Objectivity in the press, who cares?

Here's the scoop. Those of us living outside the Beltway don't have access to unvarnished goings-on of the movers and shakers. C-SPAN offers a little hope, but precious little, as they simply run cameras and capture engineered public pronouncements. Make no mistake, this is a still a good thing, but only up to a certain point.

Without primary, direct access to the newsmakers; WE, the unwashed of Middle America, have to rely upon folks who are making money to -report- the news as a profession. The profession unfortunately these days seems to be casting neutral reporting under the wheels as it's not entertaining enough to hold viewers, readers. So what we end up with is a melange of facts and personal observations from someone who's main concern is whether their hair looks good and the Chyron has their name spelled right. I won't condemn the -entire- profession, just major and increasing portions of it. Communications majors have displaced other, perhaps more appropriate, majors... like history or political science.

Here's the rub. While it's a game or a 'job' to you guys, I'm out here trying to determine which facts in the 'news' I can use to build an accurate worldview. I would like my arguments to bear the force of truth and fact behind them. What I get from the news operations, however, are sophisticated puzzles that have to been de-spun and politically-neutralized... and frankly, I have trouble doing that well. Most people don't even attempt the distillation and swallow down the raw reportage uncomplaining. That's not good. They parrot the product of clever wordsmithing and try to pass it off as erudition.

Finally: What if the "news" is not only spun, but bubbles up from the fevered mind of a self-described "Rodeo Clown" who loves the ratings, but won't be taking any responsibility for the consequences of that content. This is not careless or naive at work here, this is premeditated deception. Free Speech is a great thing and says he can do it, and there appears to be no conscience or corporate media ethics to restrain him.

I do worry about the sudden uptick in militia activity and I do worry about the increasing threat of violence... IF I'm de-spinning all the incoming information correctly. In the back of mind, however, is this agitated little voice wondering whether the threat is smaller... or larger than what's being reported. From where I sit, in Middle America, I don't know and am having trouble finding out.