So after a long hiatus I tried watching cable news again

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ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,414
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i just read a CNN banner: TEEN CALLED A NERD. i was across the room and down a hallway from the tv. rather than outright rejecting the headline in my mind, and thinking that couldn't possibly be it, i started to think about what passes for news these days. on closer inspection, the banner read: TEEN CALLED A HERO.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: yllus
I tried watching CNN after a 8 year self-imposed timeout, and ended up tuning in to a Nancy Grace segment. :(

She must be really good at something we don't see on camera.

She must be blowing everything with a penis and pulse to keep that craptacular show going.
 

Demo24

Diamond Member
Aug 5, 2004
8,357
9
81
Originally posted by: Farang
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: ericlp
I stopped watching the news CBS/NBC never did watch fox, now I avoid CNN ... I'll occasionally hit up BBC, but my news of choice is the china channel (galaxy 5) ... Ya I know what you are thinking but the china channel even if they got it wrong ... They are not afraid of law suits or the bush admin locking them up... Maybe they might water down what's going on in china but they won't do it for USA and other news... Yep double edge sword...

I really like cnn international edition, but it's impossible to get w/o the dish

The international channels are much better (although they repeat stories too much each hour, considering how much is going on in the world). If you can't get CNN international I've found that BBC international is more or less interchangeable with it, and I'm pretty sure that airs all over the country on PBS.

Agreed! Although I've never seen it on PBS. So instead I pay to watch it online. I don't get cable so its the only TV I watch, definitely beats CNN or Fox(I actually know someone who likes/watches that channel. ugh!)!
 

vhx

Golden Member
Jul 19, 2006
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I find the Daily Show and the Colbert Report to have more news than the normal channels. That's sad on their part.
 

Dissipate

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2004
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All news is crap. Local, national, international, you name it. Out of all the stories out there about 99.99999% have 0 impact on my life and are 100% out of my control.

Plus, most news is about the government, which makes me more sick to my stomach and makes my blood boil at the same time because it reminds me how much I'm being forced to pay for this sick farce of a freak show we call 'politics.'

My roommate spends an hour or so a day watching the 'news.' And of course that is an hour or so a day he wastes thinking about events/issues that he has no control over and has little impact on his life. Considering the fact that he has bad credit, sporadic income, and a drinking problem, that waste of time is even worse for him.
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
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Originally posted by: silverpig
I'm pretty happy with the CBC.

Awesome, 1 out of 1 CBC viewers is happy with it. :p

It's good for hockey and little else, if you ask me. Actually I guess the fifth estate is good stuff.
 

ZzZGuy

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2006
1,855
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It drives me insane to see a special on a puppy or something on the likes of CNN while there is genocide/burtal dictatorship/natural disaster/human rights violations/ect ect going on.

It wouldn't be bad if they had a happy hour or something but it IS the news!!!
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,709
11
81
Originally posted by: yllus
Originally posted by: silverpig
I'm pretty happy with the CBC.

Awesome, 1 out of 1 CBC viewers is happy with it. :p

It's good for hockey and little else, if you ask me. Actually I guess the fifth estate is good stuff.

Well for news there's CBC Newsworld. The CBC itself has good news and good sports, but they have some craptastic other shows as well. Every once in a while a Da Vinci's inquest or Intelligence comes along, but I guess that's true of any network.
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,502
1
81
I was sitting in my neighbor pub having a couple of happy hour beers and CNN HN was on one of the TV's. The network spent more time on the Dr Phil and teen age girls beating up girls and teen agers emailing pictures to each other stories than any other stories.

Basically CNN HN is a cable TV version of the grocery store tabloids.
 

Auryg

Platinum Member
Dec 28, 2003
2,377
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71
Originally posted by: manowar821
Listen to NPR.

God yes. Every once in a while there will be an absolute tinge of left bias (especially in the local bits), but for the most part they've *very* balanced, and actually talk about things that should be talked about. I doubt Anna Nicole was ever talked about, except for maybe 2 sentences every hour the day she died.

 

venkman

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2007
4,950
11
81
Originally posted by: Enig101
I tried watching cable news again
Well there's your mistake right there.

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

It would be funny if so many morons didn't take it as the gospel truth. :(
 

keird

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
3,714
9
81
Originally posted by: manowar821
Listen to NPR.

Bump for NPR.

I'm in the military and I still prefer this journalism over the mainstream media controversial sensationalist crap. Journalism isn't supposed to make controversy where there needn't be, that's a business model.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
348
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Originally posted by: keird
Originally posted by: manowar821
Listen to NPR.

Bump for NPR.

I'm in the military and I still prefer this journalism over the mainstream media controversial sensationalist crap. Journalism isn't supposed to make controversy where there needn't be, that's a business model.

Isn't it interesting how NPR is an example contradicting capitalist ideological predictions.

The fact it's the government at all would have you expecting a nasal bureacrat reading temperatures across the US, for a lot of money. The ideology would say that the market is far more responsive to the needs of listeners, and if the people want quality journalism, they'll get it.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the prediction, NPR in the view of many surpasses any market-driven products - and doesn't cost a fortune to do so.

The fact this is the case doens't mean we want the government opening an auto factory and competing with GM and Ford. But it should show the ideologues they're not quite right.

Put aside the ideology, the bottom line is that 'NPR works'. It creates a quality product, unique in the market, and satisfies a need affordably. Other than for the crazies who will scream that the government is taking their money at gunpoint to pay for this by theft, the situation is just fine. If anything, the BBC shows how even more could be beneficial. But I guess that's not as useful politically as having something to scream about.

Blind ideology on these things isn't helpful. Why isn't it good to have the public pay for its own media content for one outlet among the many commercial stations?

One thing I will say, I see more right-wingers get more fair airtime on the public outlets than on any commercial channel (as I don't watch Fox).