TIRED OF GETTING second hand news from biased sources?Are the liberal media and the conservative pundits getting on your nerves?
Well, how about getting the news straight from the government? The State Department started a new blog and they're bringing the world to you.
Who needs Wolf Blitzer or Bill O'Reilly?
Check out their blog. Is it a good idea or dangerous ground?
21 comments:
Hm.. this is weird. And I don't trust the government, they're only going to tell us as much as they want us to know.
Either way we recieve news, who's to say that is not biased or true?? We can never actually determine the authenticness of the new, regardless of where or who it's coming from. It's up to us (consumers) to take in the news that is presented to us and determine on our own how honest it is.
Even if it is straight from the government, it's still bias. Who is to say that the government won't leave information out in their reports?
I think this is very dangerous. As little as the American public trusts the media, why would they trust the government any more? The government combining itself with the media is not a good idea, especially this current government. Humans will always have a bias, its human nature. But, I would rather those who are reporting on issues be seperated from the government. Then at least you know if you are watching Bill O'Reilly or Wolf Blitzer you know where they stand.
It is the media's job to police the government. I agree with maria in that it is human to have a bias. The government will be giving us the "news" first hand, but it will but according to their own opinions of what is news for the public to know. They will be pointing out for us the errors of other countries while trying to stuff their own skeletons back in the closet. The government won't police themselves, the Founding Fathers knew that.
I guess it's okay in theory for the State Dept. to have it's own blog, but in practice? Not so good. Anyone who knows anything about our government knows they'll only post the stuff they deem okay for us to know. That's a pretty big conflict of interests, I think...I mean, they actually say within the first two paragraphs on the site that this is the State Department's blog to give us and inside look at the State Department. Something sounds wrong in that statement.
"People shouldn't fear their governments; Governments should fear their people" - V from V for Vendetta.
Yes it is a quote from a movie based on a comic book but it is a valid statement. The way that people are able to form their opinions on the government and its policies is by reading/ watching the news. The news is an independent check on government power. If people are getting their news from the government then they will be spoon feed the government's agenda. It's just another way for the government to make us more compliant.
We would know the source, but we would never ever know the truth...Everyone knows that politicians lie...They would only tell us what they wanted us to know, or they would sugar coat everything...People say they don't trust media, I definitely don't trust government.
Shananigans.
I think this is a great idea. Give the people unbiased information and allow those people to decide what they think instead of being influeced by old white guys with agendas. Brilliant.
It's a good thing to have this. I think that it's at most important to know what they're telling people and not necessarily using it as a source of news. But then again I don't really trust anything anyone else says.
didn't the government suspect a terrorist attack on the united states before september 11th happened? was the public informed of this?
i agree that the government will probably only tell people what they want them to know.
i think it's cool the government has a blog. people can read it and make of it what they wish, but i personally would never trust it completely.
-Kara
I think it's a good idea for the government to have a newsite. That way they can really speak to the people directly. But, I would'nt trust them as my only news source. It would certainy be interesting to check out every once and a while to see what they have to say. And we, (as journalists)could check their facts and then show proof that they werent straight with the public.
I still prefer FDR's Fireside Chats.
Sure, it's a great idea for them to have their own blog, but people have to remember that they are paid by the government and therefore will spin it however the government sees fit. I doubt VERY highly that there will be anything anti-Bush, let alone something that would be controversial and fresh. The greatest part about the internet blogs is that it comes from a third-party source who usually gets nothing more for voicing their opinions than a certain number of hits on their website. Once money comes into the picture, problems ensue...
Also, here's another idea: have President Bush do his own blog. Can you imagine all of the typos? hE'd pRoLy tYpE lyKe dIs
This is a little silly. Did anyone read the quotes coming from the Washington Post article? About the raindows and gumdrops being showered on Afghanistan and the hersey-kiss plants growing out from former mineholes? And how exciting it is to be in Afghanistan this time of year!
Then again maybe the Washington Post article was slanted. We'll never escape.
- Caitlyn Conefry
No way do I trust the government.
You (Geo) always ask us in class if we trust the media... but I really don't think that is the problem. Most people I talk to trust the media, but don't trust the government that feeds them the info.
I mean think about it. If the conservative government in charge has done something wrong, they're certainly not going to blog about themselves in a negative light... and unfortunately I think it would be the same way with liberals.
What a great segue into your source analysis assignment!
Who gives journalists info? The research institute and think tanks on the homework list are huge providers of info. But who are the people behind those organizations?
Dig, people, dig.
- George (the teacher and skeptic of everyone)
Enea said...
I do not think that it is a good idea for the government to tell us what they are doing. Journalism is like the forth branch of the government because it tells what the government is doing. If the news came straight from the government then the government might not always tell us the truth. I think that most people would trust journalists who do not work for the government than journalists who work for the government because they know that journalists who do not work from the government will not be afraid to criticize the government. Would you feel comfortable if your job was to criticize your boss publicly?
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