Live 8 Coverage

[gothwalk]

I do wonder at the way in which the US Supreme Court situation and some missing troops in Afghanistan are getting more coverage in the US media than either G8 or Live 8. The term "liberal media" that gets chucked around looks like more and more of a red herring.

Comments

[goth-hobbit.livejournal.com]

As someone who lives in the US, I can confirm that the "liberal media" is a term coined by the neo-conservatives (who are anything but conservative in the traditional sense). Its misuse is the same as their misuse of the word "liberal" itself: in their lexicon, it means "anyone who disagrees." It is used against genuine conservatives, moderates, and actual liberals equally; and it is used to make the populace distrustful and edgy. With spectacular effect, I might add.

About 20 years ago, when the labels started being bandied about, nobody paid much attention. It was regarded as the rantings of a few extreme-right-wing cranks. Unfortunately, this attitude gave the faction time to build up their numbers into a very efficient political machine. If a reporter uncovers evidence of political wrong-doing, then the "liberal media" is attempting to confuse people and damage the country. If a politician calls for anything like a moderate foreign policy, then he is tarred with the "unpatriotic" brush, and subjected to every form of character assassination imaginable. The Republican party, which is where most of the neo-cons place their allegiance, is frighteningly good at keeping its members in lock-step. The few Democrats who have dared to speak out with anything like force are shouted down by their fellows who still think that gentlemanly behavior will have any effect against such ruthlessness. Two decades, and the term "liberal" has been turned into the equivalent of a swear word. My fear is that it may take just as long, if not longer, to undo the damage that has been done.

Having grown up in the shadow of the Cold War, I find it ironic that I go to the Pravda homepage on a regular basis for news. (I've always gone to the BBC and other news sites in the UK.)