Opinion in the Media

We all know that the media are the watchdogs and gatekeepers of our society. We know that what they think is news, is what we know is the news. But what Americans don’t think about as often is how the media spins the news they choose to cover.

The media cannot claim to represent American values, and then fail to pass judgment on the criminals they report. 

On the other hand, certain issues require the media to be, to quote Fox News, “Fair and Balanced.” In presidential elections, the media should not let their individual politics get in the way. However, we are used to following the media’s lead, so if not the media, who else will help us decide which candidate is more qualified?

In the 2008 presidential election, many people noticed that the media seemed to support Senator Barack Obama over Senator John McCain. Barack Obama is now the President of the United States.

So, how much did the media really influence voters?

The blog, Accuracy in Media discusses the 2008 campaign at the following link: http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/the-medias-obama-love-affair/.

I am interested to hear your thoughts on this issue.

The World's 50 Most Powerful Blogs Unorganized!

Newsflash: The Guardian has finally noticed the blogosphere.

I fully support the recognition of powerful blogs and the bloggers behind them; actually, I think newspapers could learn a thing or two from us.

This was less of an article, and more of a long list. I am still unsure about whether the title of the article implies power over the public or the power of the public to accomplish things. The only explanation it gives as to its purpose is the introductory blurb.

In the article, 50 blogs are listed by the name of the blog, which includes everything from “Boing Boing” to “Gigazine,” in the numerical order of ‘power.’ Even bloggers, who aimlessly wander cyberspace looking for amusement and forums in which to express their opinion, do not have time to read each lengthy blog description.

The blogs are listed in blog posting format, however the title does not necessarily convey the subject of the blog. At least real blogs normally have outline on the far right column. This article would be far more helpful if it grouped the blogs based on topics such as entertainment, news, academia, sports, curios, etc…

The article can be found here:http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/09/blogs.

A Picture of Pirates

Hopefully, the end of pirates is near.

I read an interesting article in the Houston Chronicle today following the series of Somalian pirate crises. Three pirates were holding American merchant Capt. Richard Phillips hostage in a life boat. Can you picture a small lifeboat up against a U.S. Navy Destroyer?

Highly trained Navy SEALs had received orders from President Obama to rescue Phillips, and succeeded against great odds. Amazingly, their shots were accurate.

The article “3 Shots to Kill 3 Teen Pirates” tells the story in vivid dramatic detail. Woodward uses exquisite word choice and descriptive detail to depict the rocky waters and the building tension between the Navy SEALs and the pirates.

After artful tension and nerve-wracking action, Woodward concludes the story with a sweet Easter snippet from Phillips’ home.

Make sure to read the comments. Bryansax insightfully commented on the differences between President Obama and President Bush’s presidencies specifically in regards to the pirate situation. He also ended on a positive note of “Mission Accomplished.”

The article can be found at here: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6372071.html.

3 Blogs Worth Your Time

Check out these blogs!
1) http://www.kottke.org/
They say they are the "purest old-skool bloggers on the block." This blog was one of the first blogs created, and still regularly shares quircky news with the rest of us.
2) http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
This website has been following political scandals since the 2000 presidential election. Joshua Micah Marshall, who started this blog, was awarded the George Polk journalism award. Marshall has been the only blogger to when this prestigious award. His opinions are worth reading, especially to find out the latest political news!
3) http://www.treehugger.com/
This website offers advice on how to go green to protect the environment. It even gives tips for you to convince your friends to go green too. This website is owned by Discovery and has 40 writers from 8 different countries who contribute to the site daily.