Posted on 11/29/2004 2:29:35 PM PST by chiller
NEW YORK Feeling a bit lost lately? You should, at least according to a compendium posted today at Jay Rosen’s popular PressThink Web log, because the biggest loser on Election Day was not John Kerry but the mainstream media.
Daniel Henninger, writing in The Wall Street Journal’s Opinion Journal, put it this way: "It is often said that the only sure winner in American politics is the media. Amid GOP victory parties or the ruined dreams of the Kerry candidacy, the one constant is that the media marches on. Maybe not this time. Big Media lost big."
"I was interested in figuring out why so many people were saying it and surveying the range of reasons they might have had," explained Rosen, a press critic, author, and chairman of the New York University journalism program. "It's a little experiment in unbiased media criticism, because it's simply presenting what these writers said. I could have commented on each one -- because I'm a press critic, I have a lot to say -- but I thought it might be more interesting just to let them speak."
And speak they did. From an editorial in Investor's Business Daily to an Associated Press article, Rosen provided excerpts and links to "the same idea," he said, "served 21 ways: 'Media, you lost big.'"
Most of the writers Rosen quoted expressed the opinion that liberal bias in the press became more apparent than ever during the election, even taking the stance that the media was actively trying to get Kerry elected.
The Nov. 2 Investor's Business Daily editorial stated, "By press time last night, we weren't sure who would be the winner of the 2004 presidential contest. But we were certain of one big loser: the media. We've watched in slack-jawed amazement over recent weeks as the big media, fearful of another four years for President Bush, have basically become an unpaid adjunct to the Kerry campaign."
On Nov. 3, Glenn Reynolds posted an entry in his blog, Instapundit, titled, "Bitter, Angry Losers." He went on to say, "No, not the Democrats, but the real losers in this election -- the Old Media, still angry that they couldn't deliver their fifteen percent."
Peggy Noonan on Nov. 4, also in Opinion Journal, went wild over the whole idea. After affirming that “the biggest loser was the mainstream media,” she added that conservative bloggers had slain the dragon: “It was to me a great historical development in the history of politics in America. It was Agincourt. It was the yeomen of King Harry taking down the French aristocracy with new technology and rough guts. God bless the pajama-clad yeomen of America.”
Vincent Fiore wrote on Nov. 7 about "Winners and Losers of Election 2004" at the ChronWatch site: "Loser: The Old Media. ... Staunchly opposed to Bush throughout his first term, the prospect of a second four years in office exposed the deep-seated bias among the old media and forever revealed themselves to the public at large."
On Nov. 15, Michael Barone wrote on townhall.com, "It was a bad election for old media. ... It no longer has the kind of monopoly control over political news that it enjoyed a quarter-century ago. And its efforts to help John Kerry proved counterproductive."
Rosen told E&P that he collected and posted the links because he found the claims fascinating. "I just think it's worth reflecting on, that's all," he explained. "Half my motivation was, I'm interested in what other people make of the same stuff."
In drawing his own conclusions from the material he found, Rosen said, "I think the particular discourse of media bias is one that has become dysfunctional. I've said at my Web log that the more you believe it, the dumber you get."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Erin Olson (eolson@editorandpublisher.com) is a reporter at E&P.
You rang?
More likely, I'm reading him wrong.
Now, there's always the outside possibility this Rip Van Rosen lady could have been asleep for a while? Something else strikes me about libs, sortof like surfers possibly, she sees a big wave coming and she's paddling like crazy???
Like you, I'm somewhat skeptical(heh heh) of pinks everywhere, especially in the MSM. BUT, since they have no core values, maybe she, like most good libs, is attaching herself to the latest "fad"? Keeping a watchful eye on 'em in any case.
FGS
"The MSM has been slain, but don't expect it to remain dead for long. There is still a market for it, but not what they're currently selling."
Wounded, not dead. Exposed, at least in the eyes of those observant enough to see or hear about it.
The network TV news is viewed by MORE people than Fox.
A lotta heads are still getting filled with mush.
But progress is progress (not to be mistaken for "progressive").
The network news presidents know they are losing viewers and influence. I expect their corporate boards have warned them about bias.
Peggy Noonan on Nov. 4, also in Opinion Journal, went wild over the whole idea. After affirming that “the biggest loser was the mainstream media,” she added that conservative bloggers had slain the dragon: “It was to me a great historical development in the history of politics in America. It was Agincourt. It was the yeomen of King Harry taking down the French aristocracy with new technology and rough guts. God bless the pajama-clad yeomen of America.”ha! Dat be us!
Gramps, that is GREAT, where can I get a copy (of the dino cartoon).
Ive been to your site a few times and I like it! keep up the great work.
Thanks for the ping. Peggy's great -- love her quotes...
You have the code in your freep mail box.
We haven't slain the MSM dragon yet.
However, we have given a probable mortal blow.
Just remember a wounded predator becomes very dangerous after they are wounded.
I'm waiting for a New York Times editorial on the same subject - and admitting a mea culpa.
YEP. And watch how they LEARN NOTHING as they replace Rather and Brokjaw.
s-o-o-o-o-o sorrrrrry!
i't been a long time since the united states had a "free press".
reminds me of a soviet emigre who moved to my neighborhood + bought a filling station in the early 90s.
after several months he said to me in astonishment: "you're television is controlled"!
yep, i replied, the democrats control abccbscnnnbc + the newspapers.
he said that there was this illusion around the world that america had a free press.
Are you set up so I can RSS it in my email? I use mozilla thunderbird and it has a RSS feed that i use. if not I do have a website. thanks for the info.
I urge everyone to make sure that what they are going after are dragons, though... many local papers are not dragons, and are struggling to compete against the big dragons. Often, support of a local paper can help knock out the bigger ones.
Remember, lots of the stuff that comes into local papers is from newswires. I'd encourage people to communicate with editors and show them the error of their ways if they are not properly editing, rather than just trying to destroy them. [Disclosure: I used to edit local papers and have family who do...and they are NOT Liberals.]
I gave through NRSC. I didn't know how close the Thune/Daschle race was going to be, so I let the Committee decide where it was needed most.
Yes, Sweet it is!
http://www.nrsc.org/
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