Dear Journalistic Media (or Media, as will be here after referred),
We have a problem. An issue that needs to be worked out between the two of us. I understand you’re busy what with covering all the crazy stuff happening in this world of ours, but frankly, I can’t put this off any longer.
You see, you haven’t been doing your job. Yes, you have been covering events and issues. But you have done a piss poor job of that. You have been neglecting your function reporting FACTS and focused solely on reporting. When interviewing politicians, or any other prominent figures, you have simply taken to transcribing what they say, and make no effort to discern if what they are saying is actually true.
Let us start, my dearest Media, with a recent example. Rudy Guliani this week, made claims that “we had no domestic attacks under Bush. We’ve had one under Obama,” referring, of course, to terrorist attacks. This is of course absurd, since 9/11, the biggest terror attack to befall this country, in fact happened during Bush’s first term. Guliani later claimed he meant to say “after 9/11″ when referring to Bush, but even that is wrong. Off the top of my head I can think of two terror attacks that happened post 9/11 on Bush’s watch: the anthrax scare and and the shoe bomber. Doing some research I was also reminded of the attempted LAX terror attack in 2002, as well as the DC sniper and UNC SUV attack.
But that isn’t the real problem. Perhaps all those incidents really had slipped Guliani’s mind. The problem is that you, Media, did nothing to to suggest that Rudy was wrong. You pasted his comments in your articles, never questioning the validity of what he was saying. By doing nothing, you allowed the public to infer there was nothing wrong with Guliani’s statement. It allowed the public to think that we are in more danger now than we were before. This, based off of false information. The actual data seems to suggest we are in no more danger than we have been over the past eight years. But many in the public now believe other wise.
That is but a minor grievance, however, when compared to your handling of health care reform. Multiple times since the summer, Sarah Palin warned the health care reform would bring about “death panels” that would essentially rationalize who woud recieve medical help (she did this via her Facebook page, no less). This was, of course, bogus. But you, ever vigilant Media, were laregly absent in saying so. You allowed the public to be frightened by a non-existant threat. Then there the claim made by Rush Limbagh and numrous other conservatives who claimed the health care bill would cost trillions and further us into debt. This would seem like a legitmait concern, until the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) found that the plan would actually reduce our deficit by about $130 billion dollars over the next decade. That is the exact opposite of what conservatives were saying. But again, you were largely absent in correcting them, and thusly, many in the public believe the health care will further our debt, when the truth is it would help.
I hope you are beginning to see, Media, why I have an issue with you. Your job is to inform the public so that they know what is going on in the world. So that they can make the best possible decisions they can. If it takes me five minutes on Google to get this information, it should be no problem for you to include it in your reporting. But you don’t. You have gotten lazy. The public should not have to seek out the information on their own (though it is always sound practice to do so). That is your job. You are supposed to point out when lies are being promoted as truths. When Glenn Beck says that 2 million people attaneded the 9/12 rally, you should have been there to point out it was really 60,000 – 70,000 people who attended the rally.
Media, you have been enabling lies. And as a result, many people in this country have a warped view of what is going on. How can people be expected to make good choices when they have been given misinformation? You are supposed to prevent this, Media. Now, I know you are weary of having a “liberal bias.” I understand many have called you this and you would like to show them this is not the case. But in trying to prove you are not liberally biased, you are in danger of having a conservative bias. If I may make a suggestion, my estranged friend, you need to worry less about this. If you report the FACTS, no amount of anyone calling you biased for one side or the other will matter. Facts are not biased. Focus on that.
It is a new year now. This is the perfect time to go back and practice actual journalism. To go back to truly informing the public. That is your duty. Unfortuntely, there is nothing to make you do this. Most people do not have the time to double check what you report, so many will go on believing you regardless. But those of us who do pay attention, Media, have had enough. I do hope (however foolishly) that you do take that into consideration. I will be waiting, old friend, to forgive you once you see the folly of your ways. Until that day, however, I’m afraid I must bid you farwell.
With Sincerest Regard,
HBM
