Media Literacy, second edition, W. James Potter: Response to Assigned Reading, p. 85 - 107

The reading was about the processes of jounalism, including the formulas for producing "news" stories. The population depends on journalists to funtion as reporters of the unbiased facts. We are at their mercy to have access to infomation about the happenings in our communities, governments, and in the world. The constraints, pressures, and influences about the the choice of content, fed in by the spin meisters to "hook" the audience obviously are not a environment conducive to unbiased reporting. The shift of the media from a funtion of informing the public to cashing- in on entertaining it is driven by what the public wants, and what we put up with. The studies in W. James Potter's book show that the stuff they give is the stuff we take. That's why the advertisers pay to be on - because we keep watching! "Money makes the world go around!", as I understand it. Does it seem that WE, the people, are ultimately responsible?

People know this stuff and are overwhelmed, it's like if you don't laugh, you'll cry. That's how and why The Daily Show with Jon Stewart makes us laugh.