News Boo’s

I must agree with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent comment concerning the news coverage of the Middle East uprisings:

“Viewership of Al Jazeera is going up in the United States because it's real news," she said. "You may not agree with it, but you feel like you're getting real news around the clock instead of a million commercials and, you know, arguments between talking heads and the kind of stuff that we do on our news which, you know, is not particularly informative to us, let alone foreigners." (via ABC News)
 
Aside from the “you know” ‘s which, in print in particular, cause her words to lose the gravitas of her point, it’s absolutely the truth that American TV news has been less than on spot with its coverage and commentaries. When Charlie Sheen’s meltdown becomes part of network and cable news’ equal focus with serious revolutions that do, in fact, impact every country in the world on one level or another, it’s time to hold a séance to bring back the wisdom of Uncle Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow.
 
Uncle Walter, I’m certain, would rather have given up his news chair than to spend days analyzing the celebrity crisis’ we have witnessed over the past few years.
 
I am but a blogger with a myriad of opinions - not a professional journalist; therefore I allow myself to mention or write entire posts on the mishaps of the celebrity crazies in conjunction with slings and pings at world events. No one pays me to write a word, and that’s how it “should” be on TDFB. But why would Brian Williams of NBC or the eloquent Lawrence O’Donnell of MSNBC, for example, feel a need to continue to waste so much air time about Sheen or Lohan aside from the obvious: ratings. Well, apparently it’s not working, guys.
 
I understand when seemingly credible news outlets cover celebrity news. John Lennon’s murder was deserving of the coverage it received at the time. The death in peculiar and/or terrible circumstances of entertainers, sports stars, etc., is part of the “news” cycle. A brief mention of Lohan going (or not going) to jail is fine – for a moment. A public meltdown such as Sheen’s is fine to cover – for a moment. Should it be a very, very slow news day, these subjects fill time and provide juicy “let’s watch a train wreck” curiosity which is in our human nature. But why does the American news media give in to full coverage of a Paris Hilton prison release grey carpet?
 
When an entire country is on the verge of civil war, as is Libya; when women’s rights are being chipped-away by one political party’s ignorance (or whatever it is) in the States; when Wall Street/Investment Banker’s gamble with and scramble your money away with no prosecution, one wonders where the current Woodward & Bernstein’s are hiding.
 
They’re out there…on blogs. On political internet sites. Beyond all of the pontifications of the Right or the Left or the In-Between, it’s disgusting to find our news coverage focusing on the latest mouthpiece dumbing-on about whether or not President Obama was born in the U.S. What a waste. What does that accomplish? Absolutely nothing but more grist for the already exhausted and creaky mill. How about finding ways to actually “create jobs” for a change? How about true investigative reporting rather than speculative snorting? How about delving deeper, U.S. TV “news”?

Of course, Fox “News” is touted by strong conservatives as THE place for the TRUTH based on what many believe are “the facts.” I disagree with a passion. They may do research, but with blinders on and spew more lies than truths. However, MSNBC, a network I have followed and loved for years, allows only a few spitballs to tumble out of the mouths of their prime time hosts these days. Even I am growing tired of hearing some of the “same old, same old.”
 
Beyond Rachel Maddow, who else on that channel actually delves into subjects that aren’t pre-written by the masses? Yes, Ed Schultz has done a wonderful job on Wisconsin’s ills. He knows how to bellow the outrage of the disenfranchised. Good for him. Now, what about CNN? Sorry, they are so bland I almost fall asleep at the remote. Even Anderson Cooper, despite a recent ratings hike, just reports and goes out among the masses to be pounded-on, and then sits in a tent to tell everyone how scared he is to be in the middle of mobs. Can’t blame him, but investigative reporting is more than showing-up in a country of chaos-of-the-moment. 
 
Back to Hillary Clinton’s comment. No, she didn’t mention “investigative reporting.” I did. But her message is correct. Who would have thunk it that Al Jazeera would be the best outlet for pure news without distraction for those in the world to follow without retraction – uh, you know?