Legitimacy of newspaper endorsements

[Kitch]

Doesn't anybody find it... perverse, that media outlets designed to enlighten the public with objective (as much as is possible) reports of the happenings of the world are now factories of opinion? Are people incapable of developing their own opinion based on information that they must choose a newspaper that they agree with? Does everyone agree ALL the time??? NO!! So how can one trust any particular newspaper/tv station all the time?

It's a Brave New World indeed.

[Jobu]

Doesn't anybody find it... perverse, that media outlets designed to enlighten the public with objective (as much as is possible) reports of the happenings of the world are now factories of opinion? Are people incapable of developing their own opinion based on information that they must choose a newspaper that they agree with? Does everyone agree ALL the time??? NO!! So how can one trust any particular newspaper/tv station all the time?

It's a Brave New World indeed.

You realize that almost all newspapers have had opinion/editorial sections from the beginning of time? They take positions on a whole host of issues, not just elections, and that's leaving aside pervasive bias in the rest of the articles/columns.

Edited October 13, 2008 by Jobu

[nothinarian]

Doesn't anybody find it... perverse, that media outlets designed to enlighten the public with objective (as much as is possible) reports of the happenings of the world are now factories of opinion? Are people incapable of developing their own opinion based on information that they must choose a newspaper that they agree with? Does everyone agree ALL the time??? NO!! So how can one trust any particular newspaper/tv station all the time?

It's a Brave New World indeed.

At least ours are not state run and tools of the leader to use at his disposal a la Putin in a farcical democracy ... wait a sec I have noticed that CBC is unusually easy on Harper this election

[kengs333]

Doesn't anybody find it... perverse, that media outlets designed to enlighten the public with objective (as much as is possible) reports of the happenings of the world are now factories of opinion? Are people incapable of developing their own opinion based on information that they must choose a newspaper that they agree with? Does everyone agree ALL the time??? NO!! So how can one trust any particular newspaper/tv station all the time?

It's a Brave New World indeed.

You should try reading newspapers from 150 years ago: they were much more partisan and blatant in who they did and did not support (and why, in the latter case)...

[independent]

Doesn't anybody find it... perverse, that media outlets designed to enlighten the public with objective (as much as is possible) reports of the happenings of the world are now factories of opinion? Are people incapable of developing their own opinion based on information that they must choose a newspaper that they agree with? Does everyone agree ALL the time??? NO!! So how can one trust any particular newspaper/tv station all the time?

It's a Brave New World indeed.

An article without biases would be boring. The Media outlet would not sell. You are usually able to read both sides of the story. It is not hard as a reader to eliminate the sensationalism. The posters that read only Left leaning articles or right leaning articles lack the true perspective too make sound decisions. Even if you are soundly conservative it would not hurt to reflect on left leaning views to see if your party needs some improving. There seems to be a lot of posters with a blind loyalty to their party that makes their opinions look mute.

[Kitch]

You all make excellent points. Sorry if I was wrong that newspapers didn't express opinions in the past... my bad. But is it not... "worse" now? It's not even attempted to hide the fact that opinions are being expressed. Wait... maybe that's better.

Never the less, given that our education system has failed, leading to people who are too lazy or incapable of critical investigation... or that our advertising culture has numbed the senses so much that people avoid such levels of thinking... wouldn't it be ideal for somebody to produce a newspaper that was just pure information? (As close to that as it could be).

I've heard that Al-Jazeera (spelling) is pretty objective. (If I were in front of this audience I'd be ducking right now!!)

[independent]

You all make excellent points. Sorry if I was wrong that newspapers didn't express opinions in the past... my bad. But is it not... "worse" now? It's not even attempted to hide the fact that opinions are being expressed. Wait... maybe that's better.

Never the less, given that our education system has failed, leading to people who are too lazy or incapable of critical investigation... or that our advertising culture has numbed the senses so much that people avoid such levels of thinking... wouldn't it be ideal for somebody to produce a newspaper that was just pure information? (As close to that as it could be).

I've heard that Al-Jazeera (spelling) is pretty objective. (If I were in front of this audience I'd be ducking right now!!)

The general voter pays more attention too frighting political ads with no content than what is said in the paper. The election is about scare tactics and emotion than the leaders talking about their own platforms. Till the public gets fed up with negative politics our system will remain a shambles. The media cannot be blamed for jumping in. That is what sells papers. I believe if the public doesn't start thinking for themselves they deserve what they get.

[nothinarian]

The general voter pays more attention too frighting political ads with no content than what is said in the paper. The election is about scare tactics and emotion than the leaders talking about their own platforms. Till the public gets fed up with negative politics our system will remain a shambles. The media cannot be blamed for jumping in. That is what sells papers. I believe if the public doesn't start thinking for themselves they deserve what they get.

The problem also arises with the carrot and stick approach with the stick being negative ads and fear mongering while the carrot is often poor public policy but good politics(i.e. CPC cuts to consumption(read GST) tax instead of personal or corporate; or NDPéLib huge spending promises that we can`t afford in this economic climate)

I guess it is better than all other systems and it could be worse, much worse