Comments on: End-of-Year Thoughts http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/ The View From Connecticut's Northwest Corner Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:28:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jenny http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-165601 Jenny Thu, 03 Jan 2008 04:29:10 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-165601 I think I'm willing to grant that NPR tilts left. Maybe. They make a great effort to include the "people's view" say, in their coverage of the Iraq war, which they cover extensively, they talk to a lot of soldiers on the ground and vets struggling to return; they have done amazing coverage of PTSD and how the military has badly mistreated soldiers suffering from mental health problems as a result of their service...if that makes them "lefty" because they're not just letting the powers that be trumpet their reasons for doing what they do - well, then our definitions of right and left are pretty skewed. But I think (and I know many who disagree including my husband) that the NYT is very objective. I feel the same way about the Wall Street Journal - I can tell the difference between the editorial pages and the rest of the paper. I think I’m willing to grant that NPR tilts left. Maybe. They make a great effort to include the “people’s view” say, in their coverage of the Iraq war, which they cover extensively, they talk to a lot of soldiers on the ground and vets struggling to return; they have done amazing coverage of PTSD and how the military has badly mistreated soldiers suffering from mental health problems as a result of their service…if that makes them “lefty” because they’re not just letting the powers that be trumpet their reasons for doing what they do - well, then our definitions of right and left are pretty skewed. But I think (and I know many who disagree including my husband) that the NYT is very objective. I feel the same way about the Wall Street Journal - I can tell the difference between the editorial pages and the rest of the paper.

]]> By: Terry http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164960 Terry Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:25:49 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164960 Jenny, I’m glad you feel comfortable getting news from NPR and the NYT. There are plenty of honest people, however, who view both of those organizations as “partisan.” Indeed my own personal view is that they are just as agenda-driven as Fox News -- only more sophisticated in their approach. I’ve had this discussion with my sister, who’s quite liberal. She readily concedes that NPR tilts left, but adds, “They’re biased in my direction, so I like them.” That strikes me as intellectually honest. I just wish I could find conservatives willing to say the same about Fox. Jenny,

I’m glad you feel comfortable getting news from NPR and the NYT. There are plenty of honest people, however, who view both of those organizations as “partisan.” Indeed my own personal view is that they are just as agenda-driven as Fox News — only more sophisticated in their approach.

I’ve had this discussion with my sister, who’s quite liberal. She readily concedes that NPR tilts left, but adds, “They’re biased in my direction, so I like them.” That strikes me as intellectually honest. I just wish I could find conservatives willing to say the same about Fox.

]]> By: Jenny http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164958 Jenny Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:07:45 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164958 geez, I'm tired of people trashing the New York Times and NPR - they're such easy and predictable targets! I can't bear the opposite - partisan media (of any stripe) where attacks are the norm, and assuming everyone who disagrees with you is either stupid or has suspect motives - that they're actually less human and worthy of respect than those on the "good" side, whichever it may be. The NYT and NPR make a more-than good faith effort to REPORT - that is go talk to people, ask questions, dig, and dig some more. I am proud to get my news from both of them! geez, I’m tired of people trashing the New York Times and NPR - they’re such easy and predictable targets! I can’t bear the opposite - partisan media (of any stripe) where attacks are the norm, and assuming everyone who disagrees with you is either stupid or has suspect motives - that they’re actually less human and worthy of respect than those on the “good” side, whichever it may be. The NYT and NPR make a more-than good faith effort to REPORT - that is go talk to people, ask questions, dig, and dig some more. I am proud to get my news from both of them!

]]> By: Terrence McCarthy http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164226 Terrence McCarthy Mon, 31 Dec 2007 20:53:38 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164226 I was listening to NPR in the car today. They had some woman on trying to explain how the Iowa caucuses work. It was mind numbingly boring and depressing. I had this urge, after three or four minutes listening to this, to veer into oncoming traffic. But I didn't. Just changed the station to W Ay Yi Yi ( WEEI ) Those guys drive me crazy, but at least I understand what they're saying. Unless the subject is hockey ( Or the Eton Wall Game ) But I do like NPR's " Fresh Air. " And " On Point. " Happy New Year. And come Thursday, if you have any questions about how the Iowa caucuses work - Don't ask me to help you out. I was listening to NPR in the car today. They had some woman on trying to explain how the Iowa caucuses work. It was mind numbingly boring and depressing. I had this urge, after three or four minutes listening to this, to veer into oncoming traffic. But I didn’t. Just changed the station to W Ay Yi Yi ( WEEI ) Those guys drive me crazy, but at least I understand what they’re saying. Unless the subject is hockey ( Or the Eton Wall Game )

But I do like NPR’s ” Fresh Air. ” And ” On Point. ”

Happy New Year. And come Thursday, if you have any questions about how the Iowa caucuses work - Don’t ask me to help you out.

]]> By: Jake http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164200 Jake Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:51:21 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2007/12/31/end-of-year-thoughts/#comment-164200 This the issue (potential problem) with "ipod media". When I first got a Nano, I was overjoyed to be free of NPR and MSM radio. Now I could get thoughtful content that was not predictably sympathetic to the left. I started listening to stuff like Pajamas Media, Glen Reynolds, Stratfor, Hugh Hewitt, C-SPAN, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, the Cato Institute, and AEI. All were better and more thoughtful than NPR ever hoped to be. On the occasion that I did listen to NPR or KCFR podcasts, they seemed so totally lame. They seemed to just rehash all the Washington media conventional "wisdom" (as your comments regarding NYT economics show). Now after a couple of years of listening to mostly right leaning podcasts (and never even turning on the radio), I find myself out of touch with the views of the left. I only read the NYT when some blogger is blasting it for bad journalism. I only listen the non-political podcasts from NPR (like Frank Deford). And of course, if and when I watch TV news, it is on Fox News Channel, which is the only cable news channel that streams 24/7 on the internet (I don't own a TV). So now I know what it's like to have been a Democrat for the last forty years. The only media I get is reinforcing my own views. I'm so out of touch with how the other side thinks that lefties seem more and more bizarre when I hear them. I would never go back to the old system, with lefties masquerading as "objective journalists". But I do think about the fact that I'm only getting my views reinforced from the media I do consume. The other day I got my car stuck in the woods and a farm lady and her sons pulled me out of the mud with their ATVs. While talking to the lady she mentioned that I should never believe what the "media" says. She's probably right. It's just entertainment anyway. This the issue (potential problem) with “ipod media”.

When I first got a Nano, I was overjoyed to be free of NPR and MSM radio. Now I could get thoughtful content that was not predictably sympathetic to the left. I started listening to stuff like Pajamas Media, Glen Reynolds, Stratfor, Hugh Hewitt, C-SPAN, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, the Cato Institute, and AEI. All were better and more thoughtful than NPR ever hoped to be.

On the occasion that I did listen to NPR or KCFR podcasts, they seemed so totally lame. They seemed to just rehash all the Washington media conventional “wisdom” (as your comments regarding NYT economics show).

Now after a couple of years of listening to mostly right leaning podcasts (and never even turning on the radio), I find myself out of touch with the views of the left. I only read the NYT when some blogger is blasting it for bad journalism. I only listen the non-political podcasts from NPR (like Frank Deford). And of course, if and when I watch TV news, it is on Fox News Channel, which is the only cable news channel that streams 24/7 on the internet (I don’t own a TV).

So now I know what it’s like to have been a Democrat for the last forty years. The only media I get is reinforcing my own views. I’m so out of touch with how the other side thinks that lefties seem more and more bizarre when I hear them. I would never go back to the old system, with lefties masquerading as “objective journalists”. But I do think about the fact that I’m only getting my views reinforced from the media I do consume.

The other day I got my car stuck in the woods and a farm lady and her sons pulled me out of the mud with their ATVs. While talking to the lady she mentioned that I should never believe what the “media” says. She’s probably right. It’s just entertainment anyway.

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