Thursday, June 08, 2006

3 Brilliant Links

The Rockridge Institute - "dedicated to strengthening democracy by providing intellectual support to the progressive community," mainly by reframing mainstream public debate in the USA so that it is no longer based on rightwing ideological assumptions.

The Art of Benjamin, aka my dad. He paints, mainly in oils, really great stuff.

The Tony Clifton Experience - bizarre pieces of creative writing by bizarre pieces of creative writers hailing from bizarre pieces of the creative planet (including yours truly in the starting lineup).

Comments:
reframing mainstream public debate in the USA so that it is no longer based on rightwing ideological assumptions.

I’m not sure why any group who “reframes” any type of debate is any better than any other group. Are they not doing the same thing?

Other than Fox and Rush Limbaugh most of the debate in the US is not based on the right. The left frames the majority of the TV, newsprint. The only major inroad the right has is talk radio, which is why the democrats want to get rid of talk radio…

Great art! I really like the Guys in the canoe. Second favorite is the modern Jackson Pollock style paint drop painting. Nice work!

I mean, balls are one thing but if they’re so big they stick out your zipper there’s no way you can avoid the pain, know what I mean?”
Nice panty story. I’ll post here instead of there…you know, my self imposed rule of no new blogs…. I actually had to remove my college roommates ball skin from his zipper once. The skin was zipped right up in the zipper. I had to use a pair of pliers to pull the zipper back down.
 
i don't see anything inherantly wrong with framing, at least not as the term is used by the rockridge folks. a frame, as they use the term, simply provides a certain context for the facts. that context usually involves one's values and worldview. what rockridge is attempting to do is level the playing field.

i can only say i disagree with your analysis of who rules the media. most talking heads on TV are associated with rightwing thinktanks. a wise man, i forget which one, once said that the only free press is one you own. it seems the multinational corporations have taken this to heart. the message we get through mainstream media is a decidedly corporate, pro-business, capitalist, rightwing one.
 
Well, you say frame, I say spin. Both sides do it, but spinning is spinning no matter what one calls it, no?

There have been many studies done on the bias of the US press, some showing extreme bias to either side. As with picking your source of the news, it seems one can also pick a study that also confirms their “bias” beliefs. I post from one done by UCLA, which, although a bit old (December 2005), shows how I feel, and also because I read/watch some of the media outlets presented here.

Of the 20 major media outlets studied, 18 scored left of center, with CBS' "Evening News," The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times ranking second, third and fourth most liberal behind the news pages of The Wall Street Journal. Only Fox News' "Special Report With Brit Hume" and The Washington Times scored right of the average U.S. voter.
Full article here

No matter who owns the media, the reporters are overwhelmingly liberal and or Democrats. By an extremely large margin. Both sides do agree on this. The only disagreement is on whether this affects the stories they write. As example, look at the two of us. How can your political/social beliefs not have an affect on what they write?

Again, we are at odds. You say the ownership determines the content, I say it is the reporters/editors.

I read the Washington Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal every day. During the week, I read the NY Times 2 to 3 times. The contrast in the stories, the way they are presented is very easy to notice, no matter which party is dictating the content of the news. And, I do see a bias in all of those sources.

What is very noticeable is how upset the left has become because now there are opposing views to their stories/views. They can not stand the fact the Fox news has as many viewers as it does, and, most importunately, that the old school press, like the NY Times, can no longer dictate policy without opposition. It drives them crazy. Even the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Mark Malloch Brown, mentioned Fox News in his speech this week while chastising the US. It drives them crazy, and I love it. A major leader of the UN wanting the US government to silence the media is another story...
 
No, spin is a certain kind of framing, a manipulative kind. Spin usually involves manipulation of facts through language. Framing isn't just wordplay; in fact, it's more about ideas than words.

Owners of companies hold more sway than their employees - it's the American way.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?