BS: Americans Should Read World Press

Subject: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Bo Vandenberg
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 02:24 PM

It is my contention that the dominant Republican party controls the focus of the dominant Media of the United States.

The success of film documentaries with critical viewpoints and the media's own admissions of bias (at least so far as the New York Times) have convinced me of this.

Here is a Canadian Newspaper that is incredulous at the focus of American Media and the mud slinging might of the republican propoganda machine.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1093645212371&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

This is certainly not beginning and ending of coverage of this administration, rather it is a taste of what (I think) every voting American should seek out -- a balanced view beyond the big networks.

sigurd

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 02:32 PM

Americans Should Read World Press

Like, we don't? A lot of people around here do. A lot of people I know who do not hang out here, do.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: GUEST,guest from NW
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 04:06 PM

i think sigurd's point is not "people at mudcat should read world press" it is that a more broad spectrum of americans should do so. i think most americans do not read news as reported in the rest of the world. you certainly find out about a lot of stuff that doesn't get mentioned here. for instance, the current report of israeli spying in the pentagon which cbs reports as if it is a shocking revelation has been reported on by various forign sources for months now.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 07:23 PM

Well yes, and I think everyone ought to listen to folk music, but I am not sure I would come to Mudcat to proclaim it.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: robomatic
Date: 29 Aug 04 - 08:01 PM

I love The Economist and The Far Eastern Economic Review. Don't always agree with them but they have consistent reasoning, and an out-of-U.S. frame of reference (In particular I enjoy The Economist kind of thinking in terms of 'Commonwealth', the U.K. had more of an empire than US ever could).

Nevertheless, I come down with Bush on Iraq. I think the world should have stuck with the U.S. on this one and the lack of unanimity will cause more grief for all of us. Note that France is being threatened with execution of kidnappees based on their school dress codes.

Oh, getting back to the thread premise. I agree we should read it, even if it's wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 03:40 AM

Well here in Scotland I get the NYT beamed in every day [don't always read it all] as it interests me to see things from another viewpoint. I must admit though that I was surprised at just how little some Americans know about what goes on the big wide world when visiting, but I suppose there is similar ignorance here too. In my days of driving a truck round Europe, some time the only English language [sic] programme I could find was an AFN station, and it was apalling that they never seemed to give any news of what was happening in the country they were based in, prefering instead to give US news, and baseball scores.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 04:07 AM

Well, you wouldn't expect Bush and his ilk to read the world press, would you?

I'm sure there are biases in parts of the New York Times, but I've always found it a treat to read. There's a lot of coverage, from many different perspectives. The official editorial position of the Times may be one thing - but the newspaper gives plenty of space to opposing parties.

My local newspaper, the Sacramento Bee, regularly carries editorials from newspapers all over the world. I can't say I know many people (other than Mudcatters) who read the newspaper as thoroughly as I do, but the information is available.

Still, reading isn't everything. To get an idea of the political climate of another country, you almost have to make an extended visit - and then you have to get yourself involved in the right conversations. Better yet, live on another continent for a year or two, and your eyes will really be opened. I did intelligence work in Berlin for two years - that was quite an education.

-Joe Offer, in the mountains of California-

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 06:54 AM

Whilst travelling in the west of the U.S.A, I did find it quite hard to find the result of the last UK General Election. It may have been partly due to the time difference but it was not until some time after the result, that I discovered what it was.

I could find out fairly easy on the TV what the weather was like in places like Georgia and Chicago and who won the ball games there.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: mack/misophist
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 10:02 AM

I don't agree but a friend in Germany says that the US is so large that there's no time for us to follow any save the most important world news. As I said, I don't agree.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 10:51 AM

In all fairness, perhaps had the General Election result been in any way a shock - it would have been thought of as important world news and possibly easier to find?

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: DougR
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 12:27 PM

I'm with robomatic on this one.

Joe Offer: Strange how two people can read the same newpaper and end up with such different conslusions. I think TNYT is the most outrageaous left-wing newspaper in the U. S. Perhaps even mover than the cherished "Guardian" in London.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 12:48 PM

In the UK - about the only thing that both left and right agree on - is that our BBC is biased toward the other.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: robomatic
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 12:57 PM

Shambles: That's quite a compliment to the BBC.

When I was a kid (in Northeast US) I was involved in a youth outing where we were assigned different postings in a simulation of the United Nations. We were to focus on the mideast problem and see if we could solve it. I was posted to a small group of journalists with a mimeo machine. I can't tell you how much you learn when life is compressed into a few high energy hours trying to solve world issues. The most important lesson was how unpopular journalists are. The people you quote claim they were misquoted (and are angrier the more accurate you were), the people you write about are outraged that you didn't talk to enough of them, or maybe any). What's information for one is propaganda for another, and everyone, everyone, everyone, lies. I'll never forget when a member of the Jordanian delegation walked into our office:
"King Hussein just abducated!"
"And who are you?"
"King Hussein!"

The only good part was smelling the mimeo fluid.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 02:00 PM

Is it true Bush never owned a passport, never travelled before getting the top job? If so, that's a bit scary.

still i suppose most of us are a bit lazy about seeing the other side of the street. you do tend to think however that somebody with such an important job shouldn't as lazy as one is oneself. They should have questing curious minds, keen to understand evrything and everybody.

i wonder why we aren't all like that. Perhaps thats why people vote for him - he's a bit like the rest of us.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Mark Clark
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 02:28 PM

Forty-five years ago many of us began reading international news sources because it was the only way to get a clear picture of what was really going on, both here and abroad. The only thing that seems to have changed over the years is that now we are held to be disloyal because we don't just swallow the pap handed out to the media by the neocon regime as news. Years ago the US press was just as biased as today but the bias was generally confined to the editorial page. Today a US newspaper is an editorial.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Metchosin
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 03:03 PM

If you consider the NYT a primarily left wing newspaper, DougR, you have lived a very life sheltered life indeed. Good grief!

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 03:47 PM

I read, in addition to the professional journals, the local newspaper.

And online I read, rather regularily:

the AP website news (Associated, not Australian, Press);
the Chicago Tribune
the International Herald Tribune
the Irish Times
the Times
the BBC
CNN (which is often a reposting of AP stuff)
SF Chronicle
A variety of newspapers from the Middle East
A variety of newspapers from the Far East
The Quincy Herald-Whig (home town news)
News from CANOE
Anchorage Daily News.

On an irregular basis I can include the Kerryman, among others.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:39 AM

Nothing annoys this fella more than the far-right poison that is fed to "newspaper" readers [quotes advised] from all airts o' the compass. However---at the risk of offending our Canadian pals, I must say something on behalf of the newspaper trade in the U.S of A. South of the long straight parallel folks are much more able to read a broad spectrum of political viewpoint than is available to them in Canada. There may be isolated local publications whose editorial policy is "left of centre", but there are NO National or Provincial papers that I have come across which push anything other than a right wing agenda. The Globe and Mail is a possible exception. I read regularly more than one American columnist who is not afraid to tell it as it is. That's how news should be presented. Not as an editorial--as fact. We can, most of us, think for ourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:59 AM

Ah now weelittledrummer I'll tell you what's more scary than a man who never travelled or had a passport, running a country. That's a man who was only ever a part time member of the armed services, running a war.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 04:03 AM

Yes but if we all read so widely and in such an unprejudiced manner, how come we're all so convinced that we are right and the other guy is a scoundrel.

Witness the general four legs right/two legs wrong level of the Bush/Kerry debate.

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Gurney
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 05:42 AM

Most newspapers worldwide are on the Web, so it is easy, for the so inclined. Life isn't long enough.
I prefer to get 'important' foreign issues from Mudcat's BS section, because there are more warm fuzzies in it for me.
Don't forget, we know a lot more about politics than politicians do about folk music!

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 03:37 PM

"Don't forget, we know a lot more about politics than politicians do about folk music! "

Too true. Definitely one for the Gallery of Mudcat Quotations

Subject: RE: BS: Americans Should Read World Press
From: Rapparee
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 06:23 PM

I would like to point out this website. Formerly Atlas: the world press review it is an excellent look at stories from around the world and source for journalistic voices from a wide variety of countries. Its sources and abilities are so good, in fact, that it has on more than several occassions stolen a march on both the US State Department and the CIA (e.g., in the election of Allende in Chile).