JAUNDICED JOURNALSIM - 101

Media bias is real, but it's not a leftist plot to evangelize Amerika with warmed over Marxism. True believers to the core, these talking head-cases are fundamentally incapable of accepting the validity of any view contrary to their leftist brain-fart. Advocates for gun ownership...Critics of the junk science that promotes whoppers like secondhand smoke, global warming and the evils of fast food are given as much credence as someone who believes in a flat-earth, alien abduction, or the Easter Bunny. The reason they never present an opposing view is that they are so enamored of their liberal lunacy that an opposing view is utterly unthinkable. The fun fact is that these network news talking heads, despite all their obeisance at the alter of diversity, are white, uptight, and so anal-retentive that they fart lines from Karl Marx's 'Das Kapital'.

Why are the three network news cabals dominated by long-in-the-tooth oppressors whose primary attribute is stampeding senitity? Don't know...don't really give a rip. If they're so devoted to 'diversity' where are the fat, ugly, crippled, speech-impared, short, sloppy, drug addicted, alcoholic pot head teleprompter news readers? PIG neither knows, nor do we give a flaming damn. It's our considered opinion that watching the slobbering stupidity that passes for network news is akin to subjecting yourself to an intellectual root canal, 7 days a week.

Smugly superior, 'Media Meatheads' are convinced that the world would be a much better place, if only we lowly, clueless 'civilians' would listen to them. They have all the answers, answers to every question, and if you don't believe it, just ask them. But, before you shove your brain into neutral and 'Ratherize', 'Brokawize' or 'Jenningize' your life, it might be a good idea to take a long hard look at so-called 'objective' journalists.

If you nourish the notion that journalists are objective purveyors of fact, you're tragically deluded and living in journalism's distant past. The bitter truth about 21st century journalism is this: all news, every news item, from every news source contains 'spin'. Admittedly, some journalistic spin spewers hide it better than others, but every damn one does it, so don't take any news source at face value. Whether the spin is intentional, imposed or inherent, it is inescapable, a fact that must be accepted.

Intentional Spin occurs in blatantly partisan news sources such as: Vast Right-Wing conspiracy dominated talk radio; overtly progressive magazines like 'The Nation' and piously progressive radio, NPR - National Public Radio; editorial page commentators who wear their political philosophy like a badge of honor; Vast Right-Wing Internet sites like NewsMax, Front Page, Town Hall, Free Republic, World Net Daily; liberal to a fault news shows like 60 Minutes, Front Line, Good Morning America, Hardball, The Today Show, Dateline, Crossfire; CNN in its entirety. Fox News spins too, and they openly admit it, Why do you think they shout 'fair and balanced' from the rooftops? Intentional spin features news that is dispensed by unabashedly biased hosts who do their level best to lure the viewer to endorse the host's personal delusion of reality.

Imposed Spin stems from various sources, the most prevalent of which include: journalism's diversity-intensive hiring practices; official style guides that impose political correctness through ruthlessly enforced restrictions on the nature, terminology and subject matter allowed in authorized news items. The L.A. Times is a notable, highly-publicized style guide offender, and it's hardly an isolated case. Diversity hiring can be detected by scanning the names listed in your local fishwrap's bylines, paying attention to Teleprompter reader gender/ethnicity, reading the names listed in the credits for your favorite boob tube news show.

Inherent Spin is the most pervasive form and the one that generates the most talk about 'liberal media bias'. Journalists report the world as they see it and, tragically, most live in an isolated, terminally-liberal outpost in which everyone is a socialist, progressive or Marxist. Their reporting is skewed, because they sincerely believe that their views are those shared by everyone, except for a shrinking minority that resides in rustic enclaves that are populated by Vast Right-Wing, Holy Roller Neanderthals. Inherent spin also occurs when a wet-behind-the-ears, journalism school graduate emerges from the Ivory Tower Marxist indoctrination factory. Clueless, this degree-packing dolt reports the world the way his Marxist journalism professors explained it. Surrounded by leftist Wingnuts, this journalism grad needs a reality check, but it's never going to happen.

Up to here with all this Spin doctored news? You've come to the right place, because PIG's Media section will help you detect Spin, assess the Spin doctor's bias, then neutralize it with some tried and true Spin-Slaughtering tactics. If you're mad as hell about this Spin doctored news and not going to take it a moment longer, you've come to the right place.