Once Upon a Time on TV, there were News shows and Opinion/Talk shows.

[pinto]

All in their respective time slots.

News was usually 1/2 hour - 1 hour. And for the most part, just the facts.

Opinion shows were ~ 1 hour, usually on Sunday with some mid-week slots, occasionally as a clearly labelled "comment" coda to a news show.

Now, the lines between facts and speculation, news and opinion have gotten so blurred one has essentially become the other.

I think it's a great loss to broadcast journalism and responsible reporting.

[loyalsister]

1. We are stuck with rhetorical WWF

It's sad that Walter Cronkite and Mike Wallace had to see the demise of quality journalism geared towards a national audience.

[independentpiney]

2. I remember those days!

Now, I just finished watching the local Bay News 9 newsperson covering the Presidents visit to Tampa dropping gop talking points through the whole event.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, pinto.

[kentuck]

4. Agree...

We are on a similar wave length.

[1StrongBlackMan]

5. And the really sad part is ...

We D. People seem to lack the critical thinking skills to distinguish between the two.

After reading several posts calling a Eugene Robinson Opinion Piece "Biased Journalism, I posted the following to my daily rag comment section:

If you find yourself agreeing with everything that is reported on your favorite "News" Source, you probably are not getting news ... It's most likely opinion. News sources report news, i.e., facts. Fact are not to be neither agreed with nor disagreed with, they are to be tested and/or refuted.

If you yourself agreeing with everything that your source of Opinion puts out; you probably should change the channel from time to time. It will help you grow.

If you find yourself disagreeing with this Opinion Piece, please pass the greens!

{The 'pass the Greens' is a reference to attending that family dinner where that crazy uncle/aunt/cousin sits next to you and attempts to engage you in their wacky theories. You don't want to get into it with them so you respond: "Ah ha, that's nice ... Please pass the greens" and immediately start talking to the 4 year old sitting on your other side.}

[RC]

6. Good advice for many right here on DU3.

{The 'pass the Greens' is a reference to attending that family dinner where that crazy uncle/aunt/cousin sits next to you and attempts to engage you in their wacky theories. You don't want to get into it with them so you respond: "Ah ha, that's nice ... Please pass the greens" and immediately start talking to the 4 year old sitting on your other side.}

I'ma gonna use that on any of several well known, usual suspects crazy uncle/aunt/cousin around here, when the need arises. Thank you.

[SomethingFishy]

7. News was almost always crap. From Bill Hicks:

"You watch the news these days? It's unbelievable. You think you just walk out your door, you're immediately gonna be raped by some crack-addicted, AIDS-infected pitbull."

That was in the 1980's...