Aussie College Baseball Playa Killed By Bored Teens In Ok Narrative

If I didn't know better, I might get the impression that some PR-driven Narratives™ are less egregious than others. That can't possibly be the case.

 

You are full of shit.

When YF has made valid points, I've said so. That still doesn't qualify him to give lengthy dissertations on how the media works.

 

You may disagree with his dissertations on the biz, MC, but they don't make him wrong.

You were concise by laying out your editor duties vis-a-vis crime reporting, and you were highly insulted by many of the things YF posted. That doesn't make you wrong, either. I never thought he was hammering the editors or reporters like you. His whole thing is the national The Narrative™ and how it's manipulated from the start and then filtered down to everyone else.

 

Yeah, sorry. Just trying to drive it home.

 

Actually, the guy who worked in "the biz" disagreeing with the guy who never worked in "the biz" during a discussion about "the biz" is pretty much the textbook definition of "making him wrong."

I've laid out where he is wrong. I've also laid out where he is right. I've also laid out where he's had some points that merit discussion but are presented in a counterproductive, accusatory way. I've also laid out where he seems a tad hypocritical going to such lengths to deconstruct this particular narrative, with seemingly little regard for any other.

What else do you want?

 

So, who gets to? Somebody that took phone calls from high school football coaches? Somebody who covered HS volleyball?

If someone is a ticket taker at a movie theater, should I defer to him as an expert as to how movies get made?

Look, I've worked in politics and for a Fortune 500 company. I've been involved in media pitches. I've produced media events, and been involved in courting the media. (And, I'm talking about the NY Times & WSJ, not the Podunk Press.)

I've seen how leaking to the media earns you favors from the media.

I've seen how easily media members can be manipulated.

I've seen how a narrative can be crafted and picked up by the media. And, I've seen them stick to it, despite all evidence.

 

The sticking point here being "counterproductive, accusatory way" ... and that's open to interpretation.

Either way, it's been a very strong discussion thanks in large part to you. So thank you.

 

With any of those things you cite, I'll be glad to listen to what you've learned and how that makes you an authority in those areas.

I'll also argue to the death a point that I think you've already conceded: Those examples are in no way representative of the media as a whole and in no way suggestive of a massive conspiracy to drive The Narrative™.

 

"Stand Your Ground" helped explain why Zimmerman might get away with "murdering" Trayvon Martin, but it didn't explain why he "murdered" him.

Zimmerman wanted to kill him.

But, the "gun" was front and center in the narrative: Zimmerman armed with a gun; Trayvon armed with skittles and a can of iced tea.

 

I've seen Charles Blow's name mentioned more often in this thread than I have anywhere else.

 

I've agreed with YF more times in this thread than I have anywhere else.

 

My whole resume is out there. I'm happy to discuss any of it.

What I'd like to know is why an agate clerk in Podunk is an expert in how national media stories are crafted and pitched to news organizations like Reuters, CBS, or the New York Times.

And, I'd like to know why I'm supposed to defer to them.

And, if someone -- Cranberry maybe -- wants to discuss it, I'd be happy to listen to him.

But, I'll listen to Here me roar if I want an expert on Disney World, and not when she's lecturing me on how ignorant I am of the workings of the media.

And, I know the "media" is not a monolith. That doesn't matter. With a story like this, the "narrative" steamrolls everything. It's picked up, in whole, by nearly the entire media.

I asked for a show of hands. Did anyone raise their hand and tell me their paper did original reporting on the Trayvon Martin killing? (I thought we'd at least hear from someone who had work history in Florida.)

So, if only a couple of news organizations "report" on the story, and the majority of that "reporting" comes from accepting a "narrative" produced for them by PR professionals, does it really matter how big and diverse the "media" is?