Hold the Press!

I remember when the press were proud of being independant and unbiased in their approach to world events. The world used to go up in flames when some terrorist group would grab a reporter and threaten to execute them as a secret subversive spy!? We would all be offended that they would treat that reporter in that manner, as if they were a military or political figure and not an independant unbiased reporter of world events. Well, I think those days are quickly coming to an end.

Check out this article:

http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/28/news/story05.html

Notice the bit that says...

"When Obama walked on stage at the McCormick Center, many journalists in the audience leapt to their feet and applauded enthusiastically after being told not to do so. During a two-minute break halfway through the event, which was broadcast live on CNN, journalists ran to the stage to snap photos of Obama."

What is this, a rock concert? And why were they told not to act a certain way?

Obama campaign press secretary- "Ah, hem, folks, we want you to appear a... little more like unbiased press, so, while you'll want to rush the stage and scream Obamas name and faint back onto your friends when he touches your hand, could you please just 'observe and report' at this particular meeting?"

Well, I am OK with enthusiam, and it is likely true that whether you are a Republican or Democrat (or identify, more or less, with one or the other) you can likely name at least one news group that seems to portray an obvious political bias. But I guess that is the very problem.

I don't know that we ever had a "media news" provider that was truly unbiased. Saying that there was would most likely be generally ignoring the facts. I think that the problem right now with all of us is that in an election year, biased reporting turns "the news" into "fanboy reports" that either affirm what we want to hear or make us feel like our values and preferences are being slandered. The next inevitable step is watching our news hosts on TV wear political flair!

As for journalists in the fray. I say double up that bullet proof vest and start carying a cyanide tablet just is case you get caught by a hostile group durring a war or conflict. After this election, it is going to be pretty darn hard to convince anyone that the news still plays an unbiased role in any world event!