So long Keith and Chris
Olbermann's show is the most popular on MSNBC. In a strikingly friendly interview with Obama that aired last night, Olbermann asked the Democratic nominee whether he should use "more exclamation points," adding: "Have you thought of getting angrier?"I really love this second paragraph. How amusing they are, the GOP attack team. No mention of Fox News continually attacking Obama, only outrage that two anchors on one national network attack McCain. I'm sure the McCain team is right; Obama should rightfully - as part of nightly news coverage -be attacked on FOX, while anyone that shows the slightest distaste for McCain on MSNBC is obviously 'partisan.'
Republicans have been assailing the cable channel for months. Steve Schmidt, McCain's top strategist, has called MSNBC "a partisan advocacy organization that exists for the purpose of attacking John McCain," and White House counselor Ed Gillespie has complained about an "increasing blurring" of the line between NBC News and MSNBC's "blatantly partisan talk show hosts" such as Matthews and Olbermann.
Its all... ridiculous. They are all partisan. We gave up real news reporting years ago in this country. Its simply a matter of picking your poison. Do you want the right wing 'news,' or the left wing 'news?'
I do have a few comments about the recent demotion of Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews of MSNBC.
It is true that Keith Olbermann was open and forthcoming with his 'liberal' (or simply angry) viewpoint, as was Chris Matthews at times. However this provided something of a balance to the rest of the corporate media which leans heavily to the right - to the point of presenting GOP propaganda as news, and on a daily basis.
It was nice to have a choice. For awhile. Somewhere in the middle lay the truth. By removing Olbermann and Matthews, any pretense of balance is now gone.
We have long since given up any pretense of neutral, unbiased news reporting: that simply no longer exists in the world of corporate media. All national networks present GOP talking points as news.
To see this documented with uncanny precision, just watch Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show' on any given night. Pay close attention to Jon's regular montages of news clips from each of the major networks. Every 'competing' network uses the exact same 'catch word of the day.' Jon deftly plays them back to back - it is impossible to miss.
They are all 'reporting' from the same script.
Without any rogue anchors leaning to the left, we will be forced to consume an endless diet of right wing propaganda... if we tune in at all. As for me, I'll continue to get my news from Jon Stewart: the most trusted man in America.
I found Olbermann's outrage refreshing. Olbermann was the only newsman with the courage to confront the issues that the other networks would not touch; issues that infuriate a vast number of Americans. Olbermann gave voice to our rage; and it is a righteous rage, a just and very real rage. This country is falling apart... and no, we will not go to the happy room.
Let he or she who is really and truly non-partison and unbiased in their reporting cast the first stone at Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews. Not that it matters. Ever since the day Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, our national media has become nothing more than a propaganda tool for a handful of elite, wealthy owners:
The Act was claimed to foster competition. Instead, it continued the historic industry consolidation begun by Reagan, whose actions reduced the number of major media companies from around 50 in 1983 to 10 in 1996, reducing the 10 in 1996 to 6 in 2005.That's right... we've gone from 50 media companies in 1983... to only 6 in 2005. And strangely, they all spout the very same talking points.
Thanks again Bill. And so long Keith and Chris.
Back to you Jon.
Labels: Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, Telecommunications Act of 1996
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