Those alt-right weirdos say a lot of nasty stuff about the mainstream media.
They might have a point.
It’s not that I buy into the complaint that reporters and editors at daily newspapers and TV stations have a liberal bias. For the most part, that isn’t true. To have a bias, they’d have to know something about the subjects they’re reporting on. Often, that’s not the case.
What makes it easy to dismiss much of what’s published and broadcast in the Maine media is the daily deluge of cloudy thinking, sloppy editing and outright incompetence that’s become the new journalistic norm. Simply put, you can’t trust what you read and hear. Sort of like listening to a speech by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Only less racist.
Sometimes the inept attempts at conveying information can be humorous. On January 7, the Lewiston Sun Journal ran a front-page story on how businesses were coping with mandated increases in the minimum wage. It contained this gem: “[State economist Amada] Rector sees three options: increase prices, trim employees’ hours, reduce employees or eliminate benefits.”
I’m pretty sure Rector can count better than that.
The January 10 Bangor Daily News published a column by Emmet Meara about problems with his bathroom drain. The headline: “I should have been a plumper.”
Anyone who knows Emmet is aware he’s fully qualified in that category. The word the copy editor couldn’t spell correctly was “plumber.”
Some mistakes, though, are seriously misleading. The January 16 Morning Sentinel contained this scoop: “Israel, Palestinians talk peace deal.” Unfortunately, the Associated Press story it topped carried the opposite message, with Israeli leadership rejecting the urgings of a French-sponsored conference for negotiations.
Apparently, reading copy before writing headlines is now optional.
Last September, the Maine Sunday Telegram ran an op-ed by somebody named Steve Bentley that claimed LePage was suffering from “deep-seated and unresolved psychological and emotional issues” caused by alcohol. Bentley based his assessment on public statements the governor had made, but not on any clinical examination.
The paper later deleted the column from its website and ran an editor’s note saying it “should not have been published.” But it never apologized to LePage. Or its readers.
Far more serious than any of the above missteps is a new policy at the Bangor Daily. Effective early this month, the paper decided it’s not going to report some stuff LePage says when it can’t verify its accuracy. According to a January 6 blog post by BDN State House reporter Christopher Cousins, “If we rush to simply throw a headline on something a politician says, without providing important context or asking them to provide substantiating information then we function as de facto propaganda machines.”
In this case, the paper didn’t report on LePage’s claim that two Maine companies (he later upped it to three) were about to shut down, eliminating 400 jobs. There’s good reason to be skeptical of this factoid, since the governor announced early last year that a southern Maine business was about to fold, costing the state 900 jobs (he later upped it to 1,500), an event that, to date, hasn’t happened.
LePage has a long history of making false statements in radio appearances and speeches. His press office is notorious for not responding to questions. The news media would be justified in ignoring the ranting of an ignorant, racially offensive crank – if he wasn’t the governor.
But LePage is the governor. When he makes inaccurate claims, that’s as newsworthy as when he – occasionally – tells the truth. The Bangor paper’s argument that it can’t report on his fabrications without context and fact-checking is disingenuous. That context is readily available in the form of his many previous distortions of reality. And fact-checks are only a phone call or key click away.
Far more dangerous than the BDN’s fear that it will become “complicit in spreading inaccurate or incomplete information” are the consequences of not informing the public about what their governor is saying. Because word of LePage’s distorted pronouncements will spread by alternative means whether mainstream media facilitate it or not.
The newspaper’s misguided exercise in self-censorship is yet another example of why public trust in this institution continues to decline.
For instance, they just lost me.
Don’t suppress your comments. Email me at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
This morning, (Monday Jan 23) Irwin Gratz on “Maine Public” reported (or actually read a report) of an earthquake in Oxford County “yesterday”. The earthquake, small but noisy, happened Saturday evening and was reported by Channel 6 and on the Portland Press Herald section of the MaineToday.com site. Just another one.
And my favorite Google news headline in early January: “Kim Kardashian Reveals Her Psoriasis Has Spread to Her Face via Twitter”
There’s a 1965 episode of Hogan’s Heroes in which the late Richard Dawson as Newkirk makes a closed circuit broadcast to Klink’s radio. Imitating the voice of Hitler, Newkirk shouts:
“It is possible that you have heard rumors that Berlin is in ruins, Hamburg is in shambles and so on. I order you not to believe these things, even if they are true!”
Anyone see any parallels to LePage and/or Trump?
LIES, “alternative facts”, delusions, exaggeration, falshoods
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/opinion/how-the-media-handles-trumps-lies.html
Maine has had its own “leader” giving us an orientation on “truthiness” for several years. Doesn’t make it any easier to take what Trump is dishing out.
To cookymonster..
No.
“It’s not that I buy into the complaint that reporters and editors at daily newspapers and TV stations have a liberal bias.”? Heaven forfend, that is no more likely than that the Bulldog itself could have a liberal bias! And that could never happen, now could it?
Listening and reading the reporting from the Main Street Media post-Trump’s election, I hear nothing but negative comments and never anything positive. Never a kind word on his efforts to increase jobs, increase economic growth, orbetter protect security of US residents And never mentioned is the incredibly talented individuals he is appointing to his cabinet. Not politicians. Proven successful leader/managers that know how to get things done.
And attempting to not call the MSM “Liberal” is a joke. Just spend a few minutes listening to Scott Pelley on CBS, or the evening news on PBS, or the talking heads on Sunday morning broadcasts by CBS and NBC.
The MSM is dedicated to “form” and “political correctness” to protect their positions. They care little for “substance”. Much news is “Fake News” creating drama, bias, distortion. The “great unwashed” takes it all in, many becoming LIVs.
Successful leaders/managers don’t file for bankruptcy or not pay for services he has received. Successful leaders don’t promise that he would fight Wall Street, and then appointment them to his cabinet. They don’t say another country will pay for a wall and then decides our country should pay. A leader is not more concerned about his popularity then anything else. A leader doesn’t go on Twitter and whine.
OK Di,,,
So a Successful Leader/manager can willingly “ACCEPT” the debate questions ahead of time from Donna Brazile?
And cheat Bernie Sanders out of any chance for the nomination?
And talk tough about Wall Street but accept massive “Private” speaking fees?
And use a private server with no punishment at all,,,while others get jail time for the same?
Wonder if there is even a remote possibility she used the private server so she could “hide/delete” things (THINGS being the business of the American People).
And Not explain where all the money for HAITI went from her “foundation”? (I know,,,none of our business, but it never got to Haiti).
A Leader Doesn’t Do “ANY” Of These Things.
She is a criminal with the best attorneys and influence MONEY CAN BUY IS ALL>
I guess all that is fine with the Democrats….
but I have a question?
How’s all that working out for ya?
I aint crazy about the “1st Orange President” either (no offense to Syracuse University Mascot),,,
But the other options wee much worse.
First, anyone who argues against the fact that the mainstream media is not bias and leans more than ever left has their head in the sand or is a complete ignorant and a low-information consumer that believes every negatively charged comment against facts and reason. Not to mention that if you fall in that category, you are a mindless fool and have either never been taught to think critically before you espoused foolish comments.
The last comment I read and many I have read on this blog has proven this time and time again. Case in point, a successful businessman or measure of business success is not determined if solely by claiming bankruptcy or reorganization of your company. And the “fighting Wall Street comments”, its also foolish to think that during campaign rhetoric, which btw both sides used, is a measure against hiring top notch business men, is naïveté. As far as the “Wall” is concerned, a 2006 law required that 700 miles of double-layer border fencing be built by the USA, which means that “we” pay for it. Unfortunately, in 2007 another Texas Republican helped the Democrat Congress change that. And the Obama administration only built 30 miles, and claimed that the rest was too deficult and tossed the rest of the plans to continue. (Just in case you were keeping tabs, another failure and lack of completion of a major project by the previous president). Also, it’s easy to claim that every rebuttal of the false narrative or fake news by the media continued attacks of our new President, is some self awareness or popularity complex. And lastly, as to the twitter use, the President has explained on more than one occasion, that it’s his way to communicate directly to the public in its pure form without the press and mainstream media spinning their version.
Nuff Said…
Oh, I forgot to mention that if you don’t like the bankruptcy “law” and the company reorganization “laws” , then go out and campaign against it or it’s protection clauses, or wait until your next candidate or legislators bring it up for debate and a referendum is produced. Until then, the arguments against the use of its protection under the law is redundant and ridiculous. And as far I last checked, if a contract is breached by the person or company providing a service, or fails to perform, etc., only a fool will continue to pay that contractor or company…
Nuff Said…
To Arnold: I think the Bulldog is pretty fair about publishing comments. I am one of those despicable, honest, ungullible people called a liberal. My comments don’t always get published. Seems like a lot of people are gullible though. They voted for a gambler,a business man who has gone bankrupt and a man who is vain. That’s because you believed everything the media told you about how Trump will save us. Start thinking instead of listening to everyone else’s opinion. Hope we all survive World War 3
Frump
WW3 just ended.
We lost .Very quietly.
You missed it cause the media didn’t want to report the buttwhupping the last administration got….
WW4….Time for change.