What's the most overplayed story of 2004?

[quaoar]

What story did the media cover way too much?

My vote has to go to the Scott Peterson trial. Damn I'm sick of that -- especially the Larry King shows devoted to analyzing every move in the case.

[pnutchuck]

1. Absolutely!

I believe these shows have a major influence on the outcome of these cases also. Regardless of sequestering, I don't think these jurors can exist without getting some sense of public opinion through the extensive coverage of these cases. Plus, the minute these prosecuting attorneys, most of whom were female, on these shows got wind of Peterson's infidelity, they automatically painted him as a murderous fiend. Sure, being unfaithful is a terrible thing in a marriage, but doesn't make them a murderer.

[gottaB]

2. That case wasn't covered by my news sources

I'd have to go with the smear boat vets. I suffered through a few episodes of NewsHour where the those lies were debated. I will never forget Bill Kristol lying through his teeth. Looking uncomfortable, but lying through his teeth. It was disgraceful.

[NewHampshireDem]

3. "Moral Values" Voters

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1126-06.htm

The Great Indecency Hoax
by Frank Rich

<snip>
Ever since 22 percent of the country's voters said on Nov. 2 that they cared most about "moral values," opportunistic ayatollahs on the right have been working overtime to inflate this nonmandate into a landslide by ginning up cultural controversies that might induce censorship by a compliant F.C.C. and, failing that, self-censorship by TV networks. Seizing on a single overhyped poll result, they exaggerate their clout, hoping to grab power over the culture.

The mainstream press, itself in love with the "moral values" story line and traumatized by the visual exaggerations of the red-blue map, is too cowed to challenge the likes of the American Family Association. So are politicians of both parties. It took a British publication, The Economist, to point out that the percentage of American voters citing moral and ethical values as their prime concern is actually down from 2000 (35 percent) and 1996 (40 percent).
<more>

The Peterson trial appeals to our more purient interests, but the "Moral Values" story just shows how easily Americans can be duped.

[patricia92243]

4. The Dean Scream. They made a story where there was not one.

[elehhhhna]

10. Yep.

[Radical Activist]

20. Dean in general

He was declared the "frontrunner" by the media long before anyone voted. He was constantly the top story on coverage of the Dem primary and got far more coverage than most other candidates. He got so much coverage on Inside Politics they should have changed the station name to Dean Network News.
What the media did with the Dean scream wasn't fair, but Dean would never have gotten where he did without a lot of help from the corporate media.

[annabanana]

5. that, and anything "Michael Jackson"

also sick of Paris Hilton
and next on deck:
Robert Blake

[Tangledog]

6. wardrobe malfunction (n/t)

[UpsideDownFlag]

7. scott. frigging. peterson. nt

[KayLaw]

8. Yep

Any alien objectively viewing our planet would think Lacy Peterson was the queen of all humans based on the media coverage her death received. How many innocent people have been killed in Iraq since her death, I wonder, but we only hear of her?

[ET Awful]

9. Swift Boat Vets . . .

They gave way too much screen time to the liars.

[Maccagirl]

11. Paris Hilton and Donald Trump

Trash celebrities both.

[JI7]

12. terrorism threats

and other fear mongering to avoid talking about the issues that matter.

[Padraig18]

13. The Dean Scream

672 times in 7 days...

:wtf:

[sampsonblk]

15. I second that one-nt

nt

[rfkrfk]

14. without Scott Peterson.....back to JonBenet - OJ . n/t

no text

[11 Bravo]

16. Swift Boat Liars. n/t

[quaoar]

17. Kobe Bryant

Got the most trial coverage of a case that never went to trial.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. According to the Repugs....

That damn conspirisy theory all them nutjobs on the internets are spouting about our lord..er president. the 'lection went jus fine. Move along... :7

[UdoKier]

19. Definitely Scott Peterson

Totally a local story. Absolutely uninteresting murder case. Baffling.

[pstans]

21. 1. Dean Scream 2. william hung

The Dean Scream. The media made a mountain over out of a mole hill. Then after a month of it getting played over and over the media comes out and says, "Oh, the clip came from Dean's mic, not the mic that captured the crowd noise and that is why it seemed he was yelling so much."

Coming in 2nd is the rise of William Hung and his awful singing.