I'm very critical of Fox News because I don't think they present news. When I learned of this incident this morning I imagined what it would have been like if this same incident occurred on the Fox News Network. Would the same people that think MSNBC "overreacted" be outraged if a Fox contributor would have been suspended? I can imagine some of them would, but only because they would have demanded he be fired instead.
If, during any step of analyzing this ordeal, you need to compare the conduct of this particular network against that of another then you are no different than the network you claim to despise. Sure, there are degrees involved (just like with every other thing in this universe) but that doesn't make it different. Blowing into a breathalyzer after wrecking into another vehicle and recording a blood alcohol level of 1.10 as opposed to a 2.50 doesn't change the fact you would be arrested for being under the influence. In a recent interview Chris Wallace went at Jon Stewart by comparing his network to Stewart's network, a comedy channel. And now, when MSNBC finds itself in the hot seat they, or at least their supporters, opt to compare their network to a comedy channel, Fox News.
That there is controversy over this issue is very troubling to me. On a national news network one of the paid contributors called the President of the United States a dick and was suspended. Where is the controversy? Some have argued that everyone is protected under the rights afforded in the 1st Amendment. This is complete nonsense. Freedom of speech is an amazing right but if one thinks it doesn't have limitations then they aren't very knowledgeable on the topic. Freedom of speech is limited in the press, on television, on the radio, and even in public.
MSNBC recently suspended a host for calling a conservative female a "right-wing slut". Another host was let go for continually violating network policies, the last being contributing to campaigns and not divulging that information. In the recent past another anchor was suspended, and eventually fired for a different reason, for saying "pimped out" when referring to Chelsea Clinton. Evening Joe Scarborough was suspended a while back for dropping the "f-bomb" on air.
Both MSNBC and Fox News are two sides of the same coin. Because the content is different or the viewership levels vary doesn't change this fact. Because one tells more egregious lies and misrepresents facts for different reasons than the other network doesn't change this fact. A news channel that simply reports the news no longer exists. They used to exist back in the day when the networks didn't demand the news generate revenue, but times have changed. The people on these channels are paid big salaries. They goad the people on air to make outrageous comments and then act surprised when they happen.
The most surprising thing of this latest ordeal was the weak excuse offered by MSNBC as to why the seven second delay didn't bleep the comment: the show's new executive producer was not familiar with the seven-second delay button. The two hosts of the show encouraged Halperin to speak his mind, let it fly, there is a seven second delay in place they assured him. Ironically, the network adopted the delay because of Scarborough. They, the guys in the control room, even showed a shot of themselves sitting there with their finger on the button in anticipation of the comment while Joe was encouraging Halperin to tell us what he "really thought". I think Halperin should face some consequences and suspension seems reasonable but I believe the executive producer should be fired. He's incompetent at best.
Jon Stewart recently claimed the media was lazy and dealt in sensationalism and not news. This seems obvious. What doesn't seem so obvious is our role in this reality. The press used to represent all of us. It was a nice check in a system that was based on checks and balances. It was another, nicely created extension, that enabled more of the people's will to be done. It was created to make sure our politicians don't think they can get away with lying to us and could be held accountable for their actions. We have squandered that all away and have embraced a system that no longer holds these values and concerns. Instead, the news is just like everything else in this country, based on making money. A profession that was created to make sure lies didn't go unchallenged now lies to us and we tune into the channel we want to believe the most. When we argue over what network is worse or what network is more balanced we cement our role in the nonsense. When we argue over whether or not someone should be punished for even saying the word "dick" , let alone calling the President one, on the airwaves we are nothing more than sheep being herded along in whatever direction the corporations wish us to travel.
Luckily for us we have this incredible front row seat to the freak show.
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