027&start=3">here</a>.<br /></blockquote></div><div>Sec. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Vilsack's</span> message has already taken hold. This morning on both <a href="http://www.ny1.com/">NY1</a> and <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30398682/">The Today Show </a></div><div>(before the story of the woman who was chased by a bear and hit by a car) the anchors were calling this flu "H1N1" or, referring to it first as "Swine Flu" and then following it up with the preferred "H1N1." Perhaps this is an instance where getting control of the media message is actually serving people. This flu does not come from eating pork. If people think it does, they will stop buying pork and more economic fallout will ensue. </div><br /><div></div><div></div><div>I can't help but be reminded of of <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/law/jan-june98/fooddef_1-20.html">the lawsuit the cattle industry brought against Oprah </a>after she said she would never eat another burger and the price of beef fell . Is the person who started using the term swine flu afraid of similar litigation? The point of this story may be that when government, media and heavily lobbied industry get together the results are powerful. Still, with <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/health/30flu.html?_r=1&hp">91 people confirmed to have this flu the U.S</a>. and one person dead, what's in a name? </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-8655606351860262312009-04-16T11:10:00.001-04:002009-05-04T20:17:14.987-04:00Pirates, Puppies and Tea Parties<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_qQFQC-x1brcZUnHEKuT-K5HIzLqLhZz0oVUM4gG5a3j-e65rP3DOx2yVfEvvLFS3fRmLyL8RzjZizh6fYQwdAEZnnZuJt5-Ljk8ChwNDs8tkxY4K7iulBeZEj13aX6aoIp20QntpPs/s1600-h/IMG_2472.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_qQFQC-x1brcZUnHEKuT-K5HIzLqLhZz0oVUM4gG5a3j-e65rP3DOx2yVfEvvLFS3fRmLyL8RzjZizh6fYQwdAEZnnZuJt5-Ljk8ChwNDs8tkxY4K7iulBeZEj13aX6aoIp20QntpPs/s320/IMG_2472.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325725628170653074" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Are you as glad as I am that this week is finally drawing to a close?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">With the faltering economy finally getting some competition from other events, some of them (gasp!) of the international sort; it is enough to make a citizen wonder: should I really be afraid of pirates? </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Modern-day pirates (sans eye patches and hooks for hands) have actually been in the news since 1999. There's been an uptick in activities by Somali pirates and increasing coverage about it since November, but it did not capture the American media's attention until one of our own was captured. I found </span></span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/piracy"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The Guardian's coverage and archives</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> on the subject pretty interesting. You may too. <br /></span></span><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><a href="http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1189/pirates-take-media-focus-off-economy"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">According to the Pew Research Center, the pirate story came close to receiving almost as much coverage as the economic crisis/meltdown/downward spiral</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Is this a good thing? Maybe we are experiencing economic crisis fatigue and thus are more interested in such newsy items as the the new pup on Pennsylvania Avenue. Or maybe the more likely scenario is that the mainstream media is tired of reporting on the economy. I mean, job losses after job losses, plunging D</span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ow</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> after plunging D</span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">ow</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">--how many different ways can they really tell that story? Oh but wait, that is actually their job.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As for the widely publicized tea parties on Wednesday, and while we're on the subject of reporters doing their job, I think </span></span><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-onthemedia15-2009apr15,0,189873.column"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">James </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rainey</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> of the L.A. Times </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">put it best, calling out FOX for promoting and hyping these protests, and </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">MSNBC</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for trying to downplay and marginalize the participants... all before</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> anything even happened</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">. Wrote </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rainey</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span></span></span></span></span><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(84, 84, 84); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I've got a novel idea: How about if we wait and see what happens at these rallies? Maybe journalists can watch, report how many people are there, describe the kinds of things they say and tell us what they plan to do next." </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(84, 84, 84); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I think he is suggesting that journalists actually practice the craft of journalism. Weird, right?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />All I can say about Bo Obama is that a Google search elicits 3,496 news articles about the dog. That doesn't include the countless hours of footage, coverage and interviews on radio and t.v. Maybe it is just the kind of good news people are looking for, except that a lot of it is pretty critical of the breed--a </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Portuguese</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Water dog</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">-- and about the fact that they didn't adopt a shelter dog, but of course you knew that. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Fine then. But do you know which country owns most of our debt? Or what the current unemployment rate is? </span></span><a href="http://pewresearch.org/newsiq/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Here's a quiz</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> for you to test your "real" news knowledge. You may end up much more scared of our national debt than pirates.</span></span></div></div></div></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-64449400666407134512009-04-15T15:33:00.000-04:002009-04-16T09:46:17.876-04:00What Happened to the God-less media?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGGPXJiUAs5SLxRoVEl3gFjzjLgZhjnQSzAuwBEzQwk8lU5gthGD8X7C9H3YCGwGz6imtSx5b3rw2BUWIboYjEX16UD159Lp7zyINgrQk0G0dyvU0HCLQJbDYj0wJV7tBKSbhR0RrHYk/s1600-h/dolan_named_archbishop_of_new_york.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGGPXJiUAs5SLxRoVEl3gFjzjLgZhjnQSzAuwBEzQwk8lU5gthGD8X7C9H3YCGwGz6imtSx5b3rw2BUWIboYjEX16UD159Lp7zyINgrQk0G0dyvU0HCLQJbDYj0wJV7tBKSbhR0RrHYk/s320/dolan_named_archbishop_of_new_york.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325013786993101298" /></a><br />I just turned on the television and thought for a moment that the The Prayer Channel had taken over the airwaves. As it turns out, it is just the installation of the new Archbishop of New York. Now, as a Catholic, I know it is big deal when the Arch gets a new Archbishop. I get the pomp and circumstance and gravity of the transition of leadership. But this blog is not about the Catholic church, or religion: it is about the media. <div><br /></div><div>So I have to ask: does this event, which really impacts 2.5 million people and only 3 of NYC's 5 boroughs, really warrant five hours of live, non-stop coverage on New York 1, NBC, FOX, ABC, and WOR? Since the mass of installation is a big chunk of this coverage, I am wondering if the networks are actually proselytizing. On NBC for example, the commentator who is clearly not an impartial journalist but is not identified as anything else, described the new Archbishop Dolan's homily as "amazing" and then explained how the Eucharist and wine is "transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ." The commentator should at the very least be identified as a Catholic journalist or priest or whatever he is. On FOX, they don't even have their own cameras inside; they announced that they are using the Archdiocese's footage. Cozy much?</div><div><br /></div><div>If it is some sort of media/church conspiracy to get more people to join the ranks, they are not selling their product very well. There are about 20+ gray-haired, white-skinned, old men standing behind the altar. Oh wait, I see one brown-skinned man peeking out in the back. Since more and more practicing Catholics are various shades of brown, this "program" is a pretty lousy recruitment tool. As the camera pans the audience, I see such prominent people as the celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich and thrice married former mayor Rudy Guiliani. Hmm..So what are these stations up to? I can understand an hour or so, but five hours and a full mass seems excessive. The media is often accused of being a propaganda tool for the far left. Not so today. <br /></div><div><br /></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-22307029030455604572009-04-02T23:24:00.000-04:002009-04-02T23:39:40.422-04:00Limbaugh Gets More Free Airtime<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.cleveland.com/nationworld_impact/2009/03/large_Rush-Limbaugh-Jan13-09.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 453px; height: 308px;" src="http://blog.cleveland.com/nationworld_impact/2009/03/large_Rush-Limbaugh-Jan13-09.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogcdn.com/news.aol.com/political-machine/media/2009/02/paterson.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 560px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/news.aol.com/political-machine/media/2009/02/paterson.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Who cares that Limbaugh is selling his New York penthouse? Why should Governor Paterson even take a breath to address it... even if it is a "joke"? But these are small matters compared to the media's coverage of the "skirmish." NBC -4 on its 11 o'clock newscast called it a "controversy" and "Paterson versus Limbaugh." This is the same sort of false equivalency the press tried to create between President Obama and Rush Limbaugh. How can a state governor with umpteen years of public service who is actually making decisions that impact people's lives be on the same level as a radio personality who makes millions spewing invectives? I don't even like Gov. Paterson or think he is doing a very effective job, but that is not the point. These false equivalencies--aided by visuals (which I've tried to recreate here) give personalities like Limbaugh free publicity that they certainly don't need. More than that though, these kind of media-enhanced-pitched-battles only further cloud the real issues from the public. Complicated issues like the fiscal health of New York State and the tax code among other things get glossed over in favor of a contrived dog fight. Responsible journalism at its best. ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-62876764089533055682009-03-25T17:08:00.000-04:002009-03-25T17:23:23.088-04:00Jon Stewart's Slightly Different Take<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://tamethebear.tv/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cramerstewart.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 331px;" src="http://tamethebear.tv/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cramerstewart.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />While my hypothesis was that the constant noise of CNBC led traders to scream "sell" when it came to Bear and others who have found less worse fates, Jon Stewart posits that it was CNBC's complicity that led to our current financial mess. <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=220533">He, now famously, grilled Jim Cramer </a>about the, well--to put it kindly-- lack of investigative, reporting or even questioning skills possessed by CNBC "journalists", their all too cozy relationships with CEO's and their siren call to Americans who watched faithfully, invested accordingly and are now in the poorhouse, or as it were, no house. <div><br /></div><div>Maybe Stewart's outrage that CNBC didn't see Bear Sterns or the current crisis coming actually fits in nicely with my idea that the hysteria surrounding the early days of the banking crisis was set off and paraded around by CNBC's pundits and reporters alike because, in their ineptitude, they were just as shocked and hysterical as everyone else?</div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2738176016957383892.post-61088297380897478162009-03-04T12:44:00.000-05:002009-04-17T14:24:36.664-04:00Was Bear's demise CNBC's fault?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I recently watched a very informative and compelling special on </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">CNBC</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> called </span><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/28892719"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">"House of Cards" </span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> where David Faber, anchor of the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">CNBC</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> show </span><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838381/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">"Squawk on the Street"</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> analyzes the current economic problems in the U.S. and exactly how we got here. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">When the program ended, I felt like I actually had a handle on credit-default swaps and mortgage-backed securities. It was also clear to me that there isn't one person or group who can escape blame in this ordeal. From the individuals who deluded themselves into thinking they could afford a $700,000 house because someone they never met told them they could, to the bankers who took bad mortgages and spread them around the world, to the Congress who decided people must and should own their own homes...no matter what. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">But there was one strange thing about the show. Much of the B-roll-- the trading floors and the desks at Lehman Brothers--showed televisions with </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">CNBC</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> on in the background, or in some cases, foreground. At first I thought this was just shameless self promotion. I always assumed brokers and traders watched </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Bloomberg</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">. But, as we were taken through the </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">nitty</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">-gritty of the </span><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/28/magazines/fortune/boyd_bear.fortune/index.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Bear Stearns collapse</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">, and then the failure of Lehman, it became clear by watching the people on the floor of the Stock Exchange watching the television screens, that where the hyped-up coverage ended and the sell-offs began was difficult to distinguish. I couldn't help but wonder how things might have turned out differently had </span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">CNBC</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> not been on, had they not had an anchor booth on the floor of the stock exchange or had the business networks let the events occur and then reported on them. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">"House of Cards" squarely and, I think, fairly, implicated many people and players in this economic downturn. The only one left out--at least by name--was the media, in particular 24-hour business news shows. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">When you read something, you are told to be sure to read between the lines. I would add: when you watch something, you should really pay attention to the B-roll. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></div>ELEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08231929471794424459noreply@blogger.com0