Oh Hi Barrett.
I’m one of those Obama supporters and I know quite a bit about history. Especially when it comes to the media.
First of all, let’s just focus on the broadcast media. I’ll begin by saying the “liberal biased media” is a myth. The author mentioned the Fairness Doctrine. Say what you will, but the premise of the Fairness Doctrine was to promote balance of opinion when it came to certain controversial topics. This way both sides of the issue had a voice. Both sides of an issue being covered meant, in theory, the hope of a more informed audience, and a more informed electorate.
The Fainess Doctrine was indeed eliminated because some though it would suppress free speech. It’s disappearance initiated the rise of talk radio. Talk radio since then has been mostly one-sided. The majority of hosts lean right. But, that also meant great ratings. I’ve heard plenty of stories how someone will rant about Rush Limbaugh and will bitch and complain about him yet regurititate almost verbatim everything the fat asshole says. Boom! The formula works. Ratings equals big profits and big money.
Ratings and marketplace factors aside, I can understand and appreciate how some may fear media freedom will suffer under a Democratic administration. But like “liberal biased media” that unfounded fear is also a myth.
Talk radio did not suffer during the Clinton administration. In fact, the many foibles of Bill Clinton gave plenty of things for talk radio to talk about. And if they way the pundits have addressed Barack Obama is any indication, we can expect more of the same.
No, the talk radio crowd, Fox News and others are going to keep doing what they are doing as long as the ratings are nice and as long as the dittoheads absorb everything they say. The media freedom to say whatever the hell they want regardless of whether it’s truth or not (usually not) won’t suffer under a Democratic administration.
That is until finally the dittoheads get minds for themselves and finally figure out these pundits are full of crap. Or until dissenting opinion and discussion is finally welcomed and encouraged. I for one don’t think it’s going to take government intervention. I think it’s going to take someone with millions of daily viewers or listeners finally crossing a line in such a manner that listeners and advertisers are so repulsed that they retreat in droves.
