Spring Break
What a joke
Abstract:
The Daily Show and broadcast news include all the same parts: a congenial anchor and a staff of correspondents on a flashy set, interviewing big name guests....
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treehugger
posted 6/20/07 @ 8:09 AM CST
The failure of corporate news media to respoonsibly play their role of the fourth estate, is not just sad, its criminal. Thats why we have become mired in Iraq. Remember, in the old days, news was about public service, not ratings.
Jesse
posted 6/20/07 @ 8:12 AM CST
Would have been interesting had CBS named Jon Stewart as anchor instead of Katie Couric...
Yo! MTV Sucks
posted 6/20/07 @ 10:01 AM CST
Originally posted byJesse
Would have been interesting had CBS named Jon Stewart as anchor instead of Katie Couric...
Word has it that NBC is courting him, but for what is uncertain.
AwesomeDoer
posted 6/20/07 @ 8:16 AM CST
"even if it does come from a comedian"
"Even"? Saying it like that, it sounds like you have little faith in the intelligence/capability of someone who is funny. If someone is funny, you shouldn't be surprised that they are good at what they do. "Wow, that soccer player is really good, even though his pants are white".
"Even"? Saying it like that, it sounds like you have little faith in the intelligence/capability of someone who is funny. If someone is funny, you shouldn't be surprised that they are good at what they do. "Wow, that soccer player is really good, even though his pants are white".
ehhh
posted 6/20/07 @ 5:13 PM CST
Originally posted byAwesomeDoer
"even if it does come from a comedian"
"Even"? Saying it like that, it sounds like you have little faith in the intelligence/capability of someone who is funny. If someone is funny, you shouldn't be surprised that they are good at what they do. "Wow, that soccer player is really good, even though his pants are white".
Yeah, this article was great but it didn't give nearly enough credit to Stewart's brilliance or any comedians for that matter.
matthew
posted 6/20/07 @ 8:34 AM CST
I too feel your frustration with the absence of good content in our news.
But I don't think you can blame the networks for it. Let's remember that their objective is to sell advertising and to do that, they are going to air content that will draw the largest audience. Paris Hilton coverage is trivial and unimportant, but it keeps people watching. More important news, like supreme court judgements and foreign events, aren't as accessible to the average American.
All I can recommend is that you find alternative sources of programming that appeal more to your personal tastes.
But I don't think you can blame the networks for it. Let's remember that their objective is to sell advertising and to do that, they are going to air content that will draw the largest audience. Paris Hilton coverage is trivial and unimportant, but it keeps people watching. More important news, like supreme court judgements and foreign events, aren't as accessible to the average American.
All I can recommend is that you find alternative sources of programming that appeal more to your personal tastes.
Lars Vilhelmsen
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:39 AM CST
Do you suggest that networks only give people what they want?
In my experience, from marketing and communications, networks and other companies tend to be completely out of tune with what would make their viewers/costumers happy and only focus on diagrams of segments and what they think their customers want. As a professional it is my experience, that giving people what they want is not that they want. They want something else/new/interesting - something that takes them seriously as news/comedy/bussiness-viewers (or whatever the context is). The Daily Show does just that.
TV is dying from all the 'handling' of the viewers - which is just so last millenium.
Originally posted bymatthew
Let's remember that their objective is to sell advertising and to do that, they are going to air content that will draw the largest audience. Paris Hilton coverage is trivial and unimportant, but it keeps people watching. More important news, like supreme court judgements and foreign events, aren't as accessible to the average American.
In my experience, from marketing and communications, networks and other companies tend to be completely out of tune with what would make their viewers/costumers happy and only focus on diagrams of segments and what they think their customers want. As a professional it is my experience, that giving people what they want is not that they want. They want something else/new/interesting - something that takes them seriously as news/comedy/bussiness-viewers (or whatever the context is). The Daily Show does just that.
TV is dying from all the 'handling' of the viewers - which is just so last millenium.
Chuck
posted 6/21/07 @ 7:10 AM CST
Originally posted bymatthew
I too feel your frustration with the absence of good content in our news.
But I don't think you can blame the networks for it. Let's remember that their objective is to sell advertising and to do that, they are going to air content that will draw the largest audience.
That's working really well for CBS right now, isn't it?
Jim
posted 6/20/07 @ 8:57 AM CST
I definitely agree. I think people, especially young people, get reeled in by Jon Stewart because not only is his show interesting and thought provoking but its also funny and funny is a big difference. When normal news station aren't talking about celebrities that no one cares about or crimes that don't effect anyone then they tend to only portray the bad side of the world. Rarely do news station think to report of good things and who wants to watch something depressing like. The world isn't nearly as bad as some news stations seem to want to make it seem. Stewart adds comedy to his news which helps bring light to even the most depressing sort of news. I think it makes sense that people would rather laugh than cry, especially when there is no reason to cry.
JS
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:11 AM CST
On PBS (KAMU) at 6PM Weekdays is The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. It is a good cure for the common news.
Ken
posted 6/20/07 @ 5:24 PM CST
Originally posted byJS
On PBS (KAMU) at 6PM Weekdays is The News Hour with Jim Lehrer. It is a good cure for the common news.
You may want to rethink that... check out the 10/4/06 posting entitled "Study Finds Lack of Balance, Diversity, Public at PBS Newshour" at FAIR.org
stroker
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:13 AM CST
"Laci Peterson, whose murder mystery was a live-action Lifetime movie. "-- I would think a critique of others' journalism practices and skills would be proofread a little better. Nonetheless, I agree with your article and hope to see more like it in the future.
beefhaze
posted 6/22/07 @ 2:29 AM CST
Originally posted bystroker
"Laci Peterson, whose murder mystery was a live-action Lifetime movie. "-- I would think a critique of others' journalism practices and skills would be proofread a little better.
You're kidding, right? That line is poetry! The rhythms and alliterations give a lyrical flow, IMO.
Laci Peterson,
whose murder
mystery
was a live-action
Lifetime
movie.
Ben
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:18 AM CST
I'm a University professor of philosophy, political theory, and policy. I follow news and politics closely. By many accounts, I'm the perfect member of the perfect news audience. And yet, I can't stand cable news. Apart from news journals, blogs, and newspapers, the Daily Show is the only reliable source of good information. This is a terrible commentary on the state of affairs inside the US.
Nathan
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:25 AM CST
All these network news hosts and execs are losing sleep over one really obvious question - "what's The Daily Show have that we don't," they ask. Relevance!!
JL Wallace
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:29 AM CST
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -George Orwell
America was bought and sold in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve. Americans need to understand that ALL MAINSTREAM news in America is "Fox" news. Fascism has been on our shores for a very long time, but most people don't care to do the research - or want to acknowledge it.
When the media pulls its punches on REAL issues and fills the airwaves with fluff - it is treason. Remember what Martin Luther King Jr said: "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." This goes for the individuals working for these companies and for the average American citizen - we need to stand up and ascend upon Washing to SAVE THE REPUBLIC and secur our civil liberties.
WE THE PEOPLE have been conditioned into complacency and we must overcome it or it will undo us. ASK QUESTIONS - SEEK TRUTH...
America was bought and sold in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve. Americans need to understand that ALL MAINSTREAM news in America is "Fox" news. Fascism has been on our shores for a very long time, but most people don't care to do the research - or want to acknowledge it.
When the media pulls its punches on REAL issues and fills the airwaves with fluff - it is treason. Remember what Martin Luther King Jr said: "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." This goes for the individuals working for these companies and for the average American citizen - we need to stand up and ascend upon Washing to SAVE THE REPUBLIC and secur our civil liberties.
WE THE PEOPLE have been conditioned into complacency and we must overcome it or it will undo us. ASK QUESTIONS - SEEK TRUTH...
Tom Theimer
posted 6/21/07 @ 4:17 PM CST
Originally posted byJL Wallace
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -George Orwell
America was bought and sold in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve. Americans need to understand that ALL MAINSTREAM news in America is "Fox" news. Fascism has been on our shores for a very long time, but most people don't care to do the research - or want to acknowledge it.
When the media pulls its punches on REAL issues and fills the airwaves with fluff - it is treason. Remember what Martin Luther King Jr said: "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." This goes for the individuals working for these companies and for the average American citizen - we need to stand up and ascend upon Washing to SAVE THE REPUBLIC and secur our civil liberties.
WE THE PEOPLE have been conditioned into complacency and we must overcome it or it will undo us. ASK QUESTIONS - SEEK TRUTH...
YES !!!! YES !!!!
FOLKS PLEASE NOTICE THE ABOVE !!!!!
This is crucial information which is presented.
J L Wallace has been doing his homework !!!
What is stated is NOT taught in our educational system.
Well Done JL !!
jason
posted 6/21/07 @ 5:34 PM CST
Originally posted byJL Wallace
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -George Orwell
America was bought and sold in 1913 with the creation of the Federal Reserve. Americans need to understand that ALL MAINSTREAM news in America is "Fox" news. Fascism has been on our shores for a very long time, but most people don't care to do the research - or want to acknowledge it.
When the media pulls its punches on REAL issues and fills the airwaves with fluff - it is treason. Remember what Martin Luther King Jr said: "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." This goes for the individuals working for these companies and for the average American citizen - we need to stand up and ascend upon Washing to SAVE THE REPUBLIC and secur our civil liberties.
WE THE PEOPLE have been conditioned into complacency and we must overcome it or it will undo us. ASK QUESTIONS - SEEK TRUTH...
But it's always labeled 'conspiracy theory' and dismissed. There are failsafes in this system; that's one of them.
Justin
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:30 AM CST
Unlike the Colbert Report I wouldn't say the Daily Show is a parody of any news show. As suggested previously among these comments if the evaluation of a journalism program is it's contribution to the fourth estate then the Daily Show IS news and very good at it- albeit delivered in a compelling manner. I don't think the audience of the daily show necessarily translates their common opinions into political action but that is the failure of the Third Estate (namely you and I).
McFlan
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:44 AM CST
I think the truth for most of us is that we actually get the "facts" (or as close to facts as we can get) from Internet news sites like Google News, Digg, etc. Then we look for the knockout punch at the end of the day from Stewart and Colbert.
I don't get a newspaper or watch any MSM news programs. I don't need them.
I don't get a newspaper or watch any MSM news programs. I don't need them.
neveroddoreven
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:45 AM CST
Jon Stewart really asked angelina the hard hitting questions eh? I think you need to remember it's Angelina Jolie. It's a celebrity who leads a joke of a life. Your comments are alot like Tucker Carlson's on that unforgetable episode that ended Crossfire. Just to sum it up. Stewart appeared on Crossfire and essentially went off topic to berate the show for dividing America using partisan hackery. He claimed that the show did more harm than good and the idea of it being a "debate show" was flawed. Tucker responded by mentioning Stewart's interview of John Kerry (a presidential hopeful at the time), saying that he was too soft and that he did not "hold his (kerry's) feet to the fire" when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. Rather than ask about say the swiftboat controversy he asked.. what is your perfect weekend (something to that effect).
You have essentially switched the roles around to... Stewart asks the real questions while the rest of the news is dilly dallying. The biggest difference is rather than a presidential candidate it is Angelina Jolie. A celebrity who essentially does not matter in the grand scheme of things relative to say the potential future president of the most powerful nation in the world. So who is actually the one "softballing"? I'm not saying Jon Stewart isn't brilliant because often is. Rather, praising him for being a reputable news source is laughable. He is satire and its through his cunning take on the news that he attracts youth. He makes it fun and enjoyable. His goal isnt to educate the world with his half hour show or be a Chris Mathews type interviewer. Stewart even laughed at the idea that his show should be held to the same standards that other news shows are. Stewart put it best by saying "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making prank phone calls" While we should all enjoy Stewart, taking him as anything more than satire would be a mistake.
You have essentially switched the roles around to... Stewart asks the real questions while the rest of the news is dilly dallying. The biggest difference is rather than a presidential candidate it is Angelina Jolie. A celebrity who essentially does not matter in the grand scheme of things relative to say the potential future president of the most powerful nation in the world. So who is actually the one "softballing"? I'm not saying Jon Stewart isn't brilliant because often is. Rather, praising him for being a reputable news source is laughable. He is satire and its through his cunning take on the news that he attracts youth. He makes it fun and enjoyable. His goal isnt to educate the world with his half hour show or be a Chris Mathews type interviewer. Stewart even laughed at the idea that his show should be held to the same standards that other news shows are. Stewart put it best by saying "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making prank phone calls" While we should all enjoy Stewart, taking him as anything more than satire would be a mistake.
ToneLoc
posted 6/20/07 @ 6:12 PM CST
Originally posted byneveroddoreven
Jon Stewart really asked angelina the hard hitting questions eh? I think you need to remember it's Angelina Jolie. It's a celebrity who leads a joke of a life. Your comments are alot like Tucker Carlson's on that unforgetable episode that ended Crossfire. Just to sum it up. Stewart appeared on Crossfire and essentially went off topic to berate the show for dividing America using partisan hackery. He claimed that the show did more harm than good and the idea of it being a "debate show" was flawed. Tucker responded by mentioning Stewart's interview of John Kerry (a presidential hopeful at the time), saying that he was too soft and that he did not "hold his (kerry's) feet to the fire" when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. Rather than ask about say the swiftboat controversy he asked.. what is your perfect weekend (something to that effect).
You have essentially switched the roles around to... Stewart asks the real questions while the rest of the news is dilly dallying. The biggest difference is rather than a presidential candidate it is Angelina Jolie. A celebrity who essentially does not matter in the grand scheme of things relative to say the potential future president of the most powerful nation in the world. So who is actually the one "softballing"? I'm not saying Jon Stewart isn't brilliant because often is. Rather, praising him for being a reputable news source is laughable. He is satire and its through his cunning take on the news that he attracts youth. He makes it fun and enjoyable. His goal isnt to educate the world with his half hour show or be a Chris Mathews type interviewer. Stewart even laughed at the idea that his show should be held to the same standards that other news shows are. Stewart put it best by saying "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making prank phone calls" While we should all enjoy Stewart, taking him as anything more than satire would be a mistake.
I don't know if you're an idiot or not a Daily Show fan, but you seem to miss the point about Stewart. What he does with his show is satire yes, but its through his satire that he makes his most striking points about the current condition of our nation. In his half hour of satirical news, you can learn more about the bullshit in this country than you could watching 5 hours of CNN or Faux.
You also seem to draw upon the Angelina interview too much. On a regular basis, Stewart has very informative, intelligent guests come on his show. Shit last week he had Ron Paul as a guest, while he is not a Mike Gravel, I'll take it anyways..
Stewart/Colbert `08
Mike Dillard
posted 6/21/07 @ 2:11 AM CST
Originally posted byneveroddoreven
Jon Stewart really asked angelina the hard hitting questions eh? I think you need to remember it's Angelina Jolie. It's a celebrity who leads a joke of a life. Your comments are alot like Tucker Carlson's on that unforgetable episode that ended Crossfire. Just to sum it up. Stewart appeared on Crossfire and essentially went off topic to berate the show for dividing America using partisan hackery. He claimed that the show did more harm than good and the idea of it being a "debate show" was flawed. Tucker responded by mentioning Stewart's interview of John Kerry (a presidential hopeful at the time), saying that he was too soft and that he did not "hold his (kerry's) feet to the fire" when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. Rather than ask about say the swiftboat controversy he asked.. what is your perfect weekend (something to that effect).
You have essentially switched the roles around to... Stewart asks the real questions while the rest of the news is dilly dallying. The biggest difference is rather than a presidential candidate it is Angelina Jolie. A celebrity who essentially does not matter in the grand scheme of things relative to say the potential future president of the most powerful nation in the world. So who is actually the one "softballing"? I'm not saying Jon Stewart isn't brilliant because often is. Rather, praising him for being a reputable news source is laughable. He is satire and its through his cunning take on the news that he attracts youth. He makes it fun and enjoyable. His goal isnt to educate the world with his half hour show or be a Chris Mathews type interviewer. Stewart even laughed at the idea that his show should be held to the same standards that other news shows are. Stewart put it best by saying "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making prank phone calls" While we should all enjoy Stewart, taking him as anything more than satire would be a mistake.
Everything you say is true. I am reminded of a young comedian in the late 50's and early 60, Mort Sahl. He would walk on stage with that days newspaper and sarterize the stories. Stewart's place in today's world is where Mort was in his era.
Mike Dillard
posted 6/21/07 @ 2:17 AM CST
Originally posted byneveroddoreven
Jon Stewart really asked angelina the hard hitting questions eh? I think you need to remember it's Angelina Jolie. It's a celebrity who leads a joke of a life. Your comments are alot like Tucker Carlson's on that unforgetable episode that ended Crossfire. Just to sum it up. Stewart appeared on Crossfire and essentially went off topic to berate the show for dividing America using partisan hackery. He claimed that the show did more harm than good and the idea of it being a "debate show" was flawed. Tucker responded by mentioning Stewart's interview of John Kerry (a presidential hopeful at the time), saying that he was too soft and that he did not "hold his (kerry's) feet to the fire" when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. Rather than ask about say the swiftboat controversy he asked.. what is your perfect weekend (something to that effect).
You have essentially switched the roles around to... Stewart asks the real questions while the rest of the news is dilly dallying. The biggest difference is rather than a presidential candidate it is Angelina Jolie. A celebrity who essentially does not matter in the grand scheme of things relative to say the potential future president of the most powerful nation in the world. So who is actually the one "softballing"? I'm not saying Jon Stewart isn't brilliant because often is. Rather, praising him for being a reputable news source is laughable. He is satire and its through his cunning take on the news that he attracts youth. He makes it fun and enjoyable. His goal isnt to educate the world with his half hour show or be a Chris Mathews type interviewer. Stewart even laughed at the idea that his show should be held to the same standards that other news shows are. Stewart put it best by saying "You're on CNN! The show that leads into me is puppets making prank phone calls" While we should all enjoy Stewart, taking him as anything more than satire would be a mistake.
Everything you say is true. I am reminded of a young comedian in the late 50's and early 60, Mort Sahl. He would walk on stage with that days newspaper and sarterize the stories. Stewart's place in today's world is where Mort was in his era.
Chad Landman
posted 6/20/07 @ 10:37 AM CST
Very good article. The media is making fun of themselves...and it's hilarious. Jon Stewart points out what every good reporter should point out - the truth.
Christian
posted 6/20/07 @ 10:43 AM CST
As a European I found it staggeringly hard to follow the news while on my one month honeymoon in the US. The Daily Show was the only source I could find myself to be reminecent of what I'm used to from over here. Not the funny part of The Daily Show, but the biting truth part. At the time the only interresting thing happening in the world seemed to be Ronald Reagan were to be buried. Oh, and a German woman had a toilet smash through her car. The latter was the only news I heard from Europe in a month!
Bison
posted 6/20/07 @ 10:59 AM CST
The sad part is, this is by design, you are witnessing the "dumbing down of the USA".
What did everyone think would happen when we let five politically connected aristocrats own all the media outlets?
Nothing will even start to change until we bust up the media monopoly's.
What did everyone think would happen when we let five politically connected aristocrats own all the media outlets?
Nothing will even start to change until we bust up the media monopoly's.
Benjamin
posted 6/20/07 @ 11:32 AM CST
Great artical, as a younger person who tries to keep up with the news I don't know if I'm more frustrated with the actual news or the reporting of it, both have gotten quite bad lately. I would like to point out another great TV interviewer and news source, Tavis Smiley. I find his interview and discussions extremly insightfull and though I know he has personal political agendas, it never comes through into his show.
Marty
posted 6/20/07 @ 12:35 PM CST
I watch the Daily Show for all of the above reasons, and on occasion local news for weather. National network news is near useless and uninteresting. If I want any real news outside of this, there's BBC World News on PBS.
AJ
posted 6/20/07 @ 2:56 PM CST
Yeah, for the most part I've completely stopped watching any kind of news on television altogether. I pretty much pop on Digg, Reuters, and Google to get all my news (well, OK, and Fark. :P). I watch every episode of the Daily Show and The Colbert Report online when they hit, and I gotta say, I get more worthwhile news from an hour of comedy than I do from 90% of the articles I read... though thankfully at least with online news you can pick and choose what you want to hear about instead of being force-fed the latest BS gossip about some hollywood drunk-girl.
yeranalyst
posted 6/20/07 @ 4:47 PM CST
Tony Snow didn't utter a blatant mistruth, he uttered a blatant lie.
I'm tire of misinformation, misrepresentation,mistruth, unsubtatiated claim, inaccurate claim, etc. being use interchangeably with LIE! When a pig lies call him a pig and call it a lie.
I'm tire of misinformation, misrepresentation,mistruth, unsubtatiated claim, inaccurate claim, etc. being use interchangeably with LIE! When a pig lies call him a pig and call it a lie.
Jack
posted 6/20/07 @ 5:02 PM CST
The only network news show I watch is "To Catch a Predator". Sure it's boilerplate stuff, but the media are also doing a public service.
jojop
posted 6/20/07 @ 5:28 PM CST
network "news" programs need to be extermintated.
Janeane The Acerbic Goblin
posted 6/20/07 @ 5:53 PM CST
The amazing thing is (well, maybe not so amazing) is that the MSM considers The Daily Show a comedy show. Either they don't realise that Stewart is making all of them look like fools, or they don't care. I think it's the former myself.
Vahan
posted 6/20/07 @ 6:09 PM CST
PBS has offered great journalism due to the fact that they don't care for viewers as much as a corporate channel does.
Bill Moyers, in my opinion, is one of the last great journalists left on television and thank god he's on PBS.
Bill Moyers, in my opinion, is one of the last great journalists left on television and thank god he's on PBS.
Tom Theimer
posted 6/20/07 @ 7:18 PM CST
TRUE !!
SIX GLOBAL CORPORATIONS CONTROL THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. This includes publishing companies (books, magazines, newspapers), film and DVD companies, cable and Direct TV, AOL and other providers, etc.
Many stories are censored from the American public.
Did you ever hear that it WAS PROVEN IN COURT THAT THE GOVERNMENT CONSPIRED TO ASSASSINATE MARTIN LUTHER KING ?!!? ...days before the year 2000, the jury of 12, hands-down with no reservations, delivers the verdict after 30 days of testimony (by many involved and even people with the sniper teams). This should have been national news for months and years! I bet you never heard about it. The evidence is unimpeachable. Reporters (although allowed to be in the courtroom) had directives from their news company not to enter and report. One reporter did stay in the courtroom and listen to the testimonies...he was fired.
The transcript can be seen on the King Family website. www.thekingcenter.org
There are other deceptions...many...many that have not been disclosed via the mainstream media.
Our troops are exposed to harmful radiation, along with the Iraqi populace. Parts of Iraq are contaminated forever because America has been using missiles and bullets made of 98% uranium. This is dangerous stuff!! All kinds of health problems and mutations can occur. Google search on "depleted uranium weapons" ('depleted' means that some of one isotope , U-235, is removed from from uranium...but it is still solid uranium that is being used in conventional weapons and tank armor.)
We are not being told what is really going on in Iraq.
We are not being shown valuable information.
Ron Paul won the first debates via polls, but he is being censored.
The Federal Reserve is a private Bank. Private. They receive the interest on the national debt. We are not allowed to know who owns this Federal Reserve Bank. In fact, all of the income tax that you pay goes to pay only the interest on the debt...government services are financed by borrowing more money.
Google Videos about Iraq and the Federal Reserve and Ron Paul and Depleted Uranium will tell you more than any news on mainstream TV.
Please check out some of this.
SIX GLOBAL CORPORATIONS CONTROL THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. This includes publishing companies (books, magazines, newspapers), film and DVD companies, cable and Direct TV, AOL and other providers, etc.
Many stories are censored from the American public.
Did you ever hear that it WAS PROVEN IN COURT THAT THE GOVERNMENT CONSPIRED TO ASSASSINATE MARTIN LUTHER KING ?!!? ...days before the year 2000, the jury of 12, hands-down with no reservations, delivers the verdict after 30 days of testimony (by many involved and even people with the sniper teams). This should have been national news for months and years! I bet you never heard about it. The evidence is unimpeachable. Reporters (although allowed to be in the courtroom) had directives from their news company not to enter and report. One reporter did stay in the courtroom and listen to the testimonies...he was fired.
The transcript can be seen on the King Family website. www.thekingcenter.org
There are other deceptions...many...many that have not been disclosed via the mainstream media.
Our troops are exposed to harmful radiation, along with the Iraqi populace. Parts of Iraq are contaminated forever because America has been using missiles and bullets made of 98% uranium. This is dangerous stuff!! All kinds of health problems and mutations can occur. Google search on "depleted uranium weapons" ('depleted' means that some of one isotope , U-235, is removed from from uranium...but it is still solid uranium that is being used in conventional weapons and tank armor.)
We are not being told what is really going on in Iraq.
We are not being shown valuable information.
Ron Paul won the first debates via polls, but he is being censored.
The Federal Reserve is a private Bank. Private. They receive the interest on the national debt. We are not allowed to know who owns this Federal Reserve Bank. In fact, all of the income tax that you pay goes to pay only the interest on the debt...government services are financed by borrowing more money.
Google Videos about Iraq and the Federal Reserve and Ron Paul and Depleted Uranium will tell you more than any news on mainstream TV.
Please check out some of this.
Addie
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:42 PM CST
Jon Stewart is BRILLIANT!! It's a pleasure to watch him. News people should take a look at what REAL NEWS is all about. I especially like when he calls out one of the lying administration. It's priceless. Thanks Jon! Peace to all.
Addie
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:50 PM CST
Jon Stewart is BRILLIANT!! It's a pleasure to watch him. News people should take a look at what REAL NEWS is all about. I especially like when he calls out one of the lying administration. It's priceless. Thanks Jon!
mc
posted 6/20/07 @ 9:59 PM CST
The comparison of Couric and Stewart is an insult to Stewart.
In a survey testing peoples knowledge of current events it found that viewers of The Daily Show tied with PBS Viewers for the most correct answers, while Fox News was at the bottom of the heap.
In a survey testing peoples knowledge of current events it found that viewers of The Daily Show tied with PBS Viewers for the most correct answers, while Fox News was at the bottom of the heap.
Melissa
posted 6/21/07 @ 3:50 AM CST
Try Democracy Now, INN , Liberty News or Mosaic there is real news on TV, the problem is you have to have LINK or Free Speech TV. Dish has it but Direct TV only has LINK. I guess Murdock couldn't take Free Speech TV. I highly recommend the above news programs.
Tom Theimer
posted 6/21/07 @ 4:31 PM CST
Originally posted byMelissa
Try Democracy Now, INN , Liberty News or Mosaic there is real news on TV, the problem is you have to have LINK or Free Speech TV. Dish has it but Direct TV only has LINK. I guess Murdock couldn't take Free Speech TV. I highly recommend the above news programs.
That is cool Melissa. Many are not informed about Murdock...pretty evil censorship he does with his tabloid minions of FOX and other media.
Murdock controls (among other things): Fox TV, Direct TV, TV Guide, New York Post, The Weekly Standard, Harper Collins and many, many off-shoots of other publishing companies under this umbrella of Harper Collins, Twentieth Century Fox, MySpace, etc., etc.
Scott
posted 6/21/07 @ 4:25 AM CST
I think Neveroddoreven has the most intelligent comment on the whole page, but I think that some people here are expressing a bit too much conspiracy and anarchy going on in America (Tom Theimer).
Really anything you watch on TV is owned by a company. Viacom owns Comedy Central (along with MTV VH1 and other trash networks) so don't try and assume that the Daily Show is some totally unbiased show that speaks only the truth. Granted, John Stewart and the Daily Show do appeal to the younger generation and do point out many things that many news sources don't and that is commendable. But lets face it, its not like the evening news is broadcasting lies to the public, it still is the truth. They fluff it for a reason, thats how you market it. There is a reason that all news stations have flashy logos and animations for just about everything. It's to get more viewers and to make more money. I get that people want to know everything and anything thats questionable in out government but it just won't happen. Even if you wanted to know the workings of the White House or the chaos in Iraq you probably will never know. We have it set up so that thinks that are news worthy get published and things that aren't.. aren't. There is a reason that the news generally focus on bad things happening rather than good.
What John Stewart does is satire. It is good to use that to get true news out to viewers in a way they can handle it, but don't go about thinking that The Daily Show is some perfect news source that you could cite in a paper or use as a reference. It's all marketing. You can have a boring news reporter say "Tony Snow lied about...blah blah" or you can have John Stewart make a short sketch about it. He makes things like that work. But if you want certain coverage of Iraq, political debates, and in depth stories about our country... you watch the news. Even if its fluff. Even if its not 100% revealing of what you think you should know about it. Its what it is.
I watch both.. and I don't waste my time thinking that the world is over tomorrow and Bush is behind it.
Really anything you watch on TV is owned by a company. Viacom owns Comedy Central (along with MTV VH1 and other trash networks) so don't try and assume that the Daily Show is some totally unbiased show that speaks only the truth. Granted, John Stewart and the Daily Show do appeal to the younger generation and do point out many things that many news sources don't and that is commendable. But lets face it, its not like the evening news is broadcasting lies to the public, it still is the truth. They fluff it for a reason, thats how you market it. There is a reason that all news stations have flashy logos and animations for just about everything. It's to get more viewers and to make more money. I get that people want to know everything and anything thats questionable in out government but it just won't happen. Even if you wanted to know the workings of the White House or the chaos in Iraq you probably will never know. We have it set up so that thinks that are news worthy get published and things that aren't.. aren't. There is a reason that the news generally focus on bad things happening rather than good.
What John Stewart does is satire. It is good to use that to get true news out to viewers in a way they can handle it, but don't go about thinking that The Daily Show is some perfect news source that you could cite in a paper or use as a reference. It's all marketing. You can have a boring news reporter say "Tony Snow lied about...blah blah" or you can have John Stewart make a short sketch about it. He makes things like that work. But if you want certain coverage of Iraq, political debates, and in depth stories about our country... you watch the news. Even if its fluff. Even if its not 100% revealing of what you think you should know about it. Its what it is.
I watch both.. and I don't waste my time thinking that the world is over tomorrow and Bush is behind it.
lmwilker
posted 6/21/07 @ 6:33 AM CST
As an independent student voice maybe you should look into the connection between university schools of journalism and the current state of media affairs. Prior to Watergate most journalist did not have degrees in journalism. Today most of them do. It is interesting to note that John Stewart and crew who are not "trained" journalists are running circles around those better trained stenographers who serve their corporate masters.
MF
posted 6/21/07 @ 10:40 AM CST
Once again, these comments show how undiscerning we have become. Jon Stewart entertains with the news. Think about that. If taken as fun banter, that's fine. If taken as unbiased, gospel truth - you've misunderstood Stewart's own rules of engagement. Stewart presents sometimes startling facts missed by the MSM, but he self-consciously interprets them for his audience and picks and chooses what he reports. It's not fair and balanced and doesn't pretend to be. It would be an injustice to Stewart to become a Stewart ditto-head or make him your only source of news.
Davida
posted 6/21/07 @ 12:12 PM CST
The MSM is losing audience from every age group precisely because they offer no real news. I am 61. My husband is 64. My mother is 92. My sons are in their early 30s. W e have all abandoned the MSM for Jon Stewart & Steven Colbert or the internet for ours news. My mother is crazy about the Daily Show.
Blake
posted 6/21/07 @ 1:01 PM CST
Nice article. I think Stewart is most effective as a media watchdog--pointing to the flaws in cable and network news--and second, as a sharp observer of politics, as in his brief segment on Tony Snow's self-contradictions. The irritating thing about the Daily Show, however, is that these parts only constitute a small fraction of the show. The interviews are hit or miss, sometimes extremely interesting (the interview with John McCain several weeks ago) and sometimes not much more than celebrity gossip. The satirical "on-location" interviews are tiresome after a while, aren't they? They're not much better than one-joke Saturday Night Live skits. It's as if the genuinely useful part of the Daily Show has to be compensated for by these easy and repetitive gags.
We shouldn't be too quick to write off all television news. Try the Bill Moyers Journal on PBS; his extended program on how the media was complicit in the run up to the invasion of Iraq was brilliant.
We shouldn't be too quick to write off all television news. Try the Bill Moyers Journal on PBS; his extended program on how the media was complicit in the run up to the invasion of Iraq was brilliant.
Old Man
posted 6/21/07 @ 4:30 PM CST
Sometimes the only way to deal with all of this preposterous nonsense is to use humor. In the 20's they used to parody world events by making a humorous list. This is mine:
You're The Top
(sung to the tune of You're The Top by Cole Porter)
You're the top
You're Condi dating Sharpton
You're the top
You're Cheney with his shotgun
You're the National Debt
George W's latest British Pet
You're Liebermann!
You'e the top
You're Mahatma Ghandi
You're the top
You're Mark Foley with candy
etc. etc. Try it. It helps.
You're The Top
(sung to the tune of You're The Top by Cole Porter)
You're the top
You're Condi dating Sharpton
You're the top
You're Cheney with his shotgun
You're the National Debt
George W's latest British Pet
You're Liebermann!
You'e the top
You're Mahatma Ghandi
You're the top
You're Mark Foley with candy
etc. etc. Try it. It helps.
Greg
posted 6/21/07 @ 5:42 PM CST
There is something really wrong when the comedians are the only ones to ask the tough questions and to hold people accountable.
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sohonyc
posted 6/20/07 @ 4:43 AM CST
The fact that I get some of the most vital national news from the Daily Show is indicative of the fact that "real" television news is beyond stupid. Any journalist who works for television should be deeply ashamed.
Exceptions: NewsHour, Washington Week and the occasional on-the-money opinion that spins out of McLoughlin Group or Meet the Press. (But Russert always backs off when it looks like blood will spill).