Media Freedom under threat? (Full Version)

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tweakabelle -> Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 3:10:08 AM)

In the UK, Murdoch’s News of the World is setting aside a $40 million fund to compensate celebrity victims of his over eager journalists hacking their phones. In the USA, Fox News operation has lost Beck amid falling ratings and mass desertions by advertisers. Fox recently decided that Canada’s legal obligation on the press to tell the truth meant it couldn’t operate there.

Murdoch, the world’s biggest press baron, and some other media owners have long histories of using their media to promote their business interests and political agendas. Is press freedom safe in their hands? Globally, print media is struggling against Net-based media. Does it have a future?

NPR’s funding is under threat in the US. In the UK (BBC) Australia (ABC) and elsewhere, publicly funded media provide high quality services to the public. The French daily Liberation, and the UK’s Independent are run by staff co-ops. Both enjoy reputations for independence and quality. Are these models the way of the future? Are there other models available?

Citizens require honest independent media – it’s essential for the proper functioning of the democratic system. Is a private sector monopoly any better than a State monopoly? Is this freedom too important to be left to the private sector? Is media diversity critical? How best can we guarantee ourselves free quality media?

I’d love to hear posters’ views. Thanks.



Termyn8or -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 3:31:40 AM)

Only the people can change that, and they won't because they won't listen until it's too late.

As long as we support their sponsors and our Nielson machines register that we have them on, they will prevail in "the book". The book says how much MONEY they can charge for their airtime.

Now if you were in such a business with the sole goal of making money, what would you do ? SELL. Make it entertaining.

Twelve nuclear bombs were released by China and Russia on Isreal, six countries in the UK and for some odd reasom southern Austrailia. Next, where to get a great haircut ! DO DO DO DO DO,,,,,. DO DO DO DO DO,,,,,,DO DO DO DO DO.  DO DO DO DDD.

Film at eleven. Chucky Cheese's has a discount for all families with kids or adult members. Their normally fifty dollar supreme is now only thirty five bucks, and financing is available.

Our fucking "culture". Take a good look at it.

T^T




Aneirin -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 3:59:32 AM)

The hacking situation is not the reporting of news, but the creating of news for it aims to report on what normally might not be public and is therefore private, so the question could be what right have the media companies to intrude into people's private lives, for surely the 'public interest' is only for a minority readership, that is those that for some obscure reason find interest in other's private lives.

To me the press has a massive responsibility and should be impartial, but increasingly we are seeing it to report with agenda and disregard it's responsibility, but of course, where money is concerned, well it is said money is the root of all evil.

My particular interest in the failings of the media concerned an image shot on a cell phone and supplied to the media, an image believed to have originated in Iraq, that same image was used for many  different stories in many regions which led to reprecussions, so in effect the misuse of an image actually created news and for the people concerned, bloodshed and death, which the news companies avidly soaked up and reported as news, no doubt adding and fuelling more negative human traits.

My media interest is imagery and the misuse of it through history, starting with the American Civil War daguerrotype photography all through to the present day leading me to the conclusion that although a picture may tell a thousand words, all those words can be lies for perspective is rife in any image devoid of identifying features in terms of time, place and people.

The media I do not care for, for the reasons given above, for they have abused too much of their power, but in an increasingly mercantile world, what can we expect, for media is not about news, but money.

Again, believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see, treat the press with skepticism, the skepticism they have earned.



MrRodgers -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 4:04:35 AM)

First, it is the general cowardice of the press that hyped the Iraq war and made more money directly as a result. More viewers and readers were drawn in. There will be no more Watergates, they haven't got the balls.

Many believe that only 250,000 votes out of 40-50 million completely changed the HOR. They also believe much of that was due to the media complicit in denigrating the dems and assisting in the demonization of Obama.

A for-profit press has always been the bain of open society and for obvious reasons...they are out to make money first.



Politesub53 -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 4:13:28 AM)

Tweaks, the Murdoch situation has been followed with great interest, and a little jubilation, by the rest of the media. The last few decades have seen the UK press tend to follow the political leaning of the owner. Lets not forget they are aimed at certain markets, IE Murdoch aims towards right leaning readers for the most part. Much of what is going on goes back to free speech. The press shouldnt be gagged, but they should report responsively and not break criminal laws to obtain stories (Phone hacking)

I think News International are in big trouble, despite putting aside millions, it may get sued for much larger amounts. Murdoch has slated his London staff, his son included, for the way they have operated. I think in the age of the internet and bloggs etc news media will realise they have to play ball, because it wont take long to uncover any untrue reporting. Interesting times, and not just for the Times. [;)]

One thing that pleases me is that Cameron is looking into the one sided libel laws that we seem to have. Gagging orders should never outweigh public interests.



Aneirin -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 4:22:20 AM)

In reading or hearing any story, one has to ask themselves who does the story serve, if not yourself why do you feel what you do, because if you are feeling things less wholesome, then it could be that you have allowed other interests to upset your mood and undoubtedly cause prejudice. If prejudice is a result of reading about other's perspectives, then it could be you have been caught, for your mind will seek more to throw blame at and feed the negativity.

We read and hear in our daily lives some of what happens in far away places and athough perhaps it is human to sympathise, what does that news serve, when in your reality, you can do nothing about the situation, therefore is world news any real help to us, not really. And not really if one is powerless, unable to help hinder or influence, any negative feeling could be seen as an intrusion we have allowed into our lives, we have allowed ourselves to be manipulated.



Termyn8or -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 4:30:22 AM)

I have now done it ! A one word post.





Salesmen.




Thank you for your time.

T^T



Aneirin -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 4:47:28 AM)

Furthermore media serves the interest of government in that, if we did not have the media, we did not know who or what in other countries conspired against us, if they conspired they also not having the media, would there be so much tension in the world ?

In this scenario, what would happen if our governments wanted to go to war against others, would we be asking who, what, why, us not aware of the situations far away across the world, would we believe the war mongers, or disbelieve them, for without news of what is what elsewhere, we are clueless and is it better to be that way, could we have more control over those that govern us.

Now say we did not have news and say in our locale a foreigner turned up, a person with a darker  complexion speaking a language you had not heard and hey had funny customs, would you treat the stranger with a mix of curiousity, and wariness, but also treat the stranger with the same courtesy as you would display to a not so different stranger, for without 'education' from written or spoken sources, that person is just a person, albeit a little different, but just a person.

Or would we lash out with hatred and bile at the enemy we think he is based upon what, for we only act on what we know and in this day and age we all know who to see as' the enemy' and there give licence to those that govern us and other interested parties to make war, wars which I might add, do little for the population but things expected more and less for those that instigated the hatred  and destruction of others, who might be very similar to ourselves, clueless beyond what their rabid media has told them.



Termyn8or -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 8:30:28 AM)

FR

I just reread the title. What makes you think the media has any freedom ?

T^T



subrob1967 -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 8:34:54 AM)

There is no such thing as honest independent media, reporters are going to have a cause, or issue they favor, and slant their stories to reflect this, regardless of which side of the spectrum they fall on.



Termyn8or -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 8:46:56 AM)

OK, 1964. That's about when I figured out that people tell you THEIR truth, not THE truth. This is 2011.

T^T



FullCircle -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 8:50:01 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle
In the USA, Fox News operation has lost Beck amid falling ratings and mass desertions by advertisers.

They can find him in his fallout bunker, he'll be canning fruit.

I have no sympathy for News International I'm hoping regulators will break up it's overwhealming influence. Wishfull thinking perhaps.



TheHeretic -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 8:59:58 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle

Is this freedom too important to be left to the private sector?



There is a very spooky worldview implicit in this question, Tweak.



stellauk -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 9:27:41 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Politesub53

One thing that pleases me is that Cameron is looking into the one sided libel laws that we seem to have. Gagging orders should never outweigh public interests.


I for one would love to see Murdoch wearing a ball-gag.



Sanity -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 10:04:39 AM)


And that world view is very pervasive among a certain group

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic


quote:

ORIGINAL: tweakabelle

Is this freedom too important to be left to the private sector?



There is a very spooky worldview implicit in this question, Tweak.




TheHeretic -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 10:11:56 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity


And that world view is very pervasive among a certain group




But hardly exclusive to that group, Sanity, and not representative of all.

The urge to take the authoritarian path can come from anywhere.



Sanity -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 10:20:55 AM)


I see so many hatin' (insert conservative individual or organization here) threads and various things of that nature that I have to wonder about the extent of the pervasiveness, and I believe you are underestimating the extent of it.



TheHeretic -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 10:51:49 AM)

I see quite a bit of it, Sanity. Lefty hate-mongers abound. Do keep in mind that a lot of it is just coming from Canadians who want to talk about their favorite soap opera, though.

I freely admit to being a pain in the ass about free speech, and I'm just as much a pain to the side I align myself with.

To get back to the bit I originally snipped, the answer to speech used badly is more speech, not centralizing the authority. Beck is going off the air because people stopped watching, not because the Secretary Determined, and that is as it should be. The idea behind our crazy sounding law is not that it is completely okely-dokely for the news to lie, but that the government doesn't have the opportunity or authority to label dissent as a lie.

Hearsts and Murdochs are an inevitable price of a free press, and they can always be countered by free competition. An unrestricted media is our first, and best, line of defense against tyranny.



tazzygirl -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 11:14:30 AM)

~FR

Who, what, when, where and the how part... everyone can, more or less, agree with.

Its the why that changes the story in most cases. And thats one of the ways to ensure someone else's spin isnt on the piece. However, you are then reduced to facts and numbers... nothing else. Research, research research. Even then, that one piece may have something in it so fantastical you cant believe in it, you dont want too... and it could be right... or it could be wrong.

I like reading articles full of opinions... and I take them as just that. Quote me a study and I want to see the actual study. There are always ways to get to the "truth"... it just may not be the "truth" you wish to see.

Deep throat comes to mind. [:D]



Lucylastic -> RE: Media Freedom under threat? (4/9/2011 11:26:50 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

<snip> Do keep in mind that a lot of it is just coming from Canadians who want to talk about their favorite soap opera, though.</snip>


Nah its not a soap opera its  a trainwreck comedy show, starring people who couldnt win an award if they tried, not even a razzie



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