Like Punxsutawney Phil, I am about to crawl back in my hole for another six weeks. I am getting increasingly discouraged by the style used by almost all media for election coverage. It is never about issues, policies, past votes by those who have a track record. It is only about polls, votes and who is winning or who has already lost and does not know it. This dumbing down of the news coverage to the level of ESPN or MTV is an insult to those who bother to watch.
It really hit a new low on the New Hour last night when Brooks and Shields resorted to sports analogies to describe the Kerry Campaign, likening it to a basketball team running it's 4 corner offense in the closing minutes of the game (Brooks) or to a quarter-back kneeling down to run out the clock in a football game (Shield). I almost expected to hear John Madden say "Boom!"
KPIX's Political Editor Hank Plante has been bringing up the issue of whether or not the Primary in California would mean anything as if he were afraid that he would not have a job is the answer were "no."
I have not even seen Political Editor Randy Shandobil on KTVU's 10 PM news this election cycle.
In the state of California, the most important issues are not concerned with the Democratic Primary. They are the 4 propositions on the ballot (55, 56, 57 & 58). With all of the focus on the Primaries, no one is paying any attention at all to these 4 initiatives other than to (possibly) comment on where Arnold (is, will, did) speak and what the polls say.
It is so much easier to appear objective when you only report some one else's numbers. It does not require you to think at all.
Not sure what we cad do about it, but, I have written to KPIX, KTVU and The New Hour at PBS to tell them what I think. I urge others who want more the new to do more than keep score to do the same.
Posted by at February 4, 2004 10:27 AM