Dennis Prager: How the Mainstream Media Operate

Townhall.com ^ | Dennis Prager

[RoosterRedux]

"Our leading media" are characterized by "indefensibly corrupt manipulations of language repeated incessantly."

Patrick Lawrence in The Nation, Aug. 9, 2017, on the media's reporting of the alleged collusion between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia

To understand America's crises today, one must first understand what has happened to two institutions: the university and the news media. They do not regard their mission as educating and informing but indoctrinating.

In this column, I will focus on the media. I will dissect one issue that I know extremely well: the national and local coverage of the invitation extended to me to guest-conduct the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The concert took place last week.

I am well aware that this event is far less significant than many other issues. But every aspect of the reporting of this issue applies to virtually every issue the media cover. Therefore, understanding how The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and NPR covered my story leads to an almost-perfect understanding of how the media cover every story where the left has a vested interest.

When it comes to straight news stories -- say, an earthquake in Central America -- the news media often do their job responsibly. But when a story has a left-wing interest, the media abandon straight news reporting and take on the role of advocates.

[shhrubbery!]

I was in college during Watergate. The pattern became that every new disclosure was cause for outrage ... it was all about feelings, impressions and manufactured hysteria.

Yes I was in college then too and still have vivid memories of sitting in a darkened student lounge, watching the Watergate hearings on TV. It wasn't a huge draw –more students back then were concerned with their studies, rather than political activism. But a few others were in the lounge, sitting intensely at the edge of their overstuffed chairs.

What struck me was the almost orgasmic delight the Leftist students took in hating Nixon. I still considered myself a liberal back then, but the experience opened my eyes. It was the first time I'd seen such seething, pathological hatred.

Now I've seen that hatred expressed many times, toward many people.

[M Kehoe]

Bttt.

5.56mm

[Yaelle]

Dennis is all about clarity, and this great, simple, brilliant essay proves he nails clarity on the media situation.

[Yaelle]

A brilliant piece. Should be required reading for Conservatives.

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Addendum: Should be required reading for liberals too.

[Skooz]

bfl