In this post, I need to clarify what exactly I am NOT referring to in the purposely derisive term "bimbo." I am not attacking female journalists, even though I could make a case of the poor exercise of journalistic practice by the present trend of female reporters who ride the skirt hems of Barbara Walters without the same high standards of presenting the news. Nor am I directly criticizing the Hollywood versions of story presentation as found in Access Hollywood or Entertainment Tonight, though we are getting closer to the central issue. Nor is it the similarity of styles between the journalist of ET and the Today Show the core issue, though we may start saying "You're getting hotter," rather than "You are getting warmer."
The key issue could be encapsulated in a remark of a female anchor who appealed to "our sister network." I heard this snippet and quickly thought, can I envision Walter Cronkite saying "our sister network"? The whole piece of imaginative thought sounded awkward, almost horrific.
This is what I mean by "bimbo journalism," the presentation of news information through the strictures of a given entity, allowing the narrowness of that entity to determine news content, news emphasis, and agenda manipulation of what is "fit to print" or to "hear with ear." This stiffling of real journalistic practice can be demonstrated by several instances:
1) In the Ferguson, MO race riots, the presentation of Michael Brown as "gentle giant" leads to the suppression of Brown's ruffian behavior in a convenience store just prior to his shooting, or incidents from high school classmates that hinted he used his size and strength to bully others. They present the shot patterns of the victim as proof of excessive force, but omit to tell the audience of the common police practice of discharging pistols with rapid fire over against single shot. All this to actentuate the problem of race relations.
2) The excessive reporting on the novel Shades of Gray, pushing it to best-seller status. While other news programming other than the Today Show mentioned the downside of aggressive brutal sexuality, the NBC enterprise avoided such reporting. The publisher of the novel is part of the "sister network."
3) The flack about the scandal in the Duggar family led to reprisals which led TLC to end the airing of the show's 19 Kids and Counting reruns. While severing of corporate sponsors is highlighted, supporters of the family are not mentioned. Any interviews of members of the family are spun against them. This is done despite the case against the eldest Duggar son being resolved and its contents sealed, and the unsealing perhaps done by an activist judge at the behest of a 19 Kids competitor.
4) The present situation centered on Donald Trump's remarks about illegal Mexican immigrants. While flamboyant, the remarks are accurate, and the recent murder in San Francisco by an illegal has been suppressed as a "random incident." The bimbo journalist now tries to resolve the apparent rise of popularity of Trump and reduces it to an ingrained racism which draws us back to incidents as mentioned in the first case.
In short, bimbo journalism seeks to reduce all of important news as aspects of sociological developments towards an overly idealized version of America, a utopian foundation for progressive themes. It decries racist, and builds a case. It decries sexism, and builds a case. Vigilance is demanded of the audience to fight against the cultural flows that would reverse such themes of social progress.
Which is why I debated whether this form of journalistic practice of tailoring news items to express the utopian progressive mission should be called "bimbo journalism" or "vigilante journalism." I opted for the idea of newscasters prostituting the practice towards an agenda, a selling of journalism to achieve the desired results of "big media."
The age of information is fast becoming the age of propaganda.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Ten Inane Remarks of Pres. Obama
With due apologies to practically no one, I am able to resolve my password issues and have resume
control of my blog site. Alot of ideas have been percolating in the brain-box, so I will have fun in draining it dry. Here goes IMHO number one.
I must credit President Obama for his articulate style in presenting his agenda for America. While I do not agree with many of his positions, he is the duly elected head-of-state and has every right to advance his plans. The only point is the glibness of his expression, sometimes reduced to memorable zingers which merit further thought -- and rejection on principle. The curse of the one who coins the phrase must own up to the counterfeit product such snapshots of thought tend to trivialize (yes, I know I am mixing a metaphor terribly -- a demonstration of this very premise). We tend to confuse brilliance of expression for brilliance of thought.
No possible connection, period.
This is my list of the ten most ridiculous sayings of our honored president which may or may not need commentary. My ramblimgs will follow Mr. Obama's.
1. A teachable moment. The episode of the white policeman and the black college professor which resulted in the beers at the White House peace treaty. This would be the first of many issues of racist propaganda pieces risen over a policeman's honest visit to investigate disturbances in the neighborhood. It is one more example of killing the messenger.
2. Treyvon Martin was like a son to me. In an effort to bring some sense to an unfortunate incident, the first in a series of unfortunate incidents the President didn't need or deserve, It was in support of the individual whose trial of his killer was a failed ploy for justice. While the self-defense defense was valid, the President came down on the side of one, beginning a polarizing of the country which Mr. Obama didn't need or deserve.
3. "JV squad" The inflammatory insult of the Islamic radical element did what we hoped would never happen: the JV squad proved they transcended varsity capabilty. Obviously professional grade. This brings us to ...
4. It's not my pay grade. The ultimate expression of "I can't do that," or "I'm not responsible for it."
5. You can keep your doctor // your plan. The worst lie (or, to be gracious, miscalculation) that was uttered in support of the Affordable Care Plan, which in the end was neither care or affordable. Enforced insurance was just an act.
6. Grow the economy from the middle. I never understood why this line from the 2012 debates was not examined. In a capitalist tradition, how is this done? It was a denial of the "trickle down economics" criticized by the left during the Reagan administration. Which worked, leading to an economic recovery that was faster than the Obama version. Even now such a recovery is weak if jobs and labor issues are not resolved.
7. Lead from behind. Worst foreign policy philosophy ever. The Arab Spring initiative has been a colossal flop due to lack of American leadership at the front. Connected to this point is the related maxim Boots on the Ground. It is a cover for much of the cowardly tactics of diplomacy.
8. Hope and Change. In one sense, Obama has effected the greatest ideological change in the country's history. But it was an unequal yoke. We hope for change for the better, but have no voice in determining the contents of the change. This has led to the general dissatisfaction in the American Spirit. This also leads to that bizarre political slogan ...
9. "D" is for drive. "R" is for reverse. A pundit for the progressive ideal, it is entirely illogical. A car is made to move forward and backward in specific situations, like to drive up to the scenic overlook and then to withdraw from it. The happen-chance that the names of the two political parties, Obama's own "D"emocratic Party and the reviled "R"epublican is an exercise in creative thinking, but is not at all substantial.
10. I have a pen and a phone. The president's response to the 2014 elections in which the Democratic Party lost a terrific amount of congressional seats and influence. In a moment were the president could see as a review and rebuke of his policies, his pledge of pushing through his agenda via executive mandate was the highpoint of imperial audacity. A wiser and a humbler man would have reached other conclusions.
Honorable Mention: The science is settled. In support of climate change, the president made claims on science that are not scientific. Science, in its strictest sense, is never "settled." All scientific findings are open to examination, evaluation, review, critique, and above all, skepticism. Only an idolized version of science (we call it "scientism") could make such a blatant claim as "settled." But that is not science.
This has been a relief to resume control of my blog site. Now, barring governmental backlash (please, this remains America, where dissent can still be loyal), I hope to have the next post up soon.
control of my blog site. Alot of ideas have been percolating in the brain-box, so I will have fun in draining it dry. Here goes IMHO number one.I must credit
President Obama for his articulate style in presenting his agenda for America. While I do not agree with many of his positions, he is the duly elected head-of-state and has every right to advance his plans. The only point is the glibness of his expression, sometimes reduced to memorable zingers which merit further thought -- and rejection on principle. The curse of the one who coins the phrase must own up to the counterfeit product such snapshots of thought tend to trivialize (yes, I know I am mixing a metaphor terribly -- a demonstration of this very premise). We tend to confuse brilliance of expression for brilliance of thought.No possible connection
, period.This is my list of the ten most ridiculous sayings of our honored president which may or may not need commentary. My ramblimgs will follow Mr. Obama's.
1. A teachable moment. The episode of the white policeman and the black college professor which resulted in the beers at the White House peace treaty. This would be the first of many issues of racist propaganda pieces risen over a policeman's honest visit to investigate disturbances in the neighborhood. It is one more example of killing the messenger.
2. Treyvon Martin was like a son to me. In an effort to bring some sense to an unfortunate incident, the first in a series of unfortunate incidents the President didn't need or deserve, It was in support of the individual whose trial of his killer was a failed ploy for justice. While the self-defense defense was valid
, the President came down on the side of one, beginning a polarizing of the country which Mr. Obama didn't need or deserve.3. "JV squad" The inflammatory insult of the Islamic radical element did what we hoped would never happen: the JV squad proved they transcended varsity capabilty. Obviously professional grade. This brings us to ...
4. It's not my pay grade. The ultimate expression of "I can't do that," or "I'm not responsible for it."
5. You can keep your
doctor // your plan. The worst lie (or, to be gracious, miscalculation) that was uttered in support of the Affordable Care Plan, which in the end was neither care or affordable. Enforced insurance was just an act.6. Grow the economy from the middle. I never understood why this line from the 2012 debates was not examined. In a capitalist tradition, how is this done? It was a denial of the "trickle down economics" criticized by the left during the Reagan administration. Which worked, leading to an economic recovery that was faster than the Obama version. Even now such a recovery is weak if jobs and labor issues are not resolved.
7. Lead from behind. Worst foreign policy philosophy ever. The Arab Spring initiative has been a colossal flop due to lack of American leadership at the front. Connected to
this point is the related maxim Boots on the Ground. It is a cover for much of the cowardly tactics of diplomacy.8. Hope and Change. In one sense, Obama has effected the greatest ideological change in the country's history. But it was an unequal yoke. We hope for change for the better, but have no voice in determining the contents of the change. This has led to the general dissatisfaction in the American Spirit. This also leads to that bizarre political slogan ...
9. "D" is for drive. "R" is for reverse. A pundit for the progressive ideal, it is entirely illogical. A car is made to move forward and backward in specific situations, like to drive up to the scenic overlook and then to withdraw
from it. The happen-chance that the names of the two political parties, Obama's own "D"emocratic Party and the reviled "R"epublican is an exercise in creative thinking, but is not at all substantial.10. I have a pen and a phone
. The president's response to the 2014 elections in which the Democratic Party lost a terrific amount of congressional seats and influence. In a moment were the president could see as a review and rebuke of his policies, his pledge of pushing through his agenda via executive mandate was the highpoint of imperial audacity. A wiser and a humbler man would have reached other conclusions.Honorable Mention: The science is settled. In support of climate change, the president made claims on science that are not scientific. Science, in its strictest sense, is never "settled." All scientific findings are open to examination, evaluation, review, critique, and above all, skepticism. Only an idolized version of science (we call it "scientism") could make such a blatant claim as "settled." But that is not science.
This has been a relief to resume
control of my blog site. Now, barring governmental backlash (please, this remains America, where dissent can still be loyal), I hope to have the next post up soon.
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