Dead Man Talking: Cho Seung-Hui on NBC

Should NBC have broadcast portions of Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui's "manifesto?"

Shun the Shock Jock?

Should Don Imus and his colleagues be fired?

Counting Crimes, Missing the Mark?

Does the Philadelphia media report on violence in a way that addresses underlying causes and stimulates change?

Patience, Patriotism and the Press

On the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War this week, President Bush asked the country for patience.
Can a free press be patient, patriotic and effective?

News You Can't Use

Is there too much attention paid to celebrity news in the mainstream media?
What ethical concerns does a high level of attention to celebrities present for journalists?

The 2008 Presidential Election Can't Come Soon Enough

Is the media too preoccupied with the 2008 presidential election?

When talking about the 2008 presidential election, the U.S. media is truly acting as the voice of the American people. A recent CBS News Poll, the week of Feb 9th, indicated that President Bush's approval rating had dipped to an all-time low of 28 percent. This number ranks up there with the likes of Richard Nixon's record setting 24% rating after his justifiable resignation from office. The media is merely reciprocating the true sediments of the American people in that change is needed in the White House. This coverage is not too soon for the country. The people of America want change and hope for a better future. A future that is focused on America and not an unnecessary war in the Middle East.

On the other hand, this early election coverage could have severe professional and personal consequences on the candidates. Several articles in The Week, a national news magazine, displayed the ugly coverage regarding the presidential candidates. Such news coverage criticized Barack Obama about not being black enough. In addition, another article exposed the excess baggage attached to Hilary Clinton and political campaign.

However, the real question that should be posed is: Why is the 2008 presidential election in the media so early? A recent online CBS article titled, "The Media Consumer's Guide to Pre-2008 Election Coverage," helps to reveal the main factor behind this early election coverage. CBS News online indicated that coverage is arriving early this year because the need for a new candidates is much stronger. The president and vice president's 8 year reign will come to a crashing halt in 2008 and neither one will be in the race again. According to Steve Chaggaris, a CBS news reporter, "It hasn't been this wide open for, I would say, at least 50 years." In other words, it is truly a perfect combination. This wide open race is begging media coverage. Fittingly, the media lives on political news coverage and the citizens of the U.S are demanding for political change.


Victor Montoro

The Profitability of Hope

I recently saw a political cartoon depicting two presidential hopefuls, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, out at sea. Clinton rows her boat miserably while Obama breezily walks on water. “Show off,” Clinton says.

You can hardly blame the media for drawing such Messiah allusions (a CNN.com reporter points out that “Barack” comes from the Swahili word for "one who is blessed"). Many Americans would say that for the past six years our country has been markedly unblessed. Bush’s most recent approval rating hovers at an embarrassing 32%. His unpopularity seemed to sweep across the country like the Wave sweeps through the audience at a sports event. Bumper stickers have cropped up: “Defeat Bush.” “No One Died When Clinton Lied.” We’re looking for something promising. We need this.

We forget that the difference between nominee A and nominee B will be negligible. They are options, and that is what we don’t have right now. So we look ahead. We like the drama. We like hearing that Delaware Senator Joe Biden called Obama “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean.” It keeps us buying papers, renewing subscriptions.

But is it too much, too soon? The media have started the narrative about who will be our next president, but can they keep it up for the next year and a half?

Gore might have the right idea. So far he has denied that he will run, but if he hangs tough and announces his nomination after the drama abates—with a Nobel Prize and Oscar nomination under his belt, no less—he could win more than just the popular vote this time.

Rachel Healy