Catching Up With Change--Part 2

Part 2 of playing catch up with all going on in the media.  It's all about the media which means it's all about us.  We're the end users.  Are we getting any use?

Sometimes television does good.  It doesn't mean all will be happy.  A recent Glee episode included an extended scene dramatizing a shooter in the high school while students and faculty took responsible actions to stay safe.  It turns out in the program that there was no shooter though a gun was discharged on campus.

Those perhaps most qualified to comment on the appropriateness of the show, the people of Sandy Hook, contended that the episode was too soon after the massacre.  Others suggest that the episode keeps the issue front and center.  The show was written before Sandy Hook happened.  The terror was recreated well.  Was it too soon after the massacre or was Fox serving to dramatize the effects of such violence?  I am unqualified to have a conclusion.  Fox did include a vague warning at the beginning of the show that the episode involved school violence.  Glee dealt with a fear we all now share.  Since Columbine there have been 31+ massacres.  Was Glee too soon or too real? Or both?

The ratings for Glee jumped 20% for the episode. However, on April 18, Glee lost in the ratings to a rerun of The Big Bang Theory.  Perhaps the most shocking news is that the five combined networks (apparently there is a CW network that airs various programming) got a combined rating of 9.1.  This means that fewer than one out of ten viewers watched a broadcast network at that time.  This compares to a combined rating of 90 for three broadcast networks a few decades ago.

A recent study found that five million homes have become "zero TV homes."  These homes have no antenna, no cable, satellite or other television program provider.  That is up from two million such homes in 2007.  They watch everything they want to on their computers.  Some folks I spoke to have a large HDTV.  It is hooked up to their computers to watch whatever they want online.

Cable bills are too high.  There is so much available on the internet.  There are many reasons to go to zero-TV.  Perhaps if viewers didn't have to sit through 20 minutes of commercials per hour, they would be more patient?  Perhaps broadcasters (and cable) could air fewer commercials, charge more for each and make just as much money?  

If there were fewer commercials and shorter breaks, I would not be as prone to going to Weather Channel.  I will keep TV in my home for various reasons I have rationalized.  I love watching sports.  I love watching Walking Dead.  HBO does amazing documentaries and PBS has some great shows.  It just ain't worth $100+, as my wife reminds me once a month when the bill comes.

Broadcast TV may be just a memory anyway if Fox goes through with its threat.  And the FCC is aware of this threat and responded publicly.  More about this in part 3 of "What's Changing in the Media?"

Media Are/Is Changing--for good and bad...

It's changing.  Constantly.  Quickly.  Some change is good.  Some change is bad.  Some change is just, well….change.

Since I checked in last the media has run amok.  Joan Rivers' mouth ran amok.  AMC ratings ran amok.  The Bible ran amok.  Jon Stewart is running away.  And broadcast networks may be going away.

This may take more than one column to catch us all up.  

First let's take out the trash.  Which means a comment about Joan Rivers.  Her comments on Adele's weight may have been funny 30 years ago when Ms. Rivers was relevant.  Yes, there was a time she was relevant.  She did an excellent job subbing for Johnny Carson.  Somehow, subbing for Johnny has made her an expert on clothing and weight.  (The link here contains strong language, all directed at Joan Rivers.)

Joan is far from the only contributor to the problem of eating disorders.  Just as culpable are the stories of miraculous weight loss.  Snooki, whose sole contribution to society has yet to be determined, lost 42 pounds not too long ago. We know this because of a story about her miraculous weight loss.  

And by publicizing this story and all stories about actresses that gave birth, had a nanny raise their kid and lost a bunch of weight, the message is reinforced: Lose weight or women who had criminally negligent plastic surgery will criticize you.  Or far worse and more seriously, some women and men may see themselves as less worthy and develop an eating disorder.  

Another bad change:  Talk of the Nation (TOTN) on NPR is going away.  TOTN offered daily in depth discussions on a range of issues from the immediately relevant to the humorously trivial.  NPR is canceling the show this summer. Is canceling TOTN another episode of broadcasters giving in to our increasingly short attention span?  The network announced it was replacing the show with more magazine style news programming.  

The result of this cancellation and presumably the cancellation of Science Friday, is I will be less informed about a range of topics.  I may know about stuff, but the depth of that knowledge will be truncated.  Yes, I can research on my own.  But I loved the way NPR did the research for me and presented it fairly, professionally and with a hint of perspective.  I am sorry for our shorter attention spans.  I am sure I am guilty also.  Must we all suffer for it and have the trait reinforced by broadcasters?  

We will miss Neil Conan, host of TOTN and Ira Flatow, host of Science Friday.  I thank them for making me smarter and allowing me to enjoy the process.

So much to talk about.  A column ain't enough room.  Give me a few minutes and I will continue.  Not all the news is bad.  Just wait. Some of it is good and some of the news is truly neutral but still interesting...

Media Fixed: Proclaimed "Neutered"

"Intellectually neutered."  A great phrase. No way to interpret that as a compliment.

That is how Will Cain of the Blaze recently described journalists on CNN’s 'Reliable Sources.'

Will also dismissed our news gatherers as "shallow theater critics." 

Evidence of this:  according to polls, most do not know what the 'sequester' is or its effects, but we know that each party blames the other for it. More evidence:  Some may actually have believed it was inevitable.  Still more: We don't know what Marco Rubio said after the SOTU, but we know he was thirsty.  A bit more:  much attention paid to Obama confusing Star Wars and Star Trek.  Mind melds were Vulcan.  All school children should have learned that in first grade.  (Maybe just my kids learned that in first grade.)  Not much attention paid to actual effects of, well, the sequester.

It is so easy to analyze what doesn't matter.  How else could Joan Rivers justify making a living critiquing clothing at the Oscars when her sole expertise comes from 50+ years as a comedienne?

Another question:  why call the budget cut a 'sequester?"  Was our government depending on the "kardashianism" of our media in the hope that the public would hear a three syllable, nine letter word and tune out?  Thanks to Will Cain, among others, for giving us the term "Kardashianism."

Maybe we get what we want. Actually trending recently:  Britney Spear's shopping list.  Trending as I write this: Paul McCartney arrived at his daughter’s show late.  Trying to sleep now will be hopeless.

By the way, is there a need to know the difference between a Kardashian and a Snooki? Is there a difference?  I am sure there is a newly neutered news correspondent covering this important issue.

While We Were Watching The Poop Hit The Deck

A great story. Trapped in a flood of sewage on a luxury liner.  Even without actual video, word pictures did wonders to make the story work. I mean having Sanjay Gupta call it a 'floating petri dish.'  Dang.  Now that's visuals.  I watched CNN's exclusive video of a non-moving ship at sea. I watched Fox News lacking the budget to actually send a reporter to the scene, depending on studio hosts talking via cell phone.

I bought the story and watched the reunions.  I got sucked in hearing how bad things sucked.  I wonder if many politicians and the media were glad to have us distracted.  From what I gather, our leaders would much rather have us pay attention to stories of poop in the hallways then know what is going on in Des Moines and the world.

Wait, another passenger is talking to CNN:  “We walked through…well, stuff that had overflowed…but the crew never stopped smiling…”

Oskaloosa (Iowa) republican Guy Vander Linden reading from his party’s talking points, did admit this week that his party is pushing through a voter id law.  He wants to make sure that our fair legal elections are altered to assure that some are excluded.  Well, that’s not what he said but considering there were few (or no) reports of voting irregularity in Iowa, or America, what other motivation could there be?

"Oh, the crew went above and beyond..."

Campaign finance reform is on the table. Thanks to DM Register for a fair and balanced story.  (seriously) Few have more to lose if such reform is passed than the media.  One billion dollars were spent on the last election.  Republicans vow to kill it. We could join 20+ states that have introduced some form of common sense campaign finance reform.  It is no wonder that 4 of 5 Supreme Court justices that voted for Citizens United didn’t show up for the state of the union address.  They know how much they injured the state of the union.  Do the media really want campaign finance reform?  The people that own the media have so much to lose if such regulations spread.

"We give thanks to God and the crew."

Since I got back from Thailand on February 1, the price of a gallon of gas has gone up 24 cents.  No reason except an improving economy makes oil speculators more optimistic that we will travel more, hence price gouging.  Oh, you want an update on returning luxury cruise passengers?  OK.

"Conditions were deplorable, food was scarce a couple of days but the crew was fantastic."

Yes, I was among the distracted.  Passengers are safe.  What I learned from that story is that the crew did great work.  Time to get back to our world.

reflections of a well respected guava

I am a guava in Thailand.  Foreigners, especially Americans, are referred to as "farangs", a Thai word for guava.  It is said with respect.  As much respect as a traveling guava might get.  I am treated very well here.  I have learned a lot.  And have many questions.  And I answered many questions from the students from the dozen or so countries that I have met.

Why doesn't America release Burma from all of the economic sanctions.  The Burmese students answer the question in a way that Hillary Clinton was too politic to answer.   It is because they are not free.  Yet.  They are optimistic that the process that has begun will be successful.  In about 15 years, they say.  A long process they admit, but freedom takes time.  I have not met citizens of any country with more pride and hope for its future than those of Burma.

My Nigerian students ask why do the American media portray Nigeria as a country wholly consumed with civil war and the bombings that serve as evidence of such a war?  Nigerian students speak with pride about their country.  There are divisions and troubles and prejudice, they admit.  There is also peace in much of the country, a strong culture and an articulate people.

Why does America portray Somalia as the land of pirates and starvation?  The pirates and terrorists are a small percentage of the population.  Somalia has a strong culture and a strong people.  Simple respect would be appreciated.

My Muslim student from Thailand answers my dopey questions about her religion.  I get to admit to her the very much that I don't know about her religion.  She is glad to share since it is her belief that once I understand her religion that the next natural step is that I will want to join her religion.  We compared and contrasted our religions, Judaism and Islam.  We share much and also differ significantly.  She asked why Americans think that she and all her Islamic friends are all terrorists.  I truthfully tell her that not all Americans think all Muslims are alike.  I tell her it is just the ignorant ones.  

She says that watching American media, how could Americans come to any other conclusion except that they are all terrorists?  A fair question and I have no answer.

The person from Bhutan is proud of her country that consistently rates among the ten happiest countries in the world.  She is proud to share literature from her national airline.  The overly complex English sentences included in the magazine tells me that her country does not look down on those that read about it. They lift them up with articulate, though overly complex sentences.  It is also a country that wants tourists but will not sacrifice the safety of its treasured natural resources just to accommodate a few more tourists. Very wise people.  It is a beautiful country.

My Zambian student does not talk about her country that much.  I do know that she is 19 years old and has written a novel and keeps a blog with tips for young women on how to stay safe.  Based on all the people I now know from Zambia, it is a remarkable place.  Victoria Falls, according to those that have visited the Zambian treasure, is worth the trip all by itself.

I ask, to no one in particular, why can't all Americans learn about these and other countries?  Why do American media have to define countries and religions by the acts of a few?  The first answer is that I have been given the gift of meeting these people through my travels to Thailand.  The second answer is also easy.  

Watching America From Afar--part 2

Here in Bangkok, my students from Asia, Europe, Canada and Africa asked me about things they see trending on Yahoo.  I can only do an eye roll and explain...that I can't explain.  I can only apologize.  And then I explain the eye roll video.

Thanks to Yahoo, I relearned that people can read nonverbal behavior, particularly that of Michelle Obama.  I learned that a blogger can draw conclusions about what certain nonverbal behavior  is reacting to, though the blogger is utterly ignorant of the context of the reaction.

Video from the inaugural luncheon shows Michelle Obama doing an eye roll after Speaker of the House Boehner says something.  We can not hear what the Speaker said.  Maybe he was talking basketball and Michelle may be tired of talking basketball.  Maybe the Speaker was saying that gays should only be allowed to marry aardvarks.  We don't know.  But her eye roll video went viral and trended number one on Yahoo.  How sad.

I learned a new word today. Photobomb.  Bill Clinton can be seen supposedly gawking at Kelly Clarkson during the inauguration.  Nice to know Bill Clinton can still recognize a pretty girl when he sees one.  And knowing he still knows one when he sees one makes me.....quite shallow, actually.

With all the important things that President Obama said during the inauguration speech, so many are focusing on the trivial.  It is easy to understand the trivial.  Journalists do not have to analyze and provide context to the trivial.  And nobody ever accused Yahoo of challenging its readers to new ideas.

There is so much to talk about as the President laid out his hopes for a second term.  And intelligent people can debate those priorities.  If such debate is going on, it will not be via Yahoo. 

It makes me sad to see what the priorities are of people searching the internet.  It is hard for me to explain to my students.  Picture me doing an eye roll.  Because I am.   

Watching America From Afar...

Watching America from afar is fun.  Watching CNN international in Bangkok and staying updated via internet while spending days with students from a bunch of different countries is fascinating.  A great perspective change.  CNN in America covers politics. CNN International covers...news.  It's a very nice change.  Here is some of what else I have learned so far:

For one thing, America, let's not get too cocky about how cool we are.  According to Reporters Without Borders  rankings of countries by degree of press freedom, the USA ranks 47th out of 179 countries. (Why can't we be actually cool like Canada in tenth place?) 

Some other notes I gathered in my travels in Bangkok:

--A young lady from Iran wants to know why American media focus on the Iranian president when the actual power in Iran resides in its religious leaders.

--Young people from Burma tell me that through the extraordinary work of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country is on the rise but still very much a work in progress.  The Burmese media are sources of amusement, though not sources of facts.

--Some Canadian and British nationals say that socialized medicine is not perfect--but it works very well and they don't understand the American issues regarding health care reform.

--A charming young woman from Bhutan taught me two things:  the country of Bhutan exists and it is has been ranked the 6th happiest country in the world. (United States is merely average among the happy countries of the world.) 

Finally, why is Piers Morgan doing whatever he does?  Intelligent debate about gun control is necessary.  He is not capable of carrying such on such a debate or interview or apparently any other journalistic endeavor.  His "questions"--and "questions" needs to be in quotes--seems to be rattling off statistics that he wants opponents of gun control to acknowledge.  Piers, getting people to acknowledge a statistic is as useful as getting people to agree the flu makes you sick.  Develop points of view, debate perspectives... oh, c'mon Piers, you have actually made me miss Larry King.

This is some of what I have observed in Thailand while watching America from afar.  America is great.  With some hard work by our journalists helping us understand our world a bit better, we can definitely be greater.