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Report, Don't preach!
Posted by Nimrod Kozlovski on Wednesday, March 05 @ 14:16:19 EST Free Expression
Who needs journalists when they conceive themselves as propaganda conduits? Can the Media remain the watchdog of democracy in wartime? What does the public discourse look like when respectful journalist stop reporting and start preaching and brain-washing? Does Fox News have any journalist value anymore? How can we believe “facts reporting” when it is broadcasted from the same mouth who preaches? One could not believe his eyes and ears watching Bill O’Reilly on TV last night. Mr. O’Reilly was preaching, spreading fear and confronting those who fail to support the war. The climax was when Mr. O’Reilly looked to the audience in the eyes and said: “ Thirty-seven percent of Americans would allow Saddam to stay in power. To these people I say this. You are failing to understand that we have entered into the most dangerous period of American history ever. The terrorists will kill you and your family. The nations like Iraq and North Korea have the ability to provide those terrorists with doomsday weapons. You are failing to recognize true evil. “ Does the same speech-writer work for President Bush and for Mr. O’Reilly? I could not notice any difference. Could you?
 
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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 05 @ 15:20:59 EST
The piece referred to has all the earmarks of an editorial piece. It's at the end of the broadcast, and uses the first person (Thank you for watching..., & To these people I say this...)

Reasonableness, accuracy, nor logic have ever been requirements in editorials. Quite the opposite, the point of most editorials is to inflame and provoke.

Hopefully it provokes thought and discussion. Unfortunately, modern media seems to care more about the inflammation for ratings aspect.

Be glad that you still have the freedom allowing people to make fools out of themselves. It's precious.



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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 05 @ 17:41:20 EST
What does this have to do with law?

More importantly, why does it bother you so that there's a voice in the mass media representing those of us who don't want to pre-emptively surrender?

Considering the positive slant most media outlets have given to peace protests, even when said protests are organized by communist front groups, isn't it fair to have this kind of "propaganda" counterpoint?


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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 05 @ 20:38:03 EST
Absolutely stunning that this website, which regularly challenges and criticizes limitations on speech would feature an entirely specious harangue about Bill O' Reilly, Propagandist exercising his right to engage in it.

Just a few thoughts:

1. Where's the "Aaron Brown criticism" counterpoint?

2. Perhaps Bill's comments struck you too close to home.

3. Guess the only speech that should be allowed should be speech you approve of.

4. Take some of your own advice. This site better serves the intellectual property community by identifying issues that it should take note of, rather than spewing hyperbole in a thinly veiled tantrum about FOX not being in the Dan Rather/Ted Koppel camp (gee, not like that hasn't been noted before).

5. And the last adage, but most certainly not the least, the old chestnut, and I quote, "If you don't like Bill O'Reilly, turn the channel!"


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  • But by Anonymous on Thursday, March 06 @ 10:48:15 EST

Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 1)
by tompoe on Wednesday, March 05 @ 21:46:28 EST
(User Info | Send a Message) http://www.studioforrecording.org/
Bill O'Reilly's entitled to put forth, at any opportunity, his personal views. Right, wrong, or otherwise. We're about to flatten a country with over 50% of their population under the age of 15, if Senator Byrd's figures are correct. I wonder what Bill feels about that? Personally, this aspect of discretionary war bothers me.


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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 05 @ 23:40:59 EST
Bill O'Reilly is a commentator, not a reporter.

Its funny that left leaning people never had a problem when the actual reporters (people like Dan Rather) present the news in a manner that is biased to the left. But along comes one network (Fox) that lets a commentator express right-leaning views and MY GOD, we can't have THIS.

Your comment about the same speech-writer working for Bush and O'Reilly reveals your real motivation: you are a leftist and you just don't want to hear the viewpoint of the right. You are probably the kind of person that just can't accept or believe that the strong majority of people in the US support Bush with regards to Iraq.

Why you air your views here is beyond me.


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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 1)
by starbuck on Thursday, March 06 @ 10:48:19 EST
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Bill O’Reilly is yet another reason why I absolutely refuse to own a televison. Calling that piece of filth a journalist is an insult to every employee of the Weekly World News.


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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Thursday, March 06 @ 12:49:04 EST
Take it easy everyone. Without taking a partisan side, I think this strikes on some bigger issues which the right has been arguing for years:

1) That there should be some responsibility in the media to present objective facts and stories without opinion
2) That editorials, which are fine, should be more clearly labeled as such

In the past, it is true that most journalism had a left lean to it. However, what I find disturbing recenlty is that the media branches owned by Murdoch (Fox, The NY Post) tend to blur the distinction between editorial and news in an unconscionable fashion. Check out the headlines in the first ten pages of the Post to see what I mean. Then consider that he sells it for half the price of all the other papers, specifically targeting those with less means and - very generally speaking - less education.

Some people can make the distinction between news and propaganda themselves, but I worry about the effect that editorial journalism has on less educated people and, subsequently, on the government that acts based on their opinion. Regardless of left or right, I don't approve of media moguls like Murdoch influencing the public and indirectly the government in this way.


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Re: Report, Don't preach! (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Thursday, March 13 @ 08:43:33 EST
"preaching, spreading fear ..." Oh NO! He's now modeling himself after the Democrats! Spreading fear amongst the poor and elderly. "Our children won't have school lunches" etc. How very hypocritical and typical of the leftist. All we ever hear is this crap from the liberal news media. I find this hilarious!! Keep it up Bill - you've got them not only on the run, but listening :)


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