Text 1425, 126 rader
Skriven 2006-06-03 16:21:00 av Robert E Starr JR (1871.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Atheists: America's m
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"Paul Harper" <paul@harper.net> wrote in message 
news:5vp182pdensg3h98dsehk1qaaobp5npnja@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 1 Jun 2006 22:31:42 +0000 (UTC), "Carl" <cengman7@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Repeating or rephrasing what the people already believe is hardly
>>educating or informing the public.
>
> How does the public *know* what it (as a massive body of people)
> thinks? What that takes is an entity like the BBC saying something.
>
> Then us, in the Great Unwashed, either accept it as a given truth
> (because we agree) or write in and complain because it's a load of
> bollocks (and trust me, when it comes to the BBC, we do, and in
> significant numbers, when they get it wrong).

I don't get the opportnity to watch much BBC.  I was reacting solely
to your comments.  I've heard suggestions of bias but I make no
assertions either way.

I think there's a danger if the media follows public opinion, and I think
there's a danger oif the media tries to form public opinion.

I also think there's usually the desire to do that latter if you're 
successful
and the former if you're not.

>
>>O'Reilly, and Fox as a whole seems to represent a certain perspective that
>>is clearly different from what had been the "traditional" news outlets. 
>>The
>>fact that Fox is very popular as a single source of one view and ratings 
>>for
>>the other side seem to be distributed among the other options would seem 
>>to
>>suport this.
>
> Doesn't make them "news", though. And that's the disturbing thing (at
> least from the perspective of this side of the Atlantic) - they're
> pretending to be news when they are nothing more than opinion.


O'Reilly has gone out of his way many times to say that he is not a news 
show.
I've seen stories at least as biased as Fox (the other way) on the networks
and on CNN.

>
>>From what I can tell, O'Reilly constantly has guests with opposing views.
>>Although he has a habit of not letting a guest speak uninterrupted,
>>eventually his guest is allowed to speak his or her mind.  As to Hannity 
>>and
>>Colmes, the whole show is based on challenging each other's views. 
>>Also,
>>he never represents his broadcast as anything other than his opinion.
>
> "Shut up".
>
> Say no more.

And yet he seems to invite more people with opposing views than supporting 
ones.
I'm sure part of that is ego...he thinks he's smarter than most...but 
there's more actual
disagreement on that show than most.

>
>>Whether I agree or disagree with whatever O'Reilly or anyone else on Fox 
>>may
>>say, I appreciate hearing an opposing view.
>
> I appreciate the entertainment. But it's not news. It's a *long* way
> from news.

Absolutely.  Then again, "Real" news is not defined as opposing (or 
supporting) the govt.
These days, any time a story suggests that something isn't a conspiracy or 
incompetent
is considered biased.

> It staggers me that there are people who are willing to criticise the
> BBC's approach to news but say not a word against the likes of Fox.
> Just how biased and stupid *are* these people?!

As I said, I was reacting to your words, not the BBC directly.
Also, I consider ALL news sources biased in some form or another.  That's 
why
I watch a lot of different broadcasts and listen to a various radio stations
(on both sides of the spectrum).

>
>>> No. Give me a politically independent and free-thinking BBC any day.
>>
>>Free thinking?  From your description of the BBC, it takes a poll and
>>schedules accordingly.
>
> This is bad how, exactly? Why should the BBC *not* mirror the views of
> its customers?

It's not "Free thinking" if it's subject to conformity to common opinion.

News shouldn't be dictated by or tailored for an audience.
It certainly is here and I object to that.  Most of the media here denies 
it.

> The BBC has an enormous loyalty amongst the British public. That
> loyalty is there for a very good reason.

Again...I'm speaking to your words, so please take it that way...

Fox has a loyal fan base.  So does ABC and NBC, and CNN.
(Few people remember that MSNBC exists).  People that hear
what they want to hear will always be predisposed to liking the
messenger.

I'm done.  No insult to the BBC intended.
                                                        
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