Media Criticism

I always find it troubling when the media participates in raising false hope when an abduction or natural disaster occurs. This has happened with mine troubles out in Colorado and West Virginia over the past few years with talking heads spending hours bandying about conjecture under the guise of keeping hope alive. The disappearance of adventurer Steve Fossett on Monday has led to a week’s worth of stories stating that wreckage was found that was likely linked to Fossett.

The most difficult part of this type of disappearance is that there is no rhyme or reason to it. Steve Fossett has gone around the world in a balloon and a number of other daring feats that make a three hour flight seem routine. The press pushes local police departments and search teams for details in order to glean something newsworthy from their hopeful words. If Steve Fossett is found dead, the media as an institution will be happy because they can eulogize this great man without discussing the series of stories that built up the nation for a fall.

I don’t think this type of information is worth more than a few minutes each day on the news to update the public on the situation. Police crews, state search and rescue crews and family members will conduct their search without the help of the public. In fact, they should be given a wide berth to make their search without interference by the media or prying eyes. Cable networks and news papers are just showing their voyeuristic nature when they cover Steve Fossett’s disappearance endlessly.

The recent push by FOX’s Rupert Murdoch to purchase The Wall Street Journal has drawn great press attention. Columnists, bloggers and pundits have said that Murdoch’s ascension to the head of The Journal and Dow Jones will lead to the further watering down of the American press. To that, I say that we have reached maximum water level. American media can only go up at this point and I think Rupert Murdoch won’t have a great effect on The Wall Street Journal.

Murdoch has reached his level of prominence through shrewd business decisions. His Fox News Network may be conservative and play to the fears of Americans but the Fox TV Network is incredibly crass and liberal (i.e. The Simpsons, Family Guy). These polar opposites work on the airwaves because: a) there are thousands of television stations, b) their audiences overlap but do not completely align with one another and c) Murdoch only gets involved to the point where his brand name won’t get hurt.

The Columbia Journalism Review published a discussion about Murdoch’s push for The Journal on August 1st. Their analysis is well-reasoned because it tells everyone to calm down. Whether you agree or disagree with Murdoch’s personal politics, you have to see the forest for the trees. The Wall Street Journal will only improve with Murdoch at the helm because he will allow editors and newspaper people to do enough independent work to keep quality high.