dkile wrote:
Hi Tom,
I’m pretty sure I don’t call out individual journalist of doing any of those things and always have stated the news industry as my topic. The Mayfly article in point. I said “I don’t dismiss the article” and used it as way to transition to Nat Geo, media and the environment. I don’t believe I have ever used the words “fake news” on this site, I consider them a turnoff to me and other people. I’m pretty passive with my writing style and usually couch my words with sometimes, often, most of the time. I’m emotional, but not that confident in what I write to use words like that regularly. I don’t see me using the words “hype” or “spin”, in this thread. Please feel free to review my writings here on the site.
When I write about facts I try and make sure I can back them up. If I write how I feel I try and explain why.
I am proud that I distrust many things I hear. Much of the time I feel I should distrust what I’m told until I can verify that facts in the matter and consider any possible bias of the source. I was taught to do this in my high school US history class in tenth grade. My trust in news media and politicians has be going down for some time. I don’t think I’m alone with that statement especially as it relates to the media [
Gallup source]. They have motives, as we all do. I’m still waiting for that yellow cake and WMD to show up in Iraq.
The National Geographic is owned in majority by the Walt Disney Company and we well know is publicly traded stock. Disney is projecting a +10% increase in sales and 0% increase in profits for 2020. National Geo doesn’t put out content to better the world, they do it so people will read the articles, NG can sell advertising, contribute to the bottom line of Disney and make the stockholders happy. I hope so I’m a Disney stockholder. If they don’t people will get fired.
They are a for profit business and not a non-profit.
A local TV station will pimp / teases a winter storm warning at 5:50, but make you wait until 6:25 and listen to ~10:00 minutes of car commercials until you finally find out there is only 30% chance of 1-3 inches. This is the same reason the milk is in the back far corner of the grocery store. You walk through all the alise with Little Debbies and Doritos before you get the milk while looking at the Reeses Cups in the check out lane. Businesses have a model and process to make money and that that’s ok.
Understanding the product you are consuming and the business model of the organization is simply an informed consumer.
Does National Geo provide false stories, of course not and don’t see I accused them of such a thing. They do create content that will cause an emotion and get people to react in a way that to watch or click that media. If they didn’t, they would be out of business. Like any business they can use selected information to create a narrative they want to project in a story. Nothing evil about that, just what they do.
I feel it is best for me to be an independent thinker on many topics and come to my on conclusions when I take the time to explore the facts. I know other people think differently about this topic and that’s fine. That’s my cynical nature and feel it has served me well in business and life.
As for backtracking on an issue, I apologize. I never thought I have done that, but will pay closer attention to what posts I’m participating in and follow through more diligently. Thank you for your feedback.
Dave
Gene I'm sorry I derailed your post.
