Question about Freedom of the Press and current political climate.

[Firefly]

I'm all for bringing in some sort of legal recourse for stories so false that within minutes the bias and falsehoods are apparent.
False stories injure, if they can't stick to the truth, then something needs to be at jeopardy if they cannot back up the story.
It would keep opinion and supposition out of the story, just the facts please...

That seems reasonable but....1st Amendment.

We have to protect all rights. If it is slander or libel there are already laws but if people want to give their opinions like the Onion or Duffel blog then all you can really do is tune them out.

Once I got a Weather App, I stopped watching the news.

News these days is entertainment more than anything anyways

[SomeOtherGuy]

There was just one small problem with this story: it was fundamentally false, in the most embarrassing way possible.

The story itself is of far less concern to me outside of only being "An Example" of what is now happening to journalism.
And from the same Story;

All of this prompts the glaring, obvious, and critical question – one which CNN refuses to address: how did “multiple sources” all misread the date on this document, in exactly the same way, and toward the same end, and then feed this false information to CNN?

It is, of course, completely plausible that one source might innocently misread a date on a document. But how is it remotely plausible that multiple sources could all innocently and in good faith misread the date in exactly the same way, all to cause to be disseminated a blockbuster revelation about Trump/Russia/WikiLeaks collusion? This is the critical question that CNN simply refuses to answer.

So the facts having been totally lost in this case, what is to be done.
And on a related note;
http://www.breitbart.com/big-journal...es-fake-photo/

1) The photo Weigel published was taken before the Trump rally began. And, as you will see below, Weigel knew he was publishing a photo not taken during the actual rally.

The "press" is not exempt from libel and slander laws, even against the president or other public figures. In the UK and elsewhere it's pretty common for the press to get sued over such reporting (and much milder, factual criticism). Our laws, following the Bill of Rights, raise a very high bar for such lawsuits: the journalist or publisher must be shown to have known the falsity of their statement. In other words, they must have actually known that what they were saying was untrue, and any plausible defense of belief in its truth will generally shield them from liability.

For many decades this has been practically an impervious shield for the journalists, as it's very hard to show falsity. However, the examples above, and some other recent ones, seem so outrageously blatant that in fact it would seem to be rather easy to show falsity, and therefore establish legal liability.

I doubt Trump will bring such a suit, which would put him in a difficult political posture, but if he wanted to do so I think he could win on the legal merits.

2) Weigel, who identifies as an objective reporter, is not only publishing a misleading photo, but the link at the top of his now-deleted tweet proves that he is responding directly to one of Trump’s tweets — in other words, he is publicly heckling the president personally.

3) By responding directly to the president in this way, Weigel is openly taunting Trump, even going so far as to troll the president with his own “packed to the rafters” comment.

Even if the photo had been a legitimate representation of the crowd-size, directly jeering the president in this way is still outrageous behavior from anyone who describes himself as a legitimate journalist.

This part is just blatant bias and a total lack of class, or standards.

Basically all the bias that "we" have long seen is coming out in the open and is totally in-your-face. The people perpetrating it don't seem to have any semblance of shame or moral values, so it will only stop if an outside force (like the courts, or an effective boycott) makes it stop.

[docsherm]

What we need is some common sense press control. Why not make them fill out a bunch of paperwork, pay $200, and wait 6-12 months to publish a story?

[elephant]

There is a lot of talk about the "journalistic core values and integrity". And that's what I would be saying if I was publishing fake news stories or editing news to fit my agenda. Obviously Trump has struck a chord with the news by claiming "fake news" to there face. But this goes beyond the news. Before Obama left office, Jay Leno, Davin Letterman, John Stewart, Conan Obrien, Craig Ferguson and a lot of people who were truly funny and talented were fired and replaced with younger "comedians" who were really globalist, socialist and everything the liberal media stands for.

Look at the current line up of late night talk show host and themes:

Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Kimmel
Trevor Noah
Bill Maher
John Oliver
Seth Meyer
Steven Colbert
James Corden
Jim Jefferies
Larry Wilmore
@midnight
The Presidents Show
The Opposition

This is just beyond integrity or core values. This is anti American propaganda garbage. Every one on NBC, CBS, ABC, Comedy Central, HBO, MTV is identical in ideology, political affiliation, social issues, economic issues and so forth. This is propaganda just like a certain German country in the 1930's. You call it "comedy" but in reality, its political steering. You take the best of the best who ranks well with the 18-35 year olds, someone who is popular, has a little bit of fame and following, who is die hard liberal, you give them there own TV show and tell them to dress up there social-mission with some funny one-liners and you have a 24/7 propaganda machine. And Obama and Hillary helped these people build a following because they felt that in the long run, it would help them secure a total liberal run country. They invited these people to the Whitehouse, brought them to correspondence dinners, rallies, and even mentioned them by name via Twitter, interviews etc.

Its not even funny anymore. Our media has become 24/7 Trump bashing and false news spreading. I don't consider the firing of Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Mike Oreskes, Louis CK, David Sweeny, Kevin Spacey, Mark Halperin, Matt Zimmerman a victory. Those guys will be replaced with people who are brilliant at delivering propaganda.

This is the world we live in. We saw it happening during the 2016 presidential election. Non stop Trump bashing, miss quoting every thing he said, false claims against him, false info about key personnel in his current administration, the whole "1% chance of winning", calling him a clown, a failed reality tv host, a failure at running a business, a bankrupt business man and so on.

I heard that one of the reasons that Steve Bannon left the administration was to start a new conservative TV network and he already had a few conservative billionaires backing him. Not really to compete with FOX but to have an additional major network that leaned conservative.

Its disgusting out there.

[LMT Shooter]

What we need is some common sense press control. Why not make them fill out a bunch of paperwork, pay $200, and wait 6-12 months to publish a story?

I'll take "First Amendment" for $1000, Alex.

Is it safe to assume that your are making this comment tongue in cheek referring to what they've done to our 2A rights?

[26 Inf]

I'm think that your list of late night talk show host changes were driven more by 1) retirements; and 2) ratings than they were some political agenda independent of the politics of the viewing audience. And the viewing audience is what pays the bills for the advertisers.

I don't consider the firing of Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Mike Oreskes, Louis CK, David Sweeny, Kevin Spacey, Mark Halperin, Matt Zimmerman a victory. Those guys will be replaced with people who are brilliant at delivering propaganda.

I doubt that the allegations are false. They betrayed the trust folks had in them as reliable journalists, actors, etc. by their actions.

[Honu]

sadly they exist and sadly people still watch

why I say same as football but so many so called patriots do not even want to give up football or cable tv and instead support these peanuts and their viewpoints

cancel your cable you can find stuff online if you want that only pertains to what you want that will help dry up some funding
people need to truly boycott any and all products advertised on shows like they do to hannity all the time ?

play their game but we have the numbers over them by a long shot and actually could do some damage to companies if we so chose to but again the comfort of our cable is to much

[docsherm]

I'll take "First Amendment" for $1000, Alex.

Is it safe to assume that your are making this comment tongue in cheek referring to what they've done to our 2A rights?

Yes, people are so eager to loose their second amendment rights but don't ever talk about the first........

Just playing devil's advocate: why not rane in some of these people that are abusing the system? I mean in the interest in public safety.

[Firefly]

Just a friendly reminder that all television consumption is totally voluntary.

I have my weather app for weather, my personal book library, my DVD collection, and the internet if I really care to know what is going on past my back 40.

These personalities can harp on to their hearts content with their bisexual, globalist, hippie crap all they like and I dont have to listen to them.

I actively encourage people to cut the cord, get an antennae for retro TV, keep a few radios (in case power goes out) and live your life.

When I was younger I used to watch TV and get irked. Now I just don't care.

Not even the Faux News leg chair is enough anymore.

I dont care to be preached at by people who can live very comfortably in NYC about how wrong and backwards I am.

Same way I dont care about sports except for women's beach volleyball or soccer.

I dont care about a bunch of losers tossing a ball around until they get too old and too fat or too many felonies and then start selling bengay or going on the church circuit reliving their has-been days about how cocaine and white women destroyed them.

It's not nihilism. It's all quite Zen.

Remember how that guy from Band of Brothers who was in Office Space was when he just woke up one day and totally stopped caring?

Like that.

Like I had to tell people to lay off CNN because I already knew what they were saying because it was on CNN and they acted like it was a Bible Verse and couldn't use critical thinking so I just said "Deuces. Peace Out"

If people are so stupid so as to let TV pigeonhole them into being miserable squares or ending up as lonely cat ladies then....

Sooooooooorrry 'bout that.

Enough stuff depresses me irl. On my down tine I just wanna hear jokes, tunes, see some breasteses, and maybe a magic trick.

I just don't care about Russia, White Nationalism, or any of these manufactured boogeymen.

I have it on good authority that my Soviet counterpart in Moscow is probably more worried about getting drunk, getting laid, and getting his hustle on rather than figuring out a way to hack anything past a credit card or parachuting in wearing berezkas with an AK74.

Maybe in WarFace or PUBG.

And when North Korea can pay their light bill and not have to resort to cannibalism then I might believe them when they say they can hit DC.

As for the Chinese most are blind and asthmatic from the smog, their guns suck, they are getting to fat for their tanks and they make more money from Wal Mart than they would Red Dawning us.

The REAL threats are being glossed over.
I dunno where it says we have to take in all these "refugees" who got HIV, wont assimilate, and wouldnt pass a 6th grade graduation exam.

Sorry your country went to shit. Shoulda fought for it. Any religion that says I cant look at breasteses or have McRibs is a lie. The Good Lord wants me to have a little enjoyment.

I always do the reverse ask:

If USA totally shit the bed, what coubtries woukd offer US jobs, welfare, and a place to stay?

None. And to all youse who think they will take in former military and doctors let me laugh heartily at you.

I knew a guy who had multiple degrees and spoke perfect English but was denied citizenship because he was born in Rhodesia. Like he tried joining the army (got declined despite bei g blonde, blue eyed, athletic, with perfect vision) and went broke trying to keep in college. Until he couldnt no more. Like a bunch of us wrote Saxby Chambliss and got a "Sorry too bad vote for me outta my hands vote for me piss off" form letter. This guy would have bedn self sufficient and an asset.

These other countries got doctors, lawyers, and soldiers. They also dont play Battered Woman Shelter of the world or world police and are very strict in immigration so they can keep a country.

I aint seen Europe since the 90s but I bet it is waaaay different now thanks to all the BS.

So that was my tangent.

At least America is so big that when time comes I can just live in a van with a hairy hippie girl with blue anime hair and size 5 feet. With a G19 and a Lever Action and a hot plate I can lead a full life

And all the city boys can sit and spin.

There. I verbalized it. I feel better.

[elephant]

I'm think that your list of late night talk show host changes were driven more by 1) retirements; and 2) ratings than they were some political agenda independent of the politics of the viewing audience. And the viewing audience is what pays the bills for the advertisers.

I don't consider the firing of Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Mike Oreskes, Louis CK, David Sweeny, Kevin Spacey, Mark Halperin, Matt Zimmerman a victory. Those guys will be replaced with people who are brilliant at delivering propaganda.

I doubt that the allegations are false. They betrayed the trust folks had in them as reliable journalists, actors, etc. by their actions.

They didn't get fired because they were sexual predators, that was already a known fact. They got fired because "WE" found out about it.

Jay Leno's ratings were higher than anyone currently staring in a late night talk show in the age group of 25-45. He retired? I remember he was shuffled around with Conon and eventually took a $45million severance package. John Steward could have gone on for at least 5 more years. His ratings are still significantly higher than Trevor's.

Speaking of advertisers. Comedy Central advertises the same commercials for Trevor Noah and Jim Jefferies as they do for Southpark: Taco Bell, pay as you go phones, job offerings, 1-800-sexy-girl, they advertise to 20 year olds who live at home. This was done strategically to pump up the propaganda machine.