Personally, I blame oj simpson for the mess that can now be seen on most any channel that carries news stories. Back several years ago, when oj was arrested for murder, everyone wanted to get in on the act. TV stations started the era of talking heads. Talking heads are speculators...
Speculate: think about things yet unknown...to THINK about things UNKNOWN...this according to Webster's Dictionary.
Now, we see speculation in action...it has become an action verb and it has and continues to cause this country and the world so many devastating outcomes. Looking at the economy and the shape it is in...more evidence of the damage speculating can do.
All the speculation in the world didn't convict oj, but it did make talking heads popular and millions are being spent keeping those heads talking. And now we have more talking heads, all who think they can tell us what is going to happen with Obama's economic plan and the right wing whackos (now including George Will, sadly) are, of course, telling us all how disastrous his plan will be. Even when we are all being told we have never been in such a position, but the talking heads are just so sure they know that Obama will be the downfall of this country.
The truth? WE CAN ALL BE TALKING HEADS. WE ALL HAVE AN OPINION, be it right or wrong, it just doesn't seem to matter. Here's my suggestion: reduce talking heads to folks who can give us accurate information and eliminate the spin. When I turn to a show that has spinners, strategists, or just big mouths, I leave that show. I already know what these folks are going to say(particularly republicans who issue talking points regularly, once you heard one parrot the talking points, no need to hear any one else). However, if the talkers are knowledgeable, such as Constitutional experts, economists without obvious political leanings, or people with past experience who do not have a political agenda to promote, I will "stay tuned". Long story short, I think for myself and accurate information helps me to come to a better informed position.
So REVOLT against the talking heads...besides I hate Pat Bucannan's comb over...yuk, how can anyone take seriously someone who is so vain that he trys to cover up bald with a looooong strip of hair growing from the side of his head?
Maybe its time, PATRIOTS to let advertisers know how you feel about the garbage they spew. Here's a place to start:
Bose Speakers, Kashi, and Gillette are three of the sponsors of glen beck who is one of the worst, most vile talking heads found in the media today.
Check them all out, take some action!
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI read this post earlier, but didn't get around to commenting and I also had some problems commenting anywhere. But it seems, it was just a really stupid mistake, that I had made. Let's hope that that's really it and that I will in future have less of a problem with the PC!
What do I think about your post above? Well, many things! naturally you do have a good point, as usual, and I do really not understand why 99% of all TV-programs are on anyway! frankly, I don't even watch the news, because I hardly ever found them presenting us with "the truth and nothing but the truth and the whole truth". It's all just a lot of bull to scare the audience and to keep them entertained and too busy from doing what they ought to do: change things for the better, in the real world.
But do you think, it only has something to do wit OJ? Don't you think that it would have happened anyway, just because they have no constructive news and real facts and need to fill air time and want to both scare off people and keep them pre-occupied with things that are irrelevant so "Bushies" and others can do what they wanna do in broad daylight without getting caught?
well, whatever the reason, it's partly annoying and a complete waste of time, but it gets worse when this is done in a covert way in order to make some people look bad, with the intention of manipulating the general public!
Mind you, I recently watched something on danish TV which also turned my stomach, wrote about that here:
http://livinginscandinavia.blogspot.com/2009/04/victims.html
If you should have the time to read it, make sure you read my comment below as well, as a response to the others, then you will understand why I'm this upset about it! unbelieveble, the things that people go along with and the things they just accept as their fait without raising their voices!!!
Anyway re TV: Bang and olufsen, the exclusive Danish company who produces high quality TVs, stereo etc, says that the biggest threat to their buissiness is that perhaps soon there won't be anything on TV, that's worth watching!
see you around!
love, SSG
Thanks Sarah Sofia for your comments. I would agree that we are seldom well served by the telly. Pre-oj, I remember Sunday morning talk shows with talkers that had some integrity...and CNN was relatively new to the world and when oj killed his wife and her friend, CNN had wall-to-wall coverage and this is my first memory of talking heads, meant mainly to fill the air time, as you said. It was also the beginning of many careers that can be found on many cable channels, Greta Van Sustern, Nancy Grace, et.al. ended up with shows of their own as a result of their participation in the oj trial and they are every bit as disgusting as they were on CNN. Would it have happened anyway? Probably but it just feels good to have someone to blame...course, it couldn't have been because people actually watched that crap(myself included) and the meteoric rise in CNNs ratings! Then everyone wanted a piece of the pie, and its only gotten more vile and reprehensible since. The more derrogatory the better, the more insulting and underhanded the better...I am going to do my best to limit my exposure to the news...I can't tell you how often I have declared a moratorium on the news. But it is beginning to affect my sunny disposition and I think I just must stop! I will be visiting your site soon, curious about your most recent post...
ReplyDeleteYes, Sharon, it does feel good to have someone to blame! even though people like you and me know better, we still would some times like to enjoy that feeling, If we could let ourselves get away with it!
ReplyDeleteI love your honesty and that you are trying to do what's best for the greatest good, even though life isn't easy and full of temptations to do otherwise...
love, SSG