'The Media?' What are ya tryin' to do, make me sick?
My colleague Annette Spence, who serves as editor of Holston Conference's news organ, The Call, posted this on Facebook late last night:
What I hate about "the press" is that people talk about "The Media" as if it were a singular entity rather than the diverse communications community it truly encompasses. "The Press" referred to by the Republican party and PBS commentator Clift is the national broadcast media with the likes of Matt Lauer, George Stephanopoulos, Jeff Greenfield and John King. (Are these the so-called "Media Elite?") And yet, in a perverse sort of bigotry, those of us who have given decades to local newspaper newsrooms get painted with the same brush.
Believe me, I speak from experience.
One day, back in early 1990s, I had a former UT philosophy prof sit in my office and tell me that my newspaper served as an arm of the Religious Right. I had the joy of truthfully responding, "That's interesting. I've had people tell me we were a Democratic rag, so I guess we're doing our job."
Other times, I've sat in on conversations where someone derogatively refers to "The Media" and I get a sideways glance and smirky expression.
I guess that's my leprosy to bear.
But that's OK.
I've long known it comes with the calling.
It's just that these tend to be seemingly intelligent people when it comes to other matters, and yet they parrot bigoted statements about "The Media this," and "The Media that." In the spirit of Rosanne Rosannadanna, ""What are ya tryin' to do, make me sick?!"
So, whether you're Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, or No Party, do me a favor, will you? If you've got a problem with unbalanced coverage, take this journalist's advice: Name the source and get specific. Don't generalize and slander all newsrooms by saying, "The Media."
"Republicans hate the press more than they hate Gingrich's breeches of virtue." -- Newsweek commentator on PBSShe later identified the commentator as Eleanor Clift.
What I hate about "the press" is that people talk about "The Media" as if it were a singular entity rather than the diverse communications community it truly encompasses. "The Press" referred to by the Republican party and PBS commentator Clift is the national broadcast media with the likes of Matt Lauer, George Stephanopoulos, Jeff Greenfield and John King. (Are these the so-called "Media Elite?") And yet, in a perverse sort of bigotry, those of us who have given decades to local newspaper newsrooms get painted with the same brush.
Believe me, I speak from experience.
One day, back in early 1990s, I had a former UT philosophy prof sit in my office and tell me that my newspaper served as an arm of the Religious Right. I had the joy of truthfully responding, "That's interesting. I've had people tell me we were a Democratic rag, so I guess we're doing our job."
Other times, I've sat in on conversations where someone derogatively refers to "The Media" and I get a sideways glance and smirky expression.
I guess that's my leprosy to bear.
But that's OK.
I've long known it comes with the calling.
It's just that these tend to be seemingly intelligent people when it comes to other matters, and yet they parrot bigoted statements about "The Media this," and "The Media that." In the spirit of Rosanne Rosannadanna, ""What are ya tryin' to do, make me sick?!"
So, whether you're Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, or No Party, do me a favor, will you? If you've got a problem with unbalanced coverage, take this journalist's advice: Name the source and get specific. Don't generalize and slander all newsrooms by saying, "The Media."
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Labels: Musings
posted by Pastor Buzz at 7:39 AM
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