The Media -- They Cause Their Own Problems
Recently I read an article in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune entitled "Governor should not undermine the media" by Gary Gilson. Mr. Gilson is the executive director of the Minnesota News Council.
I am sick and tired of people crying about the media being attacked. As the title of this article states, they cause their own problems! We have a fresh memory of Dan Rather lying blatently to the American public regarding the President's National Guard service and how he was trying to make this an issue dangerously close to the election. Then suddenly we found out that the whole thing was a lie and Rather's credibility was called into question and several people lost their jobs over this situation at CBS. Dan Rather then subsequently announces that "he is going to retire" but that it had nothing to do with the recent events. He must really think that the American people are really stupid.
Gilson is mainly going after Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty (MN) and says that the Governor is taking cheap shots on his daily radio show. For those of you who do not live in Minnesota, you need to understand that there is been a love-hate relationship between the Governor and the Press in the last two administrations (Ventura and Pawlenty). Ventura was much more vocal about his disdain for the media. I do not agree with Ventura nor his politics, but I liked it when he basically told the media what to do and where to go. He was not going to stand for their tactics and garbage.
Gilson makes statements like, "But to subject the news media to general ridicule as the governor sometimes does, with the jocular and enthusiastic support of his broadcast sidekick, tears at the fabric of community. They regularly snicker at the news media, especially the Star Tribune, saying, in essence, "What do you expect from people who push a liberal agenda?"
Again, for those who do not live in Minnesota, the Star-Tribune is sometimes referred to as the "Star and Sickle" because of its definite liberal leanings, including their endorsement of John Kerry in the last Presidential election. He needs to grow up and realize that whining as he does will not do him any good because he fails to see that the media is far from objective and impartial in their reporting. If he does not believe what I am saying, tell him to get a copy of Bernard Goldberg's book called "Bias" and then he will see the agenda within the news media.
Gilson also states that, "It does not matter who occupies the top job in government -- Tim Pawlenty, Jesse Ventura, George W. Bush or Lyndon Johnson, all of whom have bashed the media. Any leader of the executive branch who smears the media may as well smear the legislative or the judicial branch. That damages a society."
Again, he is giving the media more credit than is due. Doesn't he think that false reporting or biased reporting will destroy a society also?
I do not see all of the media as evil. In fact, I have great respect for people who do deliver the news fairly, honestly, and most of all objectively. People like Brian Williams who recently took Tom Brokaw's place. On the local side, people like: Tim McNiff and Kim Insley who anchor the KARE-11 morning show, Frank Vascellero, Diana Pierce, and Julie Nelson who anchor the evening newscasts also on KARE-11. It is good to watch the news at various times, as I do and I can watch a story and have no idea what the anchor or reporters viewpoint is... that is the way it should be! Thank you KARE-11 for being a voice of objectivity within the media.
It is about time someone stood up to the media when they overstep their bounds and push their political agenda instead of reporting the news accurately, fairly and most of all objectively.
Then again, what can be expected of someone who is the Executive Director of the Minnesota News Council!
I am sick and tired of people crying about the media being attacked. As the title of this article states, they cause their own problems! We have a fresh memory of Dan Rather lying blatently to the American public regarding the President's National Guard service and how he was trying to make this an issue dangerously close to the election. Then suddenly we found out that the whole thing was a lie and Rather's credibility was called into question and several people lost their jobs over this situation at CBS. Dan Rather then subsequently announces that "he is going to retire" but that it had nothing to do with the recent events. He must really think that the American people are really stupid.
Gilson is mainly going after Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty (MN) and says that the Governor is taking cheap shots on his daily radio show. For those of you who do not live in Minnesota, you need to understand that there is been a love-hate relationship between the Governor and the Press in the last two administrations (Ventura and Pawlenty). Ventura was much more vocal about his disdain for the media. I do not agree with Ventura nor his politics, but I liked it when he basically told the media what to do and where to go. He was not going to stand for their tactics and garbage.
Gilson makes statements like, "But to subject the news media to general ridicule as the governor sometimes does, with the jocular and enthusiastic support of his broadcast sidekick, tears at the fabric of community. They regularly snicker at the news media, especially the Star Tribune, saying, in essence, "What do you expect from people who push a liberal agenda?"
Again, for those who do not live in Minnesota, the Star-Tribune is sometimes referred to as the "Star and Sickle" because of its definite liberal leanings, including their endorsement of John Kerry in the last Presidential election. He needs to grow up and realize that whining as he does will not do him any good because he fails to see that the media is far from objective and impartial in their reporting. If he does not believe what I am saying, tell him to get a copy of Bernard Goldberg's book called "Bias" and then he will see the agenda within the news media.
Gilson also states that, "It does not matter who occupies the top job in government -- Tim Pawlenty, Jesse Ventura, George W. Bush or Lyndon Johnson, all of whom have bashed the media. Any leader of the executive branch who smears the media may as well smear the legislative or the judicial branch. That damages a society."
Again, he is giving the media more credit than is due. Doesn't he think that false reporting or biased reporting will destroy a society also?
I do not see all of the media as evil. In fact, I have great respect for people who do deliver the news fairly, honestly, and most of all objectively. People like Brian Williams who recently took Tom Brokaw's place. On the local side, people like: Tim McNiff and Kim Insley who anchor the KARE-11 morning show, Frank Vascellero, Diana Pierce, and Julie Nelson who anchor the evening newscasts also on KARE-11. It is good to watch the news at various times, as I do and I can watch a story and have no idea what the anchor or reporters viewpoint is... that is the way it should be! Thank you KARE-11 for being a voice of objectivity within the media.
It is about time someone stood up to the media when they overstep their bounds and push their political agenda instead of reporting the news accurately, fairly and most of all objectively.
Then again, what can be expected of someone who is the Executive Director of the Minnesota News Council!
posted by Terry Lange at 1:30 PM
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