An Israeli Pundit Scorecard

[virgil tibbs]

The real issue (not to state the oh-so-obvious) is
that there is less and less local media.  Local radio
and papers are going the way of corporate megaliths. 
Ultimately, those outlets will filter the news more
and more corporate.  One issue where this has the most
amzing effect is -- ta da -- media concentration!! 
The little guys actually like it because they can sell
to the big guys for much money, and the big guys
obviously like it.  That is why you will rarely hear a
peep of discensus on the consolidation of media
interests.

--- Max Sawicky <sawicky at bellatlantic.net> wrote:
> I get the feeling that Hill staff read local papers
> for the same
> reason they monitor their constituents.  They are
> sensitive
> to public opinion, but not necessarily in order to
> serve it.
> They may only want to use such information to craft
> their
> messages for self protection and promotion.
> 
> By contrast, the 'serious' policy debate occurs more
> in
> the elite outlets.  Cross an elite-sponsored piece
> of
> conventional wisdom in any way that matters and you
> can expect a hammering.  This can look bad to the
> home folks, whose local papers echo the elite
> outlets, though they may be more porous with
> respect to anti-elite messages now and again.
> The remark about the local papers' reliance on
> canned material, including canned opinions,
> is salient here.
> 
> So the disconnect between elected officials mirrors
> that between pols and their local rags.
> 
> The potential of the local media, as I see it, is
> more
> long-term -- to try and change public opinion to the
> point where popular mobilization is sufficiently
> intense and informed to affect policy decisions.
> 
> mbs
> 
> 
> > 
> > Nathan Newman wrote:
> > 
> > >Actually Congressional staffers read their home
> town newspapers 
> > most closely,
> > >which is one of the problems with the whole
> obsession with DC pundits.
> 

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