What's really wrong with the mainstream media -by Robert Reich

[kpete]

What’s really wrong with the mainstream media
Robert Reich
..........

In the looming fight over whether to preserve the Senate filibuster, the mainstream media gives equal weight to both sides’ claims of radicalism. But ask yourself which is more radical – abolishing the filibuster to save American democracy or destroying American democracy to save the filibuster?

The old labels “left” versus “right” are fast becoming outdated. Today, it’s democracy versus authoritarianism. Equating them is misleading and dangerous.

Why doesn’t the mainstream media see this? Not just because of its dependence on corporate money. I think the source of the bias is more subtle.

Top editors and reporters, usually based in New York and Washington, want to be accepted into the circles of the powerful – not only for sources of news but also because such acceptance is psychologically seductive. It confers a degree of success. But once accepted, they can’t help but begin to see the world through the eyes of the powerful.

..............

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/09/whats-really-wrong-mainstream-media

[Sherman A1]

1. Nothing that an off button on the remote won't fix

simple fix. When they lose views and revenue, they will make changes, not before.

[PortTack]

4. Thank you!! We the consumer have all the power if we would only exercise it

[YorkRd]

2. Bo Burham explains how this works very well

[link:

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[samnsara]

3. i unplugged them months ago..no rachael, no joe, no michelle, no joy....

....binge watching classic television and my BP is so much better.

[Tommymac]

6. I have spot watched those few anchors who get it for years.

I have not watched TV regularly since the 1970's.

I have not watched TV news regularly since the 1970's.

I have not read a print newspaper since the 1990s when I was interviewed and then realized how they twisted my words...this from a 'Liberal" local newspaper.

I will not watch TV regularly the rest of my life.

I will get my news from reliable independent sources online or otherwise - not TV or corporate owned local newspapers/magazines - for the rest of my life.

Fuck the M$M. Fuck Advertisers. Fuck Spin. Fuck 'Inside the beltway' explanations.

[Hortensis]

5. Yes, and more are making this point: People who are the problem and SOLUTION

cross the spectrum and are on both right and left.

A critical minority with LW authoritarian leanings opposed the Democrats protecting our democratic institutions and thus helped elect the increasingly authoritarian Republicans who promised to smash them.

The old labels obscured what was happening, allowing LW authoritarians to hide behind democratic labels like progressive, and Democrat. Some leaders deliberately deceived.

While many voters just failed to understand the conflicts between what they thought they were supporting and what they actually were. And why. Those drawn to both the ideals of progressive issues and to charismatic strongmen types, to the reassurance of authoritarian demagoguery that always claims that leader alone can do what is right and needed, need to recognize the huge red flag of authortarianism in that claim.