Here's a question - what media outlets would be considered non-mainstream media? If someone is concerned that the mainstream media shows too much bias and is part of a global power conspiracy, where would that person find reliable news and information?
The main problem here is that the smaller, 'non-mainstream' media simply quote the bigger sources, so either by intent or by coincidence, what ever news you consider bias, it will filter down the system to the smaller and smaller outlets, until it becomes general knowledge. Welcome to Earth!
I think you more or less need to look at ownership now rather than mastheads for what is considered mainstream since they are so intertwined. To me, anything owned by: Time Warner, Disney, Bertelsmann, Viacom, News Corporation, TCI, General Electric, CBS, the New York Times Co., Hearst, Comcast and Gannett should be considered "mainstream" mainly from the fact that they dominate the public audience. It's not so much ignoring them for reliable alternatives more than independently verifying the facts based on the story. Lately, I have been leaning more and more toward economic publications like Investor's Business Daily and The Economist. I used to really like the Wall Street Journal but it has become a little squishy since Murdock took over.
After reading Flat Earth News by Nick Davies, my answer would be no. Edit: Also, Bad Science by Ben Goldacre.
I think that there are two quotes from popular culture that are very relevant here. 'Nothing is true' - Assassin's Creed 'Where I come from, people believe all kinds of things that aren't true. They call it history.' - Wicked
An interesting development that is somewhat relevant to this discussion is this recent "JournoList" controversy. Originally dismissed as merely journalists sharing information has descended into an outright conspiracy to control the story on a seemingly wide scale during the last election. Whether you agree with the actual implications of this story or not, it adds no credibility to the press. Daily Caller Story Christian Science Monitor Story
Well, my answer lies somewhere in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN_n7I0PM3w To be honest, it's places like this, were you can garuntee (more or less?) that the information you are getting is a) relevant b) helpful c) topical and is not compromised through advertising. Also there is a clear division between the content and advertising and where advertising does stand much like the content effort has clearly been put into making it relevant. As for things like television, newspapers, radio. I imagine we are all pretty numb to it by now?
I think that might be the whole point. Except that most people may not realise.... I can't be numb if I don't watch/read/listen though
I don't think this is new though. This is very politically focussed and that kind of thing has been going on for centuries. They can just do it more efficiently now!
I don't see how you can every really tust any media company. They all have hidden adgends and are all paid by independants and bound by contracts for stories and information. The only way to gain any faith is to have a fully independant media company which I'm not sure exists........ I may be overly cinical but having been involved in some coverage in the past and then seeing what was actually reported I think my vote is justified
As with all things (yes, irony to be noted), I don't think that you can generalise. I pay very little attention to the media these days as I suspect that most of it is peddling some message or other, more or less obviously, with its news. There was something on the BBC website the other day about school building projects being cancelled and the report struck me as being unsuitably political. Ah well. I'm sure that there are people and businesses out there who do want to, and do in fact, report honestly. I fear that they are very few and far between though. That's not to say that all editorial content (perspective, spin etc., however you want to call it) in news reporting is bad - but a clearer line or more honesty about what is what would be a good thing.
That's subliminal though! No but seriously, all forms of mainstream media have circum to advertising in one way or another and it would be nice to get a break from advertising just....for a bit, but unortunately current climates would never permit such things.
