Ted Koppel Tells Us Why the Media Fails to Cover the Real Issues

Lots of speeches and talk about the middle class and healthcare and taxes, but too often the perspectives of working people are missing from the debate and the media coverage. So we're happy to be here be covering the convention with SEIU, the Service Employees International Union. SEIU understands that these issues need to be featured in new and different ways -- reaching beyond the headlines and bringing forward stories and perspectives that highlight and celebrate the voices of working people and the issues at the forefront of their lives during this historic election.

And don't just take it from us. Last night we had a chance to speak with Ted Koppel inside the convention center. One of the Deans of American journalism told us that the mainstream media is too distracted by what's immediate to cover what's important.

For more Huffington Post coverage from the Democratic National Convention, visit our Politics @ the DNC page, our Democratic Convention Big News Page, and our HuffPost bloggers' Twitter feed, live from Denver.

Comments

[glesslib]

When I hear a news person who actually knows what to ask as a follow-up question or one who asks issue-oriented questions, I am surprised. Sad to say, most Americans are used to this type of news reporting and don't seem to be interested in what kind of health care, taxes, education, defense, they have over the next four years. The average viewer seems more than willing to let these guys discuss lapel pins, personal religious beliefs, personal wealth of candidates instead of forcing these guys to talk about the real issues facing us all.

I guess we all get what the type of news reporting the majority wants and deserves.

[TrooAmerican]

Koppel's right. the MSM is always looking to be first to "break" the news.
The first to get the "scoop"
and the one to have the most attention getting headline.
its really been devastating to the storylines and the real truth of whats going on.
They have lost their journalistic integrity.

[Danny]

"News" as "sports". "First" in ... absolutely unethical, if you call yourself a journalist. Yyes, "scoops" matter, but only if the scoop is a worthwhile issue.

[Over40]

When Ted Koppel speaks, I listen ........ he is sorely missed. What we have now is not really journalism and poses a greater danger than we know.

[TRYKER]

They're not distracted by what's immediate, they're misdirected by their corporate owners to produce babble in all situations.
Dumbing down of the populace is essential to the "ruling class" who need serfs that obey without question and whose rights are conditional on any given day...but never considered essential.
Our Elite have their corporate welfare deeply entrenched and rail against the poor for whom it is intended.
The Elite have no real issues, and declare that neither do we...just shut up and pay.

[Queenofthedamned]

As one who's spent 30+ years in television I can tell you tryker, the ONLY direction coming from corporate owners is to lower costs. They don't order us to produce babble, they say fill the time for as little as possible. That means you fill the time with bloviators, and video of "events." There's no grand conspiracy--that would actually take planning and thought. Ownership is focused solely on Wall Street and the bottom line. THAT'S what's trickled down ever since Reagan deregulated he public airwaves. There's no mandate to serve the public interest any more, only "responsibility to the shareholders." Koppel was, and is, a giant.