The 24 Hour, Twitter Based, News Cycle
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Unclebaldrick
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Not a bad description otherwise.
I would ask of the possibility that the "news" was destined to be this way and was just waiting for the technology to catch up.
"Quality" news was an artificial construct imposed upon the world by a combination of elites and technological lag.
In the case of elites, our news content has been driven by and for educated elites who decided upon what news was important (international affairs, business, etc.) rather than letting the free market decide (real housewives, american idol). Technology allowed more sources of information and started the ratings fueled race to the bottom. I submit that the masses always resented the elitist, balanced news and were just waiting for camera phone driven news the whole time.
As far as technology goes. When I was a kid, there were three networks. The top shows were serious dramatic performances. People got thrown off the air for saying "water closet". This kind of thing was only possible because the technology did not yet exist to provide alternatives. The number of media outlets has grown by about a a billion percent in my lifetime. Science fiction writers in the 40s and 50s saw it coming. Hell, HG Wells saw it coming.
I would ask of the possibility that the "news" was destined to be this way and was just waiting for the technology to catch up.
"Quality" news was an artificial construct imposed upon the world by a combination of elites and technological lag.
In the case of elites, our news content has been driven by and for educated elites who decided upon what news was important (international affairs, business, etc.) rather than letting the free market decide (real housewives, american idol). Technology allowed more sources of information and started the ratings fueled race to the bottom. I submit that the masses always resented the elitist, balanced news and were just waiting for camera phone driven news the whole time.
As far as technology goes. When I was a kid, there were three networks. The top shows were serious dramatic performances. People got thrown off the air for saying "water closet". This kind of thing was only possible because the technology did not yet exist to provide alternatives. The number of media outlets has grown by about a a billion percent in my lifetime. Science fiction writers in the 40s and 50s saw it coming. Hell, HG Wells saw it coming.
Finshaggy
Well-Known Member
I think the biggest loss is of Investigative reporters/Watchdog media. A lot of Networks have like CIA and White house correspondents and they try not to say anything bad about the Government because then they could lose their line in.
Unclebaldrick
Well-Known Member
The loss of investigative reporters is a tragedy. But so was the loss of Main Street USA due to big box retailers. The free market kicks the shit out of unsustainable models without regard for whether or not they perform a "societal good". As far as the media bowing down to power. That has always been true Fin - all thru recorded history.
I would not count out investigative reports just yet. I think there will be a return to this after a market reorganization. My biggest concern is that it will be based on a less altruistic model that the media used to live by. Investigative reporters with an ax to grind are no longer part of the 3rd Estate. But society has a niche that will be filled. Maybe it will be filled by whistle blowers with camera phones.
Think about it... did the police just start to beat and shoot black people for no reason? Fuck no, they have been complaining for many , many decades and all the investigative reporters in the world were not able to bring the issue the attention it deserved because society was uncomfortable. But now we have cameras everywhere and it can no longer be denied - comfort be damned.
Perhaps the future of investigative reporters will just look different. Maybe more of a Hiro Protagonist - free-lance stringer model - maybe more dependent on whistle blowers. Dunno. We'll see.
Unclebaldrick
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Finshaggy
Well-Known Member
I know what happened. Jerry Rubin started wearing suits and Huey Newton got shot in a drug deal, and the Panthers fell apart because of the COINTELPRO and the internal arguments it started.
Finshaggy
Well-Known Member
RT type on the ground reporting around the world is probably going to be the new Investigative reporting. Like VICE.
I think it's obvious to everyone that TX jails do not have computers.
Finshaggy
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If you are saying that I didn't post here because I was in jail, I wasn't. You can check my Facebook page, I have been posting the entire time (a year or so), I just wasn't posting here. I have also been posting on Twitter and G+
I just didn't post here because you are a bunch of trolls.
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