Category: Media

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Fickle Focus

So. Last week Coronavirus data blinking on every cable news screen. Scoreboard of cases and dead like a countdown clock. Non-stop coverage of crowds in parks not social distancing, shaming officials not wearing masks. Outrage. Disgust. Reporters reprimanding workers who wanted to open businesses to feed their families.

This week. Crowds crammed together in protest, screaming and spewing anger and despair. Many wearing masks. Many not. They sure aren’t gathering in groups of less than ten. Oh. And SoHo looting has left that neighborhood decimated. No stories about that.

Tuesday. Primary elections in swing States. Not one channel talked about them. How quickly the media’s faux concern and focus shifts.

btw It’s systemic racism. Not systematic. Pundits.

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Arbiters of Truth

Who fact checks the fact checkers? What is the lifespan of a fact? Even science-y facts evolve and change with new information and studies over time. Just look at the CDC’s Covid-19 flip-flops.

Are the Washington Post and CNN credible as definers of truth with Twitter. Or is Facebook? Sliding down the slippery slope of censorship.

Instead. Instagram is encouraging everyone to Find More to Heart.

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Objectively Speaking

NYTimes article about Ronan Farrow’s “Resistance Journalism”.  In other words, he did not prove many of his inflammatory conspiracy theories. Sound familiar? Journalism is an anachronism in this media environment. Cable News always has a clear bias and agenda as do most networks. Newspapers have had a point of view for decades. It’s rare to find any true journalists anymore. Ronan Farrow is clearly not one, either. Most people are happy to read what they want to believe on the left or right, that matches their righteous indignation and moral outrage. But. It’s a sad commentary on what once was an honored profession.

Frank Bruni wondered whether it is better to vote for a “confused” or “corrupt” candidate. Is that the choice we’re left with? If Biden’s bumper sticker is I’m not Him, it’s as uninspired as I’m with Her was in 2016. No driving message to vote FOR.

And. While I’m at it. If Sports announcers don’t change their remote commentary to fit the times with a lot more enthusiasm and detailed color, it’ll be a boring slog without fans or multiple cameras in real time. The Skins golf exhibition was unwatchable for more than ten minutes.

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Thursday I Think

Boxes go out on the street. Still happens every week. Got a coveted Fresh Direct window. Which may delay laundry day. Yay. Now there’ll be something to do on Friday. Through the window I see a couple walking their dog with masks around their necks as they smoke cigarettes.

Morning Joes. Biden whinin’ with Scarborough. Can’t win votes by sounding like the women on The View.

Besides Housewives. Have to try these series. What We Do In the Shadows- funny vampires in Brooklyn. Mrs. America- feminism, equal rights, Cate Blanchett, John Slattery. What’s not to like?

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Coron Avoidance

To avoid panic-demic:

Watching The Players Championship and putting a hex on DeChambeau.  (Update: Or not. Cancelled the whole tournament at 10pm.) Reading Hilary Mantel’s new novel The Mirror & The Light, the last of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy. (They can’t cancel a book. Can they?) Always Soaps. (Update 3/13: Or not. Trump to speak during General Hospital.)

Staying away from Cable News & social media at all costs. Not opening alarmist alert e-mails from family and friends. Starting a rumor that all dogs need to be quarantined.

On the bright side. Trump looks to be trashing his chances for re-election with every speech. Yet. Pelosi is scary as well. Decrepit inept people running the Country. Now Joe. Really?

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Media Dilemma

Be careful what you wish for MSNBC & CNN. Colbert & Seth. You and many others are in danger of losing your shows. Biden is rallying the moderates and has Bloomberg’s digital network now. So he could actually beat Trump. Especially if the economy slumps. Then What?

Ratings will drop like a rock. No Trump derangement jokes. No collusion. No quid pro quos. Schiffty-Schiff will have to retire his impeachment investigations. Orange-man rallies will be gone. No more ranting about Trump-tweets. Gone sweet righteous indignation. Just boring Joe.

Dirty little secret. They’ll find a way to make sure Trump wins again.

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Grand Jeté

A gracefully athletic move in ballet. Taking a leap like today. Hard to believe that Sadie Hawkins is relevant in 2020. Men typically still “propose” to women. Only on this leap day can a woman “ask” the man to marry. Equal rights and pay? Not if these traditions stay.

South Carolina primary. Will voters keep Biden in the race or continue the Bernie revolution into Super Tuesday. Bloomberg will be buying ads ’til the end either way. And. For $17m Tony Romo remains at CBS. Yay.

As coronavirus panic-demic dominates the news, it’s a good time to be an agoraphobe.

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Russian Delusion

When all else fails. Blame Russia. Pre-emptive excuse for Trump’s inevitable re-election. It’s those Ruskies again. Yup. Boris & Natasha Badenov go to Trump rallies with all of their comrades. They dress up as deplorables. They also stand in line for hours in rain & snow to vote.

But. Hey. Russians are reportedly also helping Bernie. The true believer. This cartoon just keeps drawing itself.

 

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Zzz Rated

Ratings tanked for daily diatribes of Schiff & Co. Major networks average 3 million daytime viewers. 1 million for the marathon Senate Trial. In a moment of rare lucidity CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin said, “If you are winning, shut up.”  Schiff didn’t get that memo.

Tribes are not moved to watch the other side in any event. As a commenter in the New York Times wrote, “I was glued to every minute of the House Managers but I cannot bring myself to watch the President’s defense team.” A partisan political exercise pure and simple.