No news on the cable "news" shows

[Middle finga]

Excerpt Speaking of cable TV "news", I watched Barack Obama's press conference Wednesday, and I was very impressed -- even with his wankering on the FISA law. Then, immediately after the press conference CNN hauled out habitual commentators Bill Bennett and Donna Brazile. I listened long enough to hear Bill "Mr Virtues" Bennett call Obama "dangerously naive".

I don't know how other viewers feel, but my interest in hearing the opinions of media puppets on the topic of the presidential "horse race" is at an all-time low. I care about the results of the election but I no longer care to hear people on TV tell me their opinions about the political impact of day-to-day events.

The problem isn't that these people are always completely wrong, but that I simply do not care what they think, and I do not care to hear their opinions.

Cable TV "news" is tepid at best, and most similar to a pitcher of warm spit. I bet they don't even want to watch their own shows. I cannot imagine that they believe that Americans are clamoring for more of their "content". They are useless and tiresome...

Half of America is either underwater or on fire or broke, living in their cars and under bridges. The U.S. is a disaster zone and still the cable TV "news" is spending hours and hours and hours giving us partisan opinions instead of actual news.

Cable TV "news" is like public school. It is a wretched experience for everyone involved.

[bookman]

1. Bennett

Ask him what odds he's giving on an Obama victory.

"dangerously naive" is a certain frat boy in the White House.

[KharmaTrain]

2. News As "Infotaniment"

Cable news ceased to be news years ago...now it's personality and opinion...all designed for two things: ratings and revenues. The "News Division" is a part of the entertainment division and it's sole purpose is to draw eyeballs and draw ratings...nothing more or less and they don't care how they do it.

To hell with presenting boring invetigation on topics that require more than 15 second explanation. All that's needed is a 10 second video clip or soundbite and let the speculation and gossiping begin. The "need to know" has been replaced by "conventional wisdom" or what they believe we need to know. It's superficial, but that's what sells.

The corporate media only cares about itself and its own world. It deals with a beltway bubble where personality and access mean more than anything else. It's where resumes, drinkie-drinkie parties and getting face time means everything and such superfluous things like justice or the Constitution are mere props for whatever game is planned for the day.

The good news is millions are no longer fooled by the concept of "news" on the tube. They're turning to the internet and other sources to get information...teevee only echoes, it doesn't inform.

[Bjorn Against]

5. Actually that is not what sells, cable "news" ratings have been on a decline...

And interestingly the decline in cable "news" ratings really started right around the same time that people started to take a greater interest in politics. The more people learn about the issues of the day the more they realize that the pundits are wrong and they start turning to alternative sources.

The reason the punditry gets so much airtime has nothing to do with ratings, most people don't like the pundit scream fests and are likely to change the channel when they come on.

Remember that the "news" networks are just one division of a massive media conglomerate, they can afford to sacrifice some points in the ratings on their "news" networks if it helps the overall agenda of the corporation. Their "news" networks are not out just to get ratings, they are trying to push an agenda and set the conventional wisdom in a way that benefits their business interests.

It is not about ratings, it is about influence.

[CanonRay]

3. I quit watching this week

I had just had it. I was watching some Rethug spouting his talking points for the day and I just said what's the use listening to these idiots. Now I just watch Olbermann, nothing else on cable news.

[madokie]

4. I am guilty of doing that last july and I still only watch KO and Bill Moyers

if there wasn't a timing conflict I suspose I would be watching Stewart and Colbert too. The daytime teevee infotainment is no more for me

[spin]

6. I'm a cable news junky...

It's my background noise when I'm on the computer.

Over the last few years, I've found the cable channels focus their attention on only a few stories. If someone well known dies, all coverage of other major news stories slows to a trickle for at least three days.

Very little in depth reporting happens on cable news. Overall 24.7 news has tremendous potential but falls far short.

I actually find out more news from the posting here on DU.