There is much that has been written about the incredible decline of American Journalism and its ability to engage the public – at first, it was print that experienced the shock of readers abandoning the tried and true news outlets – the Internet was blamed – of course – and possibly talk radio - what else could it be? Now, a major network news anchors has a: 30 second spot in which he pleads viewers in primetime to “TiVo” the evening news – seriously. Perhaps those viewers are watching the web instead?
The fact of the matter, no matter who one blames: the Internet, the radio talk show hosts, some “vast right wing conspiracy” – the traditional news outlets (otherwise known as the “Lamestream media” in Palin-speak), cannot comprehend that at a conservative estimate fifty percent of their readership/viewership has abandoned them due to their march to the political left – it is patently obvious – so much so that those who would have never missed a broadcast or a chance to read at least the front page of a major tome – now walk away – in disgust. If there were one broadcast, or newspaper that would deliver “straight” news, with “editorial content” on the “editorial page” where it belonged, that entity would rise to the #1 slot in the nation. Fox News, who’s claim to being “fair and balanced” is approximately accurate (as they actually designate particular programming as “opinion” and have a newscast that is “straight reporting”), has recently taken the top slot in “trusted news sources” in poll conducted by Suffolk University. That top slot, mind you, leaves a lot to be desired, as the largest percentage of the participants trusted no U.S. news outlets.
Herein lays the problem. Today, journalists from across the nation will finally get their hands on emails sent by and to Sarah Palin, while she was Governor of Alaska. The press will then publish these emails, a la Wikipedia (not a credible source of information, unless using for a high school or college paper, as it is easily editable and prone to errors). These emails, might contain something that Palin might have said or done, while she was in the Governor’s office – these are official emails, and the public does has the right to know, but which public?
Here’s the deal: Palin, who has yet to announce a run for the Presidency in 2012, is, at present, a political figure, based solely on the fact that she was chosen as a 2008 GOP V.P. running mate, she did not “seek” the nomination, one is asked, and she accepted. Secondly, she has a massive political PAC and supports candidates that are conservative – if she does run, she will be “formidable” against Barack Obama – regardless of what the Post, or NBC or MSNBC might have to say – again see WikiLeaks: What use to the American Public at large are these emails (which are the equivalent of later day letters written by a Governor)? Little to none – The release of archived emails (letters) would be of historical value to only one state in the nation – Alaska – in the real world.
The problem with Sarah Palin is that she might just run for President – and let’s face it, she also makes headlines, her ability to draw crowds that are the envy of the current occupant of the White House, the fact that she might run, is enough to put the wheels in motion – there must be something, anything that the Washington Post, the New York Times, or Brian Williams has missed! She just may have written something in one of those emails that is heinous and therefore may be used as a weapon to either demean or subpoena.
That said, it’s a lot of emails and the Post is obviously understaffed, so they are asking readers, or those that even stop by their website to help analyze the Palin emails that they flew to Alaska to retrieve and are putting on line at 9 am today. No kidding: The Washington Post Blog even tells the reader what to expect: www.washigtnonpost.com/blogs/teh-fix/post/sara-palins-emails-waht-to-expect/2011
There is no special criteria, no specific knowledge of even English that is required to become an analyst for the Post – it is the product of desperation.
After the Post is finished with the analysis of the Palin Emails (from the Governor’s State Accounts), they also would like to get their hands on her personal emails, arguing that the personal account may have been used for official Alaskan business – that suit is still pending.
Here’s what to expect from the Palin emails: Daily routine clerical blah, blah, blah that goes on in any corporation in the world (which is how the Alaskan State Government is designed, unlike the lower 48), the Governor’s opinion on how to handle this or that, a birthday wish to a staff member, a letter of condolence, a note home to say “I’m running late, again!”, forwarded joke emails, forwarded chain emails about: missing children, prayers to whomever that if broken will mean personal destruction: the types of emails received by and deleted in every office in the nation. In other words, most of this will be what those who work, or don’t, have in their in and out boxes, except for the running of the State of Alaska stuff, of which, most of those analyzing and one can bet the house that includes the “so called journalist” will be able to comprehend.
What they will find, quite possibly are typos, grammatical errors, and a host of English Major complaints that will become major news if no “smoking gun” magically appears. Even spell check misses now and again, so, anticipate that at the very least to be a lead story for one of these outlets.
One might think that this is partisan in nature, however, this blogger has no interest in the emails being written and sent from the Oval office, the Governor of Wyoming, or the Mayor of “pick a place”, regardless of party – it is what it is, historical records, that belong to the State, or City or the national archives at some point. It is the fact that the press is so obsessed with Palin, has blinded them to the obvious: if they need help now from those who read their paper or even visit their website, how much more help will they need as their continued antics cause viewership, subscribers, even casual glancers' to turn away? How many more layoffs will it take, how many more “ceased printing and gone to the web” will it take, what happens when no one is listening to a prominent news anchor begging for TiVo viewers? What happens when they politicize their business, much of which is publicly traded, into extinction?
They need to get a grip and stop the insanity before the pride of the nation, and that is what it is, the pride of the nation, the great newspapers and broadcast outlets that would always be there, dependable and trustworthy, comforting - are gone. Today’s release of Palin’s email’s is only the tip of the iceberg, the ship has sailed, but it can be recalled to port – if only somehow, someone, somewhere can shake some sense into the editorial boards, publishers, news editors and make some serious changes and quickly. Report the news, and leave ones opinions at the door, as a journalist or news anchor, if one feels the need to editorialize the news, then send a letter to the editor, where it would appear along with the thousands of others from colleagues, where it belongs. To those anchors who raise one eyebrow every time the word “Republican” comes forth, knock it off, and write the local paper, or suggest an “Andy Rooney” segment be added in the broadcast, be it local or national. Advertise the fact that this is happening, stick to it, and watch the readers return, the viewers watch, or even “TiVo” the news – save a few jobs including ones own. For media, it is not the “economy” it is the “stupidity” of failing to recognize that not everyone buys into the “elite” BS one was taught in one’s Senior Seminar at whatever college on happened to grace with ones presence. The average Jane and Joe no longer care that the journalist or anchor thinks they know better than the average person by virtue of their enlarged brain, crammed full of progressive knowledge – what they do care about is the fact that this, almost mass hysteria syndrome has overtaken an entire industry – and when one is displaying signs of instability – one loses credibility (again refer to Suffolk University Polling). It may be too late, it may not – save a job, report the straight scoop or perish. To those Editors, Publishers and Stockholders – imagine having credibility once again, along with an increase in sales.
Final note: Should Palin’s emails be of Internet to the press in the lower 48, possibly, she may announce, she may not, and she does guarantee viewers/readers, however, the sensible way in which to go about the procurement and reporting on this momentous event would be to have actual staff sift through the emails, and then report on what was found, be it a grammatical error or a shopping list, or the fact that she stopped Big Oil from taking advantage of the average Alaskan – and do so without those pandering and demeaning adjectives of which the media appears to be so fond – they may even uncover something that perhaps, those in the lower 48 (if and only if, Palin announces and makes this GOP 2012 field a whole lot more interesting) might want to know, should they be on the fence about voting in a given GOP primary coming soon.
On Trust in Media: Suffolk University Poll: www.suffolk.edu Begin Question 58.
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