Honesty in the Media

So the fairness doctrine was shot down. I'm not bitter, I'm too young and life is too short.

It was a half baked idea in the first place: everyone's viewpoint must represented. Well, that is just not possible.

Uh, it is...it's called the internet.

Anyhoo. I have a new idea. HONESTY IN THE MEDIA. Here is how Honesty is defined by Wikipedia:

Honesty is the human quality of communicating and acting truthfully. It is related to truth as a value. This includes listening, and any action in the human repertoire — as well as speaking.

Superficially, honesty means simply, stating facts and views as best one truly believes them to be. It includes both honesty to others, and to oneself (see: self-deception) and about ones own motives and inner reality.

WOW. That sounds pretty refreshing to me!

Yes, it is true, the loopholes are numerous, but anyone who knows law knows that the truth will come out and it will be louder than then rumors and white lies. So. Why can't we have an Honesty Law for our News Media?

After all, if things are truly fair and balanced then honesty will not be in question.

•  thanks for fixing the tags

  heh heh

  What would happen if my diary got lost in the web?

  would humanity survive?

  by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:05:28 AM PDT

  •  WFC

    you silly!!!

    how was Mexico?

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:07:28 AM PDT

    •  Was good.

      Small series of crises occurred on the way home, but all is well now.

      Tired, though, crashing out in a sec.  I'll give you the details another day.

      Hope things are well for you.  Sending a few happy thoughts your way.

      Many blessings, #!

      by Marcus Tullius on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:10:05 AM PDT

  •  : )

    Was waiting for you to post a tip jar.

    Sorry, felt like adding that tag, seemed appropriate.

    by Marcus Tullius on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:07:58 AM PDT

    •  im glad everything is ok

      :)

      you are a sweetie

      things are good with me...am learning the value of overalls...and Bud Light.

      Mheh.

      You are too much!!!

      XOXOXOXOXOXOX

      by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:13:29 AM PDT

      •  Laff

        Thanks.

        If you ever make it over this way, I'll have to get you some real beer from my brother's store.  Tasty stuff.

        Glad things are going better.

        Passing out, so I'll stop highjacking your diary.

        X's and O's to you, too.

        G'night

        by Marcus Tullius on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:18:37 AM PDT

      •  Bud Light...like sex in a canoe...:) nt

        by Clive all hat no horse Rodeo on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:38:00 AM PDT

        •  except without the sex...or canoe...

          yah

          Bud Light is like boring

          by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:45:48 AM PDT

        •  Oh dear, Krush doesn't know

          the punch line.

          by LithiumCola on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:00:10 AM PDT

          •  hey you

            don't waste your time here

            by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:02:55 AM PDT

            •  ?

              by LithiumCola on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:09:15 AM PDT

          •  lol... I thought everyone knew that one :) nt

            by Clive all hat no horse Rodeo on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 09:06:55 AM PDT

•  I like the concept of an Honesty Law...

  ...for the media. Even better, one for the government. Other than the whole swearing under oath thing. I think Bushco would really change their tune if we told them it was the law.

  I hope the sarcasm was noted. Otherwise I just sound like an ass.

  by Standing Alone on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:20:58 AM PDT

  •  hey Standing Alone!

    So am I!

    Apparently, truthfulness is a thing of the past.

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:23:57 AM PDT

•  To be honest, I think we have

  allowed an over commercialization of media. Nothing is as powerful and therefore inherently dangerous as the control of communications and the message. The very nature of business is self interest so we now have self interest and concentrated power. That combination poses a huge threat to society and the world at large as we have already seen. It is time for the public airwaves to be public again. They belong to all of us and as landlords we have a stewardship role to play. We should start by decoupling the military industrial complex from message control. Many hundreds of thousands of lives will be snuffed out simply because defense contractors like General Dynamics can own massive syndicates like MSNBC, thereby ensuring a compliant populace in the windup to war profits. The same dynamics play a hefty role in the deteriorating quality of life for much of mankind. The "fairness doctrine" if anything, is far too weak a response to the unstable and explosive weapon known as "the media".

  by java4every1 on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:23:04 AM PDT

  •  amen. except

    no one owns me!!!!

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:25:07 AM PDT

    •  mmmm

      'cept maybe beer

      troubling, to say the least

      by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:26:01 AM PDT

      •  What make you think they will not

        eventually absorb the internet as well? Murdoch grabbing myspace was just the first volley. As the internet gains influence they will certainly legislate it's control to their own benefit.. that is unless we take the bull by the horns now and across all types of media. Oh, I made a mistake in my post. That should be General Electric not General Dynamics but the point remains valid/ GE is a major defense contractor.

        by java4every1 on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:36:30 AM PDT

        •  they will asorb the internet

          Lets enjoy this freedom while we can!

          :)

          Everyday I thank God that Al Gore invented the internet.

          by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:39:10 AM PDT

        •  How do you absorb the internet?

          The absorbtion of MySpace just means another one will spring up.  Grabbing sites won't do it.  The only way they could do it is if they made people afraid to use the internet on any site to express views.  The only way they could do that is to make you think there's a reasonably good chance you're being watched.

          by LithiumCola on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:56:58 AM PDT

          •  ask the Chinese government

            No, I am not racist

            But really, ask them. They seem to have figured out a way to curb the internet in their country. Please, if I am wrong, shoot me down.

            by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:05:13 AM PDT

            •  'k. that sounds totally racist

              But it is not.

              Because the government doesn't represent the Chinese.

              How could it?

              Asinine. Please forgive me.

              by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:07:50 AM PDT

              •  Not racist, as you say it's

                a government.

                I guess if the U.S. turns into China then yeah.  As for the underground net in China . . . well I dunno.  Maybe they really do watch the whole net there . . . or at least scare people into thinking they are.

                But I don't really know much about it.

                by LithiumCola on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:11:28 AM PDT

                •  IF the government turns into China....

                  well 'm not usally one to gripe about the living conditons of my country, but I can't say that we are very far from China in many senses.The Patriot act is only a single step from censorship. So far they can watch anything that we do, but they don't have the power yet to stop everything.

                  by Standing Alone on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:17:27 AM PDT

                •  me either

                  but if they can back down google, thats a warning.

                  to my thinking at least

                  by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:25:51 AM PDT

                  •  They will be back to chip away at

                    net neutrality. Once they can control the service through price they are effectively in the driver's seat. Think of it as having universal access to airwaves, except you can only use a CB radio to go up against Rush's 1000 Megawatt mouthpiece.

                    by java4every1 on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 07:05:27 AM PDT

•  The MSM outlets have pretty well...

  ...always been commercialized. Murdoch can buy up all of the websites that he wants, but there is nothing to stop the next determined mind from starting the next dailykos or the next mysace. The freedom of ease will stop the decay of the internet from reaching the level that is seen on T.V.

  by Standing Alone on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:50:33 AM PDT

  •  I wished I shared your optimistic outlook...

    Unfortunately, Money can buy anything

    Even our dear Daily Kos

    In fact, I am waiting for that to happen

    Money can't buy character though...

    And I am hoping, someone out there has enough of it to perhaps save us all, for awhile at least

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 03:57:31 AM PDT

    •  My point exactly...

      ...if somebody does buy dailykos there stands on the sidelines 100 more web sites that would love to take its place. Google can only pay 1.65 billion and Murdoch can only 592 million so many times.

      Money seems to buy out character as well. I'm sure Tom is an alright guy, but when somebody throws 300 million in your face what do you say. I'd say you canfind me in Fiji.

      by Standing Alone on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:09:42 AM PDT

•  Honesty in media.

  I guess this is relevent:

  During their appeal, FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves. Fox attorneys did not dispute Akre’s claim that they pressured her to broadcast a false story, they simply maintained that it was their right to do so. After the appeal verdict WTVT general manager Bob Linger commented, "It’s vindication for WTVT, and we’re very pleased... It’s the case we’ve been making for two years. She never had a legal claim."

  -- snip --

  What is more appalling are the five major media outlets that filed briefs of Amici Curiae- or friend of FOX – to support FOX’s position: Belo Corporation, Cox Television, Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., Media General Operations, Inc., and Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc. These are major media players! Their statement, "The station argued that it simply wanted to ensure that a news story about a scientific controversy regarding a commercial product was present with fairness and balance, and to ensure that it had a sound defense to any potential defamation claim."

  by LithiumCola on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:08:14 AM PDT

  •  So Truthfulness doesn't matter

    !!!

    Shocking!

    If we can somehow convey that spin=lies, and that
    no spin=really crazy lies, then we should be ok.

    I did not expect this to happen. We are the greatest nation on Earth. But somehow, it did happen. We have to fix it. I am not being dramatic. So many people are led astray by the media. They don't even question it. Good people, too.

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:17:32 AM PDT

    •  "Honest Media" is one of them moronic Oxes, it is

      Holy smokes!  Honesty, in the media?  How are they going to sell papers and headache snake oil?

      We each have to find the truth on our own.  With tech now, it is easier to do that it used to be.  

      If you want the truth you won't get it from Bill O or Katie C, let alone the press.

      by 7November on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:49:17 AM PDT

•  So - forget the fairness doctrine...

  Just extend truth in advertising laws to news programs and political campaigns.

  Fox goes off the air, problem solved.

  by DrWolfy on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:11:55 AM PDT

  •  And then My Little Pony

    Flies down to welcome us all!!

    ;)

    by Krush on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:13:44 AM PDT

    •  Yeah...

      And what was that large pink thing that just flew by my window...

      :)

      by DrWolfy on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 05:17:55 AM PDT

•  I want my flying jet pack too!

  I was told we would have this by now, in the 60's.
  I'll get my jets before we see honesty in the media.

  by manwithnoname on Sat Jul 07, 2007 at 04:47:57 AM PDT