American TV News Stinks!

[earthside]

The crisis in Egypt provides an opportunity to see just how shallow and crappy is the reporting from our cable/satellite news networks.

Contrast the fairly straight reporting on http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/">al Jazeera about what is happening in Egypt with the Ameri-centric programming on CNN, MSNBC, and FoxPAC-TV.

A development as potentially significant as Mohammed Elbaradei joining protesters in Tahrir Square gets scant real-time coverage ... but on U.S. television we get panel after panel of inside-the-beltway experts and politicians blathering about what this means for U.S. policy.

And, even worse, we're starting to hear more and more fearmongering on CNN, MSNBC, and FoxPAC-TV -- will a new regime in Egypt mean an increase in Islamic terrorism?!!!

If the news reporting on Egypt that we are subject to is any indication, we are even more under the thumb of a plutocratic corporate ruling class than most people can even contemplate.

[ellie]

1. It does!

I am lucky I have Al Jazeera on my cable lineup. I think we are one of two places in the U.S. that have access through their cable lineup, according to Amy Goodman.

[lonestarnot]

Yes it does. We reek!

[annabanana]

2. The difference is truly staggering.

No wonder the world views us as idiots...

If you want to know what's going on over there,
go here:

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[RegieRocker]

3. Just turn it off!

[shireen]

4. Richard Engel seems to do a good job.

His reports have been interesting.

But I'll check al Jazeera from now on ....

[Cleita]

9. He has, but he's not on except when MSNBC

decides to interrupt the lockdown shit on the weekend, when all this has been going on. I'm sure he will do some reports on Rachel's show next week.

[Fumesucker]

The bubbleheaded bleachblonde comes on at five..

That song was written going on thirty years ago and TV news has definitely not improved in the meantime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46bBWBG9r2o

[Fumesucker]

5. Dupe.. Self delete..

[fascisthunter]

6. welcome to the Fascism....

the media will let us see what their billionaire friends want us to see. I'm sure the government is involved too.

[Hydra]

11. Of course

Everyone working together like one big, happy family to keep us in the dark and thinking what they want us to.

I laugh at people who call it a "conspiracy theory" that the people at the top plan talk about things and have meetings and agree on a course of action that benefits them all.

In corp speak, that's a STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION. They do them endlessly, unless it involves something they don't want us to know about, in which case, they NEVER do such things, right?

[upi402]

7. plutocratic corporate ruling class

is in control of all Republicans and far too many Democrats.
The media is their propaganda organ that makes it all possible.

How many "Democrats" are pushing for clean elections and media rform here? A: zero



agreed earthside

[Cleita]

8. Al Jazeera's reporting has been like we used to get

at CNN before Ted Turner sold it and broadcast news before the seventies. Yes, I have been going between all of them this weekend and our news really sucks. I like that we can stream Al Jazeera in real time.

[Paper Roses]

10. I am very interested in what is happening in Egypt. With Comcast basic,

the only news I can get is Faux, ABC, CBS, NBC. The coverage is pathetic. On line, I can pick up more information than on TV.

In fact, I find myself here at DU, checking every Egypt thread. Our media is pathetic. No wonder I never turn on the TV. It is not worth my time.

[Denninmi]

12. Well, I don't know how you can say that.

Just yesterday morning, when I turned on Good Morning America Saturday, they spent an enormous amount of time on the most important story.

I know that I, for one, can sleep nights knowing Charlie Sheen is finally going to get the help he needs in rehab.

:sarcasm:

[malmapus]

13. Same here.

Very much the same boat. Just waiting another month, so I can drop Comcast and not be fined out to ying yang.

[lutefisk]

14. And Water is Wet!

American TV news is awful, awful, awful!

I stopped watching US TV news after the coverage of the 2000 election. When I do catch a glimpse (it's hard to avoid in some places) I am completely, totally appalled. It's all just a cheap, manipulative show.

edit: I guess it's how "American TV News" is defined. I have seen Maddow and Olberman several times, and they are very good... so if they fit in the definition of "TV News", it's not all awful, awful, awful.:-)

[RufusTFirefly]

15. Gulf War I was the last straw for me

I grew up in a family of journalists and was a news junkie right up until the first Gulf War. It was so painfully obvious that the story we were getting was jingoistic and distorted that I really haven't watched much in the way of TV since then.

Although I don't watch TV, I am as well informed (if not more so) than most of my friends and family.

For those who continue to watch, trust me: The more you watch, the less you know.