CSM: Why the media passes off bunk as news

[tuvor]

LEXINGTON, KY. - In early February, the lead story on CNN.com – "the most trusted name in news" – was about tattooed fish.

Emblazoned on the website was a large picture of a fish with some kind of design on its belly. I don't have fish but if I ever wanted any, I'd probably get that fish. It looked pretty cool.

Here's the problem, though: Surely there were more important things happening in the world. I think there is a war going on somewhere. Is
Social Security fixed yet?

Don't get me wrong. I like oddball news as much as anyone. In fact, I make a decent living showcasing a daily collection of silly news, offbeat items, and real news with amusing headlines on my website, Fark.com, which attracts 3.5 million unique visitors each month. What's scary, though, is that the ratio of filler news to real news is now so high that the content of Fark and major news websites is often nearly identical. That should never happen because, in theory, mass media outlets are staffed by full-time, serious journalists who have better things to do.

So what's going on?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070305/cm_csm/ycurtis

[leftchick]

1. I don't agree with this at all

It is indeed intentional. He never even addresses corporate control of the media. his article is full of it just like the "news".

<snip>

Mass media aren't intentionally trying to dumb down the news, but there's no getting around the fact that nonnews types of articles are what drive ad revenue on the Internet. It's a subtle difference but an important one, because it removes intent as a motivation. Sadly, we still end up with the same result: bunk being passed off as news.

[zbdent]

2. Next thing you'll know is that CNN will be reporting on the

animal abuse of raising a kitten in a jar so that it will conform to its environment ...

[CJCRANE]

3. The fluff and sensationalist stuff

is just for when they're having a break from pushing Bushco talking points. It would be too obvious if it was non-stop propaganda.