Chris A Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 FWIW, I gave up trying to find neutral sources on the web. It seems that the positive feedback loops of news nowadays feeds a huge information cascade system that spans almost all news sources and aggregators. James Surowiecki's The Wisdom of Crowds does the best job of explaining this phenomenon that I've seen. Watching Memeorandum Colors for the first 5 years of its existence has taught me to be extremely careful of believing any news that I read. It seems to be in an increasing spiral. Apparently, many people just believe what they want to believe and find news feeds that support their particular biases. This situation isn't like what it was even 10 years ago. This is especially noticeable when talking about science-based news. Rhetoric has apparently replaced dialogue on almost all subjects. The world's reliance on the smart phone since 2008 has turned the job of getting a neutral balance of views from news services on its end and channeled the tendency of a whole generation to believe what's on their smart phones rather than using critical thinking. It's actually amazing to me that someone at Wired or The New Yorker hasn't written a best seller on what is occurring now. Perhaps someone is already writing that book... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzydog Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 11 hours ago, BigStewMan said: Plus it’s revealing of the bias when you see which networks either add to a story or fail to mention parts of it. IMO, the bias between networks is most apparent by which stories they even choose to cover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 1 hour ago, Ski Bum said: Fox has the retired silver hair demographic locked up. They watch a lot of TV. Right wing Response: Nobody is speaking up for the Silver Hair segment of our country. Neutral Factual Answer:The demographic on the stats quoted was ages 25-54. Left Wing Response: You're a racist and an ageist Quote By your logic, BOSE makes the best speakers, budweiser is the best beer, Big Macs are the greatest burgers, Walmart exemplifies the best of commerce, etc. Now that's just hurtful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 I had better keep my comments short in this thread but will say anyone championing a certain network over all others is brainwashed into thinking they are getting fair and balanced News. I too look at a lot of News sources and pay particular attention to the people who are responsible for running this country or are important players in the events covered...Imo, people don't know how to differentiate fact from fiction and are lead by one of the talking heads or another. I also understand most people don't have the time to watch entire hearings or press conferences and unfortunately get their "news" that's been picked over by a person who may already have a bias. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 16 minutes ago, FuzzyDog said: IMO, the bias between networks is most apparent by which stories they even choose to cover. Fwiw, I think ratings drives too many of those stories and unfortunately Americans seem to gravitate to the most sensational, regardless if it's fact-based or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 10 minutes ago, Zen Traveler said: I had better keep my comments short in this thread but will say anyone championing a certain network over all others is brainwashed into thinking they are getting fair and balanced News. I take it you didn't read Wofbane's Post #1 18 hours ago, Wolfbane said: Been home a lot of the day lately which is new to me and trying to find some daytime US based cable news to listen to that doesn't provide Mc News or really suck. Question asked and answered. Fox News is the best and most watched cable news out there. It's not even close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Most watched? Sounds like entertainment. Best? Not even close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Just now, wvu80 said: I take it you didn't read Wofbane's Post #1 I did and there is a reason you feel: 1 minute ago, wvu80 said: Question asked and answered. Fox News is the best and most watched cable news out there. It's not even close. I could share my own anecdotes having to deal with folks who relied on FoxNews ever since it's inception, throughout the Iraq War and up until today but feel Wolfbane's thread would be closer to being shut down and don't wish that to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Just now, mungkiman said: Most watched? Sounds like entertainment. Best? Not even close. I stand by my comment that anyone who is a cheerleader for any of these News organizations have been conditioned into the adage from a movie that was referenced in another thread, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." Of course my guess the guy who started that one also felt the same way those championing any of the News sources do on this thread as well. After all, it's not like we have folks that have been on Entertainment TV making a splash in the news lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 2 hours ago, Ski Bum said: By your logic, BOSE makes the best speakers, budweiser is the best beer, Big Macs are the greatest burgers, Walmart exemplifies the best of commerce, etc. Fox has the retired silver hair demographic locked up. They watch a lot of TV. They also have the most life experience and wisdom. They also have a terrific Bullshite filter in place at all times and have little tolerance for it, which is why they watch Fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Traveler Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 18 hours ago, Wolfbane said: Been home a lot of the day lately which is new to me and trying to find some daytime US based cable news to listen to that doesn't provide Mc News or really suck. I do tend to listen to either the radio and TV news while doing something productive. BBC America is already on the list. Of course you have access to the web and I highly recommend going through PBS's Frontline archives if you haven't done that already. Insofar as interviews and discussions with key players involved in our country's largest issues I have found none better and so readily available. Heck, I saw one recently that I thought was new entitled "The Man who knew," about 9/11 and found it was originally broadcast a year after that tragic event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ski Bum Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Wow. I find it amazing how defensive some folks become...about a corporate info-tainment network, of all things. In terms you folks may understand, bless your hearts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 CNN has come a long way from the days of Bernie Shaw, Peter Arnett and John Holliman. All down hill. During the recent POTUS campaign they decided they'd be the Clinton News Network, now they've decided they're the Trump News Network. In both cases, they've spend endless hours every day reporting non-news as news using a cast of clowns from the Theater of the Inane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfbane Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 30 minutes ago, Zen Traveler said: Of course you have access to the web and I highly recommend going through PBS's Frontline archives if you haven't done that already. Insofar as interviews and discussions with key players involved in our country's largest issues I have found none better and so readily available. Heck, I saw one recently that I thought was new entitled "The Man who knew," about 9/11 and found it was originally broadcast a year after that tragic event. I agree Frontline is an excellent show with a focus on current affairs and actual news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted December 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 15, 2016 5 hours ago, wvu80 said: I take it you didn't read Wofbane's Post #1 Question asked and answered. Fox News is the best and most watched cable news out there. It's not even close. So what, CABLE news is a drop in the bucket. Total viewers on Fox, CNN MSNBC for news shows, not O'Riley (seen his demos?), Madow, but news, is between 1 and 2 million total per day. Evening news, one time slot, 3 networks, CBS, NBC, ABC, over 22 million viewers. Every night, day in, day out. Fox doesn't even compete in this slot. When you hear the term "mainstream media", this is what groups who study media and the news are referring to. Cable news isn't even a player in the news market. There are 3 markets that have LOCAL news markets with more viewers than all of Fox, MSNBC and CNN combined. All of this is studied, very precisely, very methodically and constantly. If anyone is really interested in this stuff just go to Pew Research and it is all there. Bias, trends, everything you could possibly want to know about your journalism and media. As far as a neutral, fact driven cable network, there is only one. I have mentioned it many, many times on here before. C-Span But it's no fun. You have to understand the process, then watch it in real time, and then think for yourself and come to your own conclusions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted December 15, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 15, 2016 5 hours ago, Wolfbane said: CNN has come a long way from the days of Bernie Shaw, Peter Arnett and John Holliman. All down hill. During the recent POTUS campaign they decided they'd be the Clinton News Network, now they've decided they're the Trump News Network. In both cases, they've spend endless hours every day reporting non-news as news using a cast of clowns from the Theater of the Inane. You are one step away from getting your own thread locked. Last warning. I won't just lock it, I will hide it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 3 hours ago, dwilawyer said: As far as a neutral, fact driven cable network, there is only one. I have mentioned it many, many times on here before. C-Span But it's no fun. You have to understand the process, then watch it in real time, and then think for yourself and come to your own conclusions. Since when did "no fun" become a valid reason not to do something? News shouldn't be mixed up with entertainment.... Btw, I agree about C-Span....that was a breath of fresh air when I discovered it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Travis In Austin Posted December 16, 2016 Moderators Share Posted December 16, 2016 10 minutes ago, DrWho said: Since when did "no fun" become a valid reason not to do something? News shouldn't be mixed up with entertainment.... Btw, I agree about C-Span....that was a breath of fresh air when I discovered it. Actually it is fun, it is fascinating to me and I can watch it all day long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 I watched many hours of C-Span during the Iran-Contra hearings. Not so much since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted December 16, 2016 Share Posted December 16, 2016 3 minutes ago, dwilawyer said: Actually it is fun, it is fascinating to me and I can watch it all day long. Some can watch a fish tank all day, or even FOX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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