The role of the media: THE POLL!

[ColbertWatcher]

Poll question: The role of the media: THE POLL!

All the choices came from this thread please choose the one which you believe best describes what the role of the media should be:

A. "Report the news without editing. If the show does analysis, one minute from each side." from DUer monmouth

B. DUer pinto's suggestion:

Off the top of my head -

1. Publish clear, un-slanted and factual reports of international, national or local events.

2. Publish a spectrum of opinion on same, clearly cited as editorial opinion or comment.

3. Publish clear, un-slanted and factual reports of international, national or local politics.

4. Publish a spectrum of opinion on same, clearly cited as editorial opinion or comment.

5. Engage the public in regards to political participation and civic involvement, internationally, nationally or locally.

6. Serve as a bridge, when appropriate, between the public and its elected politicians and public bureaucracies.

And (added later in response to a question) ... Maintaining clear, un-slanted and factual public journalistic oversight of elected politicians and the public bureaucracies. (which includes investigating!)

C. from DUer grasswire

the role of the media is to stand between the people and tyranny. How is this done? By finding and telling the truth. The press is given Constitutional protections so they may be the watchdogs of liberty.

D. from DUer Uncle Joe, who posts his five roles for the media:

1. To inform and enlighten the American People as to the critical issues of the day, leave the celebrity pablum for the tabloids. The only way this can be done is for the journalists to be totally familiar with the issues, they're reporting about, pros and cons.

2. When they're interviewing political or business leaders, ask the question, then shut the hell up, until they can come up with a decent followup question. Cutting off, interjecting and dominating the mike is rude, crude and hypocritical, there is nothing free about he exchange of information when the interviewer is intent on putting their own self absorbed spin on everything. Give the American People some credit for determining political lies, by giving them all the facts and information pertinent to the issue without continuous corporate media opinion and/or propaganda. As an example, I believe Bill Moyers is the best interviewer on television today, because he asks intelligent questions and he's an outstanding listener.

3. When members of the corporate media wish to slander or libel a political leader, the rest should call them on it, instead of relying on lazy ass group think, remedial courses in critical thinking skills may aid in this endeavor. The corporate media may think they're just damaging a single political leader of whom they don't care for, but in fact they're betraying the American People's best interests and tearing down the nation. But they know this shit or they damn sure ought too. As an example, the group think slander and libel committed against Al Gore over the better part of two years prior the selection of 2000. How insane do you have to be, to believe Al Gore actually claimed to have "invented the Internet"!? That group lie cost the nation hundreds of billions if not a trillion or two dollars, countless lives, injuries, loss of world esteem and God if there is one, only knows what else. How much trouble could it have been for our so called free press to actually have given him credit for his legislative achievements, dedication and vision in championing opening up the Internet for the American People!? That episode alone more than anything exposed the corporate media's true regards for the First Amendment, they only gave a damn in so far as it benefited their own narrow corporate agenda.

4. They also shouldn't be dancing or partying with the political or business leaders of which they have the responsibility to be informing the American People about. They should keep a professional distance! The most critical reporting I expect from David Gregory at this point is that Karl Rove stepped on his toes.

5. In general I believe the corporate media are too concentrated and ironically this has only served to weaken them as a free press.

E. DUer madamesilverspurs idea...

As for the journalistic media, the task SHOULD be simple:

Inform, explain, investigate. Who, what, why, when, where, how.

In the absence of publishing entities unowned and un-influenced by major corporations, mainstream media "news" is untrustworthy for anything other than weather reports, obituaries and giving sports unwarranted primacy.

F. "To compete with each other to bring us as much of the truth as possible or just to entertain us." from DUer Orsino

G. Basically what they're doing now, or the cynic's idea of what the role of the media is (several DUers jokingly suggested this)

H. Other, which I will post in reply