That's it for now. Some final thoughts by way of a poem, a speech, a graph and a bunch of links.
Here’s the first few lines and a link to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
`By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?
The bridegroom’s doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
Mayst hear the merry din.’
He holds him with his skinny hand,
“There was a ship,” quoth he.
`Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!’
Eftsoons his hand dropped he.
He holds him with his glittering eye -
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years’ child:
The Mariner hath his will.
It’s a sick poem and is referenced in passing in this speech given by Spiro Agnew about the role of the the media in shaping the public’s opinion on any issue. In this speech he says:
I’m also aware that Newspaper isn’t the same as TV, but the gatekeepers are the same. Here’s a list of the top corporations who decide what gets shown on your TV. Notice in particular: News Corp, Cox, Gannett, Hearst and Scripps as they all own large amounts of TV and Newspaper distribution.
These people are actively trying to maintain their control. The big players on the web are aware they have to box them out for position, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be any better at presenting spin-less news. What’s so sad is that as access to information becomes easier and easier, there’s less and less of it in the news from every source.
Lots of thoughts flowing through my head on this issue and it’s still not very clear to me.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
`By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?
The bridegroom’s doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
Mayst hear the merry din.’
He holds him with his skinny hand,
“There was a ship,” quoth he.
`Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!’
Eftsoons his hand dropped he.
He holds him with his glittering eye -
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years’ child:
The Mariner hath his will.
It’s a sick poem and is referenced in passing in this speech given by Spiro Agnew about the role of the the media in shaping the public’s opinion on any issue. In this speech he says:
At least 40 million Americans every night, it’s estimated, watch the network news. Seven million of them view A.B.C., the remainder being divided between N.B.C. and C.B.S. According to Harris polls and other studies, for millions of Americans the networks are the sole source of national and world news. In Will Roger’s observation, what you knew was what you read in the newspaper. Today for growing millions of Americans, it’s what they see and hear on their television sets.
Now, that was then. This is now. The Pew Research Center is saying that Internet has Taken over Newspapers, but that TV is still ahead.I’m also aware that Newspaper isn’t the same as TV, but the gatekeepers are the same. Here’s a list of the top corporations who decide what gets shown on your TV. Notice in particular: News Corp, Cox, Gannett, Hearst and Scripps as they all own large amounts of TV and Newspaper distribution.
These people are actively trying to maintain their control. The big players on the web are aware they have to box them out for position, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be any better at presenting spin-less news. What’s so sad is that as access to information becomes easier and easier, there’s less and less of it in the news from every source.
Lots of thoughts flowing through my head on this issue and it’s still not very clear to me.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
