Comments on: Media climate made suckers for Sparkman’s ruse

By: Bill Adkins

Bill Adkins — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:02:08 +0000

Sparkman did not create this ruse, if it is indeed a ruse, in a vacuum. Glenn Beck, Fox Not News Channel and others created the environment in which such a ruse could be hatched.

By: cyn

cyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:28:05 +0000

Tom, Why are you blaming only the left wing folk. I have not seen a honest story out (Dan Rather) of the right wing (who do dominate the news world) in years. The right wing have pushed people to the left with their attitude and bias. The Duke Lacrosse shame is a really good example. It was a right wing lynch mob hanging the wrong people in that case. The liberal college pros lead the charge. Your story above does nothing constructive. Shame.

By: John Smith

John Smith — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:23:16 +0000

MSNBC’s mealy-mouthed coverage of this case was classic. MSNBC’s coverage of this alleged murder had been grotesque. And the worst of the lot was Rachel Maddow. And, not unlike Nancy Grace/Joan Velez-Mitchell vis-a-vis The Duke Lacrosse Hoax, when it was time to show up and accept a degree of responsibility for her hysterical coverage, who shows up in her place? The TelePrompTer-challenged Howard Dean. They covered this story for weeks, pointing a finger in a variety of rightward directions. But not only will their be no apology, the correction will appear on the equivalent of page F30. (for similar leftist stupidity see the brutal rape and murder of Ann Presley, the woman who played Ann Coulter in Oliver Stone’s movie “W”. Search on Huffington Post or Daily Kos)

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:56:39 +0000

Well, I’ve finally stopped laughing. Maybe it really is posssible to be an ultra liberal writer working for an ultra liberal newspaper and be so clueless as to think that you can sell yourself to your readers as middle of the road. The article should have started “A media (HL) that seems to prefer ideology, opinion, speculation and outrage over fact and reason”.

By: Droslovinia

Droslovinia — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:12:31 +0000

Another great article, Tom, made moreso by the folks who just can’t resist writing back and throwing around wild charges about the “liberal media.” When you get people to comment in ways that make your point so strongly, that’s great writing. When people are so far gone in their opinions (often as created by others) that they cannot even engage in civil discourse without getting choked up on them, they open themselves to all kinds of bad things. Thanks for helping us get such a clear view of what happens when this way of thinking goes too far.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:43:34 +0000

Hey, “some don’t want to hear” ………………
Do you really think main stream journalism has ethics ?
You need to wake up the other side of your breain. That is the side that dosen’t mix
“feel and want” with “fact and logic” .
(by the way, loud mouth talk radio in not journalism but rather opinion and entertainment.) Don’t you know the difference between “talk radio” and editorial writings in major newspapers ?

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:30:40 +0000

I actually believe that IF the LHL did not get advertising funding from the hits to this website by bloggers argueing back & forth this LIBERAL MEDIA outlet would go under.

Whenever Conservatives wake up and realize that they are helping the LHL stay in business by voicing their opinions I bet the advertising funds would be CUT in half or more.

Wonder how long this post will stay here? ☺☻♥

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:19:15 +0000

Some don’t want to hear Says, while I respect your opinion and totally agree with you about the absolute value and necessity of a free press; I differ with you on ethics. Journalism today does not have high ethics, I would venture to say it has no ethics. The Hunter Thompson “gonzo” style of journalism is very prevalent; and along with that comes a reporters own personal slant on a story. I sincerely hope that ethics can be restored in journalism, I think it can. I believe you will see new local newspapers pop up and be successful once the H-L and their ilk fold. The newspaper industry can blame it on the internet all they want, but sales have been on steady decline since 1988; and I do think there is a coincidence with that decline that it also coincides with the lifting of the fairness doctrine and the ascension of talk radio. Talk radio exposed millions of Americans to stories they were never able to hear from the MSM. All most people want is a fair, non-ideological press. The way the press gets a “shiver up it’s leg” at the site our President or any liberal icon is embarrassing. I am not republican, as you might guess. I am independent and think we should throw all of the crooks out. I think Gov Sanford should be in prison right next to Dodd and Frank. When a local paper comes out with fair hard news coverage, and that includes policing what comes over on the wires for accuracy and content; and has a multidimensional editorial and community staff; then you will see it take off like gang busters.

By: Some don't want to hear

Some don't want to hear — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:44:14 +0000

Tom, One of your finest columns. Very good job. Despite opinions to the contrary expressed by other respondents, journalism is not dead, it has high ethics and it remains important to our society and democracy. An absolute reason the United States has succeeded as it has is because the Founding Fathers were brave enough to allow a free press. No nation anywhere, anytime in history had allowed citizens to get news not controlled by the government. That doesn’t make journalism perfect, but its honest practice should be valued.

Dishonest hate talk from the far left or right might be free speech, but it is destructive to our society. I applaud those who call out the haters. The truth does win out.

By: S.Smith

S.Smith — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:10:52 +0000

Even public officials are getting in on the act, saying things they know aren’t true in the hope of gaining political advantage.

They all do it because the public doesn’t hold them accountable for their words. And they’ll keep doing it until the public does.

Kind of like the LFUCG and the CentrePointe Scandal. Because the American Public are nothing but sheep and will believe in things like change and hope. America looks a lot like post World War I Germany. Now all we need is for the Dictator to lead us to ruin.