Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: steve harris who wrote (656783)	5/27/2012 9:35:37 PM
From: joseffy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1579893

Ex-ABC News Head Westin Defends Ban on American Flag Pins Even in 9/11 Aftermath By Brad Wilmouth \| May 27, 2012 Appearing as a guest on Sunday's Reliable Sources on CNN to plug his book, Exit Interview, former ABC News president David Westin recounted his decision to continue barring journalists from wearing American flag lapel pins on air even after the 9/11 attacks, and ended up defending his decision. Westin: (Video at bottom) And we'd long had a policy at ABC News that we wouldn't let people wear any lapel pins of any sort, the theory being that when you're reporting the news, you should be reporting the news, not taking a position. And I said quickly, "We're going to stick with our policy and stand by that." And I believe to this day that was the right decision. In October 2001, Westin's desire to be neutral about the 9/11 attacks went so far that he advised a group of students at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism that it was important that he as a journalist should not have a "position" about whether it was "right or wrong" to attack the Pentagon. Asked by a student, "Do you believe the Pentagon was a legimate military target, even if the missile was not?" Westin responded: The Pentagon as a legitimate target? I actually don't have an opinion on that, and it's important I not have an opinion on that as I sit here in my capacity right now. The way I conceive my job running a news organization, and the way I would like all the journalists at ABC News to perceive it, is there is a big difference between a normative position and a positive position. Our job is to determine what is, not what ought to be, and, when we get into the job of what ought to be, I think we're not doing a service to the American people. I can say the Pentagon got hit, I can say this is what their position is, this is what our position is, but for me to take a position this was right or wrong, I mean, that's perhaps for me in my private life, perhaps it's for me dealing with my loved ones, perhaps it's for my minister at church. But, as a journalist, I feel strongly that's something that I should not be taking a position on. I'm supposed to figure out what is and what is not, not what ought to be. The then-president of ABC later apologized after the MRC drew attention to his words. Westin, in an email to the MRC in October 2001: I was wrong. I gave an answer to journalism students to illustrate the broad, academic principle that all journalists should draw a firm line between what they know and what their personal opinion might be. Upon reflection, I realized that my answer did not address the specifics of September 11. Under any interpretation, the attack on the Pentagon was criminal and entirely without justification. I apologize for any harm that my misstatement may have caused. Read more: newsbusters.org

To: steve harris who wrote (656783)	5/27/2012 10:03:49 PM
From: joseffy	Respond to of 1579893

The Self-Destruction of the Mainstream Media By Steve McCann January 23, 2012 americanthinker.com For the past forty years the mainstream media has become increasingly liberal and more overt in promoting the policies of the Democratic Party. This evolutionary process reached its zenith in 2008 when the media were instrumental in Barack Obama being elected President. Many journalists dropped any pretense of objectivity and became not only cheerleaders but active de facto members of the campaign. What has their loyalty and prostration achieved for the journalism community? During the past two decades no other sector of the economy has experienced such overwhelming financial and employment devastation. Yet the vast majority of the media do not understand why theirs is a declining and failing business model. They are still in denial and cannot accept the reality of the marketplace, as their actions have prompted the American public to lose all confidence in their objectivity and integrity. The 2012 election season has begun and this same media finds itself in the position of having to defend and reinforce the man they chose to sleep with. They have willingly opted to do exactly that. The mainstream media is systematically pulling out all the stops to destroy any and all viable Republican challengers in an undeclared but understood alliance with the Obama re-election machine. Rather than objectively analyze the folly of the Obama class warfare strategy and its potential to undermine and destroy societal cohesion, the mainstream media has trumpeted and encouraged this divisive and dangerous strategy. The Occupy Wall Street movement, conceived by Friends of Obama and encouraged by the White House, as well as blessed by many in the media, was intended to further reinforce the war against the rich and redirect the anger and blame for all of America's woes away from the statist policies of the Obama regime. Mitt Romney, who since last summer has been the presumptive opponent to oppose Obama, is in the process of being cast as the capitalist villain in this stage production. Herman Cain was destroyed by unproven and salacious allegations of sexual harassment. Michele Bachmann was portrayed as wild-eyed and unstable religious fanatic, and Rick Perry was painted as an ignorant, incoherent and unreliable cowboy from Texas. Characterizations that would never be applied to any Democratic candidate. When it comes to Newt Gingrich there is no ethical barrier too high for the media to tear down in an attempt to marginalize him. Now the specter of an acknowledged bitter ex-wife being given access to a national stage two days before a crucial primary vote in order to vent her side of an emotional and vitriolic divorce saga is considered acceptable, as well as any innuendo or accusation created out of whole cloth. A scenario that would never be contemplated were Newt a liberal Democrat. What has this loyalty to progressive group-think and the Democratic Party wrought for the members of this once-proud profession? The landscape of the once mighty journalism community is one of utter devastation. Since 2001 American newsrooms have lost more than 25 per cent of their full time journalists resulting in a level of employment not seen since the mid-1970's. Just since 2007 over 14,000 have lost their jobs. Among other examples of this decline and fall are: The New York Times Company, often considered the bellwether of the national media, has reduced its labor force by 47% (6,600 jobs) since 2000. The average daily circulation for the Times has dropped by over 21% (234,000 readers) during the same period. The Company has been liquidating as many assets as possible in order to stay afloat; they now have few viable assets left to sell and will soon be facing bankruptcy The Washington Post, the other most influential newspaper in the country, has seen its average daily circulation drop by 33% (263,000 readers) since 2000. More devastating has been the plummet in print advertising revenue which has dropped by over 60% since 2000. They too have made major reductions in their labor force. Among the largest chains of newspapers in the country, the McClatchy Company has experienced a similar downturn. Since acquiring the Knight-Ridder chain in 2006, the Company has seen its average daily circulation decline from 2.84 million readers to 2.05 (a drop of 28% in only four years). Many of the individual papers within the group have resorted to massive layoffs and selling assets as not only circulation but ad revenue has dropped precipitously. The Gannet family of newspapers (the largest in the country) has lost over 2 million in paid circulation since 2000 (28%) while their ad revenue has dropped by 48%. Since 2000 total U.S. newspaper circulation has fallen by nearly 11 million readers with no end to this freefall in sight. The traditional news magazines (Time, Newsweek and US News & World Report) have experienced even more devastating results since 2000. Their readership has declined by over 3.6 million (40%). Advertising revenue has dropped by nearly 70%. A clear indicator of the demise of this media sector is the sale of Newsweek by the Washington Post Company for $1.00. The three network evening news broadcasts have suffered a similar fate. Since 1991 they have lost 12.6 million viewers ( 34%). In an attempt to offset the drastic decline in their core businesses all the various media companies have made a late foray into the internet; however the revenue generated by that sector does not begin to make up for the ongoing financial hemorrhaging. The mainstream media is first and foremost a business. Like any business it must generate revenue, pay its bills and make a profit for its shareholders. To produce income it must attract customers (advertisers and subscribers) to buy its product (the news as well as viewers or readers). Based on the results over the past ten years it is obvious that the product the mainstream media is promoting is not selling. Rather than understanding the basics of the free market and how capitalism has enabled many of the old guard in the mainstream media to live extremely comfortable lives, the most important and fashionable matter for the vast majority of the journalism community has been to be part of the in-crowd, which requires little independence of thought or even the ability to generate an original thought. Thus many in the media are still caught up in the old paradigm of good versus evil wherein conservatives are evil and liberals are good. Despite the fact that many have experienced or know of others in their profession with first-hand knowledge of layoffs, salary reductions and virtually no job prospects, they never seem to ask why or what will the future be for their chosen profession much less the country as a whole. A cursory examination of history reveals the catastrophic failure of nations composed of a massive central government siphoning off the wealth of the people in order to reward those the governing regime deems to be acceptable. The media is never among the chosen; in fact it is often the first profession to be marginalized. Yet like so many on the Left, a majority of the members of the mainstream media are incapable of recognizing their error in blindly supporting the liberal/socialist agenda over the years. Regardless of the evidence at hand, either historic or contemporary, their egos and narcissism so dominate their psyche that admitting a mistake is tantamount to the apocalypse. Thus they appear willing to sacrifice their own future and standard of living by actively campaigning for Obama's re-election rather than honestly report on the lies and machinations of this regime and their devastating impact on future generations. The only outcome the media has guaranteed is the continued decline and degradation of their once noble profession. Read more: americanthinker.com