Close Bob very close but you missed the major reason most sensible people today are becoming more and more dismissive of journalists and the media.

It is because journalists present as fact their own biased, underresearched, uncritical and often quite inappropriate opinions.


Regards Keith

I think one reason (amongst many) for the sad tale of journalistic objectivity these days, is simply because there is more money to be made elsewhere. Like teaching, journalism no longer attracts those geared to be altruistic in their work efforts. With the number of kids with Communications degrees attempting to get into the industry, and the heirarchies now involved in this large industry, the jobs probably don't go to the most individualistic people, but to those who tow the line (or in the case of TV the most pleasant and shallow).

Few points:

Ho Hum: this is precisely the kind of cynical attitude that means that even when good journalism does occur, nobody listens. Blame the moguls if you will, but also acknowledge that at the other end of that ladder, there are those journalists working toward informing the public - and I happen to believe it is most of them, even if the profession is skewed toward younger recruits with less historical or political awareness.

Sage: everything you speak of is due to the lowest common denominator and the fact that people do indeed read that trivial information. If more people would refuse to read about Britney or Paris point blank, we'd be much better off.

keith: that's the nature of opinion. You'll find the public often has opinions that are "biased, underresearched, uncritical and inappropriate" as do many of the 'experts'

jimhaz is pretty right, though as an emphasis I'd add that there's much more money to be made on the PR side of the fence creating spin, which is bound to create an imbalance.

Sorry Bob but your language needs brushing up.

The words "reporter" and "journalist" were deleted from the dictionary some time ago as separate entries.

Under each word now you simply find a reference that says "See sychophant".

Sorry to comment twice Bob but I forgot to point out to you that using the word "spin" tells us you were converted too. That word is actually "Lies".

Turn Right. Yes there is some good journalism, even (occasionally) in the Murdoch media. Nicholas Rothwell is my favourite Australian journalist.

But the good bits just get overwhelmed by the blatant spin, lies and awfulness of the rest of it.

Also remember that all "news" is a fabricated "communication" and has all sorts of uninspected biases attached to it. To one degree or another it is all propaganda.
Why are certain items featured and others ommitted.
For instance earlier this year there was a world forum for NGO's and grass roots political movements---a genuine peoples alternative. It didnt even rate a mention in the mainstream "news". Why not?

Each year there is an alternative to the Nobel Prize or the Right Livelihood Award. We never hear of it it the mainstream "news". Why not?

World-wide there are dozens of Peace groups including the marvellous TRANSCEND 1. http://www.transcend.org We never hear of them in the mainstream "news". Why not?

The Media Lens site does a good job in pointing out the biases.