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How Reliable Are Your Media Sources?

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Chandos the Red, Jan 13, 2004.

  1. Chandos the Red

    Chandos the Red This Wheel's on Fire

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    I'm curious as to what all of you think about "advocacy" journalism and if it represents a valid way in which a democracy (or republic) can function. This article points to the use of "experts" from so called think tanks with an agenda, rather than academics. The media should be able to function independently of any politcal group or party, particularly those in power. Does this cross the line between propaganda and news? Or is it a valid way for the media to operate?

    http://www.npr.org/yourturn/ombudsman/2004/040107.html
     
    Chandos the Red, Jan 13, 2004
    #1
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Personally I don't have a problem with it as long as the "experts" are identified. That way I can be aware of possible bias, and look elsewhere for an opposing viewpoint from other "experts".

    The problem is that I believe many people are lazy in this day and age and take "facts" from so-called "experts" at face value when many times they are really opinions/interpretations from somebody with an agenda. I think many don't go looking for an opposing viewpoint, and just hear one side of a controversial subject.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jan 13, 2004
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  3. Jschild Gems: 8/31
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    My biggest problem with the media is the repeating of lies. Someone says something that is a lie, then all the media is repeating it for months, then they fully realize it is a lie and just stop talking about it and never retracting it or apologizing for it.
     
    Jschild, Jan 13, 2004
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  4. ejsmith Gems: 25/31
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    I usually approach media from an intelligence standpoint. Verify everything. Even the mis-information. Dis-information. And liberal alarmists.

    And let me tell you, right now. Trying to verify just how much Mary Magadline and James Carville hate each other is tough.

    Plus, you have to do some interpretation for yourself. NPR is valuable, and it is usually excellent, but it's from a university standpoint. Phd's have their own view of the world, and their view is the only correct one, and it does not interact with anything else around it.

    Sometimes, you can't isolate a variable.

    Sometimes, the world isn't a control group.
     
    ejsmith, Jan 14, 2004
    #4
  5. Arabwel

    Arabwel Screaming towards Apotheosis Veteran

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    For me, cross-referencing is the key. Checkin as many sources as possible, it is somewhat possible to find the "truth" out there. I am not saying that if someone says black and the other says white means that grey is the truth. Rather, it's a means of calibrating.

    For one, i could take a less-serious and not-really alleyworthy example; Here in Finland several magazines from the most notorious gosspimongers to the THE youth's magazine were perpriating rumuours about two actors having a falling out after some events of debate happened in one gala or another. Well, for some reason, both actors' web sites deny the falling out.

    This is a bad example, but in my opinion gossipmongering is hat many of these so-called experts and news sources engage in. Or words to that effect anyway.
     
    Arabwel, Jan 14, 2004
    #5
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