WOW and I'm not talking the game.



Updated August 4, 2009 because I thought the picture was worth the work.

Here's a little news story that I haven't seen on Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, or the other pundits of either liberal or conservative. Florida court rules Fox News can lie.

The reason no one mentioned this is quite obvious, it's money. If the Russ' and O'Reilly's can lie then they'll get more people upset and sell more advertising. If the New York Times or NBC can lie then they can sell more advertising and make us either feel better or more worried about things.

When I mentioned this to Mr. J, my youngest, he said, "What, that's just stupid." And his succinct, insightful and thoughtful response was exactly right. One comment on the Fox news was great, "they should change their motto from "Fair and Balanced" to "Telling You What You Want to Hear."

Does is surprise you that the yellow journalism of Hurst fame is now legally protected? And what's more if you don't lie, spin, direct or edit a show in such a way to make the editor happy you can get canned for it.

It doesn't surprise me because as a follower of Christ I am well aware of how nasty, cruel and evil people are. I also realize that this decision makes perfect sense in light of the way our culture is going where truth is malleable, relative and never true.

So chew on this and when you watch your evening news just remember seeing is NOT believing.

Peace
Alan

Comments

  1. Alan,

    I'm not defending lying but come on - no other news source does this but Fox?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don't get me wrong. Think 60 minutes and news reports about "gastric bypass or Dateline's "side-saddle" fuel tank debacle. And can anyone say Giraldo Rivera

    From the yellow journalism of Hearst to the British cutting the German/Italian Trans-Atlantic cable so the US might support GB rather than Germany.

    No FOX isn't the only, the first or even the best at this. It's just in our world with it's "pundit, one-line journalism" I get worried when we, all of us, tend to toss something back like it was God's own truth.

    It just speaks for a little more work on our part to make sure we're passing on stuff that has been somewhat vetted.

    IMHO I think the Daily Show does a better job of the news than Fox. Okay maybe not better but just as fair and balanced.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great commentary! I remember Johnathan Edwards saying God comes upon men to make them holy not politicians. (relevant here somehow)
    We need to read and watch our news like we drink our coffee, slow and deliberate. Enough of the "I got the news to you the fastest even though it is neither accurate nor really newsworthy.
    To most, I insist they turn it off and see how the world still goes round without knowing what O'Reilly or Katy or anybody says.

    ReplyDelete

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