Does our "news" media have the public's best interest at heart or are they just in it for the money?

[tenderfoot]

Or is their current role to insure nothing threatens the status quo?

We're talking television networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, MSNBC...

I'm not including PBS because they seem to take reporting seriously but that's not how I feel about the others. Personally, I do not care for networks that cater to one side or the other. How is it that we went from 3 major networks (pre-cable) covering news - more or less the same stories etc. and everyone had different opinions despite getting the same information?

Their aggressive approach in covering Biden/Obama/Clinton in comparison of their soft-pedalling covering TFG or W should be alarming. Their penchants for bringing on unqualified commentators (Chris Christie, Santorum, McCaskill) rather than experts in topics/issues at hand. Or spending endless hours covering something stupid that someone said rather than stories of pertinence.

I've seen a few clips of people that lost loved ones to covid due to misinformation but they never discuss what misinformation or who's producing it. It's always just "due to misinformation on the internet" or "they saw it on facebook!" and that's it. It's never a particular source - they just cut to blaming it on the platform.

Just thought I'd ask.

Please no flaming.

Thank you.

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[Alexander Of Assyria]

1. Other...in on anti-democracy for money, yes... and political power.

[Kaleva]

2. They are a for profit business so #1 priority is to maximize profits. It's always been that way.

[tenderfoot]

3. CNN was one the best networks up to the mid-90s - so I'm going to have to disagree with that

eom

[Kaleva]

6. CNN's main priority back in the 90's was to make a profit. Same as today.

No business can still viable long running a loss or just breaking even.

[tenderfoot]

7. That may well be but they did news well

and then there's this: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=15950590

[Kaleva]

9. I was thinking that you had included newspapers in your question.

[tenderfoot]

10. That's actually where I get my news these days.

I have issues with them as well but not as much as television.

[LeftInTX]

4. Prior to cable news networks, the news departments at CBS, ABC and NBC were "non-profit" arms

of the networks. The money making at networks were prime time shows and not the news.

An alternative to cable news is CBSN...24 hour news by CBS...

[Kaleva]

8. I didn't know that.

[Patton French]

5. You pose two questions and provide an opportunity for one response

I assume the response is intended for the first question?

Edit: Actually three questions and one yes or no response.

[RKP5637]

11. After they became P&L centers, it's now all about the money, airing what sells. n/t

[11 Bravo]

12. Other: Is this a rhetorical question?

[tenderfoot]

14. Other: as in I think this or that.

[11 Bravo]

15. Not trying to give you a hard time, I just thought the answer was obvious.

It's all about the Benjamins.

[tenderfoot]

16. It certainly is these days. I wonder if they're as much for annihilating democracy as the right.

eom

[stillcool]

13. I don't think money-making through advertising

is part of the equation. You can't put a price on controlling perception, and the owners have lots of interests to protect.
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AT&T (NYSE:T)
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