I can't imagine writing off all news sources . . . I would feel terribly uninformed, and I like to know what is going on in the world around me (including the natural world, as well as political or other "news").
It isn't too hard to identify sources of factual info, imo. Although it might have been easier when that so-called Fairness Doctrine was in place.
Not many here with that view, but I'm certainly one. I'm a major fan of most of the MSNBC shows, with Nicolle Wallace on top. Her show
Deadline: White House is specifically
about the White House, so obviously those are the stories that she and her team decide to report on. She clearly has her personal view of things. Nevertheless, she is generally reporting
what was said and what was done, and those are facts, not opinions. She's not just making stuff up. If
what was said was something appalling, yes, she will let you know that she is appalled, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that, especially since most of the time
what was said was indeed appalling -- there's no getting around it. Postmodern subjectivism where everyone's view is just as valid as anyone else's is flatly bogus nonsense.
Which brings us to the Fairness Doctrine, which is the only place I disagree with geoguy (and most of you others). The Fairness Doctrine dictates that both sides of an issue should get equal time. In issues of, say, national policy, where both sides have reasonable and rational positions, sure, that makes sense. But what about where one side's position is entirely unreasonable and irrational? I totally disagree that such a position should get "equal time." And don't ask me "Who decides?" It's not who decides, but
what decides. It's the evidence that decides. The facts. A favorite saying is "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." I would add that an opinion that is contrary to the facts and the evidence is misguided and certainly not deserving of "equal time," or really, any time at all.
All that said, politics has gotten a lot more boring lately. And comparatively speaking, that's a good thing.
