I'm convinced that the cable news channels are not about news at all

[EraOfResponsibility]

but about entertainment. That's why it's no thing for them to invite nothing but Republicans to their shows that talk shit about the Stim bill. Because it's show business to them, and they need an antagonist for their political soap opera. They don't give a damn about keeping ANYONE honest, it's all for show.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. BINGO FOR YOU, REMEMBER THE MEDIA ARE THE PROPAGANDISTS

[TBF]

2. Ratings bring in the advertiser's money; noone is going to mess with that, least of all the media

owners. Do a little research on Rupert Murdock and the picture becomes even clearer.

[Occam Bandage]

3. Um, yeah.

You see those commercial breaks? That's your first clue that a given product's primary incentive is to draw and keep as many viewers as possible by whatever means necessary. Sometimes that means to find the story and present it honestly. Sometimes that means to distort. Sometimes that means to throw news out the window and discuss women with kids or missing women or women whose kids are missing or something.

[EraOfResponsibility]

5. sorry for stating the obvious. Just had a moment of clarity, I guess

[Occam Bandage]

9. Sorry for any hostility I displayed there. Didn't mean to convey that. My error. nt

[AlCzervik]

4. so stop watching, cable "opinion" and that's what it is, there are very few actual just news

broadcasts have 24/7 to fill so yes they'll keep on having the Red Menace on to fill time.

[Lost4words]

6. We have a winner! nt

[Lint Head]

7. You have reach what Joseph Campbell refers to as the

eternal state of bliss and understanding.

:dem:

[EraOfResponsibility]

14. LOL!!

[Thrill]

8. they are so pissed at Obama's approval ratings right now

They can't believe their bullshit isn't touching him

[AngryAmish]

10. Do you notice those things that run between "news" segments? They are called commercials.

The reason those shows are on is so they can sell commercials. Otherwise nobody would bother.

Same with newspapers.

[MadBadger]

11. Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton

Those two names say it all.

[AlCzervik]

12. don't forget who helped the trend though, The Menendez Brothers and the Long island Lolita.

that's when CNN officially lost any and all credibility and then they blew up when OJ happened.

[xxqqqzme]

22. forgot the originial - OJ on the freeway!

That's what did it for me. Haven't watched cnn since that night.

[EraOfResponsibility]

13. *nods at all the responses*

yep. Ya'll are right.

[4lbs]

15. This all started years ago when the various networks began putting their News divisions underneath

their large "Entertainment" umbrella.

That's when they made the conscious decision to care more about ratings than reporting 'uncomfortable' stories and facts.

[AtomicKitten]

16. I love when they wonder aloud if a story has legs.

I'm assuming they just haven't decided yet if they're going to pound the story into the ground.

[Cleita]

17. I remember a time when CNN could deliver the news and still be commercial until

corporations that had nothing to do with media started buying out our TV and cable channels. Then it changed. I don't know why Turner had to sell CNN, but I think it's because Ruppert Murdoch arrived on the scene with his tabloid, entertainment brand of "news" and Turner couldn't compete in good conscience. When new owners Time Warner/AOL arrived, they tried to out fox, FOX News by imitating its format. No conscience there to get in the way of ratings.

[Orangepeel]

18. Of course they aren't . They are about ad dollars.

they are going to show what brings eyeballs to the set.

[CJCRANE]

19. I don't think they're commercially viable in the long run.

I don't see how carrying water for an unpopular president (B*sh) and now bashing a popular one can be the most commercially astute option in terms of maximising the demographics.

I always switch off as soon as they go negative (that's why I can't watch F** News for more than 30 seconds) and I only tend to watch when they have live feeds of Democratic speeches or announcements.

[demokatgurrl]

20. BINGO, YOU WIN!!!!!!

You're kidding, right?

[OwnedByFerrets]

21. They stopped being news when they stopped subsidizing

the news room and required it to MAKE MONEY. And that happened many years ago.