An Open Letter to the Media

[stray bullet]

Their reports are based on ratings. If Fox didn't report it, people would just turn to CNN or MSNBC for coverage.

That's why they do those "Cute little white girl missing" reports, it has nothing to do with news, it just gets ratings. If you don't like it, change the channel, I know I do.

 

[jseek21]

Originally posted by stray bullet
That's why they do those "Cute little white girl missing" reports, it has nothing to do with news, it just gets ratings.

Yeah, it may be unimportant to you, but I'm sure the mom looking for her "cute little white girl" is pretty happy that they're getting the word out so people can keep their eyes peeled.

Originally posted by blackhawk
Neither is out for news.  They are both just out for ratings or subscribers. 

Is ratings important for a network?  Yes, of course!  Just like subscriptions are important for a newspaper, students are important for a school, and buyers are important for a store.  However there is a line that I have yet to see a major network cross and that is sacrificing journalistic integrety for ratings.  A news department gets their ratings from the quality of their coverage of an event.

Originally posted by Dewjunkie
And, as a paying customer for television, I should be able to turn on my TV and watch what I want to watch without having to see someones' loved ones explode in the ionosphere every 30 seconds.

Stop paying if you don't like it.  200 million other Americans seem to want to watch it.  Sean Hannity said it best, "If you don't like it, quit."

 

Originally posted by blackhawk
who said I didn't turn it off and who said that I watch the news regularly?  The answer is that I did turn off my TV and yes I do not watch the news very often and when I do it is the commentary/editorial type of show like the O'Reily Factor. 

As a o' Reily viewer I would expect a little more common sense when looking at an issue like this.

 

I remember being in a public faculity on September 11th, 2001, watching the reports coming out of New York and Washington and hearing a girl behind me saying, "Why do we have to watch this?  This is ****.  i don't want to see this.  Why do they have to carry this on every network."  The rest of the people in the room stayed watching the tv as she left.  It may not have been important to her, but it sure as heck was to the 20 other people.

 

[Blackhawk]

Originally posted by jseek21

Is ratings important for a network?  Yes, of course!  Just like subscriptions are important for a newspaper, students are important for a school, and buyers are important for a store.  However there is a line that I have yet to see a major network cross and that is sacrificing journalistic integrety for ratings.  A news department gets their ratings from the quality of their coverage of an event. Stop paying if you don't like it.  200 million other Americans seem to want to watch it.  Sean Hannity said it best, "If you don't like it, quit."

 

Again I do not keep on watching it again and again.  I watch it once or twice because they are the news carriers and I am kind of stuck doing that.  However there have been instances where major networks cross lines of Journalistic integrity for ratings.  REmember the Connie Chung incident.  She lied point blank to the mother of the republican congressman(I can't believe it but I forgot his name) That crossed a line and it is not the only time it has occurred.  But yes I did not and do not like it so I quit watching the news.  

 

As a o' Reily viewer I would expect a little more common sense when looking at an issue like this. 

  I remember being in a public faculity on September 11th, 2001, watching the reports coming out of New York and Washington and hearing a girl behind me saying, "Why do we have to watch this?  This is ****.  i don't want to see this.  Why do they have to carry this on every network."  The rest of the people in the room stayed watching the tv as she left.  It may not have been important to her, but it sure as heck was to the 20 other people. [/B]

First please do not insult me.  Make your point but insults have no place here.  read the rules for posting. 

And sure people love to see that kind of stuff.  Why do you think they had those videos out a time back of people actually getting killed. You know the one where they show that lady about to be hit by a train.  (in the commercials)  People eat it up. 

 

[IslandBreeze]

Originally posted by stray bullet
That's why they do those "Cute little white girl missing" reports, it has nothing to do with news, it just gets ratings.

I think you're WAY out of line with that comment. I distinctly remember a story last summer about a black girl in Pennsylvania who broke out of her kidnappers' house. Your comment was just nasty and uncalled for.

 

[jseek21]

Originally posted by Blackhawk
 

Again I do not keep on watching it again and again.  I watch it once or twice because they are the news carriers and I am kind of stuck doing that.  However there have been instances where major networks cross lines of Journalistic integrity for ratings.  REmember the Connie Chung incident.  She lied point blank to the mother of the republican congressman(I can't believe it but I forgot his name) That crossed a line and it is not the only time it has occurred.  But yes I did not and do not like it so I quit watching the news.  

 

 

Good.  You have proven yourself a person capable of critical thinking.  Sadly there are too many people who can't do that.

As for the Chung incident I did not see that.  However I am not speaking of a specific personality (because as far as I'm concerned just about every personality has slipped at one time or another) but the network overall.  However effectively covering a international news story is not crossing the line.

 

Originally posted by Blackhawk
 
First please do not insult me.  Make your point but insults have no place here.  read the rules for posting. 

I am sorry.  The O'Rielly quote was out of line, however I would be interested to hear his take on this.

Originally posted by Blackhawk
 
And sure people love to see that kind of stuff.  Why do you think they had those videos out a time back of people actually getting killed. You know the one where they show that lady about to be hit by a train.  (in the commercials)  People eat it up. 

I've mentioned this before but apparently haven't stressed it enough.  I am a news journalism major, know many people in the field, and know what journalistic integrity is, and I can promise you: There is a difference between entertainment television and news.  A big difference.  While a few shows have tried to blur the line (i.e. Good Morning America) they merely add in a semblence of wit and charisma and the occasional pat personal exchange, but still report the news.  As for a live, late breaking coverage of an event, you're pretty much flying from the seat of your pants.  If anyone remembers the Kennedy assasination and Cronkite sitting at his CBS desk in his street clothes releying the reports from Dallas coming in from a friend on the phone that is an example of what you would see with an event such as columbia.  Their only concern is to get the story on the air at that minute and provide up to date coverage of the event.  Plus, remember that this was not just another story, this was an international disaster that affected everyone.

Like I've said before, they simply did their job.

 

[Blackhawk]

jseek21,

I wrote out a long reply but I decided not to post it.  I guess I just do not want to get into a long discussion about this.

  I will take your word that there are still good journalists out there.  Hopefully the good ones can take over the major networks and turn them around and I will start watching them again. 

 

 

[jseek21]

Originally posted by Blackhawk
jseek21,

I wrote out a long reply but I decided not to post it.  I guess I just do not want to get into a long discussion about this.

  I will take your word that there are still good journalists out there.  Hopefully the good ones can take over the major networks and turn them around and I will start watching them again. 

 

 

Amen.  While waiting watch mmore O' Reily factor, Hannity and Combs, and listen to talk radio (Where would conservative Christians be without these?)

 

[Job_38]

I would be bored, dumb, and just plain...liberal...

 

[jseek21]

haha job