FYI: how news was, and is, and will be

[Undertoad]

1960: biased reporters try to give multiple sides to a story and to be as objective as possible, out of pride in their profession

1980: biased reporters give two sides to every story -- as if all information has only two sides -- so they can avoid looking biased

2000: biased reporters tell their side of the story and include a mocking quote from the "other side" to support their biased narrative... but still claim objectivity because their viewpoint is "correct"

2010: valueless "news" is replaced by comedy hosts aka Jon Stewart, and bloggers who admit their bias openly and honestly, and report directly from it for an audience that shares it

I prefer 2010 to 1980 and 2000, but I don't know if I prefer it to 1960.

[lookout123]

I didn't get to see 1960 for myself but I like the sound of it. It sounds, oh I don't know, professional?

[Shawnee123]

Worth repeating here:

[jinx]

Bias is one thing but it seems like the outright lying that Fox News introduced in 2000 has been fully embraced by 2010 - see CNN coverage of AZ immigration law. Sucks.

[ZenGum]

Crappy indeed ... and yet ... it only continues because quite a number of people continue to watch that crap and think it is real.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Crappy indeed ... and yet ... it only continues because quite a number of people continue to watch that crap and think it is real.

What else is there for most people? All the "news shows" are biased. Its just that most people hear what they want to hear. It reaffirms their personal opinion.

[classicman]

She has since apologized for her opinion.

After making controversial remarks about Israel, longtime White House correspondent Helen Thomas has been dropped by her speaking agency and is coming under fire from her colleagues, former White House officials and others.

In a May 27 exchange with Rabbi David Nesenoff, which was captured on video and posted, Thomas said Israelis should "get the hell out of Palestine" and "go home" to Germany and Poland.

Diane Nine, president of the speaking agency Nine Speakers, said in a statement it would drop Thomas, who has earned the nickname "Dean of the White House Press Corps," as she has covered the White House since 1960.

Journalist Craig Crawford, who co-authored a book with Thomas, also announced he will no longer be working with Thomas on any book projects.

Former Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said Friday that Hearst news service, for which Thomas serves as a columnist, should fire her, the Huffington Post reported.

"She should lose her job over this," Fleischer said. "As someone who is Jewish, and as someone who worked with her and used to like her, I find this appalling."

Additionally, former Clinton White House counsel Lanny Davis released a statement on Sunday calling Thomas an "anti-Semitic bigot."

On Friday, Thomas issued an apology for her comments on her website.

"I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians," Thomas said. "They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon."

Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham H. Foxman said in a statement that Thomas' apology did not go far enough.

"Her suggestion that Israelis should go back to Poland and Germany is bigoted and shows a profound ignorance of history," he said. "We believe Thomas needs to make a more forceful and sincere apology for the pain her remarks have caused."

In addition, in light of her comments, Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland has canceled Thomas' appearance as commencement speaker, the Associated Press reports. Principal Alan Goodwin reportedly wrote in the e-mail to students and parents that the school would find a new speaker for the June 14 graduation ceremony.

"Graduation celebrations are not the venue for divisiveness," he wrote.

Her recent comments, however, are putting new scrutiny on her views and her role in the White House press corps, where she has been highly revered.

Time columnist Joe Klein writes that Thomas should be stripped of her privileged front row seat in the White House press room.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today that Thomas' comments were "offensive and reprehensible."

"She should and has apologized," he said. "Obviously, those remarks do not reflect the opinion, I assume, of most of the people in here and certainly not of the administration."

Link
Link

[Shawnee123]

She should've just told the Mexicans to go home. She would probably be applauded.

Racism, so subjective, who would've figured?

[classicman]

Troll.
Update...
Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas retires following controversial remarks

Veteran reporter Helen Thomas, who has covered the White House since the John F. Kennedy administration, is retiring immediately following her controversial statements about Israel, Hearst Newspapers reports.

Thomas, 89. became a columnist for Hearst newspapers after leaving UPI, where she worked for decades.

Guess that update doesn't leave much room for any discussion.

[TheDaVinciChode]

Why is this person coming under such fire... for telling a group of people to leave the land that they've forcefully occupied? To return back "home?" What is so wrong about that?

Nothing.

Fucking Jewish media. It disgusts me.

[Shawnee123]

Troll this you crybaby. I'm allowed to comment...it's not YOUR thread.


I'm telling brucie and utie and wolfie and sundie and briie and tullie and chodie...

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by classicman

Troll.
Update...
Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas retires following controversial remarks

Guess that update doesn't leave much room for any discussion.

Troll this you crybaby. I'm allowed to comment...it's not YOUR thread.

I'm telling brucie and utie and wolfie and sundie and briie and tullie and chodie...

[classicman]

I wasn't referring to you.

[Shawnee123]

No posts since 5/13. You post something today. I respond. You post again with the word "troll."

Who exactly were you referring to?

[TheDaVinciChode]

Originally Posted by classicman

Troll.
Update...
Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas retires following controversial remarks

Guess that update doesn't leave much room for any discussion.

I think that's such bollocks.

What she said... was true. Every damn word.

What she said, is no different than England telling Germany to stop invading other countries, to stop killing innocent people. That's EXACTLY what the damn Israeli cunts are doing... invading another country, killing innocent people... They're no better than the Nazi Party, and they disgust me.

What really pisses me off, is that America is happy to abide... they train, they support (financially, politically, and with weaponry.) Until American leaders stops sucking circumcised cock, until the WHOLE God-damn Western world gets that kosher meat out of their collective mouths, these bastards will continue to do whatever they please.

The holocaust was a VERY long time ago... and we did everything we could (well, England did, other countries kinda slacked, until towards the end, when all "they" really wanted to do, was test their new, big toy, and fuck with the idiotic Japs who, for some reason, decided to piss on them... you know who I'm talking about,) to stop it from happening... Why the fuck should we feel guilty, and through that guilt, allow them to get away with genocide, when we weren't responsible for the harm they suffered, when we tried (and succeeded, eventually) to stop it?

It's bollocks. Besides all that - It was a VERY long time ago. Get the fuck over it. That's like people of a darker complexion, still thinking they're "owed" something, for slavery. Bollocks. It was a long time ago, we've all moved on, and NO ONE alive was responsible for it...

People... Fuck.