As a child, our news sources were Walter Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, the Boston Post and the Boston Herald. The Boston Globe was too liberal. We also read Time Magazine, Look, Readers Digest. We felt informed, but we weren't.
I discovered this right after the 1967 War when I met my first Palestinian. Her point of view bore no resemblance to that of the news.
Then again, when I was living in France and watched bodies being scooped from the sea. They were victims of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian Airbus. I mentioned to several friends in the States. None of them were aware of those shots.
I chalked it up to under reporting nor fake reporting.
Yesterday, I was watching CNN refute the latest lies from the Republican convention backed up with sources.
My husband and I have been outspoken on the catastrophic situation in the U.S. We have been accused of many things including being Communists, ignorant, senile and uninformed. I contend we are better informed than many who rely on one or two news sources or information from a single political bent.
Why?
We look at 16+ news sites from North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia. This includes on the internet, television stations, magazines and books. We read books on economics, history and biographies, along with fun fiction. We look at right, left and middle.
I prefer seeing convention coverage on British, French, Israeli stations, Arabic and Russian stations. Likewise most American new seen through a "foreign" eye can be more neutral.
As professional communicators, writers and journalists, both my husband and I are aware of how a word can slant a story.
I don't want a right or left perspective. I want a world-wide perspective.
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1 comment:
LOL...yes, I've been labeled a communist too.
I've spent most of the last 15 years living abroad. Back in 2018, I. was back in the U.S. for six months for some training. I was blown away by the ubiquity of cable news in our public spaces. My workplace had televisions scattered throughout the office with cable news going all of the time, often Fox, but sometimes CNN. When I went to the doctor for an appointment, cable news was playing in the background. The gym too. It was everywhere. That wouldn't be bad if they talked about a variety of news stories from around the world, but that doesn't happen. It's one or two stories, flogged to death, until the news cycle moves on to something else the next day. It's a poison Americans have been consuming for years now. How else do you explain people thinking it perfectly logical that a reality tv star and failed businessman could be qualified to govern the U.S? But yes, international news sources like BBC and DW do a better job of providing insight and nuance. I get a little down just thinking about it. :(
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