We of The Activist Middle understand that 'viewership' and 'readership' have everything to do with a news outlets viability in todays world. The problem is, that this makes for a quite natural incentive to keep the pot boiling and make your readers and viewers as uneasy as possible -- keyed up and attentive to the headlines.
Fear sells.
You don't print or broadcast the facts as any sane person would see them, but instead, you just continue to make the "Story" a one side against the other affair. This is very exciting, and people begin to pick sides. And of course, you don't ever air or print the facts as they present themselves because it would anger one side or the other and risk reducing the readership/viewership ratings-- (its all about the money now).
Poppycock!!
You are the "fourth estate", the 'keepers of the truth' in the face of politics and chicanery. However, now we have even the most formerly respected among you, playing a money (ratings) game. That is, you play the story to your viewership/readership base, never noting that, doing so, automatically takes you out of the "NEWS" business.
Playing to your ratings and consultant established base is great for entertainment outlets, but is horrible for the survival of United States of America. To have a governable country, people have to have somewhere where the facts have been researched, verified and presented in a clear unambiguous, fearless manner.
That being the criteria, we are all screwed! The big story that all of you guys are missing is that we are destroying, and may have already destroyed the largest and most successful way of life in the history of man. (I 'wish' this were hyperbole.)
The wing nuts, mostly on the right this time, are about to change our way of life in irrevocably destructive ways and instead of enlightening the public about these facts and the certain consequences of these choices, the press remains on the sidelines like football commentators, handicapping the winning score.
I am certain that we will all grow to regret this. Just after it is too late.
The Activist Middle
