Media's Road to Recovery: 'The First Step Is Admitting The Problem'

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As NewsBusters previously reported, the Washington Post's ombudsman admitted Sunday that her paper's coverage of this year's presidential campaign was clearly biased towards Barack Obama.

Although that shouldn't surprise any sane person in this country, such a mea culpa is just good marketing unless the entity confessing the inappropriate behavior plans on doing something to correct it.

Jennifer Rubin of Commentary magazine agreed Sunday, and suggested that the road to recovery is first admitting the problem (picture courtesy Grinning Planet):

The MSM is confessing. Yes, they were biased. Sure, they favored one side. But they don’t quite come out and say why. Worse, they show no inclination to do anything about it. [...]

But the media resists this interpretation, straining to come up with other rationales. They love a “good story,” or they are attracted to the “newest star.” But these justifications falter with minimal scrutiny. (Sarah Palin is the newest politician, and certainly the rise from college basketball player to VP nominee is “good copy.”) They really can’t admit they are in the tank for ideological reasons. If so, their entire self-image as objective guardians of “truth” would collapse. And, moreover, they might have to hire different people–ones who thought differently and could balance their coverage. [...]

Some think it would be nice if new media entirely replaced the old. I don’t. I think there is a need for non-ideological, fact-finding news organizations. While some are rooting for the extinction of old media,  I would settle for some soul-searching and reform. It is not that hard. But, as with any dysfunctional behavior, the first step is admitting the problem.

Nicely said, Jennifer. I quite agree.

Read the whole thing.

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.


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It may well be already to

It may well be already to late given the inertia: http://newsosaur.blogspot.com/2008/11/campaign-08-msms-last-hurrah.html

However, IF they were serious about pulling it out of the fire then there is only one way in which to convince the public and they are loathe to do it: Tell the truth about Barack Obama and the Dem Party.  Report ALL the facts,  not suppress the inconvenient ones. 

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.

Since at least the mid-70's

Since at least the mid-70's (with the exception of Reagan the political GENIUS for all time) our nation has voted based largely upon misleading and manipulative propaganda in favor of the radical left - and it's not just the MSM - consider the staggering power of the "entertainment" media, public school system and universities - which also overwhelmingly favor the radical left...

THIS IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE ENTIRE PLANET - NOT JUST THE USA...

THE AMERICAN LEFT HAS BEEN UNQUESTIONABLY PROVEN IDEOLOGICALLY IDENTICAL TO OBL AND SADDAM HUSSEIN - SO DO WE CONTINUE TO ISSUE THESE LAME U.N.-STYLE"ALTERNATIVE MEDIA SANCTIONS" AND "WAG OUR FINGERS" WITH (SHUDDER) "STERN DISAPPROVING OPINIONS?!?!?"

ENOUGH WITH THESE "FEARSOME AND SCATHING" OPINION COLUMNS AND ALL OF THIS COMPLETE AND UTTER BULLSHIT ABOUT HOPING THAT THESE FUCKING ASSHOLES WILL EVER ASSUME ANY AMERICAN MORALS OR SCRUPLES...

WHO CAN NOW DOUBT THAT POLICE OR MILITARY FORCE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION HERE?!?!?

PATRIOTIC CITIZENS AND MILITARY/GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP MUST DO SOMETHING THIS VERY MINUTE - NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL THIS MONDAY MORNING - MILLIONS MUST MARCH UPON WASHINGTON WITH ME NOW - OTHERWISE I'M WRITING YOU ALL OFF. YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELVES TO BLAME FOR THE NEW "USSRA" YOU HAVE ACCEPTED...

P.S. VIKES KICKED GREEN BAY ASS TODAY - TOTALLY RAD:)!

"liberals"

Some seem to hold out hope for a change in the "liberal" mentality. I used to also. It takes a long time for anyone to truly understand the "liberal". Rush Limbaugh, IMHO, is the only major commentator who gets it. These are dishonest ideologues who can no more be trusted then the two weasels who waited to talk to FDR as the Japanese were bombing Pearl Harbor. McCain obviously didn't get it. He called Barry "an honorable family man". Until the enemy within is understood and faced down by more people, the "free press" will try to get away with whatever they can, whenever they can. Unfortunately, this puts the country in jeopardy. For now at least, "journalism" is dead in America. Sad.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

iveseen - dishonesty does seem to be a requirement

I think it's the type of dishonesty where they actually lie to themselves and believe all their own lies.  The socialist ideology also has an ends justifies the means mentality.  

 

I agree, If you listen to

I agree, If you listen to the newscasts, read the headlines and read the opinion pieces. They do actually believe themselves and their reports as factual and unbiased. Then from the opinion pieces you read about the media "Love Affair" with Palin and the bias towards the McCain campaign I seriously questioned my perspective and sanity a few times. Thankfully I have good group of like minded friends and associates and a good number of bookmarks like Newsbusters to affirm my judgment was/is still sound.

delete

delete

"the weasals were meeting with"

Cordell Hull [secretary of state]not FDR.

Larry

Larry, I stand corrected. As a former Long Islander, I know how intelligent you guys are. Thanks.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

Admit the bias

That's like a drunk admitting he's an alcholic on the way to the bar. Nothing will change, they just hope to con enough dummies to stop the bleeding. No more Lame Stream Media for me, local news and switch channels.

Old, Retired and glad of it.

good call Noel

especially when that was the jist my comment on your original story

   “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”   -Chief Justice John Roberts

b

b,

Heck, I knew I stole the idea from somebody! :-)  ns

  What's really puzzling is

  What's really puzzling is that these media types have no self-esteem.  Can they really look at themselves in the mirror in the morning when they know they are not journalists but mere political hacks?  I mean it's OK for them to think what they do and write what they do but they cannot call themselves journalists nor can the companies they work for call themselves sources of news.

Switched & GLAD!

Some think it would be nice if new media entirely replaced the old.

Count me among the MILLIONS who think it's necessary; and who have already made the switch.

 

 

y'all will have to excuse NBC's Brian Williams ($10million salary)if he is late to admit his bias: He didn't graduate...got an honorary doctor of J'lism after giving a commencement address to ohio state.

 

The msm

Journalist imposters who soon are going to be buying blue dresses and cigars.They are pathetic and are not respected by the majority.People know they are in the cess pool tank for the Chosen one.

Oh, Boo Hoo

They are only crying crocodile tears and playing at true confessions.  They want to try to get some idiots back to their news troughs before they go belly-up.  Without circulation or viewship no one will buy advertising time.  They took the hit until Obama was elected but now they have to work at getting their numbers back up.

This doesn't mean that they will tell the truth in the future.  I prefer to find my news elsewhere.  I haven't watched a network news program in over ten years and I haven't bought a newspaper for anything but coupons in about the same amount of time.  Saves me a lot of grief and money.

Ignorance and apathy

The ghost of Christmas Present told Scrooge to fear the two children: Ignorance and Want. He warned him especially about Ignorance. Today the warning shoud be about ignorance and apathy.Too many Americans, especially the young, are ignorant. And they simply don't care. Ignorance has become almost a badge of honor. As we've seen on other posts today concerning the economy, the press themselves are ignorant about what they are reporting. This, combined with their own dishonesty, has caused the death of the press in America. Barry H.Obama took maximum advantage of this in his campaign. Our corrupt government always has taken advantage of public ignorance and apathy. Today, however, there seems to no honesty left at all, and much ignorance, in the government and the MSM. Have you ever really listened to people like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, or Matthews and Olberman? Sheppard Smith, who makes millions, can't even pronounce words or read a script. Scheeze. "Intelligent", "informed" or "honest" aren't words I'd use to describe people like them.We are a Third-World culture which encourages and often rewards ignorance, apathy, and incompetence. Sad.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

It pays better to be a

It pays better to be a Journo. Than a political hack. And you get to see yourself on TV.

We will see how many journos Barry the Hawaiian hires.

Why the guilty confess

Even Charlie Manson hears Sharon Tate and confesses about her, so the liberals in the media have need to unburden their guilt.

Sean Hannity made an amusing remark of "Wait until it sinks in", to liberals.

I saw that on election night when Bob Schieffer was stern faced saying McCain could not win. It dawned on Schieffer that Obama would win.
That is part of the key in this in liberals have been insane ticked off since Reagan. They got Clinton and all was was a walking erection.

Then comes Bush 43 who gets a big war to gain his public support which "if only Clinton had one" could have been on Rushmore.
Bush 43 humiliated Al Gore, then in that Plamegate coup humiliated along with Forgegate, John Kerry, so liberals all saw this as a video game of 'gotcha'.

They have never once considered a leader mattered. All that mattered was sticking it to Conservative America.

Liberals think Obama can line his walk with white liberal people who have the answers and all will be well as long as liberals are in the land.

Things have changed as Bush 41 gave Clinton a big cushion in the world being scared of America. Bush 43 took the fight out, but liberals empowered the enemies. The enemies of America are now coming and Obama sold America out to them.

I stated that Obama received 300 million in counterfeit money from the Middle East. The European cartel destroyed the stock markets for Obama and are still deflating the markets for reason now which will evolve in 2009.
Obama owes these thugs and these thugs will collect in American flesh and blood with a peppering of nuclear fallout.

I'm going to lay an estimate here that if Obama does still slip into the White House, it is not billions or trillions he will end up costing the United States, it will be quadrillions. Eurasian world war and lost US cities from nuclear strikes........how much do you think that is going to cost to deal with?

Liberals have not conceived yet what they have done to themselves and Kiran Chetry being cute doesn't even put a cherry on top of a nuclear mushroom cloud to make it look better.

Your confessions do not matter. When you wake up from your Obamasm, you got a bill to pay and America is going to pay for it in our blood in wars and terror attacks after they take our finance away.

 

agtG

 

 

 

 

*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS

Not buying it.

The MSM will make window dressing "efforts" at factual reporting until the next election cycle heats up, then their love affairs will start anew. I'm still waiting for "the rest of the story" on this election.

What They've Done

In this election the "liberals" in the press decided that they couldn't win on ideas, so they took another road. Most of them really don't care about the truth or the country, but they do care about their jobs and reputations. Now, like  criminals trying to hide their crime, they are beginning to wonder if people really know the truth. Moreover, if Barry fails, as he will most likely do, they will catch the blame. Worse still, if the truth they should have told about Barry is revealed, their skulduggery will be exposed. Or if, God forbid, something tragic happens, they surely will be blamed. What they've done is get a complete incompetent, unprepared, dangerous manchild elected president. The ideologues acted like immature adolescents and now, yes, what they've done is finally sinking in. Let 'em worry. Good.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal" 

Self Preservation

Is this a ploy in order to appeal to conservative readers by a media that is losing readers, viewers, subscribers everyday.   And then in four years when and if the next election comes around they can pull this little trick again.  I think not.  I want some payback.  Just how i'm going to get it is what i'm working out now. 

Sociopaths, that's what they are

Profile of the Sociopathic Mainstream Media. Choose your poison amongst the following traits. Many of which, our famed MSM exhibits on a daily or hourly basis.

* Glibness and Superficial Charm

* Manipulative and Conning
They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

* Grandiose Sense of Self
Feels entitled to certain things as "their right."

* Pathological Lying
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.

* Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

* Shallow Emotions
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

* Incapacity for Love
* Need for Stimulation
Living on the edge. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.

* Callousness/Lack of Empathy
Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them.

* Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature
Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of love and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others.

* Irresponsibility/Unreliability
Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed.

* Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle
Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively.

* Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

oilcan

You've nailed it with your analysis of the MSM, Congress, the Clintons and the Obamas. Joe Biden is in there too.Way to go!

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

I think you could substitute

I think you could substitute Mainstream Media with Career Politicians.

Whatever you want to call them

Whatever you want to call them or however you want to describe them, they will get away with it unless we don't let people forget the facts regarding the partisan activities of the media especially the mistruths they spread and the facts they hid. Time will blur the details unless a careful record is kept.  

I have seen this sort of thing

it willnever work. they admit they did wrong but willdonothing to mae it right.

It is like trying to follow matthew 18 with a christian who has sinned against you. almost always they dont want to talk about it. and if they do they never want to make things right.

no use. We must start a new media networkfrom scratch one the world will fear.

MMM & 12 step

They can admit the problem (Step 1: Admitted we  were powerless over Obama and our lives were unmanageable) all they want, but when they get to...

Step two: "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity"... they may run into a snag.  God? Sanity?  Honesty? probably cause msm chronic fatigue and severe brain cramps.   

They'll be running away from the Mea Culpas faster than the road runner on crack..

Then it's back to soothing inhalations off the obamabong. 

Contrition over ..

 

It's America, not Omerica