I’m Not the Only Person With a Jaded View of MSM

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I’m Not the Only Person With a Jaded View of MSM

26 July 2006 · 1 Comment

The Wall Street Journal today (subscriber link) ran an article suggesting that I’m not the only person fed up with the piss-poor job done by American journalists:

There have always been at least some soldiers who have wanted to go to battle against Big Media. Some in the military blamed coverage of the Vietnam War for turning American public opinion against it. What’s changed? The Internet now allows frustrated soldiers and veterans to voice their opinions and be heard instantly and globally.

The backlash takes many forms. Some bloggers point out what they see as inaccuracies and post lengthy critiques of current reporting. Others post their own stories. Some simply sling arrows.

Matthew Burden, an Army veteran, started his blog, “Blackfive,” in December 2003 after he learned that an Army buddy, Maj. Mathew Schram, had been killed in an ambush near the Iraq-Syria border. Mr. Burden, 39, felt his friend received short shrift in media coverage and decided to blog about military stories he felt weren’t getting the attention they deserved.

“Does Abu Ghraib need to be told 40 times above the fold in the New York Times when half your readers couldn’t name the guy who won the Medal of Honor?” Mr. Burden says.

That is something I have to keep reminding myself when reading MSM stories from the Middle East - we aren’t necessarily getting a balanced story, given the potential for journalists to be biased towards the left or the right, and their tendency to focus on the easiest, most sensationalistic stories to cover.

Complicated matters don’t seem to fare well in the transition to news for mass-consumption in this country.

Tags: Media


1 response so far ↓

  • 1 William Grubb // 29 Jul 2006 at 3:45 pm

    Why would those in the military be upset with the MSM? Grotesque insults to those who are active duty and recently recruited military were incredible and flowing freely on NPR this week. The remarks were broadcast on NPR and the public radio network on the Diane Rehm Show on 7-27-06.

    The host (Rehm) says among other negative things:

     (1) Recruitment bonuses  "are not financial incentives ... they are bribes". The meaning in the context of the program was that people were being paid to do things they know are wrong and would otherwise never do.

 (2) Recent recruitment has resulted in people "like Mr.Green" (a discharged army private, described in the media effectively as a rapist, sociopath and personality disorder). Clearly the host was saying that Mr. Green is not an exception, but is representative of many in the military today.

 (3) Given the unsatisfactory results of military recruiting (in her view), the draft probably should be reactivated.

    It appears Ms Rehm is a sincere anti-military idealogue with such profound contempt for those in the armed forces she cannot conceal it, despite frequent disclaimers. Unfortunately, she spreads her venom for those in the military on a show broadcast nationwide on National Public Radio every weekday.

    Taxpayers should not have to pay for this obscenity, while servicemen with equally sincere beliefs are dying to protect her rights. This program is disgusting.

    I realize NPR is mostly self supported, (with tax deductable contributions), but the radio network of stations through which it broadcasts, would fold without hundreds of millions of your appropriated tax dollars that should be stopped since they are used to produce this disgusting drivel.

    Public Radio should return to local programming and classical music only or get off the air. How can you ask taxpayers to pay for this? Think twice before you support these sickos.

    William Grubb