Martin, Zimmerman and the biased media.

adrian_indy

I don't really want to debate the shooting again, my opinions of it are clear in other threads. But did the media go to far in this case.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-22424932/george-zimmerman-enhanced-video-shows-injury-28804646.html#crsl=%2Fvideo%2Fus-22424932%2Fgeorge-zimmerman-enhanced-video-shows-injury-28804646.html

After declaring that Zimmerman did not appeared injured, this new enhanced video does reveal wounds on the back of Zimmerman's head.

And now, NBC has released that they are launching an internal probe into their own employees because the audio they released of the Zimmerman 911 call was edited to make Zimmerman sound more racist.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/trayvon-martin-case-exposes-worst-media-210020839.html

So here's the thing. We still don't really no what happened. And I still think the police botched this investigation by not doing a thourough enough job. And I think Martin's family had every right to press this in the media for a full month before it got national headlines. And I think media can play it's part in the justice system by exposing corruptiona dn inequality in law enforcement.

But no wonder people don't trust the "liberal" media. They are just as bad as the conservative media.

fbmandy55

I don't really want to debate the shooting again, my opinions of it are clear in other threads. But did the media go to far in this case.

http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-22424932/george-zimmerman-enhanced-video-shows-injury-28804646.html#crsl=%2Fvideo%2Fus-22424932%2Fgeorge-zimmerman-enhanced-video-shows-injury-28804646.html

After declaring that Zimmerman did not appeared injured, this new enhanced video does reveal wounds on the back of Zimmerman's head.

And now, NBC has released that they are launching an internal probe into their own employees because the audio they released of the Zimmerman 911 call was edited to make Zimmerman sound more racist.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/trayvon-martin-case-exposes-worst-media-210020839.html

So here's the thing. We still don't really no what happened. And I still think the police botched this investigation by not doing a thourough enough job. And I think Martin's family had every right to press this in the media for a full month before it got national headlines. And I think media can play it's part in the justice system by exposing corruptiona dn inequality in law enforcement.

But no wonder people don't trust the "liberal" media. They are just as bad as the conservative media.

:drinker: :drinker:

TheRoadDog

Of course they went to far; they always go to far.

Our media is no longer content to report the news; they want to be part of the news.

Doesn't matter though. This case has already been tried by the public and nobody is going to let facts get in the way of their opinion.

SwannySez

The News Divisions of media empres are under just as much pressure as anyone else to deliver a profit. In their case, the only way to do so is to be faster and splashier than their competitors. If it bleeds, it leads was always a news adage, it's just that nowadays the media seems to have no problem stabbing it to make sure that there's enough blood to justuify the lede.

That's why I don't get my news from any one source and NEVER from the idiot box which exists to entertain me only.

mikajoanow

There is always going to be bias, everywhere. The difference between the "liberal" media and the FOX news media is that most of the people in the traditional media want the truth out there, and just the fact that they are admitting that this editing bias occurred speaks volumes. I don't watch a lot of FOX news so I can not say for certain but I don't think they are big on admitting their own bias. In fact didn't they fight in court to be able to show their bias?

In this case, for me, the system worked. They caught that someone was trying to paint a slightly different picture and ratted themselves out.

If what the girlfriend says is true (the one on the phone with Trayvon) I personally do not blame Trayvon for fighting back. How many of us parents have said to our children. If someone you don't know starts attacking you (especially if Trayvon could see that this person was stalking him) you fight back. You yell for help.

Elizabeth_C34

Doesn't matter though. This case has already been tried by the public and nobody is going to let facts get in the way of their opinion.

Just like the Casey Anthony mess.

MikeSEA

I have to wonder, though, if some people's (not necessarily anyone here) mindless decrying of "liberal" media is a part of a larger problem. Now, I will freely admit to ragging on what I consider "conservative" media--99% of the time this means fox "news"--, but it's usually done on a specific case-by-case basis when there's clear rhetorical bias and the facts are grossly inaccurate, if not flat out made up.

On the other hand, when I read about complaints of liberal media, so frequently it's not actually backed up by anything. I definitely have my own ideological biases, but imho it seems as if general complaints of bias in liberal media are not very well supported. That may not be the case here. I should also admit to not following this particular incident closely, which is in part due the previously mentioned poor investigation.

My train of thought is rambling a little, and I hope this isn't too much of a derailment, but I think part of the problem is that when people (myself included) have stronger connections to ideological biases I suspect we also tend to view the more credible sources that align with those biases as valid and completely ignore the less credible. So my view of "liberal media" could very well mean something very different that someone who has a bone to pick with what they view as "liberal media."

For example, I'm quite fond of Rachel Maddow. She's a big ol' liberal. While I don't agree with everything she has to say, her analysis, though, is usually fairly spot on (if nothing else it's decent material for good quality debate), and when she does get something wrong, she'll admit it. Ed Schultz, of the Ed Show, on the other hand, I tend to pretend doesn't exist because I think he's mostly in it to stand on a soap box and act superior. Additionally, he's just not that bright.

mikajoanow

Doesn't matter though. This case has already been tried by the public and nobody is going to let facts get in the way of their opinion.

Just like the Casey Anthony mess.

That is why this needs to go to court so all the facts can be worked out.

jenniejengin

Bump

mikajoanow

I just want to note that I don't even like either side of the media. I stopped watching the news long ago because I was tired of people telling me how to think. Hopefully ABC gets their issues fixed.

mikajoanow

I have to wonder, though, if some people's (not necessarily anyone here) mindless decrying of "liberal" media is a part of a larger problem. Now, I will freely admit to ragging on what I consider "conservative" media--99% of the time this means fox "news"--, but it's usually done on a specific case-by-case basis when there's clear rhetorical bias and the facts are grossly inaccurate, if not flat out made up.

On the other hand, when I read about complaints of liberal media, so frequently it's not actually backed up by anything. I definitely have my own ideological biases, but imho it seems as if general complaints of bias in liberal media are not very well supported. That may not be the case here. I should also admit to not following this particular incident closely, which is in part due the previously mentioned poor investigation.

My train of thought is rambling a little, and I hope this isn't too much of a derailment, but I think part of the problem is that when people (myself included) have stronger connections to ideological biases I suspect we also tend to view the more credible sources that align with those biases as valid and completely ignore the less credible. So my view of "liberal media" could very well mean something very different that someone who has a bone to pick with what they view as "liberal media."

For example, I'm quite fond of Rachel Maddow. She's a big ol' liberal. While I don't agree with everything she has to say, her analysis, though, is usually fairly spot on (if nothing else it's decent material for good quality debate), and when she does get something wrong, she'll admit it. Ed Schultz, of the Ed Show, on the other hand, I tend to pretend doesn't exist because I think he's mostly in it to stand on a soap box and act superior. Additionally, he's just not that bright.

I don't like Ed either. I really don't like Keith.

I like Rachel, but I don't watch her anymore either.

EndofEternity

As far as I'm concerned, this is a much bigger police problem than it is a race or a guns or anything else problem. None of us were there to have any well-formed opinion about what happened that night between Trayvon and Zimmerman. The only thing we can judge is the police work, which was very clearly botched. What people don't realize is that it's a national problem. The more media TV outlets continue race bait and attack one another, the more we lose focus on the real issue and the higher the chances are for someone to do something stupid (e.g. Spike Lee tweeting Zimmerman's address, not knowing that the home belonged to an innocent elderly couple).

This is the last straw for me. I'm not even watching TV news anymore. I don't need straight down the line balance (more like pandering to two parties if you ask me) like CNN, I need honesty and integrity.

TheRoadDog

I record the news each day for when I get home. Then I fast forward to the weather to see if I can ride to work the next day. Don't pay too much attention to the rest of the news. It's mostly sensationalistic crap.

As for Martin / Zimmerman -- they were both culpable. I could care less. We can blame the cops, the media, our culture, whatever. It all comes down to two miscreants out looking for trouble. They found each other. Now one's dead and the other will likely be locked up. The only thing I even remotely care about in this situation is how much the subsequent trial wil cost me as a taxpayer.

Espressocycle

I don't understand why it matters at all - any of it - you just aren't supposed to be pursuing and shooting unarmed people. Period.

EndofEternity

I record the news each day for when I get home. Then I fast forward to the weather to see if I can ride to work the next day. Don't pay too much attention to the rest of the news. It's mostly sensationalistic crap.

As for Martin / Zimmerman -- they were both culpable. I could care less. We can blame the cops, the media, our culture, whatever. It all comes down to two miscreants out looking for trouble. They found each other. Now one's dead and the other will likely be locked up. The only thing I even remotely care about in this situation is how much the subsequent trial wil cost me as a taxpayer.

How do you know this? Again, you're just as guilty as the media for your baseless speculation.

TheRoadDog

I record the news each day for when I get home. Then I fast forward to the weather to see if I can ride to work the next day. Don't pay too much attention to the rest of the news. It's mostly sensationalistic crap.

As for Martin / Zimmerman -- they were both culpable. I could care less. We can blame the cops, the media, our culture, whatever. It all comes down to two miscreants out looking for trouble. They found each other. Now one's dead and the other will likely be locked up. The only thing I even remotely care about in this situation is how much the subsequent trial wil cost me as a taxpayer.

How do you know this? Again, you're just as guilty as the media for your baseless speculation.

I'm not speculating. I'm just summarizing what's been said. I'm all for holding judgement and letting this get sorted out in the Courts. If I mispoke and portrayed myself as someone who thinks he knows what is fact or fiction, I apologize. All I am sure of is I don't give a *kitten* one way or the other.

adrian_indy

I agree that Fox news is the worst. I watched them for years and realized that it was complete garbage. Not to mention that when I would get home from work, the only thing Fox has on during Prime Time is conservative opinion shows. Yeah, O'Reilly, I want to hear the moral arguments for life an war from a married man who got caught sexually harrassing a co-worker and dodged the Vietnam War with multiple deferments. All the guy needs is a drug addiction and a couple more failed marriages and he'll be as big a hypocrite as Limbaugh.

I don't watch any of it much anymore. I try to get my news from other sources, but I guess they are pretty biased as well. And while the Internet news like Yahoo! can be ok, looking at the comment section will make you want to eat a shot gun.

TheRoadDog

I agree that Fox news is the worst. I watched them for years and realized that it was complete garbage. Not to mention that when I would get home from work, the only thing Fox has on during Prime Time is conservative opinion shows. Yeah, O'Reilly, I want to hear the moral arguments for life an war from a married man who got caught sexually harrassing a co-worker and dodged the Vietnam War with multiple deferments. All the guy needs is a drug addiction and a couple more failed marriages and he'll be as big a hypocrite as Limbaugh.

I don't watch any of it much anymore. I try to get my news from other sources, but I guess they are pretty biased as well. And while the Internet news like Yahoo! can be ok, looking at the comment section will make you want to eat a shot gun.

A bigger hypocrite than Limbaugh. Is that possible? I guess they'll have to change the scale by which hypocrisy is measured.

dragonbait0126

It all comes down to two miscreants out looking for trouble.

Can you explain this statement? Only because Trayvon Martin was walking home, talking to his girlfriend on the phone, after going to buy tea and candy. George Zimmerman was driving on his way to the grocery store when he spotted a "suspicious person." We all know that one ended up dead and the other potentially being locked up, but I fail to see how thier initial actions makes either of them a "miscreant out looking for trouble." Now, if Zimmerman was out driving around specifically looking for someone suspicious or Martin was causing trouble, or peeping into windows as he walked by I would agree with you.

TheRoadDog

It all comes down to two miscreants out looking for trouble.

Can you explain this statement? Only because Trayvon Martin was walking home, talking to his girlfriend on the phone, after going to buy tea and candy. George Zimmerman was driving on his way to the grocery store when he spotted a "suspicious person." We all know that one ended up dead and the other potentially being locked up, but I fail to see how thier initial actions makes either of them a "miscreant out looking for trouble." Now, if Zimmerman was out driving around specifically looking for someone suspicious or Martin was causing trouble, or peeping into windows as he walked by I would agree with you.

Zimmerman was wrong. Not debating that with you. Martin was not the model citizen that his family is painting him to be. He was on suspension from school at the time of this incident. Drug related. He has had other run ins. He has been caught with burglary tools. None of those things made him culpable, I agree, but he was not on his way back home from Choir practice and....there are allegations that he initiated the physical portion of the confrontation. Let's wait and see whether Zimmerman is indited or not and what the outcome of a trial is, if there is one.

DoingItNow2012

Definately wish the media would just reports the facts and leave out the opinions, thoughts, feelings, analysis, etc. I liked it when I had no idea what political affiliation the report had. I'm quite capable of critical thinking. But alas, I get to use that primarily to discern the facts from the opinions. People complain about a litigious society, but I beleive if the reporters and stations were held more accountable, there would be less carelessness. Does anybody sue for liable and defamation anymore? maybe there should be a fine for blantantly misleading information bieng presented...

I don't blame the media for anything though, because they do what sells and what WE attend to. And even though a lot of us watch, not everyone does. So Zimmerman will still be able to get a fair trial if it goes that far.