News And Media

1. Should the news media strive to be objective and independent of partisan politics? Is this possible?

Yes, it should strive to be as objective as possible, but no, it is impossible to be completely independent of partisan politics.

2. Are we best served by a News media that focuses on personal problems or national problems?

We are more easliy controlled that way, When the bubble bursts and the we have to deal with the truth, its going to drive people crazy.

3. Why does the news media continually stress that Obama would be the 1st Black president when he isn't Black?

The media isn't there to report facts. The media is there to sell ad space. Whether it's ads in newspapers or commercials on TV, the job of a reporter is to write stories that will make people read so that the newspaper or TV station can sell more ads. Calling Mr. Obama black creates interest among more people than calling him qualified. Kinda sad, isn't it?

4. Why does the news media not report viable candidates for President, who have a great plan that pays for itself

I like Bob Barr, but you don't see anything on him either. Glenn Beck did have him on last week. That's it. The media has already decided who the candidates are. It is shameful.

5. Why is the news media quite about the Senatorial elections?

It is my belief that many Senators will ride into office on the coat tails of the winning party's Presidential Candidate. Also, many Senators are strapped for campaign funds, because the Presidential Candidates are getting most of the available funds. I believe you will see more news related to Senators after the deadline in December and after the Primaries in each state.

6. Why does our US news media rank by total medals and not by total gold medals for the Olympic games?

Why do the US media do it this way? I don't know, but there is no logic to it and no-one else in the world does it this way. Certainly not the IOC and contrary to what someone else said - this does matter, because they are the governing body. It's not up to anyone else to determine what medals mean. The system used by the US media means that 15 Bronze medals are worth more than than 10 Gold and 4 Silver which is clearly nonsense. You could perhaps award a number of points for each type of medal, but such a system could be weighted in so many different ways that there could never be any agreement. There may be a precedent for this if you look at the New York Times article from 1912 it says that the USA won the Olympics with the most points. However AFAIK this seems to be an invention of the New York Times or some other body not associated with the IOC. The IOC do not award points per medal and they do not award an overall prize for winning the Olympics - this is an invention of the media. The US has historically submitted a large, if not the largest, team to each Olympics and consequently have more chance of winning a larger number of overall medals. Perhaps, aware of this, the US media realise that ranking competing nations using the total medal count is more likely make it look like the US are doing well, or perhaps its just another example of the US doing something different to the rest of the world, because that's what they do. If its the latter, then as stated above it makes no logical sense and I don't know why they persist with it, other than that's the way they've always done it - although the New York Times article suggests otherwise.

7. Do you think the news media is partly responsible for the shootings in Omaha?

I have actually stopped watching the news for over 3 months now! It is actually VERY depressing. I live in Philadelphia and people are getting killed every night. Then you have to hear about our soldiers being killed (we never here about the ones coming home disbabled for life)! I think our country's focus on celebrities and events such as the one in Ohama is shameful. The media does focus on the wrong things, but they do it because people are watching. One big problem with this is that there are not enough responsible parents sitting down with their children and talking about the issues. I think I want to start my own show. I want to travel around the world and report on the good stories. Find the people that are out their helping others and tell their story. There needs to be more positive energy put out there!!!! (GREAT question. I hope I answered it properly. Want to be my assistant and travel the world with me for the show? Have a good day!!!)

8. Which news media on TV gives the best coverage of all of the candidates without bias?

BBC or PBS evening news I like CSpan in the mornings 7-10 am NPR radio is good too

9. Are the masses really leaning Obama or is the news media steering them in that direction?

The polls are always skewed democratic. look at the Gore/Bush and Kerry/Bush elections- The democrats were ahead in every poll. The media fawning over Obama is hurting him more than helping him. Most Americans are disgusted by this- and we don't want CNN or MSNBC telling us how to run our country.

10. Why does the news media report items considered confidential?

It seems to me common sense should come into play, 'cause not only is Prince Harry put in danger but his whole unit is. If anything happens guess who will be all over the story. There is the rignt to broadcast this but.....

11. Why does the news media always criticize India for its poverty?

I think maybe you're a little sensitive about India. The media certainly criticize other parts of the world, especially Africa. However, the BBC might be laughing up it's sleeve at the huge and rich colony that got away, implying that if India had not become independent but had stayed part of the Empire they'd be better off now. Of course, no one can say if that's true.

12. Why does the news media sensationalize and attack Senator Obama personal life ?

Obama this Obama that But Obama has not said one racist word. He is just running his race in Peace

13. What do you think of news media censorship?

I am against it. A free media is one of the cornerstones of democracy. The only times that I think that the media should be censored is if they are promoting violence, or in time of war if their actions endanger our troops.

14. Do you think that the news media does more to expose or to cover up?

I think it exposes

15. How many people for the news media are with Obama on his current trip to Iraq?

there were 200 media requests to tag along, 40 went at $20,000 each paid by the respective media organizations.

16. How well does the American news media reflect actual events?

Once upon a time I heard the drive-by media referred to as vultures . Since that time ,have seen various events covered , in what I can only describe as vulture mentality . I have , as you ask, seen several protests on the evening news portrayed as tho they are talking about something in another world-after viewing it with my own eyes-knowing the report was fabricated exaggerated , time after time .If anyone is misfortunate enough to answer media questions , you are likely to be misquoted unless it is on camera-and even then -it's likely to be taken out of context , for the sake of the story . The story is often whatever they want it to be . In fairness , I admit I have seen a few dignitary funerals reported without total bias .. I'm hearing more and more examples of people limiting their exposure to the news these days , since deception in broadcasting seems to be catching on with the best of them. As far as the Iraq War goes-there is so much biased reporting that I quit watching 99% of it . Our military in Iraq comment frequently on the good that is being done for the Iraqi people since Saddam craweld out of the ground .What do we see come from our drive-by media ? Nothing but concern pity for those who are shooting at our troops. I noticed , though , two recent kidnapped personalities were released not long after their capture . While I applaud the fact that these men are now safe-I also find the irony in their swift release . I believe even the enemy knows whose side most of the media is on .

17. Why is the news media so hung up on all the bad stuff?

People like to see that their life isn't the worst one out there...so in a way seeing all bad news on tv makes them feel a little better about the life they have. All good news would make some people jealous or worse, suicidal. (just think if the guy that just had his house burned down and lost everything he owned watched the news and it was all about smart kids in school, great honors people were given, and how rich people spent their millions on great things...that would suck for them)

18. Why does the news media have an agenda against reporting the good that has happened in Iraq?

Good things doesn't make the news like bad things. Always been that way.

19. Does anyone else think the news media is politically biased?

The republican race is virtually over at this point- McCain is going to win the nomination. They'll start focusing more evenly after each parties National Conventions, when each party has officially chosen its candidate. Edit: The most biased news channel is easily Fox.

20. Is it ethical for news media to publish user-generated images?

One local TV station ask for news photos to be uploaded to their site for possible use on air. They seldom use any of them, the quality and content is really poor. I guess those who have the ability to take good photos also realize their effort is worth something. Anyone who stumbles upon the good shot probably deserves the once-in-a-lifetime credit and publication. I'm just waiting on the interview from the trailer park... Larry Bob was gonna get some news pictures but the tornado done sucked him up!. That is where the ethics violation comes in, asking the untrained to take news photos. Even though they say not to endanger yourself, how do the Larry Bobs make that judgment call?