Media FRENZY

Have you noticed that the media just wears a story out? The most recent example is the murder of Annie Lee. I posted about it last week. My kids are in college, so the situation hit home. Thanks to good police work, they’ve arrested the guy. Until trial or a sudden change, there’s nothing else to report. But the media keeps milking it.



TV news reporters are expected to have fresh take on the stories 24/7. If you tell the news director, “nothing is going on,” that’s failure. Only after you and more importantly your competitors’ reporters have done a few pointless stories will news directors move on. This is just one of the reasons I love my DVR. Sick of hearing about Michael Jackson? Skip on to the next story.



Local radio news does much less of this. Because the whole newscast is only 5 minutes or less, they are ruthless about editing drivel. The exceptions, of course, are the news/talk windbags, like Rush Limbaugh.



I work for a group of 4 radio stations. The AM carries Rush. He’s an idiot. It doesn’t matter to me that he’s a conservative. On some topics, so am I … others not so much. What makes me angry is 1) he doesn’t do good research, 2) he’s nasty and 3) he beats a topic to death. The man is loud and dull. (Unlike rock and roll, which is loud and fun.) Even the Republican Party keeps its distance from him. Rush Limbaugh does NOT report news. It’s 3-hours of opinions based on an extremely narrow view and very few hard facts.



I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of the press … even for people I disagree with ... even for idiots … even for Rush. If everyone isn’t free, no one is. But I am sick of listening to him be hateful.

FAULTY Logic

FAULTY Logic 1: Ronald Reagan, savior of the conservative movement in America, addressed young people in school. So did Bush senior. But when Barack Obama does, there's a public outcry. Agree with him or not. A speech telling young people to stay in school is NOT controversial. Supposedly there was to be a comment encouraging youth to help the president. It sounded like “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” But that was another famous Democrat.


If you disagree with the President, is it a problem if he addresses your children? First of all, the speech was for junior high and high school students. These are young people who are starting to think, not babies. Secondly, no, it's not a problem. It's an opportunity. Talk to about how good people can disagree. There is still freedom of speech in this country. It applies to the people you disagree with as well as your supporters. As an adult, your young people will know interesting individuals both to the right and left of center. Neither side has a corner on good judgment – despite what Rush Limbaugh says.


Is this nonsense about race? I really hope not. We have a black president now. Deal with it.



FAULTY Logic 2: I was watching a news story this morning about Afghanistan. The Afghan troops would not search the tree line for booby traps and explosives – too dangerous, so American troops did it. WAIT A MINUTE! Whose country is that anyway?


I do not think killing people is a good way to solve problems. Part of that is good sense and part is religion. However, after 9/11, I don’t have a good solution. That being said, why are we doing the risky jobs for them?


You have to earn freedom. In the first Gulf War, we stopped outside of Baghdad and let the locals to handle Saddam Hussein. They didn’t. If the Afghan troops won’t handle the tough stuff, no wonder they have a leader like Osama Bin Laden