A couple of things showed up on my radar that were simply... ehh?
There was a prisoner exchange that made the news.
That link was from the Washington Post so I consider the source 'trustworthy'.
My first reaction to all the spin doctors and talking heads was this: It's too soon.
Despite what people say, I'm withholding judgement on the man. He is an American. Did he do something stupid? Maybe. I'll let others decide. Would have I done the same in his shoes? I don't know because the facts aren't in. No one has interrogated or debriefed him. Lies go around the world before the truth gets out the door.
Anybody with a breaking story I treat with cynicism. 7 times out of 10 these same news sources are issuing a retraction later on.
In this world where we need to have news fast, the fact checking gets skimped. Fox counts on that. Every day I hear how news isn't like it used to be. Perhaps I look at it differently.
Take Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. He read the news and that's the way it is. People as a whole didn't see the time lag. A foreign dignitary gets assassinated in the Baltic region, there was a certain amount of delay. Facts and sources got double checked in time for the six o'clock news. Walter looked good, America got informed.
So now CNN is broadcasting 24/7 and the time between happening and reporting is nonexistent. Retractions that were once a big sin in broadcasting, now they're almost commonplace.
Perhaps this is a sign I'm getting old. I don't need my news fast. I demand my news accurate. Take a day or 36 hours to get the facts straight. Afraid of getting scooped? What would you rather be: first or correct?
Bottom line: He is an American soldier. Bring him home.
There was a prisoner exchange that made the news.
That link was from the Washington Post so I consider the source 'trustworthy'.
My first reaction to all the spin doctors and talking heads was this: It's too soon.
Despite what people say, I'm withholding judgement on the man. He is an American. Did he do something stupid? Maybe. I'll let others decide. Would have I done the same in his shoes? I don't know because the facts aren't in. No one has interrogated or debriefed him. Lies go around the world before the truth gets out the door.
Anybody with a breaking story I treat with cynicism. 7 times out of 10 these same news sources are issuing a retraction later on.
In this world where we need to have news fast, the fact checking gets skimped. Fox counts on that. Every day I hear how news isn't like it used to be. Perhaps I look at it differently.
Take Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. He read the news and that's the way it is. People as a whole didn't see the time lag. A foreign dignitary gets assassinated in the Baltic region, there was a certain amount of delay. Facts and sources got double checked in time for the six o'clock news. Walter looked good, America got informed.
So now CNN is broadcasting 24/7 and the time between happening and reporting is nonexistent. Retractions that were once a big sin in broadcasting, now they're almost commonplace.
Perhaps this is a sign I'm getting old. I don't need my news fast. I demand my news accurate. Take a day or 36 hours to get the facts straight. Afraid of getting scooped? What would you rather be: first or correct?
Bottom line: He is an American soldier. Bring him home.
No comments:
Post a Comment