How do we change the state of the media?

Hello all,

I think we are all in agreement that what is on television and the radio is oftentimes garbage, although I'm sure we have different reasons. I have two questions I should really like your imput on.

1-Does the media have a responsibility to the public, or do the media outlets, as corporate entities, have a responsibility to their stockholders and no one else?

2-If the media does have a responsibility to the public, how would you go about encouraging them to act in keeping with that responsibility?

Michael,

I believe the media, and news agencies in particular, have a responsibility to the public. I believe we all have responsibilities to each other in some respects.

In a perfect America reporting would be accurate and fair and broadcasters would remember and consider youngsters are exposed to the material they provide and would monitor the content accordingly. Of course parents have a responsibility not to let their children view gratutious violence and to shield them from those in the recording industry that glorifies murder, objectifies women, etc.

I don't believe it is the government that should be doing these things. We, the people, have choices. We can and should monitor the programs our children watch, the video games they play, and the music they listen to. We also need to instill values in them, that is our responsibility, not the government's.

Unfortunately, we now have to verify what we are reading and hearing in the news. We have to actively seek out what is truth. We need to call news outlets to task when they distort the truth or simply lie. We can change the channel, or surf the net and stop buying the products buying air time and advertising space from irresponsible media.

I don't believe the government can or should very much about this. The government can't make us better people. Politicians shouldn't get to decide what we are allowed to see and hear. Right now there are those on the left seeking to stifle conservative talk radio. I am a 20+ year member of the GOP but I despise Sean Hannity, so I don't listen to him. The liberals can do that too.

I think the problem lies more with us than the media. We are lazy, we don't want to have to monitor what our children watch, but my children are my responsibility, not the media's and not the government's. The way to encourage the media to act responsibly is with our wallets and with our cable and satellite remotes.

The problem with the media is that we now have dozens of channels doing 24 hour news competing with the internet for the consumer’s attention and there’s only SO much news. So when something like this tragedy with Ledger happens, it gets overexposed.

In today’s world, news organizations know who is and isn't watching their programs so they target their news to those set consumers. Advertisers looking for the same core audience place their ads on those channels thus news organizations, chasing the all mighty dollar and wanting to keep their advertisers happy, slant their news to the consumers watching their programs. What you get is nightly countdown with Keith Oberman, whom I couldn’t stand on Sportscenter, or The No Spin Zone with Bill O’Rieley. Now tell me which show is going to run more Prius ads and which is going to run more Depends ads.

It's become a never ending cycle and I honestly see it getting worse. The only way to combat it is to turn off your TV.

Stephanie wrote:I don't believe it is the government that should be doing these things.

........ reading and hearing in the news.

I don't believe the government can or should (do) very much about this.

Steph, I am in agreement with most of what you stated ....... but the above exerted comments needs more discussion.

I say that because the Government Licenses those media sources ...... and their are lots of rules and restrictions that accompany said Licenses.

Especially between News and say Entertainment Licenses.

I think "rights and privileges" come into question.

.

SamCogar wrote:

Stephanie wrote:I don't believe it is the government that should be doing these things.

........ reading and hearing in the news.

I don't believe the government can or should (do) very much about this.

Steph, I am in agreement with most of what you stated ....... but the above exerted comments needs more discussion.

I say that because the Government Licenses those media sources ...... and their are lots of rules and restrictions that accompany said Licenses.

Especially between News and say Entertainment Licenses.

I think "rights and privileges" come into question.

.

Sam,

I agree with you, but the problem is if the government intefers do you think it likely to improve the situation or make it worse?

I tried to be very careful in my wording because I know the government licenses the media. I just don't think the government is the solution to these problems. I think they're very likely to only make them worse.

You and I share many of the same views so I think the following scenario will upset you as it does me........What if Hillary Clinton is elected and the Democrats increase their control of the House and Senate? Would you want that group inteferring with news agencies? They'll go after talk radio first, to be sure. Then what?

They don't have to interfere, ...... just hold them accountable to the Licenseing Agreement.

stephanie,

Please realize that government involvement is a cure worse than the disease, and that I am well aware of it. But, given that reality (and the reality of a free press), what to do? I appreciate the general advice of voting with our wallets, but such action needs to be well organized to have a real effect, or there has to be a significant shift in not only attitudes of Americans but also the willingness to act upon those attitudes.

Since presently there is only minimal government intereference (the Fairness Doctrine was rescinded during the Reagan administration), the listening (or viewing) public gets exactly what it wants - no more and no less. That is why a new series might only air an episode or two before it is pulled. No, talk radio does not have that kind of turnover. These people are very closely attuned to the numbers and they react very quickly. If the quality of our news/information is low rent it is because our expectations and desires are low rent.

I notice you mentioned the most emphatic way of dealing with the din: turn the dial. I doubt if many of the folks who come here watch series television night-after-night. I know there are forums that discuss that but have never heard anybody here mention "My Name is Earl".

But my name is Michael!

Incidentally, OC, I was through Wheeling about a week ago and thought about looking you up but ran out of time. Are you ever up for biscuits and gravy some weekend morning?

You've got to be kidding me. Yes, absolutely, yes. Although I'm more of a bacon and egg man...

ohio county wrote:Since presently there is only minimal government intereference (the Fairness Doctrine was rescinded during the Reagan administration), the listening (or viewing) public gets exactly what it wants - no more and no less. That is why a new series might only air an episode or two before it is pulled. No, talk radio does not have that kind of turnover. These people are very closely attuned to the numbers and they react very quickly. If the quality of our news/information is low rent it is because our expectations and desires are low rent.

I notice you mentioned the most emphatic way of dealing with the din: turn the dial. I doubt if many of the folks who come here watch series television night-after-night. I know there are forums that discuss that but have never heard anybody here mention "My Name is Earl".

I thought your name was Jimmy???

No, darn it, I'm Ted Boettner. I thought I told you that.

ohio county wrote:You've got to be kidding me. Yes, absolutely, yes. Although I'm more of a bacon and egg man...

The biggest problem with Wheeling is it's lack of a "Tudor's" there. If you are not familiar, it is God's gift to man and cardiologist.

A friend of mine is in Bellaire, Ohio, right across the river, and I reckon I'll be out that way often, God willing. Any places worth going to in downtown Wheeling?

For breakfast? No, but there's a happenin' place out US 40 in Brideport called Sonny's. Been there forever. I think there's some interesting places in Bellaire. Been awhile since I was over that way.

My friend is the pastor at the First UMC in Bellaire and his wife is a teacher there. I hear that Martin's Ferry is to be avoided at all costs, except by people in Martin's Ferry, who think that Bellaire is some gateway to hell or something.

Sounds good, we'll pursue the matter later.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

Having eradicated crime and corruption, the feds are now levying fines for a televised bare butt three years after the fact:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080126/tv_nm/fcc_abc_dc_1

I am afraid the question should be, "How do we change the MEDIA of the STATE?" The Russians got rid of PRAVDA by a bloodless coup. So should we. Register to vote. Vote. Right letters to the editor. Attend meetings and rallies and speak up--"All that it takes for evil to abound is for good people to do nothing!"

OC,

Are you suggesting that our government suffers from a lack of priorities? Perish the thought!

Somehow I lost track of this thread but just let me state that I don't believe in government interference in such matters as a rule. It is good they prevented Debbie Does Dallas from being broadcast at 4:00pm on NBC all these years, so I suppose I'm not totally opposed.

So have some sort of general limitiations good, micromanagement/censorship bad. Those are my thoughts.

I have never eaten food from Tudors. I got coffe from one once, that was enough. I have seen people eating Tudor's food. Looked like a heart attack in a styrofoam box.

I'd like to see us all meet up somewhere once the weather clears. If we do someone will have to track down WVHillbilly so I can dispel all those myths he has about me.

Stephanie wrote:
I have never eaten food from Tudors. I got coffe from one once, that was enough. I have seen people eating Tudor's food. Looked like a heart attack in a styrofoam box.

Steph, I know what you mean, ....... but that is more of a "problem" of the franchiser ........ and the specific franchisee.

Some franchisers keep a “tight rope” on their licensed restaurants and will “drop them” if not up to par.

And some franchisees don’t really care what the quality of the food or service is ….. as long as the gro$$ is high.

Ole Craigo from down your way opened a Gino’s here in B’ville a couple years ago in probably the “most prime” location in Town. Business started out really good then “went to hell in a hurry”. To cover his losses, I guess, he added a Tudor’s to get the “morning” business and boost his gro$$.

A couple months later he closed it all down and it is now for sale. Him lose "ton of money" because he COMPLETELY renovated the building/parking area .... and is now, I assume (actually I know), committed to a "long term sub-lease".

What the dumb arse didn’t realize was, …… there was nothing wrong with the location, ….. was not a lack of customers, ….. was nothing wrong with the exterior/interior of newly renovated facility ....... and nothing wrong with the names Gino’s and Tudor’s.

But everything was wrong with every one of the “help” that he hired.

I mean they were bad, duelless and incompetent, etc., etc. and nearly everyone quit patronizing the place except maybe “family” of those who worked there.

Most everyone thought Craigo must have intentionally sought out the “worst” in the county to hire.

Me, I just figured Oshel was consistent in the way he “selected” employees for hiring.

cheers

.

Oh my, but the people here do have some names. Oshel? What is that? My FIL's middle name is Orlin, and no it's not a family name. Here's another one for you. I am sure I'm insulting somebody's mother/wife/sister/grandmother but Juanita? I had the apparently mistaken notion that name was hispanic. Yet it seems to be a very popular name among older ladies in WV.

I did read the article Sammy. Lisa whats-her-name was before I arrived and none of the pubbies in Putnam seem too eager to discuss her. Like that's a surprise.

Stephanie,

I've run into more than one WVA Carlos as well, who were not Hispanic.

I am so about personal responsibility when it comes to the media, I'd just like conscious consumers to be better organized. I'd much rather that NBC didn't run Debbie Does Dallas (or wherever she is these days) because the consumers would mutiny than out of fear of a government reprisal. You'll never see me protesting movies or music groups (although I find a great deal of content damnable), because I believe that it is the responsibility of parents and, if so inclined, the churches, to encourage our children to stay away from garbage.

That is, I do not want the government trying to parent my children, even on those odd occasions in which we happen to agree (ie that porn should not be watched by children). I have a low view of pornography, but then again, I have a low view of CNN as well. I pay no attention to either.

Michael,

The problem as I see it is Americans have grown accustomed to not having to worry too much about what is on television throughout the day. Everyone has different standards and I wouldn't want my son to watch The Young & The Restless but if he caught a few minutes of it I wouldn't be on the war path.

I really don't think the notion of having some sort of decency standards for broadcast television is any different from having laws barring pulic nudity or sex acts. As parents we have to be very cautious about where we allow our children to play because of all the problems we face in society. I don't want to be forced into a situation where I can't let my kids play at grandma's house because she isn't as vigilent about television as I am and that's the sort of thing I worry would occur if local tv stations were allowed to air porn.

Stephanie wrote:Oh my, but the people here do have some names. Oshel? What is that? My FIL's middle name is Orlin, and no it's not a family name. Here's another one for you. I am sure I'm insulting somebody's mother/wife/sister/grandmother but Juanita? I had the apparently mistaken notion that name was hispanic. Yet it seems to be a very popular name among older ladies in WV.

I did read the article Sammy. Lisa whats-her-name was before I arrived and none of the pubbies in Putnam seem too eager to discuss her. Like that's a surprise.

DUH, ...... Lisa, ...... you must have skipped the 1st sentences in the article, Stephanie.

To wit:

Call it a case of mistaken prosecution. West Virginia State Senator Oshel Craigo .....

I just posted that hyper-link so you could figure out his "hiring practices" from his previous long-held job.

cheers

SamCogar wrote:

Stephanie wrote:Oh my, but the people here do have some names. Oshel? What is that? My FIL's middle name is Orlin, and no it's not a family name. Here's another one for you. I am sure I'm insulting somebody's mother/wife/sister/grandmother but Juanita? I had the apparently mistaken notion that name was hispanic. Yet it seems to be a very popular name among older ladies in WV.

I did read the article Sammy. Lisa whats-her-name was before I arrived and none of the pubbies in Putnam seem too eager to discuss her. Like that's a surprise.

DUH, ...... Lisa, ...... you must have skipped the 1st sentences in the article, Stephanie.

To wit:

Call it a case of mistaken prosecution. West Virginia State Senator Oshel Craigo .....

I just posted that hyper-link so you could figure out his "hiring practices" from his previous long-held job.

cheers

I did read it, Sam. I just don't know anything about Oshel Craigo. I figured perhaps this is just another example of Karma getting a person and a party. Also, I figured the pubbies did old Oshel (I just can't get over that name) a favor by taking him off the radar and putting Lisa in the cross hairs. It was mighty nice of them to give the feds a new target like that, don't ya think?

btw.........I have these Irish looking neighbors, many of them actually have red hair and freckles. The patriarch's name is Carlos and his eldest son is Carlos. I forgot to mention that in my reply to Michael:)

Oh the names. Cleta? Come on, what the hell is that? Whenever I ask my husband these questions he always looks at me and says, "A bad one." lmao

Of course the bad name thing isn't unique to WV. My mother is one of four children. Her sister and brothers were all named after family members. My late grandparents named her Edith simply because they liked the name. Go figure.