Former ad man turned pundit Donny Deutsch has proclaimed that "positivity" is the new in thing for the media—"the new black" as he puts it.
Deutsch appeared with Tom Brokaw on today's Morning Joe. The former NBC anchor was touting his new USA Network series, "American Character Along Highway 50," featuring encounters with "real Americans" he meets on the road.
That set Deutsch off on his paean to positivity.
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DONNY DEUTSCH: Tom, I just want to go back to something I'm so excited about, about what you're doing now. I think the American public is getting tired of negative and angry. And to show people of character: you know, people want to see those stories now --
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Optimism.
DEUTSCH: -- And I think you're going to see all across all media now that positivity is the new black, in a sense. What we do for a living is never going to go out of business, in effect, but I think that you're going to be hitting a nerve here and I think that's going to inform—I think reality television is going to change now, it will be a lot more inspirational. What you're doing is a form of reality television.
I have a sneaking suspicion Deutsch is right. It does seem that the media is getting a lot more positive nowadays. In fact, I can trace the phenomenon back to about, oh, I don't know, January 20th, 2009.
Update: Over at Free Republic, where this article has been cross-posted, reader GOPJ shares this excellent insight: "If Republicans take back the White House “new negativity” will be the new black."
Read more of Mark's stuff at FinkelBlog.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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"I think the American
June 1, 2009 - 09:35 ET by nolotrippen"I think the American public is getting tired of negative and angry."
Based on what? Is it based on the American public being negative and angry (N&A)? Or were Americans tired of being around N&A people (like the MSM)? Of is this the typical straw-man argument where you can paint your subject one negative way and then claim the subject is tired of being that way (or, better still, tired of Republicans and Christians)?
This is typical News Porn. Not real news. Not even a real opinion.
Positivity on all things
June 1, 2009 - 11:05 ET by kgPositivity on all things Democrat.
Positivity on all things liberal.
Positivity on all things progressive.
Negativity on all things Republican.
Negativity on all things conservative.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
Look How Positive I Am
June 1, 2009 - 10:06 ET by GothampcChrysler dealerships are closing and laying off thousands of people. Woot! Woot!
The North Koreans are firing missiles. Huzzah! Huzzah!
National Healthcare is being pushed down everyone's throats. Whoopee!
The Obamas are having expensive date nights at taxpayer expense. Yahoo!!
The above posting has been deemed "sarcastic" by Tone-A-Tron Incorporated.
Journalistic Malpractice
June 1, 2009 - 10:29 ET by mattmTypical headlines:
Under Bush: "Economic growth slower than expected."
Under Teleprompter Boy: "Economy shinks less than predicted."
There is no journalism in the MSM. There hasn't been since the 70's or earlier.
Wow! What an amazing turn
June 1, 2009 - 10:47 ET by R D HelmWow! What an amazing turn around!
/sarc
Funny, Obama is tearing down our free market system and replacing it with an oppressive, freedom-killing, Marxist-style, government-controlled God-knows-what. He is also working to stifle dissent and to knock America out of its world leadership position, and the MSM decides it needs to be more "positve" about things.
How nice.
-Dave
Typical
June 1, 2009 - 10:44 ET by UtherpendOf course they can be positive, now that the person they hated and dispised is out of office and their savior is in the seat.
"For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security."
This is one method the
June 1, 2009 - 11:07 ET by Chris NormanThis is one method the media employs to trivialize anything that may be controversial (that they don't want to be seriously discussed) - they speak about it in pop culture terms. "Positivity" - "the new black" - grrrrrr. I can see them saying, "Cap and Trade - it's this year's Pradas!"
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
…the new black… did he
June 1, 2009 - 11:32 ET by maggieqpublic…the new black… did he really say that?
If Deutsch made his fortune as a marketing ‘genius’, America is in bigger trouble than I thought. (He will be a perfect choice to head up the new Advertising Department at Congressional Motors.)
another dated, however, this time - funny - comparison
June 1, 2009 - 11:47 ET by Chris NormanI loved a line on Seinfeld where they referred to (then) uber fashionable Seattle as "the pesto of cities".
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Now there’s a Seinfeldism
June 1, 2009 - 12:34 ET by maggieqpublicNow there’s a Seinfeldism I’ve never heard!
(We could use some of that humor directed at the new administration.)
Obama: the Obama of
June 1, 2009 - 14:52 ET by Chris NormanObama: the Obama of presidents? :)
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Chavez would be proud. We
June 1, 2009 - 12:37 ET by bigtimerChavez would be proud.
We don't have to worry about a State run TV...heck our networks are doing so voluntarily with glee.
...and these are the very people who support a Fairness Doctrine, in whatever title they use to shut up the right.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
bt,
June 1, 2009 - 12:45 ET by R D HelmIts not the MSM anymore. Its the SCM (State Controlled Media).
-Dave
Dave... Yep, the
June 1, 2009 - 13:04 ET by bigtimerDave...
Yep, the difference is they are doing it voluntarily...of course we now have Government Motors for GM.
Sad all around what is happening and will continue to do so at break-neck speed.
God help this nation, we are really gonna' need it with the destruction that is coming on down the road.
I am so worried about total control of the polling booths now...heck, we'll just have the New Black Panthers at all places, and ACORN, the WH running the census...on and on it goes...this next election is spooky, what real votes are going to be counted...legally?
What I see for the future isn't looking good anytime soon...unless we get real conservatives to fight this back...and SOON!
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
BTimer
June 1, 2009 - 15:57 ET by NorthCoasterDon't forget all of the "Issue Czars" working directly for Obama, who are not subject to oversite or recall by the people.
NC... Yep...even good old
June 1, 2009 - 16:05 ET by bigtimerNC...
Yep...even good old Byrd is very angry about the use of Czars.
Where is the msm on that?
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
The Czar Thing
June 1, 2009 - 20:14 ET by slickwillie2001I expect the next Republican President will like this czar thing. I can see Mitt Romney as the car czar, Judge Bork as the legal czar, John Bolton as the mideast czar, Henry Kissinger as the Norkie czar, etc. Being able to do an end-run around Senate confirmation is just so convenient.
The Bamster is greatly increasing the power of the President's office, and it will be difficult for any future President to turn that back.
What goes around, comes around.