How the National Media is Failing America

For those of you who watch TV news programming, you are one of the shrinking few in America who rely on TV news. In this digital age, more and more people are relying on alternative forms for their news.

Most of us are getting our news online with our computers, via Smart phones, or tablets, etc. And, as an English teacher I can appreciate this because it means that people are reading. Also, you can target your news better by selecting what you want to read; that could be a good or bad thing if you have a limited lens for which you wish to see the world.
Most of us have been there, we sign in to our homepage, which oftentimes is a news feed site and there they are, catchy headlines that beg us to click and go. But this article is not about consumers getting most of their news online it’s about the irresponsibility of the national news stations that, in many ways, are failing America. This is not directed at CNN, FOX, or even MSNBC, albeit a surrogate of NBC. No, this is geared more toward the big three with NBC taking center stage this week.

I deliberately focused my attention this week on NBC’s Today show. It is important to cover the No. 1 morning show on national TV. Plus, many Americans are busily getting ready for work while the Today show carries on in the background as they move about.

Here is what I learned. It is Thursday and I have basically seen enough to give me a good idea as to what they want the viewer to take away from their programming.

Here are a few topics discussed this week:

Trayvon Martin – yes an appropriate topic, but to the degree they are covering it makes me suspicious.
The millionaire in WPB on DUI and vehicular homicide
The Royal Family – yet ironically their (NBC) agenda seems to be anti-American wealthy, but it’s okay to flaunt the exploits of a monarchy that has exploited, enslaved, created wars, etc.
The murders in Toulouse, France
The campaign – who’s making gaffes this week, or Romney a shaky front runner? Etc.
The President’s energy tour
Hollywood pregnancies
Christie Brinkley's custody battle
Former Desperate Housewife Nicollete Sheridan's wrongful termination lawsuit
Brief mention of rising gas prices with cursory mention that “there isn’t a whole lot that can be done right now” reinforcements
A few feel good stories

Here are a few stories that seem to be absent from NBC’s agenda:

The ongoing slaughter in Syria
A debt that is going to cripple our nation
Focusing on an unfortunate murder in Florida when the top five cities: St. Louis, Camden, NJ, Detroit, Flint, MI, and Oakland, CA are posting more than 300 murders per year. How many of those killed were unarmed?
How rising gas prices are affecting grocery prices, running the kids to their activities, or businesses having to readjust prices due to energy costs?
Why President Obama’s Union waiver that gives 500,000 union workers exemptions from Obamacare?
The incessant corruption within Labor itself?
Why there is a double standard when it comes to disparaging/critical statements made toward women?
Being intellectually dishonest about the contraception issue.

I don't expect NBC's Today show to browbeat us with heavy topics from the time they come on the air until the end of the show, but during their peak time 7-7:30, it's been an interesting week in how they cover the various topics and at what times. There are more instances where the national media is just not doing its due diligence for the American people, and they wonder why we have resorted to alternative sources for our news?

I find it unfortunate that an industry we should trust has fallen prey to partisanship and cleverly disguises it through deflective propaganda. I am not afraid to state that the national media in many instances has been complicit in the current cultural and social dynamics going on, and not in a good way. Oh sure, sometimes they throw the "real" dog bone out there for us to gnaw on, but many times they deflect and direct, and for that shame on them. Juan Williams is right, we have lost the ability to have an intelligent debate anymore. We get into name calling, mockery, and derogatorily denigrate and attempt to annhilate those who disagree. Both sides shout "double standard" and "hypocrisy" and in the meantime our nation suffers, and the national media is complicit because they have decided to choose sides rather than be the true arbiter of the civil debates we should be having.

I support both the Tea Party and the Wall Street Protesters, but the media excoriates one while propping up another. Why, because the one suits their agenda over the other, and so immediately this creates a divide rather than a topic of civil discussion that is serious to many Americans. I just find it apalling. Let FOX and MSNBC battle over the right and left, but surely the big three should remain neutral and impartial, or at least that is what we would like for them to be, but clearly they are not. Shameful!

I am planning on a series of articles relating to these topics, plus a few others. They all have the beginning title The Invisible Earthquake: Series. I hope you check them out.