“News is dead …”
That’s the conclusion of a study released this week by the Pew Center, which highlights the extent to which force reductions in the legacy press have compromised its ability to provide the information consumers want.
“Nearly one-third – 31 percent – of people say they have deserted a particular news outlet because it no longer provides the news and information they had grown accustomed to, according to the survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults in early 2013,” the report found.
The Pew Center’s “State of the News Media 2013” report goes on to break down the gender, age, income level and partisan affiliation of those abandoning the legacy press.
“People who said they had forsaken a news outlet were more likely to be men than women, older than younger, richer than poorer and Republican or independent rather than Democratic,” the report found. “While about one-third of Republicans and independents stopped turning to a news outlet, just one-quarter of Democrats did.”
While it’s easy to blame the contraction of newsrooms for the dearth of real reporting out there, it’s important to remember the mainstream media in America (even in so-called “conservative” states like South Carolina) has always veered to the left … often wildly so.
Accordingly, we don’t necessarily view this “contraction” as a bad thing … and besides, the legacy press still finds sufficient resources to assault supporters of free market reforms amidst its reflexive regurgitation of status quo talking points.
For now …
At the end of the day consumers will always judge media outlets (new, old or social) based on the quality/ quantity of the information they provide – and the power of the thoughts they express to gain acceptance in the marketplace.
***
60 comments
Print news should just do what TV news has done, either go full-blown entertainment like CNN or full blown shill like Fox News or MSNBC. Nothing grabs the average American’s interest quicker than what’s going on in various celebrities’ lives, or some middle-aged balding white male telling you what you should think about “today’s issues” that are blown up and sensationalized pieces of trivial garbage compared to what really ails this country.
Print news should just do what TV news has done, either go full-blown entertainment like CNN or full blown shill like Fox News or MSNBC. Nothing grabs the average American’s interest quicker than what’s going on in various celebrities’ lives, or some middle-aged balding white male telling you what you should think about “today’s issues” that are blown up and sensationalized pieces of trivial garbage compared to what really ails this country.
I recommend all of the regular posters read this report, which is on target with television news and major newspapers. Are we being manipulated and brainwashed with propaganda? At the same time, there is not only something available for everyone, but there is one hell of a lot of it. The most dangerous animal on the planet — is a human with an open and free-thinking mind.
“Are we being manipulated and brainwashed with propaganda?”
Yes.
“The most dangerous animal on the planet — is a human with an open and free-thinking mind.”
I can see the posters on Fitsnews who can filter out the crap that is being fed to us (not speaking of Fitsnews). Apathy, in my opinion, is the disease that is going to kill us. If I had the time and the money (yep – it takes money from special interests to get into the arena) I wouldn’t hesitate to jump in and become an activist.
I don’t think it is apathy, I just think most people who are awake don’t have the knowledge or means to do anything about it, and are too far in the minority to make a difference otherwise.
Probably why the crazies “go rogue” and do drastic, violent things.
Good points. While I don’t have the financial means, I do know how I think and what I believe in. But I also know that there would not be any broad acceptance of my ideas. If I could do like some folks and just throw out bullshit, and lie, and keep changing my positions to suit the hour, and act but not react — well, it’s a thought.
I recommend all of the regular posters read this report, which is on target with television news and major newspapers. Are we being manipulated and brainwashed with propaganda? At the same time, there is not only something available for everyone, but there is one hell of a lot of it. The most dangerous animal on the planet — is a human with an open and free-thinking mind.
“Are we being manipulated and brainwashed with propaganda?”
Yes.
“The most dangerous animal on the planet — is a human with an open and free-thinking mind.”
I can see the posters on Fitsnews who can filter out the crap that is being fed to us (not speaking of Fitsnews). Apathy, in my opinion, is the disease that is going to kill us. If I had the time and the money (yep – it takes money from special interests to get into the arena) I wouldn’t hesitate to jump in and become an activist.
I don’t think it is apathy, I just think most people who are awake don’t have the knowledge or means to do anything about it, and are too far in the minority to make a difference otherwise.
Probably why the crazies “go rogue” and do drastic, violent things.
Good points. While I don’t have the financial means, I do know how I think and what I believe in. But I also know that there would not be any broad acceptance of my ideas. If I could do like some folks and just throw out bullshit, and lie, and keep changing my positions to suit the hour, and act but not react — well, it’s a thought.
It’s why it’s imperative that the alternative, replacement media, be honorable, competent and trustworthy.
Which is why i Kick FITS’ @$$ daily. He had the perfect opportunity to supplant the Corrupt Eastablishment media…and he squandered it to be a cheap political hack and low-rent panty drawer burglar…
That said: Good people in America have always answerd the challenge (eventually) and righted the ship…
Evil fails in a Christian-based society, even when it seems hopeless, good is working.
Obama will show yet another generation the wage of sin and depravity..and that experience will be pricesless to the now ignorant. Those fooled by him will have to learn the hard way (through experince)…but it will be a lesson w/ an impression for generations…
“It’s why it’s imperative that the alternative, replacement media, be honorable, competent and trustworthy.”
Lol. Like Drudge?
Also, the wages of sin are a good time and an empty wallet.
Indeed they are.
Drudge is mostly links to other stories, you F*@*in Brain-Dead sorry excuse for a Cliche Leftwing, Imbecile Drone…He’s not a journalist….
You would not know NEWS coverage if if Kicked you in your Ignorant @$$…
Not to mention: Drudge broke the Monica Story, ABC was intent on Spiking… you complete Dumb@$$….
Lol! Yet you copy and paste from its headlines like it’s gospel without any fact checks? Shut up, litte man.
Which is why i Kick FITS’ @$$ daily.
Ah, delusions of grandeur.
BigT staying busy……………
It’s why it’s imperative that the alternative, replacement media, be honorable, competent and trustworthy.
Which is why i Kick FITS’ @$$ daily. He had the perfect opportunity to supplant the Corrupt Eastablishment media…and he squandered it to be a cheap political hack and low-rent panty drawer burglar…
That said: Good people in America have always answerd the challenge (eventually) and righted the ship…
Evil fails in a Christian-based society, even when it seems hopeless, good is working.
Obama will show yet another generation the wage of sin and depravity..and that experience will be pricesless to the now ignorant. Those fooled by him will have to learn the hard way (through experince)…but it will be a lesson w/ an impression for generations…
“It’s why it’s imperative that the alternative, replacement media, be honorable, competent and trustworthy.”
Lol. Like Drudge?
Also, the wages of sin are a good time and an empty wallet.
Indeed they are.
Drudge is mostly links to other stories, you F*@*in Brain-Dead sorry excuse for a Cliche Leftwing, Imbecile Drone…He’s not a journalist….
You would not know NEWS coverage if if Kicked you in your Ignorant @$$…
Not to mention: Drudge broke the Monica Story, ABC was intent on Spiking… you complete Dumb@$$….
Lol! Yet you copy and paste from its headlines like it’s gospel without any fact checks? Shut up, litte man.
Which is why i Kick FITS’ @$$ daily.
Ah, delusions of grandeur.
BigT staying busy……………
So according to the study, old, rich, Republican or Independent men are turning to non-traditional news outlets like this one for their “news.” Explains a lot.
Yeah “Right” …Tradional “outlets” like Dan (got caught lying) Rather, Rachael Maddow, George (Clinton) Stephanopolis, Fox News’ Juan Williams, Sheperd Smith, and Myra Liason along w/ CNN, MSNBC, and CBS are so fair and objective…
You are a F*#*in idiot…with people like you voting (several times no doubt) it’s obvious how Obama was re-elected despite his misery…
Very selective list there. I bet you consider Hannity and O’Reilly “journalists” though, right? Can’t knock Fox News too much, just the token libruls they keep around, huh?
O’Reilly is pretty moderate and disgusting and Hannity ADMITS that he is a Conservative from the start.
Truth is: FOX has the brand as Conservative because it allows Conservative voices. Not because its Conservative. It’s pretty honest when it presents a Conservative. And it has lenty of liberals, too.
The Leftwing media outlets HATE Conservatives, and will fire a Leftwing who does not march in lockstep (like Juan Williams was fired from PBS) because he was not NAZI leftwing everyday of the year.
That said: Idiot,s like you, are too dull to get the distinction, and you operate by assumptions. You, like most, are too stupid to apply critical thought not given to you by your puppet masters…
Tell me again how you “Kick FITS’ @$$ daily.” How? With what? It’s certainly not with your comments here.
So according to the study, old, rich, Republican or Independent men are turning to non-traditional news outlets like this one for their “news.” Explains a lot.
Yeah “Right” …Tradional “outlets” like Dan (got caught lying) Rather, Rachael Maddow, George (Clinton) Stephanopolis, Fox News’ Juan Williams, Sheperd Smith, and Myra Liason along w/ CNN, MSNBC, and CBS are so fair and objective…
You are a F*#*in idiot…with people like you voting (several times no doubt) it’s obvious how Obama was re-elected despite his misery…
Very selective list there. I bet you consider Hannity and O’Reilly “journalists” though, right? Can’t knock Fox News too much, just the token libruls they keep around, huh?
O’Reilly is pretty moderate and disgusting and Hannity ADMITS that he is a Conservative from the start.
Truth is: FOX has the brand as Conservative because it allows Conservative voices. Not because its Conservative. It’s pretty honest when it presents a Conservative. And it has lenty of liberals, too.
The Leftwing media outlets HATE Conservatives, and will fire a Leftwing who does not march in lockstep (like Juan Williams was fired from PBS) because he was not NAZI leftwing everyday of the year.
That said: Idiot,s like you, are too dull to get the distinction, and you operate by assumptions. You, like most, are too stupid to apply critical thought not given to you by your puppet masters…
Tell me again how you “Kick FITS’ @$$ daily.” How? With what? It’s certainly not with your comments here.
NPR did a long, very involved, very professional special on this topic yesterday. Day late…dollar short…
NPR did a long, very involved, very professional special on this topic yesterday. Day late…dollar short…
Charleston TV stations are the worst. They all run these really hard-hitting ads promoting their no-holds barred reporting…replete with sinister background music warning the crooks and con-men (no matter how powerful) that they are not immune from their ace reporting. Right. In a pigs eye.
Recent reports include one about a two-headed snake found in South Carolina and another rating fast food restaurants’ smoothies.
Channel 5’s “award winning” investigative reporter Harve Jacobs is useless. Much of his on air time is spent in a bond court parking lot or standing outside a rundown trailer park telling us the juicy details of how some drunk redneck shoots his equally drunk ex father-in-law.
Also at channel 5 we have our weather dude Bill Walsh who occasionally ventures out to cover important stuff such as his hard hitting report on Honey Boo Boo. I wrote a spoof on my blog about that sad episode:
http://2big2fall.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/bill-walsh-interviews-honey-boo-boo/
Brad Franko at TV-2 is the worst of the lot. I did a spoof of him doing a report on droopy drawers:
http://2big2fall.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/tv-2-reporter-goes-underground-in-droopy-drawer-sting/
Charleston TV stations are the worst. They all run these really hard-hitting ads promoting their no-holds barred reporting…replete with sinister background music warning the crooks and con-men (no matter how powerful) that they are not immune from their ace reporting. Right. In a pigs eye.
Recent reports include one about a two-headed snake found in South Carolina and another rating fast food restaurants’ smoothies.
Channel 5’s “award winning” investigative reporter Harve Jacobs is useless. Much of his on air time is spent in a bond court parking lot or standing outside a rundown trailer park telling us the juicy details of how some drunk redneck shoots his equally drunk ex father-in-law.
Also at channel 5 we have our weather dude Bill Walsh who occasionally ventures out to cover important stuff such as his hard hitting report on Honey Boo Boo. I wrote a spoof on my blog about that sad episode:
http://2big2fall.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/bill-walsh-interviews-honey-boo-boo/
Brad Franko at TV-2 is the worst of the lot. I did a spoof of him doing a report on droopy drawers:
http://2big2fall.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/tv-2-reporter-goes-underground-in-droopy-drawer-sting/
‘Fahrenheit 451’ has become reality.
‘Fahrenheit 451’ has become reality.
Proof That News is Controlled by a Central Script Writer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YauJq1V0-OI
Thanks for sharing that…
Proof That News is Controlled by a Central Script Writer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YauJq1V0-OI
Thanks for sharing that…
Real news you won’t read on FITS (guess there’s too many facts to report): Toady’s shocking ruling (even a broken clock is accurate twice a day) that defendant AG Wilson, being sued for ignoring FOIA (yes that’s right the two faced liar who says he has to have more funding to fight corruption) and former AG McMaster exceeded their authority James Brown case. Now that he’s lost sniveling weasel Wilson wants to back himself out of the case. What a limp dick.
http://watchdogwire.com/blog/2013/03/19/james-brown-bombshell-ag-wilson-drops-out-of-lawsuit-filed-by-non-existent-legacy-trust/
Another story: Real data on Haley’s incompetent operations management. First half here, second half coming soon.
http://watchdogwire.com/blog/2013/03/18/sc-governor-haley-promises-to-review-citizen-investigation-of-laurens-county-corruption-3/
Thanks for the lead on watchdogwire. I have bookmarked their site for further investigation. I am a blogger here in Charleston investigating shady dealings by our local Goodwill franchise. The CEO got caught in a bald faced lie to the Post and Courier and they did not call him out on it. All the local media puts this con artist on a pedestal and refuses to portray him as the lying crook that he is.
I have been fighting the US Dept. of Labor since last October over an FOIA request that they simply refuse to honor. Evidently this sad sack, dog turd CEO has friends in high places…friends as corrupt and despicable as he is…
Yay! SOOO glad to hear from another who walks the walk. Hope you apply to be a watchdog wire contributor, include the link to your blog so they can review your stuff. After you’re accepted they will post your investigations that meet regular journalist standards. I have asked them to set up a South Carolina subsite. FITS doesn’t investigate or publish these stories (at least, Will won’t publish mine) so we need a place to publish local investigations.
Okay how big are your stones? You can take a specific DOL employee to court if you set it up right (do your requests, get into local office manuals to find procedures, ask who is FOIA officers, blah blah) in individual capacity, which means no protection from agency funded legal defense. You get to go to federal court. You don’t need a lawyer but you have to have thick skin.
Or, go after the CEO. But you’d have to do a FOIA get the Goodwill manuals/procedures (does local franchise have discretion to ignore policy, etc.) then take him on in our crappy state courts.
Feel free to email me off line. My contacts are in the article on Watchdog wire. I love picking fights with these arrogant SOBs.
So glad to hear from you!
Real news you won’t read on FITS (guess there’s too many facts to report): Toady’s shocking ruling (even a broken clock is accurate twice a day) that defendant AG Wilson, being sued for ignoring FOIA (yes that’s right the two faced liar who says he has to have more funding to fight corruption) and former AG McMaster exceeded their authority James Brown case. Now that he’s lost sniveling weasel Wilson wants to back himself out of the case.
Thanks for the lead on watchdogwire. I have bookmarked their site for further investigation. I am a blogger here in Charleston investigating shady dealings by our local Goodwill franchise. The CEO got caught in a bald faced lie to the Post and Courier and they did not call him out on it. All the local media puts this con artist on a pedestal and refuses to portray him as the lying crook that he is.
I have been fighting the US Dept. of Labor since last October over an FOIA request that they simply refuse to honor. Evidently this sad sack, dog turd CEO has friends in high places…friends as corrupt and despicable as he is…
Yay! SOOO glad to hear from another who walks the walk. Hope you apply to be a watchdog wire contributor, include the link to your blog so they can review your stuff. After you’re accepted they will post your investigations that meet regular journalist standards. I have asked them to set up a South Carolina subsite. FITS doesn’t investigate or publish these stories (at least, Will won’t publish mine) so we need a place to publish local investigations.
Okay how big are your stones? You can take a specific DOL employee to court if you set it up right (do your requests, get into local office manuals to find procedures, ask who is FOIA officers, blah blah) in individual capacity, which means no protection from agency funded legal defense. You get to go to federal court. You don’t need a lawyer but you have to have thick skin.
Or, go after the CEO. But you’d have to do a FOIA get the Goodwill manuals/procedures (does local franchise have discretion to ignore policy, etc.) then take him on in our crappy state courts.
Feel free to email me off line. My contacts are in the article on Watchdog wire. I love picking fights with these arrogant SOBs.
So glad to hear from you!
@shifty, on of my favorite posters: It doesn’t take money to go after crooks in your own neighborhood
– just tenacity, time, patience, a thick skin, and a perverse (in the sense most people don’t have it) desire to pick fights mano a mano and squash these arrogant mentally flabby pinheads, face to face. Your delightful sense of humor
would serve you well in the fight. Pick a local crook, dig in. It’s very satisfying to present your findings in a local Council meeting in front of a bunch of red faced council members who don’t know what to do and can’t refute. Follow the procedures, write up a complaint and file it with your local sheriff, make sure you point out conflict of interest he has to forward it to SLED. We paid for these procedures so why don’t we start using them? Then publish your findings
at watchdog.wire. How do we eat the elephant? One bite at a time. It’s
true we don’t know what our efforts will yield. But it’s our job and our responsibility. One thing we know
for sure – doing nothing gets the same….nothing. Complaining does nothing. Time to do something.
Thanks for your positive reinforcement. I replied to you earlier today but it vanished. I think what I posted was that I didn’t want to lose any of my friends I have left. For the past week everytime I logged in a banner headline told me that 3 people had unfriended me, and BigT must have been 2 of them. Anyway, I am now going through a shy mood. But one day I just might get irritated enough to act.
—— me on a good day
I have the same problem with disappearing posts. I thought it was because FITS didn’t like my posts, being as I insist on facts and stuff. i also have an issue not all my posts get registered in disqus. Yah, I know about the friends thing..Lucky for me the first half of my life was spent with oddball friends like me so I know I’m not alone, just not usual in this neck of the woods. Those that unfriend aren’t real friends anyway. I’m lucky hubby is career retired Marine who cheers me on cuz he also doesn’t abide arrogant bullies who try to lord over others, in a different way. If you ever get irritated enough lemme know, there’s a few others who I work with behind the scenes. One is about ready to jump out.
Love your stuff shifty!
@shifty, on of my favorite posters: It doesn’t take money to go after crooks in your own neighborhood
– just tenacity, time, patience, a thick skin, and a perverse (in the sense most people don’t have it) desire to pick fights mano a mano and squash these arrogant mentally flabby pinheads, face to face. Your delightful sense of humor
would serve you well in the fight. Pick a local crook, dig in. It’s very satisfying to present your findings in a local Council meeting in front of a bunch of red faced council members who don’t know what to do and can’t refute. Follow the procedures, write up a complaint and file it with your local sheriff, make sure you point out conflict of interest he has to forward it to SLED. We paid for these procedures so why don’t we start using them? Then publish your findings
at watchdog.wire. How do we eat the elephant? One bite at a time. It’s
true we don’t know what our efforts will yield. But it’s our job and our responsibility. One thing we know
for sure – doing nothing gets the same….nothing. Complaining does nothing. Time to do something.
Thanks for your positive reinforcement. I replied to you earlier today but it vanished. I think what I posted was that I didn’t want to lose any of my friends I have left. For the past week everytime I logged in a banner headline told me that 3 people had unfriended me, and BigT must have been 2 of them. Anyway, I am now going through a shy mood. But one day I just might get irritated enough to act.
—— me on a good day
I have the same problem with disappearing posts. I thought it was because FITS didn’t like my posts, being as I insist on facts and stuff. i also have an issue not all my posts get registered in disqus. Yah, I know about the friends thing..Lucky for me the first half of my life was spent with oddball friends like me so I know I’m not alone, just not usual in this neck of the woods. Those that unfriend aren’t real friends anyway. I’m lucky hubby is career retired Marine who cheers me on cuz he also doesn’t abide arrogant bullies who try to lord over others, in a different way. If you ever get irritated enough lemme know, there’s a few others who I work with behind the scenes. One is about ready to jump out.
Love your stuff shifty!