One quote:
Unlike Olbermann, Maddow plans to interview some conservative guests. But she is determined to avoid the left-right pairings that sustain much of cable news.
“It creates fake balance,” she says. “I’m sorry — we’re going to have a debate about whether or not the Earth is flat? It doesn’t make sense to have a debate about whether offshore drilling is going to bring down gas prices. You know what? It’s not. The fact that it’s false ought to be reported, or you’re advancing a lie.”
The reason our news is so bad is because of this artificial concept of balance, where we have to present both sides, even if one is batshit crazy.
BTW- MSNBC’s coverage of the convention has been absolutely horrid so far. Other than a few moments with folks like Rachel, Pat Buchanan, and Michelle Bernard that have been passable, the rest of it, from the network bigwigs, has been deplorable. Olbermann, Brokaw, Gregory, Mitchell, and Matthews have all been terrible, and the fact that they think it is more important to hear them prattle on and on endlessly about, well, nonsense, rather than listening to the convention speakers should prove one thing- bad coverage is bad coverage, even if it is brought to you by folks on “your side.”
cleek
PBS has been pretty good. there’s still some talking, but they try to show everything, even if means delaying the airing of some speeches by a couple of minutes now and then.
they still spent too much time on the PUMAtard nonsense, but at least there were no giant pundit egos to deal with.
Dan
I agree re MSNBC 1000%. As I said earlier, I think that Olbermann is becoming a big dick. A lot of people think it’s fun to see Matthews and Scarborough get taken down, but the way Olbermann is doing it is by being a huge honking dickhead. Not liking it.
ThymeZone
Well, let’s overlook the fact that this is an idea that has been talked about at least since I was in high school, which was, um, let’s say, before your time ….. so it’s not exactly new.
More important is that it’s not THE reason your news is so bad, it’s just one of a hundred reasons why your news is so bad. But they all boil down to a common theme: These people are pretending to be joournalists, but they do not practice journalism. At least a few like Maddow, at least, know what the fuck it is. Most of them have no idea, they think it is about Personality Prattle.
Journalism is not about reporting that some say the earth is flat, it is about reporting that the earth is round, but a few idiots still claim it is flat. Like Maddow said.
And it’s about a lot of other things, none of which you will see on cable tv.
But wait! Good news! There’s a remedy! TURN OFF THE CABLE TV.
Problem solved.
MikeJ
People are actually watching the convention on something other than CSPAN? That’s insane.
Neal
I don’t have cable so I’ve been going to PBS route as well…but I’ve seen clips of MSNBC’s “coverage” online and it’s AWFUL.
PBS hasn’t been perfect, like you said, but they’ve certainly insulted me less than one of the big networks would. More than anything we’ve just been laughing at David Brooks and the rest of them. I can’t remember the host’s name (seen him a thousand times) but he’s awful with the live feeds. You see him just stop talking and stare at the screen for 10 seconds with his mouth half-open while he figures out what to say. It’s comical…and the weird snail-like older fellow with him is a riot.
schlagle
If you think MSNBC has been bad try watching CNN. Those are the only 2 stations I’ve watched in the last 4 days. Every damn time I switch to CNN I have some right wing tool spewing talking points, smearing everyone with a “D” next to their name, lying like crazy, and just generally insulting my intelligence while Wolf or some other dolt thanks them for their time and promises to have them back on again soon.
I can only get about 30 minutes of CNN in before my television is in danger of having something hard thrown at it.
Wayne
Thanks John, I let you watch and report on conventions so I don’t have to.
Alan
Yeah, MSNBC sucks until you turn to CNN or FNC. Right now FOX is interviewing Laura Ingraham from the floor of the convention center. She’s one of the reasons I’ve left the GOP. No Laura, I’m not catholic and I don’t want to make abortion illegal.
Last night I turned to CNN only to catch Larry King interview four RW pundits. Guess what, they all said Hillary’s speech was ineffective. Go effing figure. Then Larry interviewed a PUMA moron who wasn’t going to vote for Obama no matter how Larry phrased the question.
Surprisingly, Pat Buchanan keeps me dialed in to MSNBC. And anyway, I like the inanity of ESPN’s College Game Day. And that’s what MSNBC’s broadcast reminds me of. I can’t wait to see Mathews don the GOP or DNC mascot costume to make his prediction like Lee Corso.
Paul L.
However on the negative side, Ms. Maddow subscribes to the Al Gore school of fighting Global
WarmingClimate Change.MSNBC Moves Olbermann, Matthews, and Maddow Around in 4 MPG Monstrosity
phobos
I’ve avoided watching it for the most part. I was listening to Robin Young on NPR around midday–she seemed to be becoming more and more frustrated with the alleged sincerity of the PUMA-types during her interviews.
SGEW
Honestly, I don’t know what’s worse: Baloon Juice being constantly down or the resurgence of our resident trolls.
Perhaps WordPress has actually been trying to counter the infestation, and the ratfuckers have overwhelmed its immune system?
Steve
Has anyone been watching CNN’s HD feed? There’s more room on the screen, and instead of giving viewers a bigger picture, they put in a “floor sound level” meter that is supposed to measure the noise level on the convention floor. Thing is, it doesn’t seem to work: the thing just jumps around randomly, and it doesn’t spike even right after a speech when the cheering is loudest.
I know I’m a dirty pedant, but jesus assfucking christ, CNN, if you’re going to stick a stupid widget on my screen, at least make it work!
cybergal619
[3rd attempt at posting. C’mon WordPress.]
As bad as MSNBC has been, CNN is flat out horrendous. Rachel makes MSNBC somewhat palatable – especially when she’s putting Pat Bigotman in his place. And what’s with the McCain-Ditka sign someone was waving behind the Maddow panel last night? Mike Ditka? The last 2 mornings, there’s been a Jesus Saves sign waver behind Chuck Todd.
C-Span is the only way to go.
And I’m throwing my 2 cents in on the frustrating amount of B-J down time that we’re having to endure.
gil mann
Yeah, good catch, Paul. Way to take the bloom off that rose!
(returns to scribbling variations on “Mrs. Rachel Mann” on back of spiral notebook, with heightened intensity)
Breschau
I’ve mostly been doing MSNBC, because any other cable news channel makes me want to hurl things at my TV. But I do want some amount of commentary – especially from smart people like Maddow (she’s probably 90% of the reason I’m on that channel; Olbermann is the other 10%).
But switching to CSPAN when the convention floor starts to get rowdy is the way to go – the fact that NBC talked right over that speech last night by Montana Gov. Schweizer until the very last sentence or two, while the crowd was going NUTS for him, was the height of ignorance on their part.
Zifnab
Yeah, that amazed me too a little.
I tried PBS for a while, and it has definitely been the most preferable non-cable news source. But every time they pan back to David Brooks and whatisface the wanker from George Mason U, I need to scramble for the mute button less I get hit with another wave of teh stoopd.
Wow. It’s almost as though MSNBC isn’t a member of the Democratic Party, although you’d never know it what with them… uh… liberal media! Look, an ocelot dressed like Mike Nifong!
nightjar
Same here. It’s not that suddenly by force of will swore off cable news (and nearly so with network news excepting PBS). It’s been a slow process, to where now if I sit down and try to watch, my mind just doesn’t follow. It’s the same as when the Curling competition was on during the last Winter Olympics. Though sometimes I leave on Morning Joe on the for the Budgie, who loves to squawk and flap his wings at Scarboro’s antics.
Cain
I notice that fucking widget too and notice it didn’t do much. I couldn’t figure out why I would care what the sound was like on the floor. I mean.. who fucking cares if it’s loud on the damn floor? Goddam…
I don’t normally watch CNN/MSNBC except from youtube clips. I’m in my parents home in Indiana.. so I tend to play the field on the news channels. I had no idea it was so bad. I left the cable world years ago before fox news. Wow, it sure has changed.
cain
Third Eye Open
SGEW,
C’mon…I find Paul’s version of mental masturbation almost, I dunno, endearing. On the FSU campus we get a couple rather intense “evangelizers” that in truth are the only reason I leave my well cooled office to sit in north Florida humidity.
I have a theory these types of folks are just really good character actors with access to Google and spittle-proof mirrors.
Louise
Jonathan Alter is on CSPAN right now and he said that what determines what they (the press) cover is “who has the serrated knife,” “who cuts through,” and a bunch of other crap. Whatever happened to the press covering the news by actually, you know, working rather than sitting back and waiting for someone to say something provocative enough? Sheesh.
To his credit, he responded to a question about that horrible Wilentz column in Newsweek by pointing out how biased the author is, and he told everyone to watch CSPAN and avoid the chattering class.
Rome Again
C-Span is on cable. I’m watching.
Who wouldda thought you had your tv off while I had mine on. That’s definitely different. ;)
Brachiator
Damn! If she can live up to this, she is one hell of a woman. The oil drilling thing is particularly galling because McCain (did you know he was a POW?) was on the Tonight Show pushing the lie that we could be energy independent if coastal exploration was allowed, and Jay Leno was too gracious (or too ignorant) to call McPow on his bullshit.
As was the case with the often irrelevant or blatantly obvious Olympics coverage, high-priced “talent” have to prove their worth by babbling on air, even if what they have to say is absolutely worthless. And long ago, some evil network executive decided that commentary was a “value added” service that had to accompany the pretty pictures sent to your TV box. The world has never been the same since.
I think it’s more big ego/little dick.
I don’t have cable. There is something about paying for stuff that will be 90% teh stoopid ain’t good value for the money.
J.A.F. Rusty Shackleford
MSNBC’s floor reporter, Ann Curry, is awful. She has not asked one question that did not focus on the Clinton-Obama Drama.
Bill Kristol may be the most dishonest man on television.
ThymeZone
Good choice. 5683 reasons to pick CSPAN.
D-Chance.
Shorter anti-troll whining: IOKIYAD.
As for the coverage, meh. A bunch of liars interviewed by a bunch of dunces, playing for the votes of a bunch of morons.
/countdown to next WordPress crash… 3… 2… 1…
mapaghimagsik
Just cant watch, and let other people filter for me. Got this job thing going, and a few other projects so that I don’t want to spend too much time on the great informercial that is the conventions.
At the same time, I do hope there are people who spend their time watching to catch all the McCain gaffs.
Will they really do the state in bamboo to make McCain have more POW props?
dbrown
Thank god for those trolls, otherwise this site would be borinnnng – besides, it is so much fun trying to figure out if they are just baiting us or believe what they are saying. Please, don’t scare them away – we need them for play; if only a PUMA would come here and defend their ideas … now that would be fun.
Brachiator
Fixed
Glidwrith
A lot of people elsewhere say the Fairness Doctrine needs to be put back in place – since it was around before my political awakening and taken away, how would it function in today’s world of “fair and balanced”?
cmorenc
Agree completely, CNN’s coverage has been an inexcusable abomination.
NEVERTHELESS, IF THE NETWORKS PAY ATTENTION TO OUR CRITICISM, THE DOCTRINE OF PERVERSE CONSEQUENCES MAY STRIKE US BACK.
1) The MSM may sincerely take the criticisms to heart, and bend over backwards trying to not commit the same sins at the GOP convention. Result: The GOP gets to present their show, their speakers, with far more minimal interruption or unfavorable criticism than the democrats had to suffer inflicted on their convention.
OR:
2) The MSM may cynically use the criticisms as cover to do what many of their producers want to do anyway, which is to let the GOP present their show, their speakers, with far more minimal interruption or unfavorable criticism than the democrats had to suffer inflicted on their convention.
So, be careful what you wish for, you may get it. We should demand equal opportunity awfulness in MSM coverage of BOTH conventions at this point – true objective journalistic coverage “next time” could actually could work against us, because the only relevant “next time” is the GOP convention.
rob!
i agree, MSNBC is f**king this royally–just fire everyone except Olbermann, Maddow, Todd, Robinson, and start over–but today blogs are not much better.
every lefty blog (or even righty ones who like Obama, like Sullivan) i go to is in full panic mode–“Oh noes! I think Obama’s going to lose this! He’s got greek temples on his stage! Too much Clinton! We’re gonna lose!”
i’m all for being realistic, but JESUS CHRIST, no wonder Dems lose so many elections. their base is gutless–unless everything goes perfectly its All Lost! WAAAHHHH!!
sheesh.
Bubblegum Tate
Yes, Rachel Maddow is smarter–and more honest–than 99 percent of people on television. This is why her show won’t last.
Rome Again
Roll Call: now it gets interesting
Rome Again
A registered Republican makes the nominating speech for Obama? Yeah man!
I just KNOW there has got to be more cross-over R votes than PUMA votes for Spooge McCain.
Brachiator
By the way, Curry, who regularly appears on NBC’s Today Show and Dateline, was born in “exotic” Guam to a Japanese national mother and American father. I think that she might have something interesting to say about the phony charge that Obama is the mysterious Other. But apparently she is not allowed to veer from the official media narrative for this presidential campaign.
Alex
I saw a segment on Lou Dobbs a few years back with a ‘balanced’ panel discussing the relative merits of creationism, intelligent design, and evolution.
The idea that equal time has to be allotted between valid theories and the objectively stupid is just appalling.
John S.
Seriously.
Any post by Paul L. is an instant source of laughter and mockery. As is pretty much any post by myiq1/2xu.
They help keep the mood light.
w vincentz
I hope CNN has as many Progressives and Liberals giving commentary during the GOP Convention (fiasco)in St Paul as they’ve had Reichtards during the Dem’s Convention in Denver.
Oh…and the world IS flat, and McSame was a POW (committed GENOCIDE), and Hillary’s “Vaginal Victory Tour” is concluded.
The Moar You Know
Thank God for Rachel.
I gotta be honest here – I have never, not for one little second – liked Olbermann. I like what he does, but I cannot be in the same room if he’s on the TV. His whiny, over-the-top outraged hysteria frankly reminds me of my mother at her worst and I get quite enough from her, even living in another city, as it is.
Hopefully I don’t get booted from the party for this. Anyway, good news about Maddow.
Rome Again
Fat chance of that.
I remember the 2000 election when Bob Dole was relied upon for most of the commentary of the DNC Convention and then was also performing the same duty for the Republicans. The TV I was watching during those days survived, somehow, amazingly.
ThymeZone
Frankly it’s just theatrics, and entertainment. Which is the whole point, as it is here, in this blog.
Why did you think he throws a handful of copy sheets at the camera on every show? Or does Worst Persons in the World? Or does the Bill-O schtick?
Rome Again
Whoops, I meant to add that Dole was providing commentary for CNN in 2000.
dbrown
Olbermann has emotion, honesty and real outrage that is missing even with the rightwing nut jobs who are, well, simply nut jobs who only base their outrage on lies. When hundreds of thousands of people are murdered because the puppet king bushwhack has lied to us, what is the proper behavior? Polite statements like “Oh, I think, well maybe well … Bush might have, if you consider this in a manner that doesn’t … bah, bah. Give me real people with real emotions, please. These fuckers murder Americans and anyone if it makes them rich.
ThymeZone
They paid him, just like they are paying Pat Buchanan on NBC and Karl Rove on Fox. Hired mouths.
It’s all just a business.
Rome Again
Florida went Obama :)
Haha!
dbrown
I bet that Obama has promised Hillary that she will be on the short list for each Supreme Court appointment; with that motivation, Hillary and Bill will kick ass to get Obama elected.
w vincentz
@ Rome…
Watch what NY does. Should be interesting.
Rome Again
Of course they did, I didn’t think he was there for free. The fact is they relied upon Republican commentary for both conventions. There was no balance there.
Rome Again
Agreed. I’m also very in interested in Michigan.
Laura W
I tried to post that same thing last night, with paraphrased quotes even, after watching her go after someone but the site was down. Shocking. (“What does Hillary have to do? What does Bill have to do? What would you like them to do, in your deepest fantasies?” sums it up pretty well.) I mentioned, however, that she looked all distorted and greasy and that the camera angles were horrible.
It could’ve been that 3rd Ketel One and tonic, in all fairness to the camera people.
Dennis - SGMM
I received so much satisfaction from not-watching the Olympics (Started re-reading Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle) that I’m not-watching the convention. A week long, badly produced, infomercial just isn’t worth it to me.
A lot of posts about the inanity and/or partisanship of the media. Did anyone really believe that our blow dried, bite sized, deboned media would suddenly start acting like journalists? If there’s a special place in hell for butt kissers and turd polishers then HELL-TV will have forty-seven channels of cable news – which will provide great punishment for the rest of the damned.
Goseph Gerbils
They put the “loon” in “Balloon Juice”.
Re Olbermann: he’s a closet ham, it’s his schtick. I mean that kindly. Who doesn’t think for a moment he’s a prime mover in Maddow getting her own show? He could be forgiven a lot worse for that.
Snowwy
Wow, OK.
I missed Hillary’s speech, but I just saw her move to have the convention accept Obama by acclamation.
NOW she’s got my respect back.
croatoan
Rachel Maddow is my secret crush. Cute, smart, sassy, what’s not to love? (I know about the lesbian thing, just a minor detail.)
JAB
She is right about competing talking heads. When Wolf Blitzer and the gang do their tit-for-tat talking heads, I turn the sound off or even the TV.
Church Lady
Yes, Keith, Chris, et al, decided that it was MUCH more important for us to hear their play by play rehash of the Big Dog’s speech than to hear what John Kerry had to say. If he threw any “haymakers”, you certainly would never know it if you were watching MSNBC. I swear, I think Fox is doing a better job covering the Democratic Convention. Sad.
Ed Marshall
Rachel Maddow is my secret crush. Cute, smart, sassy, what’s not to love? (I know about the lesbian thing, just a minor detail.)
I’m a total idiot, I didn’t realize she was gay until you said that.
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
Don’t forget George Will secretly acting as Ronald Reagan’s debate coach in 1980 and then going out after the debate as a supposedly neutral journalist to gush about what a great job Ronnie did and how impressive his performance was.
That tells you just exactly how corrupt the MSM was more than 20 f*cking years ago. The hacks and shills today are amateurs by comparison.
Rome Again
That was my first election, and to be quite honest, I wasn’t watching the process at that point. I was a pawn of my father, and voted Republican, as he expected me to. It was both the first and the last time I ever did that.
Michael Brown
Absolutely correct for once, John. Their utter failure to bring us the ass-kicking Kerry speech tonight was abysmal. Shame.
Rick
Rachel is a middle-brow, at best. Regardless where she gets her jollies, I hear nothing of substance from her. I am indifferent where she seeks her jollies, but as an intellect, she falls short. It would be a wonderful experience to hear from a lesbian who really had brains, and, more importantly, insight (especially at this time in history). Rachel will become irrelevant, as soon after she becomes fat.
despitelogic
I must confess… I am an ex-Faux News Junkie…
A recovering lifelong republican…
A… and I hate to admit this… (gulp) former Bush supporter… (I gave that up along time ago after I could not figure out the reason I had been deployed to Iraq for the second time…)
I’m senior enlisted and in the military. But hey, an old dog can learn new tricks. He can open his eyes, he can broaden his horizons…
He can hope.
Rachel Maddow helped bring me around. I’ll admit that I was at first, attracted to her… and her mind (yeah, I know she isnt interested either). But when I realized that she was what I had been searching for… a tell it like it is, tongue in cheek smartass with a brain, well, it was "love".
Nowadays I find myself thinking that the world might be okay, especially if more people like me open their eyes and minds.
I find myself muttering "Yes we can!" in my sleep…
And I dont mind.