News Media’s Lust For Debate Ratings Over Facts Fail America

 The first Presidential debate of 2012 confirmed that the news media has vacated it role as the fourth estate. The press was once respected and feared as an entity that would delve into missteps, misstatements and deceits on the part of those leading or seeking to lead the nation, but that has changed in 2012.

On October 3, 2012 a Presidential candidate from one of the major political parties was spontaneously reinventing himself for public consumption by changing or refuting every policy position he held before the event began. Mitt Romney must have felt safe that he would not be held to account for his sudden metamorphous by the news media because of the heightened interest his performance would create for follow on debates.

Romney made the right determination because after the debate ended news media outlets gushed about the energy, tone and style of Mitt Romney’s debate performance and did little to hold him accountable for the sudden policy changes that were often the opposite of long held positions. The news media had become another spectator and acted as a hype machine instead of truth filter.



The Sunday morning news programs after the debate featured dueling opinions from advocates of Mitt Romney and President Obama, but the media figures themselves have become dwarfs compared to the giants of the past. Would something on the scales of Watergate every come to pass again with the current crop of soft news personality types staffing newsrooms nationwide? Could it be that the diminished state of print media combined with broadcast news divisions finding themselves burdened with ratings expectations and some combined with the entertainment wing of networks have combined to gut the journalistic integrity of the business?

Can it be that an overtaxed, overworked and harried public is left with no one that will call out the blatant nature of deception being thrust upon the American public because they fear being shutout from interviews and access more than outing falsehoods that could harm us all in the end? At its worst the behavior of the current media borders on cowardice and is flirting with being unpatriotic.

Be Good And Broke Or Bad And Rich

Casey Anthony

Remember when scandal meant someone faced with a long road back to regaining a good reputation in order to prosper in society. Now Casey Anthony is poised to make millions after being found not guilty of the murder of her daughter Caylee. Things have changed.

Casey Anthony is an extreme example of how the public lust for real-life salacious tales has surpassed the public disdain for those participating in the scandal. Some of our most famous celebrities have no other claim to fame other than being famous. Often the root of the fame of these personalities can be traced back to some scandal ridden episode such as a “leaked sex tape” or other act of questionable moral judgment.

There is even a class of celebrity strictly manufactured to showcase outlandish partying, fighting and promiscuity on the shores of New Jersey and world wide. We have been presented with Mob Wives and Housewives of wherever shows that thrive on conflict or be canceled or dropped from the cast. Gold diggers and womanizers are in our face on a daily basis and some may think that is the formula for success.

What about the good guys? The good guys and girls are still around, but they actually may be portrayed as weak and not grabbing for the brass ring. We now live in a world where taking shortcuts, risks and even back stabbing may be viewed as showing you are willing to do what it takes to get ahead. That is a sad world to live in, but it has crept into the workplace and if you play by the rules you may be setting yourself up to be taken advantage of. It is not a good situation when you have to work with one eye on your task and another on your coworker. The reality is we live in an ends justifies the means world in many cases. If your coworker has to reach his goals by using you as a step stool don’t wait for any admonishments, but look for the accolades to flow their way for a job well done.

It is said that a fish rots from the head down and that is what has occurred in our society. Years of witnessing bad deeds getting good rewards has worn down the resolve of many who would do things differently if they saw proper feedback. Casey Anthony is the latest example of this reverse reward situation and it is one more brick removed from the wall of work hard, be honest and get ahead school of thought. It is often said that riches here on earth are temporary, but that is all many can see paraded before their eyes on a daily basis and they way some obtained them was not pretty.