Dan Rather takes a well-deserved shot at the press

[Keith Bee]

The next time you hear about another round of layoffs at a TV news division, the closing of a bureau, the decision not to cover a foreign story with full force, remember this week of silliness in April.

Remember the millions of dollars, hundreds of staff and hours of coverage spent on a wedding in London when crises around the globe and here at home festered. Remember the unseemly pas de deux between the press and a reality TV show huckster peddling racially-fraught falsehoods, as both interviewers and the interviewee seek a bump in ratings.

And then please take a moment to remember the eight American soldiers and one contractor killed by an Afghan soldier at the Kabul airport in a war too easily forgotten. Remember the hundreds likely being killed in Syria and Libya, not to mention the death and unrest plaguing countries like the Ivory Coast, which almost never earn more than a mention on our most-watched newscasts.

Remember those who have the least amongst us, struggling after more than a year of unemployment, a long commute they can no longer afford, or the diagnosis of a medical condition that could kill them and bankrupt their family.

The networks couldn't ignore the devastating storms that killed hundreds in the South, but you had the odd juxtaposition of that news being delivered by anchors sitting in front of Buckingham Palace.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-rather/and-in-other-news_b_855034.html

Ever read Amusing Ourselves to Death by Noam Chomsky? It's ten times worse than it was when he wrote that excellent book.

[sasha031]

1. I miss Dan Rather, my parents followed him for decades

he is correct, media is now entertainment.

[southernyankeebelle]

8. People never want to hear truth to power. Dan was right on target on the Bush family and he was

targeted by them. He will be proven right in the long run.

[Keith Bee]

9. Amen!

He's done more for this country than Dubya could ever dream of.

[Enthusiast]

30. Everyone has done that.

Really.

[neoralme]

19. But, then, we have Ed Schultz and Alyona.

[givemebackmycountry]

2. That's a great post.

I have nothing to add.
And that's saying something.

[Keith Bee]

5. Thangyu. Thangyuverimuch.

:blush:

[99th_Monkey]

3. Not to mention Japan & still ongoing Fukushima irradiation of the entire planet. ~nt

[skepticscott]

14. Oh, that story

is SO last week...

[KT2000]

4. Thought of him

over this birther stuff. He was out the door in a matter of days and he didn't really do anything wrong. But Trump, who has lied and made a fool of himself still has his show. What a disgrace.

[democracy1st]

6. K & R

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Dan is still reporting - and doing a fine job of it.

But you need to have cable or statellite to see/hear him.

http://www.hd.net/programs/danrather/

But, as many have noted, idiots like Trump, almost everyone on Faux and rest of the RRW are ubiquitous.

[Keith Bee]

10. Dubya-ing down America

Our Glourious "News" Media would like us all to be as incurious as The Great Crusader. :puke:

[Stuckinthebush]

11. A-frickin-men!

I'm glad he said it.

[MasonJar]

12. I miss Dan, but he is off base on this one. I like a little pleasant news ever now and then.

Many of us welcomed the wedding coverage. In fact this is the first time in probably ten years I have turned the television on in the morning. I seldom watch TV anyway and never in the daytime.

[neoralme]

20. People are just different. I thought the thing was despicable.

[Keith Bee]

25. Soma

Just leave well enough alone/Eat your dirty laundry - Don Henley.

[DireStrike]

13. Uh, Neil Postman wrote Amusing Ourselves to Death.

Chomsky has great media commentary of course, but Postman made fantastic contributions too.

[janet118]

22. Postman has a lot to say about education & democracy in . . .

Teaching as a Subversive Activity, The End of Education, and The Disappearance of Childhood.

[BREMPRO]

15. Amusing ourselves to death was by Neil Postman-great read- reality of Huxley's brave new world n/t

[Downtown Hound]

16. "When my country's at war, I want it to win." -Dan Rather, in the opening days of the Iraq War

I hope he includes himself in his criticism of the press.

[obxhead]

17. The reporters in London reporting the stories of the storms really

creeps me out.

Why would they be involved in any way with a story like that when they aren't even on the same continent?

[neoralme]

18. The public will be watching Dancing with the Stars when the

Trepidation starts, and they will be so annoyed.

[Auntie Bush]

21. But, but, but it was the wedding of the century and

the Press all wanted to see it for themselves. Can't say I blame them...so give them a break. They're not prophetic and didn't know there would be killer tornadoes here at home. Besides...since when does the press have to physically be where they are reporting about. Were they all in Iran or Iraq etc when reporting the news...no, they were in comfy studios. So why do they get criticized for reporting on the wedding? Besides I wanted to hear what they had to say!

[Duval]

23. Someone NEEDS to do something!! :( n/t

[rhett o rick]

24. They will when it's time. Millions are still oblivious to the nations problems. The media is doing

it's job to keep the peons' minds off their problems. When we get down to one telephone/cable company and one oil company, one bank, etc. then maybe people will wake up. As long as people have enough money to buy a lotto ticket, tey have hope.

[russspeakeasy]

26. Dan, you may be nuts, but you're honest nuts.

[Keith Bee]

27. Odd

The title on the front page is different from the one above. (It was my original title, but I changed it moments later.) :hide:

[Uncle Joe]

28. Dan Rather nailed it.

Thanks for the thread, Keith Bee.

[Keith Bee]

31. You're most welcome, sir

:-)

[Taverner]

29. Neil Postman wrote Amusing Ourselves to Death

Not Chomsky

[Keith Bee]

32. Two people beat ya to it

:evilgrin:

[Taverner]

33. Yeah yeah yeah always late to the game...

life story ya know

[Keith Bee]

34. Hey, don't feel bad

I was POSITIVE Chomsky wrote that book. Oy!

[OwnedByFerrets]

35. TY Dan