Watching The MSM Self-Destruct

Pardon this "media today" type of post, which cannot help but seem self-serving.

First, a read at Steve Huff's The Dark Side regarding Fox News in relation to his coverage of the Groene murder/kidnappings.

Then this from my email today.

Dan,

My name is Susan O'Bryan, and I am the editor of The Clinton News, a weekly newspaper in Clinton, Miss., former home of Natalee Holloway.

I want to tell you how much I appreciate your tireless efforts to keep the world informed about Natalee's disappearance, her family and the search. As a member of the "mainstream" media, I know how news value is judged, depending on the day's events.

You, sir, have gone out of your way to keep us abreast of developments while providing insight without malicious attacks on anyone possibly involved in this tragedy. Keep up the good work!

Yours truly,
Susan O'Bryan,
managing editor
The Clinton News
Www.clintonnews.com

Then, assuming they re-run it. or put up a transcript, check out this from Fox TV.

I don't think I've heard a more condescending evaluation of, not just web logs, but people in general getting involved in collecting and reporting news. Of all things, its incredibly ironic that the show airs on the one network which has been more all Natalee all the time than even this web log and they completely leave out any mention of Internet involvement in reporting events on the Natalee Holloway disappearance.

The reality is the so-called main stream media is relying more and more on web loggers and other Internet-based resources to collect and report the news - and at the same time they continue to prop up old guard journalists more concerned about protecting their image and ratings than actually doing much real reporting.

It's laughable that a network which pays Geraldo Rivera to go on air with unconfirmed, likely ridiculous reports of teenage pornographic movies for sale - when he isn't falling over a tree limb, a network which seems increasingly to want an attorney, Greta Van Sustern to make her bones by shoving a microphone in the face of a fleeing security guard, can, in such a generalized manner question the integrity and honesty of average citizens of the world interested in becoming part of the news generation process.

Fox should wake up and realize that dead air might actually be preferable to giving voice to certain network-air talking heads who can't get their lofty and allegedly journalistic thoughts out of the clouds long enough to truly comprehend what is happening to news reporting at sea level in the world of today.

Comments

[pkt]

So Dan... Let me get this straight. I didn't watch the show and can't find the transcripts but you are bashing FoxNews in response to something someone said on Fox News Watch???? Aren't the opinions expressed on Fox News Watch those of the individual journalists who are on that talk show and not necessarily Fox News???? Frankly, I enjoy that show. I also enjoy Brit Hume's show, Beltway Boys, and Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. Those shows are more intelligent and less testosterone filled than Orielly, H&C and Rivera. Lighten up about people expressing opinions about blogs. You'll find that some of these opinions may hit the nail on the head for most blogs.

[TallDave]

I found this thread deeply confusing.

[edward]

Hey Dan, AAAhhhh without Fox New and Beth Holloway there would be
(what little) investigation OK.... Dan also.... Beth Holloway is trying to find her
daughter... She is not involved in a blog Vera's MSM news organization
Internet war...., MSM have
thousands of employees - as opposed to you and your other web bloger friend...
(which is 2 people) they have been reporting news along time.

Dan, sometimes when I drink to much, I write and say things I wish I hadn't...
and if that isn't the case in regards to this nonsense ..... Why not try what afew
people mentioned in reply to your post... IT'S CALLED RESPECT.... try some....

Kissss Edward

[Tom Blumer]

We share Instalanche proximity from Instapundit (I'm the guy with the New York Times post). Congratulations.

I don't see a transcript for the show you linked to, but I have seen the Fox News Watch program enough to know that there is a (to me) surprising lack of respect for the blogosphere.

Cal Thomas in particular burns me. After decades of seeing his media-elite comrades distort the news, he puts down the one development, along with Fox itself, that has almost leveled the playing field. He even talks about lack of "checks and balances." Zheesh.

Tom Blumer
BizzyBlog.com

[PS]

Dan, I watched Greta and Geraldo's coverage in Aruba a few weeks ago and I could not agree more with you,

Your site along with Steve's psycho- analysis at the darkside runs rings around Fox's stories. But egos like Greta and Geraldo or any of the other cable and network news heavyweights are rarely able and never willing to share the spotlight and give credit where it's due. Because of you and thousands of other bloggers delving into stories because you have a passion and not just because you want to boost your ratings, many of us can see through the ruse. When i see such vacuous reporting as Fox gave us on the Natalie story, it's hard to see the network as more than an entertainment channel and not a very good one at that. What really annoyed me about the reporting, was that the news people who weren't covering the Natalie story (oriely, hannity, and that guy with the southern accent) would congratulate Greta and Geraldo for doing a great job and claim they were helping to break the case. What arrogance! They act like celebrities.

I haven't watched Fox coverage of the Groen case, but I have read everthing Steve has written at the darkside with fascination. He's a very good crime analyst and fox has no one like him.