cnn/wtf?

I was surfing around tonight, and took a peek at CNN.COM tonight.

I must have had my last cookie set to the International edition, so it took me right to that page when I entered the site.

The front page story is: "Human rights in Iraq 'much worse".... with a side story of "U.S. 'has deliberate policy of torture'".

To read on, apparently Human Rights Watch made some stunning (to me) accusations about the Bush administration, and our government's activities in Iraq.

Here's what got me, though...

So, I flipped over to the U.S Edition. Not one mention, or even one link on that page. Had I not hit the International Edition, I wouldn't have even heard about the story. This is a story about the U.S..... I'd think you'd at least hear about it on the U.S page?

What's up with that?

Welcome to the world of corporate owned, for profit, pander to the majority, news-o-tainment. CNN was a great network for a very long time but when FOX came along and trounced them in the ratings they abandoned any pretense of journalistic integrity. I rarely watch any TV news anymore. It's all crap. A really important story will get a 20 second blurb and then they'll do five minutes on a cat stuck in a tree or something. It's depressing.

[sarcasm]two words: Liberal Media[/sarcasm]

Exactly! Damn hippies.

Yes but you would think then based upon that particular bias, the story would be front page news, as it is not particularly good news for the Bush administration. I can see Fox News doing something like this, but I am surprised at CNN.

derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Hippies!

That's why it was sarcasm

We hear so much about "liberal media" this and "liberal media" that, I thought underscore (snarkily of course) how "liberal" the US media really is.

Hippies

Doesn't surpise me in the slightest

I made a comment about the 'easing in of democracy' by the US taking over the role of torturers in another thread - wasn't surprised in the slightest when the person I replied to had no idea what I was talking about.

I guess thats the half decent part about working in TV news - I see all the 'didn't make it' stories of the day

I wouldn't say 'liberal media' - I'd say 'corporate media' its all about bums on chairs and the price you can charge for a commercial slot.

That being said...

I hate my job - I loathe every second I spend here at night, working for tards and corporate lackeys.

I'd rather get a job licking the toilets on the Las Vegas strip clean while shoving bamboo under my toenails than work here..

..but - it pays the bills for now.

Siggy, I've always been curious about this. What kind of criteria must be met for a story to "make it?"

There's a cat stuck in a tree?!

Seriously though, I'd love to see Bush and Gonzales tried on war crimes. They can put them in the cell next to Saddam.

~Ulrika~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/18/AR2006011801984.html

I blame timezones.

Yeah. After having this discussion in one of my classes back in hgih school about how corporate-owned, and, therefore, conservative the US media (especially TV) is, it totally surprised me to see a thing on TV maybe two weeks later on how liberal it supposedly was. Howver, none of this surprises me now, because I'd heard about continuing torture, I'd heard (in a general way at least) about how screwed-up the effects of US presence in Iraq are, and I'm generally cynical about the government and the media. It's what you get for growing up around liberals. And then taking classes from well-informed ones.

On the other hand, it is interesting to note that my reaction is more a bored, "Yeah, I knew that," then an "Oh, that's horrid!" Kind of alarming.

Makes me think: the thing that's most successfully been institutionalized in the United States is apathy.

Truer words have seldom been spoken. More soma?

I'd even settle for CNN news right now!! All the Pittsburgh stations are talking about is the damn Steelers. Of all the things I could care less about!!

Your typical Pittsburgh News:

"Nuclear Warheads heading our way!.... But First!!! THE STEELERS WIN ANOTHER ONE!!"

I tried to watch it today & it just totally pissed me off!! Besides, they'll probably lose anyways.

Yea, can ya tell I'm not a big sports fan?

Wow, this is alarming and so true.
What do you people who frequently dismiss stuff like this with a "impeach bush" retort have to say to this?

What often struck me was, I use a news aggregator, and even on Google News itself, on the layout page, it'll display headlines from MANY sources.

So I'll take a look, and I'll see a number of headlines contradicting each other. Some of them because they were intent to make it first to the "e-presses", others because they just got the facts wrong, and yet others because it's a matter of editorial opinion.

I've learned some in this world about making points and counterpoints, and it never ceases to amaze me, the reasoning faculties of human beings.

Thank heaven for the BBC.

I only read my news from one undeniably reputable source.

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/

Whether you believe it or not, it is always good to read at least one international news source.

I can't imagine people don't wat to know how other countries portray the United States. Be informed.

For some reason most people only seem to care about themselves and everything else is just in the way. Kinda sad, but there are alot of them wandering around these days. Normally you see them standing in front of you at McDonald's ordering everything on the menu and then at the very end getting a diet coke.

I agree completely. People seem shocked when they discover how most of the world perceive the US. Then they inevitably "don't care what those <insert derogatory adjective(s) nationality(ies)> think about us, they're just jealous... USA #1!!!!!!!!!"

I've noticed this phenomenon too, which got me poking around for other news sources. This site is my favorite find, with lots (and I mean lots ) of links to news agencies around the world. I also like to check other countries' national news sources to see how their official version compares to the US official version. The official news agency of the DPRK (North Korea) certainly makes for some interesting reading at times

[Heh. Can't believe I'm posting to off-topic. Never do that... ]

My preference in news source (when I even do swing by one) is www.myway.com. Much nicer portal than, say, yahoo. Much cleaner as well, and overall better on the ad filter. Then again, I only scan through the tech sections (and occasionally Supreme Court and 'odd').

I do remember though when I spent a couple weeks in London (back in '02). Definately a bit different, but again I've never followed much in the way of news these past few years anyway. *shrug*