5 ms·

USA has a lot of problems, but the fact that free press exists is a miracle. Calling people out by name that they are hypocrites by taking Saudi money and basi

by timavr 8y ago

USA has a lot of problems, but the fact that free press exists is a miracle. Calling people out by name that they are hypocrites by taking Saudi money and basically funding murder would get you killed in most countries.

andrepd 8y ago
Which is why the ongoing attacks against the press are so serious. No joke: a free press is almost as fundamental to a democracy as a good electoral process, or good courts.
- jonny_eh 8y ago
  I'd argue it's the most important factor to a functioning democracy.
  - ryanhuff 8y ago
    Blanket attacks on the broad press by politicians and the government are not good for a functioning democracy. Calling out specific news organizations for specific failures is.
- cpncrunch 8y ago
  But is a free press that has no checks and balances actually useful to democracy? I was going to make a complaint yesterday about a Fox News article that had some serious factual errors, but I see there is no agency in the USA to make such a complaint to. So basically you have all sorts of fake news being peddled and there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it.
  - timavr 8y ago
    I think where US struggles is general education of population and engagement with political process. Press is subjective and you need engaged critically thinking electorate to see when BS is being presented to them. Basically fake news is on us, not on them.
  - JumpCrisscross 8y ago
    > there is no agency in the USA to make such a complaint to If you have a government agency policing what the press can and cannot say, you don't have a free press.
    - poulsbohemian 8y ago
      Your point is well taken, but I think what the previous poster was suggesting is some kind of ombudsman. I don't know that the idea is without merit, though as you point out it could be difficult to do in a way that preserved the freedom and independence of media.
      - cpncrunch 8y ago
        Yes, the press complaints commission seemed to work well in the UK, and didn't infringe any freedom of the media. We're not talking about deciding what can and can't be said, just dealing with patently false statements.
  - ryanhuff 8y ago
    Each press organization has their reputation and readers/viewers/listeners that should act as a lever. Its up to individual citizens to be critical readers.
    - cpncrunch 8y ago
      As we have seen, that doesn't work very well.
  - masonic 8y ago
    a Fox News article that had some serious factual errors How about posting a link for broader critique?
    - cpncrunch 8y ago
      https://www.foxnews.com/world/omar-khadr-canada-pays-ex-gitmo-detainee-who-killed-us-soldier-millions-but-soldiers-widow-may-never-see-a-dime https://www.foxnews.com/world/omar-khadr-canada-pays-ex-gitm... The statement is "killed US soldier" (not proven, and evidence seems to suggest the contrary).

by timavr 8y ago

andrepd 8y ago

Which is why the ongoing attacks against the press are so serious. No joke: a free press is almost as fundamental to a democracy as a good electoral process, or good courts.

jonny_eh 8y ago
I'd argue it's the most important factor to a functioning democracy.
- ryanhuff 8y ago
  Blanket attacks on the broad press by politicians and the government are not good for a functioning democracy. Calling out specific news organizations for specific failures is.
cpncrunch 8y ago
But is a free press that has no checks and balances actually useful to democracy? I was going to make a complaint yesterday about a Fox News article that had some serious factual errors, but I see there is no agency in the USA to make such a complaint to. So basically you have all sorts of fake news being peddled and there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it.
- timavr 8y ago
  I think where US struggles is general education of population and engagement with political process. Press is subjective and you need engaged critically thinking electorate to see when BS is being presented to them. Basically fake news is on us, not on them.
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > there is no agency in the USA to make such a complaint to If you have a government agency policing what the press can and cannot say, you don't have a free press.
  - poulsbohemian 8y ago
    Your point is well taken, but I think what the previous poster was suggesting is some kind of ombudsman. I don't know that the idea is without merit, though as you point out it could be difficult to do in a way that preserved the freedom and independence of media.
    - cpncrunch 8y ago
      Yes, the press complaints commission seemed to work well in the UK, and didn't infringe any freedom of the media. We're not talking about deciding what can and can't be said, just dealing with patently false statements.
- ryanhuff 8y ago
  Each press organization has their reputation and readers/viewers/listeners that should act as a lever. Its up to individual citizens to be critical readers.
  - cpncrunch 8y ago
    As we have seen, that doesn't work very well.
- masonic 8y ago
  a Fox News article that had some serious factual errors How about posting a link for broader critique?
  - cpncrunch 8y ago
    https://www.foxnews.com/world/omar-khadr-canada-pays-ex-gitmo-detainee-who-killed-us-soldier-millions-but-soldiers-widow-may-never-see-a-dime https://www.foxnews.com/world/omar-khadr-canada-pays-ex-gitm... The statement is "killed US soldier" (not proven, and evidence seems to suggest the contrary).