-Caveat Lector- Formula for news slanting BBy Charley Rees The Orlando Sentinel September 10, 2000 http://orlandosentinel.com/automagic/columnists/2000-09-10/OPEDreese10s09100 0.html George W. Bush called a New York Times reporter a bad name and didn't apologize. I like that. One local fellow remarked that anyone who knows anything about the New York Times knows that Bush was using a euphemism. I don't know if he was recalling when the New York Times covered up Joseph Stalin's crimes in the 1930s or when it was selling Fidel Castro as the new George Washington of the Caribbean. When it comes to spotting evil on the left, the New York Times and the Central Intelligence Agency have similar records. At any rate, anyone offended by Bush's remarks, are those who are already committed to Prince Albert Gore, privileged child and tobacco farmer. Lest you worry about the sensitive feelings of American journalists, let me reassure you that there is no more arrogant or profane trade in the United States. People these days are used to the idea of slanted news and biased coverage. The press, by and large, however is blind to its own sins. It's not just the natural defensive arrogance of an institution accountable to no one, but when a liberal pronounces a conservative a fool, he thinks that he's just telling the truth. To a liberal, the idea, even the possibility, that he, the liberal, might be wrong is strictly beyond the pale. Of course even liberals are entitled to their opinions, but if they are journalists, they are not entitled to slant the news to bolster their opinions. That's where American journalism has gone wrong. The formula for slanting the news is quite simple. If you don't like the guy, you maximize his mistakes and minimize his successes; if you like him, you reverse the process. You can watch this process in the presidential campaign. Remember, in-depth national surveys have shown that America's journalistic elite are, with rare exceptions, liberal Democrats. Any slip of the tongue by George W. Bush will be big news while Al Gore's more serious sins will be ignored or minimized. Some years ago, for an article in a journalism trade magazine, an enterprising reporter interviewed editors who had been interviewed for news stories. You guessed it. The editors had the same complaints that readers have. Many said it was obvious the reporter had already decided what the story was going to be even before he asked the first question. Some complained of being misquoted. This is all inside stuff and of no real interest to you, the reader, except as a reminder to read critically anything you see in the press or on television. The most insidious sin is to take things out of context. Another technique is ignoring people with opinions the liberal paper doesn't like. I know of one case in which a woman was elected president of the national Right to Life organization. The newspaper's readers never knew, even though she lived within blocks of the office. Yet when the late Abbie Hoffman made an appearance at a university (he wasn't late at that time) well out of the paper's circulation area, it gave his puerile ranting two pages. A similar technique translated to television is to pick the handsomest, most-articulate person you can find to represent the opinion you favor and the ugliest, least-articulate person you can find to represent the opposing view. Then, of course, you just turn on the cameras and let them have a "fair" debate. View and read everything with skepticism. Remember that truth and information are not synonyms. And do learn to think for yourself. There already are more than enough sheep in this world. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. 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