Rush Is Losing What's Left Of His Mind

There are two kinds of major market newspapers in America. Conservative and ultra-conservative.

 

Newsrooms are liberal. But publishers, usually up from the advertising or business side, usually are conservative.

I've worked at newspapers where the editorial board was way in favor of endorsing the Democratic candidate for president, only to have the publisher say: "No, this paper will be endorsing the Republican."

And that's the way it went.

 

Again, that's one instance every four years. It's not the norm.

 

Right. Came in late and just read back through. I agree with your point about the norm.

 

I'm sorry I offended you. However, I still believe that executives have much more say in a newspaper's content than you suggest.

I can't take you up on that offer now, but if we get a chance, these would be the ground rules:

You can use any examples you wish. I will limit mine to:

... the ultra-liberal New York Times and Washington Post during the Whitewater/Starr investigation.

... the ultra-liberal NYT and WP during Campaign 2000.

... the ultra-liberal NYT and WP during the run-up to the Iraq invasion.

The gravity and consequences of said examples should be factored, not just the amount.

Look, any bias I believe the media has is the result of too much pack journalism, laziness, incompetence, over-reliance on think tanks and spokesmen, etc. -- hence, my oft-use of "shit-for-brains" to describe the Washington press corps -- not the political persuasions of journalists.

Do I believe that bias leans to the right? Yep, but I'm not going to accuse reporters and editors of deviousness. (Some of the Gore 2000 reporters, who clearly detested him, might be an exception.)

Hope we can play sometime. It would be entertaining, and I mean that sincerely.

 

So what do you suggest: Ask people what they are, politically, and hire one-third liberal, one-third conservative, and one-third moderate? Why don't we make sure military arms manufacturers and stock-brokerage firms do likewise, because they're surely disproportionately conservative.

Thinking that a liberal can't do a fair job as a journalist is a fucking slap in the face. Liberals/conservatives/whatevers, as a rule, stay on task.

 

Again, ask yourself: How many times have you read the line "Jesse Helms, the ultra-conservative senator from North Carolina ... "

And ask yourself this: How many times have you read the line "Ted Kennedy, the ultra-liberal senator from Massachusetts ..."

 

And that, Ben, from one who has probably never listened to him? ....good job! I'm impressed.

Truth with humor. The liberals will never, ever get it.

 

That's the only good thing about the corporate higher-ups - they balance the reporters' political bias. Of course, their balls are owned by the GOP.

 

I dont think I've ever been offended, Joe, so no big deal. And while many people won't believe me, my take on this issue comes from my daily experiences, not my political views. Obviously my political views can skew my perception of the degree of bias, but I'm not just talking theory or parroting what I heard on TV or radio. I'm certainly up for a debate in the right setting if that's ever possible.

Dools, it seems to me that most journalists try to be fair, but I think most, regardless of their political persuasion, are biased at times without even knowing. The other side picks up on it, though, and thus we have these discussions. None of us should assume a liberal or conservative can't do a fair job because they are liberal or conservative, but neither should we deny the fact that one's political beliefs are going to affect their decisions to some degree. We're not robots.

 

Bingo.

 

The most dangerous thing is that while the corporate brassholes have always favored the GOP in the industry, they are turning their papers employees into something akin to the early 20th century sweathouses, especially the lowlifes of the industry like CNHI and Gatehouse. That will only further breed discontent among the workers and damn, Andy Ouare Stalin might have a point on that other thread.