The future of a media dominated by left-leaning professionals seems assured. At least, it is if my experience addressing an Ithaca College course today is any indication. Professor Wenmouth Williams, Jr. kindly invited me in to address two sections of his course on media and politics at Ithaca College's Park School of Communications.
Prof. Williams—who identified himself as a registered Dem—couldn't have been nicer or more gracious, and gave me absolute free rein. After I spent a few minutes at the beginning of each section discussing NewsBusters and related subjects and offering my general take on the MSM and the elections, the students and I spent the rest of the hour exchanging ideas and generally talking politics.
The good news: the students were bright, well-informed and articulate. For that matter, with one or two exceptions, they didn't seem particularly doctrinaire or hard-line in their politics.
The bad news: of all the students who expressed a presidential preference—and many did—every single one supported Obama. Not one student identified himself as a McCain supporter or Republican.
Prof. Williams tells me that, based on their written assignments, there are some Republicans among the students. But they are rare, and he acknowledged that they are reluctant to express themselves openly, for fear of recriminations from their classmates.
Remember, these are media professionals in training. Ithaca College has a solid reputation, and an excellent record in placing people in the field. Robert Iger, Disney CEO, is one prominent IC alum. The students I met with today are the folks who in years to come will be producing and directing MSM shows and working at newspapers across the country.
And so the MSM goes . . .
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Some might grow out of it.
December 4, 2008 - 15:31 ET by ApacheSome might grow out of it. As Churchill said "If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you're not a conservative at forty you have no brain"
agreed
December 4, 2008 - 15:38 ET by katainkentsome might... my sibs haven't (one Bachelor of Communications. and 2 Bachelor of Arts (commercial art)). That's zero for three.. but still. Be strong grasshopper ;)
I didn't grace the campus of a 4 yr college and was never a party to ... well the parties - and the libspeak. I was too busy juggling 2 (sometimes 3) jobs to pay for my community college and RENT.
"If you think you're finished shopping for Christmas, why not start on next year"
Wow Mark, this is so
December 4, 2008 - 15:36 ET by bigtimerWow Mark, this is so interesting hearing this from you first-hand.
My only regret is the students who are afraid to speak out, be themselves, not being with the in-crowd of their peers and worrying about being liked ect., sure hope I am putting my thoughts right here...
We need more who speak their minds, unashamedly, they may be surprised to find in most situations, there will be others who will join in, it usually just takes one person to speak out, others will follow if they feel the same...if not, so be it, be true to thine self, and be proud of doing so.
Unfortunately, it sounds like this isn't going to happen anytime soon, in the classroom...or the msm.
Thanks so much for what you do, from this instance today to your awesome trip to Iraq and your reporting back to us... you never know, you may ave influenced some, I bet you did, by the way, did any say they would be checking out NBs?
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Thanks, BT: I sincerely
December 4, 2008 - 15:42 ET by Mark FinkelsteinThanks, BT: I sincerely appreciate your kind comments. We did discuss NB a lot, and I'm hopeful some students will check it out. For that matter, a month or so ago another IC media prof, Jeff Cohen, had me in to address his class. Jeff is the founder of FAIR, a kind of liberal NB. He is definitely a man of the left, but like Prof. Wenmouth treated me very fairly. One of his students, a liberal, later appeared on my Right Angle TV show, and is actually becoming a consultant and crew member on the show. So who knows, maybe some of the politics will eventually rub off!
Mark
December 4, 2008 - 15:53 ET by littlemissmuffinI'm glad you were treated fairly. That's almost amazing in these days and times. So many college students (my daughter included) have bought into the liberal tripe and cannot be convinced otherwise. We need a strong conservative voice to let them know there IS a better way.
During the election, I happened on NB's site. Someone posted it on a blog, and I checked it out. Now I must have my 'maximum daily requirement' of NB. (smile) We posters here certainly appreciate everyone's effort to bring us the REAL news.
Thanks again for all you do!
"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"
Hey Mark, thanks for that
December 4, 2008 - 17:53 ET by bigtimerHey Mark, thanks for that link, I keep forgetting to look into your Right Angle, I just did...bookmarked it too, plus read the page it went to, wow, you have already won awards!
I am not surprised either...conragulations to you...you have so much to be proud of, with more to come on down the road I am quite sure.
Btw...I just entered my email to receive the weekly update/reminder and it wouldn't take at this time, (it goes to internet explorer unable to connect at this time, I tried twice) I will go back later and retry, I would like to catch some of your work when I can.
I know one thing, since I have bought my PC I never have enough time to go everywhere I would like...quite a few buddies have their own blogs now too, never enough time.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Agree
December 4, 2008 - 16:02 ET by doug1950At the average age of college students, most are still intimadated by peer pressure or acceptance. Like our esteemed current crop of GOP politicians, they often "go along to get along" and there are many cases where college professors will grade the student accordingly so they are reluctant to voice their true opinions too loudly for fear of getting less of a grade. One exception to this I have seen are veterans who have left the military to go back to college. They normally do not get too involved in or care for the normal college antics such as fraternaties, etc. and whose opinions are based on personal life's experiences rather than what the student sitting next to them thinks. In other words, they have learned and been trained to think for themselves and could give a flip what anyone thinks.
After having gone to a
December 5, 2008 - 00:26 ET by MrSnugglesAfter having gone to a university for two years myself, and my wifes four years, I have come to learn that most of these liberals live in a bubble and most of them have never actually heard a true conservative viewpoint. All they have is a characiture of what a "conservative" is which is 99% based on what their teachers tell them.
What do you think... is it
December 4, 2008 - 16:10 ET by SickofLibsWhat do you think... is it an extra 'media' gene or something?
Actually, I'm not surprised - they get indoctrinated in elementary school, then middle school, then HS... by the time they're in college, it's a done deal.
My hope for America is
December 4, 2008 - 22:07 ET by Cape Conservativethat when the troops come home from overseas they will assume leadership positions in their communities. Just as the GI Bill helped WWII vets get an education and they brought America to the top...hopefully these young people will do the same. At least they haven't been brainwashed by liberal professors. A college education is rapidly becoming a negative in one's development as a self-reliant, personally accountable individual!
A PROUD member of the Oogedy Boogedy branch of the GOP!
Amen!!! The Left Still
December 4, 2008 - 22:15 ET by Clear thinkerAmen!!!
The Left Still Hating Gov. Sarah Palin
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
While you were gracious toward your hosts,
December 4, 2008 - 18:42 ET by agingcynicit's common knowledge that some folks say "I went to a little school in Ithaca, NY", presuming that people will erroneously think they attended Cornell. Similarly, guys from Quinnipiac have been seen passing for Yalies in bars.
IC is of course not as
December 4, 2008 - 18:51 ET by Mark FinkelsteinIC is of course not as prestigious as the other college in town, but it really does offer a lot of fantastic programs and prepares people well for successful careers. And I say that as . . . a Cornell alum.
There's hope!
December 4, 2008 - 19:44 ET by IndigoChillWell, I know there are Republican journalists of the up-n-coming variety. Some of my peers are Republicans (I'm a journalist of the up-n-coming variety, but also of the Libertarian variety). However, I just couldn't support McCain because his policies just leaned too liberal (So of course I didn't support Obama either, but that was a given).
Try dropping by little ol' University of Missouri-Columbia sometime. I'd be happy to have ya. =D
Sorta like the Hitler Youth....with lattes.
December 4, 2008 - 19:51 ET by blueknight99I'm surprised Mark made it out of the IC parking lot without his car covered in Obama stickers and dents from birkenstocks.
"If you find yourself going through hell, keep going."
Sir Winston Churchill
Doug1950 and Cape
December 5, 2008 - 00:54 ET by maggieqpublicDoug1950 and Cape Conservative (comments above) share my hope for America’s future.
When our courageous, intelligent, free-thinking, patriotic warriors come home, I have great hope they will influence our colleges, our communities, our political system… our mainstream media.
Flood the college classrooms with men and women who have experienced life first-hand. This will diminish the thin resumes of the campus intelligentsia.
We badly need strong, honest leadership.
Re: My Day On Campus
December 5, 2008 - 01:31 ET by GeorgeWilhelmOn election night, Ithaca College Campus looked just like the Ithaca Commons.. like 10,000 people all just won the Lotto.
I have hope, as I have found almost 2 dozen students (of the 6000 or so) that actually ADMIT to being GOP, Conservative or Libertarian. As one of the few "Outed" conservative Union ACTORS, I work with a lot the students at IC's Park Communication School. I see these students turn out short films for their classes, and 90% of these projects I can even take my KIDS to see.
So, if we're LUCKY, we'll see some of these Students quietly working to change the "Hollywierd" system.
mark -- did you ask the
December 5, 2008 - 12:31 ET by Jack Bauermark -- did you ask the faculty and the students a couple of questions?
1. Do they think it's healthy for the body politic that everyone supported one party? Isn't that the road to tyranny?
2. What steps does the college take to ensure diversity of opinion. Because they clearly are not working.
JB: We did get into those
December 5, 2008 - 19:48 ET by Mark FinkelsteinJB:
We did get into those issues. I made the point that, having done a survey of the registrations of IC professors a few years ago, there were NO Republicans in the politics department! There was at least lip service paid by both students and the professor that intellectual diversity was important.
As to what steps the college is taking to promote such diversity, no one suggested anything and I'd be shocked if any such efforts are underway.
shocked -- just like Claude
December 6, 2008 - 13:40 ET by Jack Bauershocked -- just like Claude Raines was shcoked that there was gambling going on at Rick's Place in Casablanca!
I hear you, Jack, but when
December 6, 2008 - 18:45 ET by Mark FinkelsteinI hear you, Jack, but when you're in the classroom for over two hours, and student after student supports Obama, and not a single one says a word for McCain, it's still pretty stunning.
By the way, what an amazing kickoff to the new season of '24.'
At least you're fighting
December 7, 2008 - 05:13 ET by Jack BauerAt least you're fighting the good fight mate. As Mark Levin says, conservatives have to get in there and do the grunt work, no matter how hopeless it seems.
As Obama oversees the slide into mediocrity, it might make it easier to get the conservative message out to those who still pay taxes, and don't want America to be EU2, a welfare state crack whore.
On 24, it's starting up here in the new year, so we'll be a few weeks behind this time, instead of a few days. UK never prems new seasons in December.
Have to say, I thought the 2 hour special was a bit of a yawner.
I don't know much about IC
December 6, 2008 - 19:33 ET by katainkentdo you think this is now typical for all college campuses? Are there oases where I can send my soon to be college age kids where they wont get the full meal re-education deal?
"If you think you're finished shopping for Christmas, why not start on next year"