The real media conspiracy

[IndyHatedByBothSides]

I have a family member who works in the national media. Tonight he was chuckling over how Republican partisans accuse the media of shilling for the Democrats, while hardcore Democrats accuse the MSM of being a mouthpiece for the Republicans.

He told me that neither is correct as a broad generalization. What the media do, he explained, is look for something different from the usual narrative and play along. The more unusual or out-of-the-ordinary, the more media attention it receives.

Each of the three main candidates enters this race with something out of the ordinary: race for Obama, gender for Clinton, and age for McCain. Moreover, each of the three main candidates has done something outside of the usual narrative.

1 - McCain has somehow consolidated Republican support, despite being about as well-liked among partisan Republicans as Lieberman is among partisan Democrats.

2 - Obama is the first Gen-X candidate with a serious shot at the presidency. He is also the first politician to politically out-maneuver the Clintons.

3 - Hillary has somehow gained the support of the neo-conservative wing of the Republican party, who at one time were her biggest critics.

In essence, my buddy said there is no conspiracy - what gets reported is what resonates with the public - but only sensationalism.

[grasswire]

1. not totally true

There is plenty of first-person confession from reporters, editors, etc., of their thumb on the scale for Bush over Gore and Kerry simply because they found Gore and Kerry elitist and distasteful for some reason. They inserted themselves into the story, twisting and confabulating. That's happening now for Obama. They like his story best.

Oh, and remember how journalists have inserted themselves into other stories over the past years? Susan Schmidt and Kenneth Starr? The Wen Ho Lee story? And, for God's sake, Judith Miller?

Your family member is simply engaging in CYA.

[IndyHatedByBothSides]

2. It works both ways, but balances itself out

These journalists are in the minority. Also, for every journalist that inserts herself or himself into the story for one side, another inserts himself or herself into the story for the other side. Dan Rather, before he got caught? Overall the media's interest is to note what is different or creating controversy.

[NashVegas]

3. I'm Not Sure What You Mean About Dan Rather

Getting "caught."

[grasswire]

4. yeah, I'd like to hear more about that, too

I smell something.