Is Democracy Dying?
If we can't believe the news we hear, we live in darkness.29 total reviews
Comment from Bill Schott
This rant, Is Democracy Dying?, is a good one and is well stated with the examples we have of conflicting "truth". People listen to what they want to hear, so today's news sources follow what will be bought.
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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This rant, Is Democracy Dying?, is a good one and is well stated with the examples we have of conflicting "truth". People listen to what they want to hear, so today's news sources follow what will be bought.
Comment Written 14-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Bill. It is true. People want to hear their own thoughts from some personality that tells them what they want to here. If they just wanted the simple unadorned news with no spin, they might list only at PBS or NPR.
Comment from Faith Williams
I think part of the problem nowadays is that people have a hard time differentiating between 'news' and 'opinion.' Even on those 'news' channels, many of the programs are simply 'opinion' hour, not the actual 'news.' A current 'news' (or factual) event is picked apart and analyzed, but it is nothing more than people's 'opinions' about the event or 'opinions' about the reactions to the event or 'opinions' on how people should have reacted.
While 'news' should be unbiased, many times certain stations lean towards one political side or the other. Most of that leaning comes from the owner(s) of the station. Sometimes it's a lot more subtle than others. I'm not sure what the answer is to the question about trusting the press other than individuals doing their due diligence to check facts. Somehow, I don't think the majority will be inclined to do so. They may not like the answers they get.
An interesting and thought-provoking piece, Beth. It was rather a calm and well-reasoned rant. Thanks for sharing and best wishes in the contest.
reply by the author on 15-Oct-2023
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I think part of the problem nowadays is that people have a hard time differentiating between 'news' and 'opinion.' Even on those 'news' channels, many of the programs are simply 'opinion' hour, not the actual 'news.' A current 'news' (or factual) event is picked apart and analyzed, but it is nothing more than people's 'opinions' about the event or 'opinions' about the reactions to the event or 'opinions' on how people should have reacted.
While 'news' should be unbiased, many times certain stations lean towards one political side or the other. Most of that leaning comes from the owner(s) of the station. Sometimes it's a lot more subtle than others. I'm not sure what the answer is to the question about trusting the press other than individuals doing their due diligence to check facts. Somehow, I don't think the majority will be inclined to do so. They may not like the answers they get.
An interesting and thought-provoking piece, Beth. It was rather a calm and well-reasoned rant. Thanks for sharing and best wishes in the contest.
Comment Written 14-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 15-Oct-2023
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Thank you for your in depth review on my rant. What you say is true. The spin doctors or TV personalities are there to give their opinion and you want just the new without a commentary, you need to go to PBS or NPR. Otherways you're going to given the opinion of the people hired by the station that tend to lean eight to the right or the left. We all gotten to the point we not sure what we can trust but I'm pretty sure social media site or more untrustworthy that the regularly stations. If in doubt we need to do our best to research news that matters.
Comment from Wayne Fowler
I have to say that this is more than a simple rant. It's a cry in the wilderness.
Well written cry, too.
I recently saw an analysis of the various news outlets, placing them on a scale, left to right. It placed NewsMax and OAN on the far right, just beyond FOX. MSNBC and Huffington were on the far left. PBS and NPR were in the center, indicating little or no political bias.
I wish everyone would really think about FOXNews declaring that they are not a news agency, but entertainment.
Thank you for your soapbox address.
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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I have to say that this is more than a simple rant. It's a cry in the wilderness.
Well written cry, too.
I recently saw an analysis of the various news outlets, placing them on a scale, left to right. It placed NewsMax and OAN on the far right, just beyond FOX. MSNBC and Huffington were on the far left. PBS and NPR were in the center, indicating little or no political bias.
I wish everyone would really think about FOXNews declaring that they are not a news agency, but entertainment.
Thank you for your soapbox address.
Comment Written 14-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Wayne. Yes PBS and NPR are stations that don't use popular personalities to spin the news either left or right but mainly just give the facts. It seems most want the person giving the news to agree with their position. Then it seems the other side must be lying.
I really appreciate the six stars.
Comment from Gloria ....
Excellent rant and about a most pressing and current issue. Unfortunately even the reliable news has subsumed into "opinion" over just plain news. One would think that CNN particularly with all its foreign correspondents would have the capability to feature much more robust news from around the world. Unfortunately all stations make it or break it on ratings, so the sad reality is that we are getting the "news" we deserve. Not all, but many. And sadly more often than otherwise, it is not news at all.
This is well organized and expresses your frustration well, so I wish you much luck with the voters. :)
Gloria
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Excellent rant and about a most pressing and current issue. Unfortunately even the reliable news has subsumed into "opinion" over just plain news. One would think that CNN particularly with all its foreign correspondents would have the capability to feature much more robust news from around the world. Unfortunately all stations make it or break it on ratings, so the sad reality is that we are getting the "news" we deserve. Not all, but many. And sadly more often than otherwise, it is not news at all.
This is well organized and expresses your frustration well, so I wish you much luck with the voters. :)
Gloria
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Gloria. It is all about rating which is all about money. TV pesonalities pretty much give the news the slant they want it to have until the station gets sued over something and they be out of job. I most trouble with Fake news for the social media sites which seems to be where my kids get their crazy idea of what is going on.
Comment from Wendy G
An excellent rant and you make valid points throughout. The demise of trust in the integrity of journalists is crippling your nation. I am glad to say our press has not yet gone down that path - yet. The worrying thing is the substitution of ridiculous viewpoints and theories in order to keep up with the fashion of distrusting the traditional outlets.
I would give you a six if I had one left. Best wishes for the contest.
Wendy
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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An excellent rant and you make valid points throughout. The demise of trust in the integrity of journalists is crippling your nation. I am glad to say our press has not yet gone down that path - yet. The worrying thing is the substitution of ridiculous viewpoints and theories in order to keep up with the fashion of distrusting the traditional outlets.
I would give you a six if I had one left. Best wishes for the contest.
Wendy
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you so much Wendy. I appreciate the reviews and comments. My children believe the media is lying because they have been told that by other. They never listen to the news but want to believe all this ridifulous garbage on the innernet.
Comment from Ric Myworld
Sadly, journalist used to live by a code of ethics, but those days are gone. They reported the news as it was without instilling their own or others biases. Now, they work for particular papers, television networks, or whatever, and tell the news as they want us to believe it. Okay, I'll stop, but I guess you can see you hit a soft spot. LOL. Thank you for speaking up. I wish more people would.
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Sadly, journalist used to live by a code of ethics, but those days are gone. They reported the news as it was without instilling their own or others biases. Now, they work for particular papers, television networks, or whatever, and tell the news as they want us to believe it. Okay, I'll stop, but I guess you can see you hit a soft spot. LOL. Thank you for speaking up. I wish more people would.
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Ric. I agree with you. PBS, AP, and NPR pretty much give the straight news without the spin or bias, but we tend to want to hear what people who think like we do have to say. Those people make news outlets the most money so they are hired to tell us what they think we want to hear.
Comment from davisr (Rhonda)
This was a very well organized rant. You presented your point, showed various sides and presented your thoughts. As far as rants go, yours was presented in an organized and research way.
Great job,
Rhonda
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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This was a very well organized rant. You presented your point, showed various sides and presented your thoughts. As far as rants go, yours was presented in an organized and research way.
Great job,
Rhonda
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Rhonda. I really appreciate the review and comments.
Beth
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
A great rant, Beth! Well researched and very informative. Your sincerity and despair here are strongly evident to the point I actually wasn't ready for you to stop...even if you did feel better:) The trouble is, what are we to do? We know the reasons and influences behind it all but there is a feeling that we're just simply not in control and there's no way back. Small edits: para starting "Three decades ago....Journalist(s); para starting "The scary part..." - people have to (go). Excellently done! Good luck, Beth! Debbie
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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A great rant, Beth! Well researched and very informative. Your sincerity and despair here are strongly evident to the point I actually wasn't ready for you to stop...even if you did feel better:) The trouble is, what are we to do? We know the reasons and influences behind it all but there is a feeling that we're just simply not in control and there's no way back. Small edits: para starting "Three decades ago....Journalist(s); para starting "The scary part..." - people have to (go). Excellently done! Good luck, Beth! Debbie
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 14-Oct-2023
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Thank you Debbie wasn't ready to stop but there is sometimes a limit to what people are willing to read. I try not to go over a page and a half on word. Thank you picking up on the errors.
Beth
Comment from Ben Colder
Well now you know. It is said that Democracy. last for about 300 years, then socializem, then communism. We have them all within our government. This is how Hitler stole Germany. And led them into something you know. Ours is next with Communist red China here in the streets of America. When the Yen replaces the dollar, it is all over.
reply by the author on 13-Oct-2023
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Well now you know. It is said that Democracy. last for about 300 years, then socializem, then communism. We have them all within our government. This is how Hitler stole Germany. And led them into something you know. Ours is next with Communist red China here in the streets of America. When the Yen replaces the dollar, it is all over.
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 13-Oct-2023
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Well, is the trend but it is still sad and worth ranting about when you realize our democracy is disappearing. Than you for the review and especially the six stars.
Beth
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Yes, it is. Many who can afford it are selling out and moving to English speaking countries. They see the handwriting on the wall. There is so much fake news. You are wright but rules never matter anymore.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Thank you for sharing this rant contest entry with us. Just an example about a riot, yes, I used the word riot, CNN said it was a peaceful protest. On the screen, you could see those peaceful people starting fires and destroying buildings, but they said peaceful, so everybody believed them. It wasn't peace, like I said, just an example. I could continue. Good luck with the contest.
Only 23% believe the press is not deliberately lying to us. (The media does lie to us, and I have witnessed it firsthand on numerous occasions.)
reply by the author on 13-Oct-2023
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Thank you for sharing this rant contest entry with us. Just an example about a riot, yes, I used the word riot, CNN said it was a peaceful protest. On the screen, you could see those peaceful people starting fires and destroying buildings, but they said peaceful, so everybody believed them. It wasn't peace, like I said, just an example. I could continue. Good luck with the contest.
Only 23% believe the press is not deliberately lying to us. (The media does lie to us, and I have witnessed it firsthand on numerous occasions.)
Comment Written 13-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 13-Oct-2023
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Thank you Barbara, I appreciate the review and comments. I never watch CNN so I didn't see the program you refered to. On the charts that show how the stations are ranked for accuracy. PBS, AP, and NPR score highest for accuracy. CNN, MSNBC, Breitbart and Fox shows the least accuracy and most bias. Like I said, people tend to listen to personalities that can slant the new to their own way of thinking.. Some stations give the news without commenting on it and they the most accurate. If the worst of them are better than going to unregulated social media where you really get Fake news.