Do you think a news source that reported just the facts would flourish?

2015-07-05T08:26:38-04:00

I hear it all the time with regards to news broadcasts, "Just give me the facts, I will make up my own mind."

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jul 5 at 2015 8:30 AM

2015-07-05T08:30:16-04:00

It's called CSPAN... but people don't watch it. News networks are motivated by winning large audiences so they can make as much money as possible as a business. If people were interested in "just the facts", then that is what they would be doing. As evidenced by CSPAN, CSPAN2, and CSPAN3, people are interested in more than that.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Jul 5 at 2015 8:31 AM

2015-07-05T08:31:31-04:00

In a world where news agencies have to compete for ratings, there will never be one that will tell only the truth without some sort of spin.

Response by SSG Izzy Abbass made Jul 5 at 2015 8:34 AM

2015-07-05T08:34:19-04:00

If only

Response by SFC Walt Littleton made Jul 5 at 2015 8:36 AM

2015-07-05T08:36:18-04:00

It's a sad day in America when our news is bought and paid for by whomever wants to buy influence. Whatever happened to journalism? Integrity? mistrust and most of all the real facts?

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 5 at 2015 8:45 AM

2015-07-05T08:45:23-04:00

No.

Because remember, "we" (the People) are NOT the customers to the News Media. We're the PRODUCT.

News is essentially "free" in that we don't pay for it. Who does then? Sponsors. For what purpose, to generate revenue for themselves. News outlets sell access to us.

Therefore, the news is the "free lunch" to create a "captive audience" which allows Sponsors to Profit, and in turn Media gets a cut of that.

The only way a "fact based" media would work is if WE paid for it. No sponsors. Then we are paying for the product, instead of someone else. However you run into the same problem, media is there to make money, which means they will manipulate the product for the best profits.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Jul 5 at 2015 8:56 AM

2015-07-05T08:56:45-04:00

There's no such thing as "just the facts." There's always a worldview, there's always a perspective, and perhaps most importantly, there's always a limited amount of time to present the facts. Something has to get left out, and someone has to decide what that is. What get's left out is determined by that person's view of what is most important. No two people will always agree on these things.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jul 5 at 2015 9:10 AM

2015-07-05T09:10:10-04:00

You might try listening to NPR and watching PBS. You would be amazed at what happens when you remove selling dog food from the equation!

Response by SPC Makissa Lewis made Jul 5 at 2015 9:26 AM

2015-07-05T09:26:51-04:00

Depends on whose facts they will report? There is no such thing as a news report that doesn't take sides.

Response by SSG Donald Mceuen made Jul 5 at 2015 9:29 AM

2015-07-05T09:29:12-04:00

Its not going to happen when they got to make money

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 5 at 2015 10:36 AM

2015-07-05T10:36:50-04:00

No, because the truth doesn't make money.

Which periodicals sell more? Fiction or non-fiction?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 5 at 2015 10:39 AM

2015-07-05T10:39:40-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member, I answered yes because that's how I personally feel. However, it seems (and this is just my opinion) that people tend to listen to the news/follow politics based along their "party lines" so to speak rather than with their heads and have no time to listen to other sides of the story if it's not in line with their own way of thinking.