Dionne: TV Over-Covering The Right-Wing Fringe

Washington Post:

Health-care reform is said to be in trouble partly because of those raucous August town-hall meetings in which Democratic members of Congress were besieged by shouters opposed to change.

But what if our media-created impression of the meetings is wrong? What if the highly publicized screamers represented only a fraction of public opinion? What if most of the town halls were populated by citizens who respectfully but firmly expressed a mixture of support, concern and doubt?

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[BBCup]

Corporate media wants health care to fail just a fervently as the Corporate Media Establishment. It makes for good news to be able to report about people dying without health care.

[MarsAmbassador]

George on the ownership class in America:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl6ZIlZpcDQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOWe4-KXqMM&feature=related

[MarsAmbassador]

More George Carlin on our so-called freedom of choice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V510t0ecluY&feature=related

[MarsAmbassador]

The mainstream media in this country is owned by a number of corporations that you can count on one hand. Are any of surprised that they pump their own agenda? Do you honestly think that GE is going to let NBC and MSNBC actually cover things the way they actually happen? EVERYTHING you see, hear and think you know from the media is told from a slanted view. Cable news is all opinion, not objective fact. And getting worse all the time. A free, independent media is the last hope of this country. Or should I say, WAS the last hope. We haven't had that for who knows how long. We are a captive audience, given our choices by an oligarchy. Freedom died in this country long ago. But everyone was too concerned with their own materialistic endeavors to even notice. We have the illusion of choice in this country and the illusion of rights. To quote George Carlin, "Rights aren't rights if someone can just take them away."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaa9iw85tW8

[Blufftonian]

It's TV, for goodness' sake. They overcover the left wing fringe as well. Remember Cindy Sheehan?

[Sue-in-Jersey]

Old angry people have discovered that they can get fifteen minutes of fame by behaving outrageously at townhall meetings. Hence, escalating behavior at townhall meetings. To the point where a Pro-Reform Ape beats up a guy, guy bites Pro-Reform Ape in self-defense, and Ape makes only a brief stop for publicly-funded medical care before dashing straight to Fox News. Rewarding this violent man with air time is BEGGING other violent people to take things up a notch. This will end very, very badly.

[doogiedude]

IMHO, the coverage of these meetings is the way it is for the same reasons the Jerry Springer show was such a ratings success.

Rational debate of an issue is boring and does not yield strong ratings. Sensationalism has the opposite effect.

Since main stream news is a for profit industry, ratings and their associated profits drive all priorities. Give the people what they want or your profits are gone.

[JoeBlough]

This is important coverage. I would never have thought that Republican Christians were so vile and ignorant if I hadn't seen it for myself. Maybe it's time their "churches" were closed.

[theubermensch]

Somehow people who yelled out of turn, and brought guns to a health care debate won. The media even kept repeating every lie over and over, and never truly breaking down the lie. If the media would've never reported any of this, or went with it, there wouldn't be a problem. Blame on lack of education, or reading, but if grandma is going to be killed, along with trillions in debt, a lot will oppose. The media then shows negative polls. The people with the lies won because the media let them.

[ThirdSection]

The fringe lunacy gets as much coverage as it does for the same reason I've been trying to figure out for years how to sell advertising space on traffic accidents.

[Phxflyer]

While I agree that some of these guys are fringe wing nuts, a significant number of these people were paid by the insurance industry to stop any real dialog. Once that starts, they lose.

[kissmya ss]

Everyone move along.....­.nothing to see here. Back to your homes.....­This is all just a hoax....Sa­y no more..say no more. Pay no attention to the loons.....­drink your kool-aid and go back to sleep. Michael Jackson is finally going to be buried!!!!! Now that's what really matters...­.

[lemonyashes]

The MSM are colluding with Republicans and big moneyed lobbyists. Pretend news is all we can get in primetime anymore.

[tompoe]

Excuse me, but there is no MSM. The operative term is, corporate media. I love how corporate media wants to coopt what everyone knows, as if they discovered it. "Gee, I'm glad I thought of that." Now, if we could only count on them to take the next step, and begin emulating professional journalism.

[theubermensch]

yep

[MyrtleJune]

Ya think?

They're overcovering it alright. And if Obama caves, he empowers these people....­.. with blind hatred they spew and with guns......­.

These were the same people that got us into Iraq and questioned, okay screeeeeched, about our patriotism for being against the war. It's from too much Jerry Springer and gw bush. A sad combination and most likely will not end well.

These are the people who will be empowered and rewarded and THAT scares the hell of me!

[denicci1977]

Spotted :
http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/