Old Content:
Non-MSM != Unreliable
December 7, 2008 by Kyle BradyTags: Fox News, MSM, Newsweek, Politics
As required by the FTC, a Full Disclosure is available - this piece adheres to the Code of Ethics
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While I agree that fewer people are using "traditional" sources for news, I believe that calling sources other than TV-based news and newspapers unreliable or extremely biased amounts to libel. If an individual wishes to know only what they want to hear, they can do so in any format: FOX News on TV for southern state bible-belt rednecks; Newsweek, a weekly magazine, for a decidedly anti-Republican, anti-war, strongly liberal audience; or a blog-based network such as "Creationism.org" for the uneducated religious fanatics in all of us.
With very little effort, it is possible to be more informed, on any number of issues, than one would be from viewing MSM, and with just a little more effort, it can be largely unbiased as well. For the "older" generations this may be more difficult, but for those who have grown up with computers and the Internet, finding reliable sources for everyday (or not so everyday) news, in an attempt to shun MSM, is a trivial task.
Just because the media's formats and ownerships are changing hands doesn't mean that the other mediums are any less valuable, despite the failing newspapers and MSM publications saying so in their final hours of discontent and anger. In fact, as these old-world enterprises continue to fail on an epic, and highly entertaining, level, the value of alternative news sources increases. While those aging 35+, on average, have yet to accept that blogs and publications run by "unknowns" can have high value, the younger generations have helped to create a burgeoning network of instant-value media delivered through the Internet.
But be careful. You might accidentally find a blog by a former FOX News pundit.
Kyle can be found on Twitter and MySpace, or reached via email.
