Ive never quite understood what, exactly, people (usually conservatives) mean when they talk about the mainstream media. Does The Monroe Times fit into the mainstream media? I dont know, but Id guess not.
Ive always assumed that the major television networks news organizations and national cable television news outlets are toward the front of the class of mainstream media. Of course, that would mean CNN, MSNBC and Fox News are all lumped into the same class, which is something I would not do.
Anyway, references to the mainstream media rarely are positive, usually derogatory. Theyre usually about biases or about an inability to report the real story.
The past 24 hours, Ive been reminded why many people feel that way about the television networks news.
As I monitored the Associated Press wires Thursday morning, it was obvious to me that the story of the day was that the United States and Iraq had a tentative agreement that would provide for U.S. troop withdrawals in less than a year. The plan would include, again, benchmarks for Iraq and, gasp, timetables for U.S. troops to leave.
Yes, timetables.
Thats big news.
The Bush administration agreeing to troop withdrawal timetables is like, well, Fox News endorsing a Democrat. Timetables, youll remember, are dangerous. They embolden the enemy. They spell defeat for America in Iraq. Thats what the presidents been saying for years.
So the agreement with Iraq is a startling piece of information.
It also should have a major impact on the current presidential campaign, as the war in Iraq is a significant issue. John McCain has criticized Barack Obama relentlessly for endorsing withdrawal timetables.
The AP was touting the news from Iraq as its lead story all morning and afternoon long. We put the story on the front page of yesterdays Times. Then I spent the afternoon working on a number of different projects, then took my son to an appointment with the eye doctor.
When I got home, I was curious to see the latest developments in the Iraq story on NBC Nightly News. I wanted to know what the candidates, and their surrogates, were saying about this stunning piece of news.
But NBC wasnt talking about it. Neither were the candidates or their surrogates.
No, you see, on Wednesday, John McCain couldnt remember, or wouldnt say, how many houses he and his wife owned. That was NBC Nightly News top story, garnering minutes of coverage while the Iraq story was reported in seconds.
Now, Ill admit, McCains stumble was embarrassing for him, and makes him look really bad. It makes his earlier attacks that Obama is an elitist seem very shallow when he or his wife owns seven, eight or nine houses (take your pick, the news reports Thursday and today vary on just how many homes they actually have). It also might explain why McCain told the Rev. Rick Warren last week that he doesnt measure rich in dollars.
No matter how dumb McCain was made to look Wednesday by the simple question by Politico, theres no way his housing crisis should have more impact on the presidential race than the latest turn in Iraq where young Americans are fighting a war. Arent McCains and Obamas positions and reactions about Iraq far more important?
Not according to the television networks. (For the record, the McCain story was not even listed as one of the AP's top stories this morning.) And, perhaps, not according to the general public.
And don't even get me started on the way the TV news channels have covered the Obama vice presidential secret!
I find that all very depressing and, frankly, embarrassing as an American citizen and a journalist.
But maybe Im overreacting.
What do you think?
Ive always assumed that the major television networks news organizations and national cable television news outlets are toward the front of the class of mainstream media. Of course, that would mean CNN, MSNBC and Fox News are all lumped into the same class, which is something I would not do.
Anyway, references to the mainstream media rarely are positive, usually derogatory. Theyre usually about biases or about an inability to report the real story.
The past 24 hours, Ive been reminded why many people feel that way about the television networks news.
As I monitored the Associated Press wires Thursday morning, it was obvious to me that the story of the day was that the United States and Iraq had a tentative agreement that would provide for U.S. troop withdrawals in less than a year. The plan would include, again, benchmarks for Iraq and, gasp, timetables for U.S. troops to leave.
Yes, timetables.
Thats big news.
The Bush administration agreeing to troop withdrawal timetables is like, well, Fox News endorsing a Democrat. Timetables, youll remember, are dangerous. They embolden the enemy. They spell defeat for America in Iraq. Thats what the presidents been saying for years.
So the agreement with Iraq is a startling piece of information.
It also should have a major impact on the current presidential campaign, as the war in Iraq is a significant issue. John McCain has criticized Barack Obama relentlessly for endorsing withdrawal timetables.
The AP was touting the news from Iraq as its lead story all morning and afternoon long. We put the story on the front page of yesterdays Times. Then I spent the afternoon working on a number of different projects, then took my son to an appointment with the eye doctor.
When I got home, I was curious to see the latest developments in the Iraq story on NBC Nightly News. I wanted to know what the candidates, and their surrogates, were saying about this stunning piece of news.
But NBC wasnt talking about it. Neither were the candidates or their surrogates.
No, you see, on Wednesday, John McCain couldnt remember, or wouldnt say, how many houses he and his wife owned. That was NBC Nightly News top story, garnering minutes of coverage while the Iraq story was reported in seconds.
Now, Ill admit, McCains stumble was embarrassing for him, and makes him look really bad. It makes his earlier attacks that Obama is an elitist seem very shallow when he or his wife owns seven, eight or nine houses (take your pick, the news reports Thursday and today vary on just how many homes they actually have). It also might explain why McCain told the Rev. Rick Warren last week that he doesnt measure rich in dollars.
No matter how dumb McCain was made to look Wednesday by the simple question by Politico, theres no way his housing crisis should have more impact on the presidential race than the latest turn in Iraq where young Americans are fighting a war. Arent McCains and Obamas positions and reactions about Iraq far more important?
Not according to the television networks. (For the record, the McCain story was not even listed as one of the AP's top stories this morning.) And, perhaps, not according to the general public.
And don't even get me started on the way the TV news channels have covered the Obama vice presidential secret!
I find that all very depressing and, frankly, embarrassing as an American citizen and a journalist.
But maybe Im overreacting.
What do you think?
