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| Mainstream Media Bias on Iraq | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 16 2006, 02:11 PM (252 Views) | |
| Post #1 Jan 16 2006, 02:11 PM |
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They just can't stand to tell a positive story about what is going right in Iraq. Here are the first two paragraphs in story headlined about the election results. Link to AP article
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| Post #2 Jan 16 2006, 06:30 PM | Son N Law |
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*Puts on his Devil's Advocate hat* Is this really a good example of bias, though? And isn't asking for a completely positive story about war advocating bias, even if it's in the opposite direction? I can see how someone (not me, but someone) could just as well say, "They can't do a single story about this war without putting some positive spin on it. The story isn't even about the elections, but they still had to point out how tiny the fraction of thrown-out votes just to make it look like everything's A-OK." |
Fool, apparently
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| Post #3 Jan 16 2006, 07:17 PM |
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| The point is that there is zero logical reason for the second paragraph. It has nothing to do with the story. Why is it there? The only reason I can come up with is bias. Reporting the facts of the election, as is, gives the impression that the plan in Iraq is working. One naturally wonders if their agenda is to create the impression that we are not succeeding. |
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| Post #4 Jan 16 2006, 07:30 PM | Son N Law |
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Whoa, this is strange. Follow your link again. The piece has changed completely since you posted it and I read it. Anywho... as for the original piece, I do agree that the second graf seemed way out of place. The lede was clunky as all get out and the author(s) didn't do much of anything to demonstrate a link between the two events. The replacement piece seems to flirt with a tenuous connection, but not very well. Biased journalism? Not sure I would agree there, since the intent seemed to be a mix of the good and the bad, even if the execution was extremely ham-handed. Just plain bad journalism? Yeah, I'll agree with that 100%. :) |
Fool, apparently
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| Post #5 Jan 20 2006, 11:34 AM |
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| *Ranting* That particular piece does seem to be "what started out as a good news story and had to throw in some bad to make it more interesting" to me, but that's a little beside my point. I am so tired of hearing ALL of the horrible stuff that's going on over there on the news (OK - told ya' - my hubby watches it all of the time and I listen), but the only "good news" I get from what's going on there is through emails people send me encouraging me to spread the word that there IS some positive coming out of the war. For example, I got an email about how many new schools have been/are being built in Iraq. I got one about a man whose job used to be to make busts of Hussein, and recently, used the same material to make a big statue of a little Iraqui girl thanking an American soldier. I have no idea if these things are true, but it sure would be nice to hear it on the NEWS! Do we HAVE to hear ONLY about death and destruction? Can we hear ANYTHING that we ARE accomplishing over there? We know there must be something good happening over there, but we're so innundated with the horrible stuff, we can't really know. Isn't it the media's responsibility to report on ALL of what's going on there? Don't the people have a right to know EVERYTHING -- bad AND good? |
Civilian
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| Post #6 Jan 21 2006, 11:05 AM | Son N Law |
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The thing is, though, C: a lot of those feel-good stories are so twisted they barely resemble the truth. Not all of them, but a lot of them. The statue to which you refer? The military paid that sculpter $10,000. He didn't do it because he was grateful. I have seen news stories about the rebuilding of schools and hospitals. They're there. But is it any surprise that the bad outweighs the good? War is a horrible, awful, terrible thing. I've got an old friend in Iraq right now -- the only son of my childhood pastor. He's still a child, as far as I'm concerned. He thought he was going to Iraq as a chaplain. Instead, he ended up as a gunner on a Humvee. Two weeks ago, on a patrol, the Humvee in front of him in a convoy was blown up by a roadside bomb. He lost two very, very close friends that day. So, honestly, I don't want to hear about rainbows and sunshine. Even if you support this war (and I don't -- I support our soldiers, but not this war), you have to agree that, for the most part, it ain't goin' so well. |
Fool, apparently
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| Post #7 Jan 24 2006, 12:51 PM |
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| Eye, I think this is where being civil and controvery collide -- perfect example. I have too much respect for SNL to "come back" at him. He obviously feels very strongly about this, and if I were to respond with my feelings (which aren't as strong as his), it would do nothing to further the discussion. It would only lead to hard feelings. Therefore, I choose to not respond. So, I think this might answer your prod to "get controversial." Don't know, though. ;) |
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| Post #8 Jan 24 2006, 02:51 PM | Son N Law |
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Pfft! Come on, now. You know me better than that. Thick-skinned, remember?
:) Seriously, as long as you don't stoop to calling me unpatriotic, or implying that I don't support our troops (which is about as far from the truth as you could get), feel free to rebutt anything I said. I put it out there for the world to see. I fully expect it to be criticized. |
Fool, apparently
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