Screw the media. Yes, even you, NPR...

[Stumbler]

During this Saturday, I've been at home working on assignments for my college classes while I allowed NPR to play in the background. Contrary to the official cliche, I'm not an old man yet nor someone who's retired, but I do enjoy listening to their weekend programs like 'Car Talk', 'Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me', & 'This American Life'. And since I've become, let's say, 'politically-conscious' over ten years ago, I've witnessed the steadily right-leaning trend of NPR and other media outlets, especially over the past 5 or 6 years.

As a result, it no longer surprises me, but still makes me cringe when I hear the voices of our media "reporting" on the activities of one Sarah Palin. As many of us on DU have discussed, she would remain a non-story if not for the fact that the media chooses to overlook other stories in favor of covering whatever GOP rhetoric she's pedaling today. And like clockwork, NPR has chosen to use it's two-minute top-of-the-hour updates to inform me of some rally in Arizona that happens to feature Sarah Palin. John McCain, a sitting senator, is also at this same rally, but the last two "updates" failed to even mention his presence, focusing instead on playing soundbites from the once-part-time Alaskan governor who failed to completely serve a single term in office.

Thus we come to one of the reasons why I drink: The supposedly "liberal" NPR has managed to distract me from another weekend of study by repeatedly telling about the up-to-date happenings of hate-monger Sarah Palin, a figure who's name & popular-existence should have ended in November '08 after her running-mate lost the presidential election. But no! Our 'media' insists on keeping her in the limelight, even though she (1) holds no political office, (2) provides nothing but division and hatred to our political discourse, and (3) holds controversial views that run counter to at least half of the American public.

And NPR is not the only guilty culprit: our entire media industry adores this new shining star of Right-wing, GOP-friendly, corporate/Christian-fundamentalism. There are at least dozens of other stories (from numerous death-threats against Dem reps, to the loss of islands from rising ocean levels) that hold more weight than this person's attendance at a rally. And yet, look at what our 'news' insists on informing us about... It just makes me sick.

(Edited: Sorry, according to the latest NPR update, it's actually a town in Nevada, not Arizona as I earlier posted. Thank goodness another report was issued to alert me to the mistake in my original post. I apologize for the discrepancy...)

[BrklynLiberal]

1. One of the Few shows on NPR that is pretty reliable.

They actually had a great show today discussing how much the media gave one-sided and slanated reports on the healthcare debate.
Right now you can only listen. There will be a transcript on Monday.

http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2010/03/26/01

Ill Communication
March 26, 2010

Health care dominated the media recently, and this past week was no exception: a survey by the Pew Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism found that health care coverage accounted for a staggering 37 percent of the newshole. But despite all the coverage, more than half of Americans polled say they still don't understand how reform will effect them. The Pew Center's Mark Jurkowitz talks about how a topic that's been so widely covered can still be so little understood.

PS I love to listen to the exact same weekend shows that you do...

[DCKit]

2. Well said. Now send it to NPR. n/t

[anniebelle]

3. This will be the first time in over 20 years I've not pledged to my local station.

We've listened to NPR for years and I will have to say, I'm terribly disappointed in their "news" presentations over the last few years -- Juan Williams and Cokie Roberts come to mind. Fund drive starts next week and it will be the first time in over 20 years we will not participate. We have not only helped man the phone banks at our station here, but have given them a generous cash donation also (spring and fall). This year the monies will go to a more reliable "news" source -- Media Matters for one. I've sent many messages to the local station, their web site, etc. I'll let my non-contribution do the talking this go 'round.

[Simpleton]

4. All American News Media Is Big Corporation Biased Even DU

http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi1250690073/