Comment on ONE topic from the list below:
1) Why is conservative talk radio so much more popular than liberal talk radio?
2) What is your primary news source and why?
3) How has the internet changed mainstream media? What impact you think the internet is having on politics?
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19 comments:
My news sources vary depending on what I am trying to accomplish, find out about and what is going on in the world. Just for enjoyment I read the New York Times, Washington post on line and occasionally the Los Angles Times. I like to get a clear feel for what is being reported, where it is coming from and how much detail I have time to absorb. There is nothing better than the continuous coverage that takes place during some newsworthy crisis. We can get up to the minute coverage by turning to a cable news channel or somewhere on the internet. I believe that care must be taken when reading news on line because if it is not coming from a reputable web site then you do not know what you are getting. I used to get Sports Illustrated for the sports but when they started getting involved in political issues I cancelled and got the sporting news. I believe there are news mediums out there for every taste and I usually use them all from time to time. I don’t like conservative radio much but listen just to see where they are coming from on issues when I am in the car and do not feel like NPR or listening to music. I try hard to avoid editorials as they usually upset me. For the same reason I avoid blogs that tend to cater to one political slant or another. I wish there were one news source I could trust to carry all the news I find interesting but I do not believe it is out there.
My primary news source is the television. If there is a topic that I really want to know more on I usually get online and do research. A lot of the times the television is biased based on what party the television company follows. I have DVR and last Presidential speech I recorded one channel and watch the other. After the speech the news anchors and guest would critique the comments made in an extremely bias nature. Once I listened to one I would watch the other and totally different interpretations would be presented. I think it pitiful that a news channel can’t be neutral and let the listeners decide themselves. A lot of people feel obligated to watch presidential speeches especially since there on every local channel. The same people really don’t know what is going on but they think the news anchors are experts. Therefore they never think about how they feel about the topic and always take the side of whoever is on television. For example, everyone is against Bush, I’m not going to get in to my opinions but probably 75% of these people have no idea why they are. They just hear what everyone else says and don’t take the initiative to research the true facts. I also realize that the internet can also be very bias, that’s why I try to find as much information as possible to decide how I feel on the topic. I also try to read news papers from all over the nation. You can usually get two sides to the story by doing this.
Depending on the time of day would determine my primary news source. In the mornings, I will watch the Today show to get a lot of news. I really enjoy the Today show and the local news will break in every 30 minutes or so with news from the area and weather. I know that my friends do not watch the news on television and I really enjoy watching the Today show every morning. I will watch it before work in the summer or before classes during school. I like the crew of the show and I enjoy how things are broadcast. If I am at work or if I want to check the news during the day, I will go to either CNN’s website or MSN. I like this websites and they offer video on certain stories. They are always kept updated. If a major news story breaks out or a tragic story occurs, I will watch CNN or MSNBC. These stations are on a bigger scale and have the most current information. I really like these broadcasts and have more information than the local news will have. They also have constant coverage on the story. I tend to like watching stations that communicate more with Democrats or like CNN, which tries to communicate in a more balanced way. I will not watch Fox News unless that is the only station covering something. I do not like how they cover stories. I know this has to deal with the fact that they appeal more to Republicans and I am not a Republican. I feel like I am informed with news for my age. I like to read the paper, watch the Today show, and keep up on the news through CNN. There are a lot of my friends that will not do any of that.
My primary news source is the internet website Yahoo news (http://news.yahoo.com/). The website lists mainly from news feed articles and has many categories, namely “Top Stories,” “Most Popular,” “Politics,” “Entertainment,” and etc. I always will check this news site because it seems to be less partisan and just puts the news out, regardless of orientation to a specific political sphere. The reason I read this site for my main news is that I am always on the computer after work, either doing class work, or just surfing for the fun. I like to be informed, and for a more partisan news site, I check Drudge Report website (http://www.drudgereport.com/). This website has a more conservative bent to it and I find it more in my taste when it comes to politics and my moderate-to-conservative stance. I cannot say that I do not get all my news from the internet though, every morning, prior to getting ready for work, I will read the “Lexington Herald-Leader” for the local news mostly and when on vacation, I always like to read the local newspaper of the area I am visiting. I am quite informed and do catch ABC evening news if I am home and even though I do not have cable TV, I do occasionally watch FOX News when I have the opportunity. For me, with my busy life, and the fact that I prefer news as it happens, the internet is the best option, because it offers a person the option of multiple views of the news from differing opinions.
I'm a fan of conservative talk radio, so my opinions as to why it is so much more popular than the liberal side of the dial will have a bias to them. I offer my apologies ahead of time if I should unintentionally offend anybody. First, conservative talk radio tends to attract advertisers more than the opposing side. I think the reason for this is that sponsors with large advertising budgets are larger corporations that support the conservative side. With conservative talk, corporations probably feel a certain amount of safety in advertising with a station that is less likely to offend the clientele targeted by the show/s being aired. In addition, radio conglomerates (Clear Channel, for example) may feel a sense of duty in being a part of corporate America, thus creating some semblance of a kinship with their advertisers. Secondly, I think that citizens that are most likely to listen to talk radio are older Americans (35 and older). Since older Americans, on average, lean to the conservative side, it makes perfect sense for talk radio to be more popular on the consevative side. Thirdly, and this is purely conjecture on my part, talk radio is probably enjoyed more by those who are travelling in their cars. As I stated earlier, I listen to conservative talk and a majority of listeners who call in are those who are in their cars. Those that spend large amounts of time travelling are doing so for business purposes, whether they be salespersons, truckers, etc. Again, business tends to support conservative views. Finally, I think that liberal talk radio strays too far to the left in its quest for ratings. Shock jocks such as Howard Stern go so far to the liberal side as to alienate the fence sitters. As our text mentions, in our two party system, neither side wishes to venture too far in any direction so as not to lose votes and to sway Americans that are uncommitted to lean one way or the other. Because I am in my car quite a bit during the course of the day, radio is my main source of news. It just so happens that my radio favorite is a news radio station that has several conservative talk shows that I enjoy listening to.
My main source for news has changed recently. Before I went to college I would watch the NBC Evening News every night. I would also watch the local news in the mornings while I would get ready for the day. When I went to college I stopped watching them. I was never around when the NBC news would come on, and I did not like to watch CNN. As a result of this my main source for news became the internet. I now find that I like getting my news on the internet a lot better. There are so many websites you can go to and get the same news. It also takes up less time than watching the evening news. Any time of day I can now get on the internet and see what the big news breaks for that day are or from the day before. I read some newspapers, but I have never been into reading newspapers. I would read our local paper every once in a while to see what was happening in my town, but I never read the paper to gain information about national issues. I now turn to the internet as my main source for news. I think it is quicker, more convenient and just as reliable as watching the news.
Question #2
I must say my primary news source strictly depends on where I am or what I am interested in inquiring about. On a typical work day I frequent the internet for my news. I will usually get into work and immediately open up the internet and look at our three local television station’s pages, the Lexington Herald’s page and then I will go to CNN’s and MSNBC’s pages. Throughout the day, I will check all of them periodically. I think I frequent the internet for my news source due to the accessibility that I have to the internet with my job, as well as the constant updates that these pages do throughout the day. One of the things that I am registered for is an email through CNN for their breaking news stories. Anytime breaking news happens, CNN emails and then I can log onto their site and read about it and I find that beneficial to have. I do watch the local news on television of an evening and will occasionally watch CNN, however the one thing that really makes the internet my news source over the television is that I have to wait for the weather, the sports or whatever the news story that I am interested in to come on. With the internet, I can go right to the sports, the weather, local news, national news or whatever with just a click of the mouse as opposed to waiting 15 minutes for the weather to come on. The internet for the news is like the internet for about anything else we all might be interested in, it is only a few clicks away in order to read and see exactly what you set out to find out about.
Mainstream media has changed drastically through the years. Citizens used to obtain their news from their local paper. Before long, the radio came along and with it, radio news. Then Americas became more informed than ever with the modern invention of the television. Now, we have the marvelous tool called the internet, and how things have changed. The internet is generally readily available for those who would like to use it. Dial up is inexpensive and most libraries have free internet access. Due to its frequent use, thousands of internet entrepreneurs bought in to internet business. Out of this surge, several internet news and media sites sprang up. Americans can now access information and current news on just about any topic imaginable. If we have a question about something, chances are, we can find the answer on the internet. However, it might not always be the right answer; we must be careful. Newspaper can now be read online, streaming audio from radio stations can now be accesses online, news reports from TV can also be found online. In general, almost all forms of mainstream media can also be found online. This makes for a not necessarily more intelligent, but a more informed citizen. In the political arena, candidates are all over the internet. If someone wants to be an informed voter, then all they have to do is point and click. On the internet potential voters can search the candidates, find out their specific platforms and research to opponent’s side. I personally believe that the internet is an incredibly positive tool in politics. However, one must wade through the bias to reveal the truth. So, it is a catch 22. If a voter is looking for positive information on a candidate, they can find it; if they are trying to find negative information about a candidate, they can find that too. The positive outcome is that the actual research that the potential voter is doing is probably more than most Americans. If the internet gets Americans involved in politics, then it is a positive tool
In response to Scott Brehm’s posting, I myself like to listen to talk radio as well, however, not as much as my wife does. She does not like to listen to music when she is driving and prefers the talk radio and does not like many of the conservative talk radio hosts, however, she will listen to them if there are no other talk radio shows on at the time she is driving. As for myself, I do not listen as often to talk radio, but do find it interesting to hear conservative, liberal, or libertarian talk radio hosts spin a news story to their political beliefs and either support, defend or oppose whatever political subject is the topic of the hour. My Talk radio to me gets old fast and I tend to turn the radio dial to music. I do like to hear the news when I am out driving and will change the channel at the top of the hour to hear what is in the news, otherwise, I just leave the music playing and wait until I am home, to read on the internet the current news. As for the proliferation of conservative radio hosts, people want these kind of programs and radio provides them, if they were not profitable, the radio station owners would find something to fit the schedule that does make money.
In response to erica w.,
I definitely agree with you that the internet is more convenient than the news on television. Personally, I hate how the news drags everything out and says they will tell you about a certain news story after the break, but then they will make up another excuse and drag it out longer over commercials to keep you watching. They try to spice it up and say an interesting or grabbing headline to get you to watch for the story. I like to get my news right away along with the weather as well. The only advantage I like about CNN or any other big news source is the video coverage on certain stories. I do not have high speed internet at home, so the video is REALLY slow.
Addressing why conservative talk radio is more popular then liberal talk radio might bit biased answer coming from me becauseI am a huge fan and agree with almost every thing that is said by such people as good ole Rush. But as for why they are more popular hear are my top reasons. 1) They are right! They speak the truth and people want to hear it. They give real solutions to problems the liberals just want to throw our money at. For example Rush gave the sickening statistics about a woman who was mauled to death by a wild mountain lion and then the lion was killed. Rush pointed out that animal rights activist raised over 5 million dollars for the lion’s cubs while the child of the dead woman received only a few thousand, and Rush was the only one to say it! 2) I believe that the average American is more conservative then liberal. We work hard for our money and would like to keep it! People like Rush, Ann Coulter and others advocate low taxes and private giving to fix problems where as liberal views tend to want to take peoples money from them and give away or waste it on frivolous programs. 3) Conservative talk radio though it might be blunt and loud provides a very clear and well stated view of what conservatives think and believe. Conservatives want to hear and be reassured of what they believe and to know they are not alone while others listen to such shows to know what the other side of the argument is. 4) They are more entertaining! When it comes down to it shows such as Rush’s are funny witty and captivating! Who would not rather listen to something that is going to evoke a emotion rather then being bored to sleep by such shows as NPR.
My primary news source is usually channel 36 news. They keep it simple yet entertaining and always put the most retarded person on there to testify or witness the incident sometimes I think they do it for more of a joke then anything. Akthough I do have to say if there is something that I really want to learn about more of that's going on in the world. I tune in to the local KET network they are in depth and they have great coverage and seem to give the most answers to the question or questions that I was pondering. The reason I choose 36 is because its more like watching a T.V show then watching the news and they make sure to get the headlines. Also mostly for the forecast.
I had to answer this one too!!! The internet has impacted the mainstream media. Internet focuses on a wide range of audiences and when you google or tune in its not sorted out in to a each sided convo its usually "if you read it slowly" one sided in whatever debate you look at. Certain newspapers are known for being one sided my Dad although I don't know if it's true screams that the New York times are a bunch of Monkeys with Republican nametags. The impact the internet has on politics is that the internet makes it more convient for you to look up certain debates and if you are leading towards a certain person you can google that person and find out more things easier although you shouldnt always believe what you read. So sometimes that internet can make it to where negative things about a particular [pary can be posted and you can be persuaded more easily. Also I was watching CNN and they do a u-tube section now. where they just heat the viewers I thought that was weird so the internet makes it to where viewers can be heard however the stations can choos who they should here. The internt has made media more accesible and give people any easier way to find things but maybe not the best way. So yes, I think the internet has changed mainstream media.
Ashley,
Sorry to keep picking on your blog comments, but you are obnoxiously and arrogantly "right" about your point of view! It amazes me that you put "they are right" and "they speak the truth" about conservative talk radio. If you believe that a notably biased news source to be right, its because you have yet to think outside the box.
Ashley, to have a well-rounded worldview, you need to seek out the truths of your opponents, put them into action/practice/thought, then, decide if you are still right. I might possibly be wrong, but I would assume that your background (parents) is conservative and you have never been exposed or allowed to explore any other views. To be able to argue your side effectively, you must be willing to concede some points to the other side. You can be conservative, but don’t be closed-minded. If you think you you know that you are conservative then make every effort to KNOW why others are liberal.
My main source of news is the internet. As a full time student with so much to do, I rarely have time to read the news paper or watch the evening news. I have the opportunity to see some news on the internet through MSN or Adelphia. If I need to do research on a current news article I am able to find what I need through reputable websites like www.kentucky.com or other websites that support the local or national news. I think the internet has became more popular because it is easily accessed. It is convenient to read anytime or where ever you are with a connection. It is especially easy when you open your home page via the internet and the most read or current events are on the front page. It is so easy for me to get the latest news , I can see it by checking my e-mail or logging in to check out something on the internet. I also access the libraries online to find information that I need. I like the convenience of the news on the internet.
Conservative talk radio is much more popular than liberal talk radio because of the typical values of a conservative news-seeker. Most conservatives, in comparison to liberals, are much more traditional in their habits and way of life. Perphaps it innacurate, and it is only my opinion, but when i think of a liberal i think of a young person on the go, perphaps checking their laptop for news coverage, drinking a starbucks coffee(maybe a little overboard). However when i think of a conservative i imagine a middle class citizen, maybe even an older person, who would make time to sit down and possibly turn on the radio. Now obviously most of the talk radio is heard in vehicles, yet it seems that the younger generation would be more interested in music than in a political radio talk show. Listening to talk radio is a rather conservative thing to do, hints why more conservative minded people tune in. I'm not insinuating that i feel conservatives are more informed, just that in my opinion they are more traditional in their method of obtaining information. So if conservatives are more likely to listen, what would an intelligent radio station choose to have more of? Hopefully it would be conservative talk radio, because thats what a larger portion of the audience wants. Maybe i'm uninformed, perphaps just flat out wrong, but that was my hypothesis on the matter.
Honestly, my primary news source is the Internet. I don’t have much time to watch the news on TV, and I hate to read newspapers. I have my homepage set to MSN.com so that I can keep up with the world. Sometimes the articles on the front page (in that little box at the top of the page with the revolving pictures) aren’t that important, but the big news stories are on there. I learned about Britney Spears’ head shaving from there! Sometimes in the morning I watch Good Morning America. My fiancé has a love for the 6 o’clock news and CSPAN, so I watch that with him. But, I always go to the World Wide Web first, that way I can just browse the headlines whenever I want. I even have mobile Internet on my phone so I can get updates all the time! I think the reason that I prefer the Internet is the fact that I can pick and choose the stories I read about. I can avoid the boring and violent stories and go straight for the ones that I find interesting. Although I learn about world events mostly from the computer, my favorite source of less important news (read: celebrity gossip) I go for the classy magazines: Star, US Weekly, and People!
Ditmerde,
The internet is defiantly for lazy people isn't it? While I'm at school, it's my only contact with the outside world!
Comment on Emily's comment to Ashley,
It always seems like it's us three talking back and forth to each other. I will have to agree with Emily on the fact that conservative talk radio isn't always right. Neither is liberal talk radio! But Emily for you to tell her she is wrong for thinking the way she does makes you even more wrong. You tell her to think outside the box maybe you should. Even if she was raised that way she still can feel passionate about it and that doesn't make her wrong. You need to get off your high horse because no one has the wrong opinion as long as you passionate about your belief.
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