08-04-2018, 18:12
The media certainly exerts an influence in society, but a) it's not a monolith; there are different outlets preaching different messages, and anyone who treats them all as one entity should be distrusted, and b) it's a two-way relationship. There are plenty of instances of tabloid newspapers apologizing and/or retracting ill-judged headlines when they've had a backlash from their own readers.
So, yes. Incisive criticism of the shortcomings of specific media outlets is fair enough. But anyone wildly banging on about "the MSM" and "Fake News Media" is doing their own little bit to pave a very, very dark road to a place we don't want to visit.
So, yes. Incisive criticism of the shortcomings of specific media outlets is fair enough. But anyone wildly banging on about "the MSM" and "Fake News Media" is doing their own little bit to pave a very, very dark road to a place we don't want to visit.
"I would rather spend a holiday in Tuscany than in the Black Country, but if I were compelled to choose between living in West Bromwich or Florence, I should make straight for West Bromwich." - J.B. Priestley