Journal 1-5 Max Bardowell 10-15-07

"Outfoxed" An Industry in Uproar

Answer to Last Entry’s Question:

• medianation.umb.edu
• mediamatters.org
• newswatch.org
• mediaresearch.org

I was very intrigued by the flow of discussion that too place in the class after the completion of the “Outfoxed” documentary. Not only did the class talk about the nature of corruption and bias in the media, but the conversation reached a new level of complexity when we began to look at the debate from an industry wide perspective and began to apply the logic of the “pendulum effect” to the circumstances of the issue. The class reasoned that Fox’s allegiances to the conservative mindset will eventually force change within the information industry. The public will confront the issue and realize that perhaps the press needs more balanced perspectives, causing them to shift their viewing to other, more respectable news organizations. This would then become a perfect example of what a truly magnificent self-maintaining and self-regulating machine the industry is, as each boundary and standard is governed by the eyes of the people themselves and thus constantly buffeted by both change and innovation. The people never stop advancing. We are too impatient to stagnate. While I do not believe that advocates of ethical journalism should ever stop keeping news organizations in check, I do believe that the system itself will eventually correct any flaws through a consensual determination to change it by the people. They will simply stop watching. We are a proud group, and much of the American public is disgusted by lies and indecency. That fact alone should ensure that our press will remain, on the whole, a pure source of information.

Question: How long have newspapers been in existence?