Fools and Firebrands is on my reading list. I'm hoping to get to it before July. I can't believe it's June already!
Six years ago, I would have poo-pooed your ideas about MSM. It wasn't until the Covid gaslighting that I finally began removing the scales from my eyes. Now it is so obvious what MSM is doing.
Like you, how on earth are we already in June!?! I think with any media and commentary, there is always some bias, but I feel the ground has very much shifted and yes, covid days highlighted how much became simply propoganda.
So very correct - with the issue really being that MSM control has developed in front of society for so long that it is akin to the “boiling the frog” anecdote.
The advent of volatile, fast paced social media has its problems - but now also appears to be developing to the degree that mass negative influence is now being challenged by a strong growth in pop-up factual behaviour which demonstrates that Communities and Citizens are generally smart enough to eventually seek out what is truthful.
Trust in MSM (alongside trust in politics) has significantly diminished as good examples of this.
Great to table this subject, examine it and discuss, but -
What actions do we as taxpayers need to take going forward, to restore competence and therefore trust in our own NZ (taxpayer funded) media?
My own view is we end taxpayer funding of RNZ and TVNZ. There is no shortage of outlets of news now, most who survive on their own steam and without the assistance of taxpayer funds and grants.
Indeed Simon, the conduct of MSM has been shameful. The lack of integrity shown as they carefully craft their (oft misleading) headlines, and then weave their preferred narrative into the story. It is so ridiculous and obvious that one wonders how they can look at themselves in the mirror and claim to be 'journalists'. Other recent examples that take the cake were the IDF 'using dogs to rape prisoners' NYT story (so stupid it is funny), the absence of any reporting here on Henry Nowak's shameful death in the UK and the cover up of Tranny Nutjobs' involvement in violent attacks in the US. The role of Islamic Jihad in worldwide violence deserves its own special mention because as you rightly stated, MSM quickly tries to hide any connections. Doesn't help that our political leaders and Police are also such cowards that they are not calling the Islamic Menace exactly what it is.
oh, a large number of examples as you have well pointed out. I thought I'd already written to many words hence not adding more. The NYT article was appalling. Kristof (I think that was his surname) should have been fired.
we've also now got a situation where the industry is struggling, they don't pay reporters that well, and the good ones consequently end up in corporate roles or working as government spin doctors.
...or heading overseas. Those high quality govt spin doctors need a lesson or two from Shane Warne. It's the way they spin that worries me - left break or googly? Gimme googly.
Simon , this is a very important and significant article. I hope it gets a wide range of readers. The left media, and it is leftist, does not have within itself any method of self criticism. Convinced of its own virtue and moral neutrality it is condemned to fall into a necessary state of miserable hypocrisy. And that hypocrisy is what we all see so clearly.
Credit can never be given to the enemy because that would be to admit a weakness in its own Ideology. It's locked its door and no one can get in or out of it. Or to use another metaphor darkness is its comfort.
We are in an 'ideological war' (as in the Garden; truth vs falsehood) & it can not be won by being passive, lukewarm, or playing by 'Queensberry rules' that only applies to one side!
We have to come to terms with reality; we are dealing with 'evil people' who are hellbent on just that, creating hell on earth!
The media, the '4th Estate' as they are also known, is in reality a '5th Column', working to undermine our Westminster Parliamentary Democracy underpinned by our 'Judeo-Christian' foundation & traditions!
That is the 'ideology', the truth they are coming after to destroy, & will use anything including other 'religions' to do so! Communism has been the main tool in their arsenal for over a century led by the 'dialectic'; conflict & struggle through disinformation (as is so prevalent now) & revolutionary change; 'thesis, antithesis, synthesis'!
What stands in the way of their ultimate goal? Christianity!
It has to be removed, ultimately obliterated as an obstacle on their pathway to victory!
The stakes are high, so we can't get caught up in some kind of 'passive intellectual sparring match'! We have to go on the offensive & sink their 'battleship'!
The key to that is for God's side to work together, & put real pressure on the media, & the Government to change the 'status quo'; favouring or funding certain media outlets!
Alarmingly, there has been a perceptible wind shift towards 'open totalitarianism'*, noticeable across the political spectrum but also in the present government!
*There have been a few political backtracks lately after not consulting with people, & trying to push legislation based on labelling & mischaracterising people!
Remember, it is 'by, for & of the people', NOT a government!
Governments must be transparent, like telling us what they intend to do, & therefore accountable for their actions, or lack of!
That is where an 'objective media' comes in, not tip or deviate the narrative in a certain direction!
All of the above is why I stopped watching NZ news and reading The Herald/Stuff et al years ago. Platform, RCR, Substack, and a few foreign newspapers are much more informative. Oh and Ground News.
Fools and Firebrands is on my reading list. I'm hoping to get to it before July. I can't believe it's June already!
Six years ago, I would have poo-pooed your ideas about MSM. It wasn't until the Covid gaslighting that I finally began removing the scales from my eyes. Now it is so obvious what MSM is doing.
Like you, how on earth are we already in June!?! I think with any media and commentary, there is always some bias, but I feel the ground has very much shifted and yes, covid days highlighted how much became simply propoganda.
So very correct - with the issue really being that MSM control has developed in front of society for so long that it is akin to the “boiling the frog” anecdote.
The advent of volatile, fast paced social media has its problems - but now also appears to be developing to the degree that mass negative influence is now being challenged by a strong growth in pop-up factual behaviour which demonstrates that Communities and Citizens are generally smart enough to eventually seek out what is truthful.
Trust in MSM (alongside trust in politics) has significantly diminished as good examples of this.
Great to table this subject, examine it and discuss, but -
What actions do we as taxpayers need to take going forward, to restore competence and therefore trust in our own NZ (taxpayer funded) media?
Financial?
Regulatory?
My own view is we end taxpayer funding of RNZ and TVNZ. There is no shortage of outlets of news now, most who survive on their own steam and without the assistance of taxpayer funds and grants.
Indeed Simon, the conduct of MSM has been shameful. The lack of integrity shown as they carefully craft their (oft misleading) headlines, and then weave their preferred narrative into the story. It is so ridiculous and obvious that one wonders how they can look at themselves in the mirror and claim to be 'journalists'. Other recent examples that take the cake were the IDF 'using dogs to rape prisoners' NYT story (so stupid it is funny), the absence of any reporting here on Henry Nowak's shameful death in the UK and the cover up of Tranny Nutjobs' involvement in violent attacks in the US. The role of Islamic Jihad in worldwide violence deserves its own special mention because as you rightly stated, MSM quickly tries to hide any connections. Doesn't help that our political leaders and Police are also such cowards that they are not calling the Islamic Menace exactly what it is.
oh, a large number of examples as you have well pointed out. I thought I'd already written to many words hence not adding more. The NYT article was appalling. Kristof (I think that was his surname) should have been fired.
We made the mistake of allowing Universities to run journalism courses. No good has come of it.
we've also now got a situation where the industry is struggling, they don't pay reporters that well, and the good ones consequently end up in corporate roles or working as government spin doctors.
...or heading overseas. Those high quality govt spin doctors need a lesson or two from Shane Warne. It's the way they spin that worries me - left break or googly? Gimme googly.
"The ancient custom of deception,
A Press that seldom stoops to lies,
Merely suppresses truth and twists it,
Blandly corrupt and slyly wise."
A S J Tessimond 1936
Simon , this is a very important and significant article. I hope it gets a wide range of readers. The left media, and it is leftist, does not have within itself any method of self criticism. Convinced of its own virtue and moral neutrality it is condemned to fall into a necessary state of miserable hypocrisy. And that hypocrisy is what we all see so clearly.
Credit can never be given to the enemy because that would be to admit a weakness in its own Ideology. It's locked its door and no one can get in or out of it. Or to use another metaphor darkness is its comfort.
Thanks Bruce
"1984"
'Ministry of Truth'
"Winston, how many fingers am I holding up"?
We are in an 'ideological war' (as in the Garden; truth vs falsehood) & it can not be won by being passive, lukewarm, or playing by 'Queensberry rules' that only applies to one side!
We have to come to terms with reality; we are dealing with 'evil people' who are hellbent on just that, creating hell on earth!
The media, the '4th Estate' as they are also known, is in reality a '5th Column', working to undermine our Westminster Parliamentary Democracy underpinned by our 'Judeo-Christian' foundation & traditions!
That is the 'ideology', the truth they are coming after to destroy, & will use anything including other 'religions' to do so! Communism has been the main tool in their arsenal for over a century led by the 'dialectic'; conflict & struggle through disinformation (as is so prevalent now) & revolutionary change; 'thesis, antithesis, synthesis'!
What stands in the way of their ultimate goal? Christianity!
It has to be removed, ultimately obliterated as an obstacle on their pathway to victory!
The stakes are high, so we can't get caught up in some kind of 'passive intellectual sparring match'! We have to go on the offensive & sink their 'battleship'!
The key to that is for God's side to work together, & put real pressure on the media, & the Government to change the 'status quo'; favouring or funding certain media outlets!
Alarmingly, there has been a perceptible wind shift towards 'open totalitarianism'*, noticeable across the political spectrum but also in the present government!
*There have been a few political backtracks lately after not consulting with people, & trying to push legislation based on labelling & mischaracterising people!
Remember, it is 'by, for & of the people', NOT a government!
Governments must be transparent, like telling us what they intend to do, & therefore accountable for their actions, or lack of!
That is where an 'objective media' comes in, not tip or deviate the narrative in a certain direction!
All of the above is why I stopped watching NZ news and reading The Herald/Stuff et al years ago. Platform, RCR, Substack, and a few foreign newspapers are much more informative. Oh and Ground News.
Great article!
The structural concerns are legitimate but the causal attribution is unfalsifiable, which means this isn't analysis, it's narrative.