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| RUSH LIMBAUGH http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Rush_limbaugh.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARush_limbaugh.jpg By Dan Correia (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Shock! Awe! He said what? Can you say that on the radio? How dare he! One of the most polarizing "journalists" in the media industry used a loud voice and personal opinions to enter the public's radios, televisions, newspapers, and books to become one of the country's most influential figures and political commentators. Chapter fourteen of Rodger Streitmatter's Mightier Than the Sword illustrates just how much of an impact a loud boisterous voice such as Rush Limbaugh has had on the American public, both pro and against his views and news stories and the way in which he covers them. Limbaugh has used his forum to tap into the anger and frustration among his listeners and raises questions and debates on a variety of various subjects, ranging from political to entertainment to poking fun at certain targets such as homosexuals, women, and racial minorities. With over twenty-five million Americans tuning into HIS radio program each week, Limbaugh revolutionized a new form of news and entertainment show, simply called "infotainment".  Being heard on 660 radio stations, and being seen on 250 television stations, Limbaugh has the ability to make his voice heard to millions of listeners and viewers each night. The public seem to be split between viewing Limbaugh as a reckless rabble rousing bigot, or a hero; a voice to guide the American people to what they feel they deserve but cannot speak up on. The shock and awe value he brings to his broadcasts is what I believe keeps people tuned in and coming back for more, the what will he say next factor plays a key role into keeping listeners and viewers tuned in. Integrating news with opinions and hysteria type debates and arguments can be entertaining, but for an average viewer or listener using Limbaugh as a staple for news and credibility, that's when the image gets blurred and the viewer is not getting news to help them live free and self governing lives, but biased and opinionated views on news subjects, a BIG difference! http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGirl_listening_to_radio.gif By Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Public Domain Photographs [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Comedy_Central_2011_Logo.png http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AComedy_Central_2011_Logo.png By MTV Networks (Viacom) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are "political" commentators with popular "news" shows on Comedy Central (which should tell you right away all you need to know about the programs). Both Stewart and Colbert deal with political issues and debates, integrating the infotainment aspect into their respected programs. It brings for funny comments and takes on serious and influential information that the general public need in order to understand what is going on in the world. If the consensus were watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report after watching a news outlet such as CNN, MSNBC or NPR, the public would already have a preconceived notion of what is happening in the world and the headlines being created. These comedy shows would add an extra punch or kick to the headlines, often taking jabs at political leaders and figures, or mocking events or outcomes. There is a place for infotainment and shows such as The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and Rush Limbaugh's various programs. However, when the news gets intertwined with opinions and loud shouting rants of rage and anger, that's when infotainment turns dangerous and can lead people who are watching these programs to not fully apprehend the official "news" story, but more of the personal opinions being shouted out to the audiences worldwide. According to Streitmatter in chapter fourteen of Mightier Than the Sword, Limbaugh's greatest flaw and weakness were his serious problems with his commentaries that were riddled with factual errors and rumors. When Limbaugh presents stories based on "facts, and they come to light as being false or filled with many errors or omissions, that's when the general public is misinformed and denied their right to receive news and news coverage that will help them live free and self governing lives. An example Streitmatter uses in one of many of Limbuagh's errors over the years was when he defended President Ronald Reagan against the Iran-Contra investigation. Limbaugh felt the Democrats were just wasting time and money with the investigation, "We just spent seven years and $40 million looking for any criminal activity on the part of anybody in the Reagan administration, and guess what? We couldn't find any....There is not one indictment. There is not one change." (Streitmatter, p. 233) However, fourteen people were indicted, including Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, eleven ultimately being convicted of criminal charges related to selling weapons to Iran, and not telling Congress about the events.  http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Reagan_meets_with_aides_on_Iran-Contra.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AReagan_meets_with_aides_on_Iran-Contra.jpg By White House Photo Office [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons By trying to pass off personal vendettas and opinions as news to a mass audience, Limbaugh's inaccuracies lead to wrong and potentially hurtful information and can be hard to disseminate at times the facts versus the personal points and opinions. If a viewer knew that the information he or she is receiving may not be unbiased going in to these types of shows, then no problem, enjoy the shock jock value that Limbaugh and others such as Don Imus and Howard Stern promote. Even Jon Stewart defends the criticism extremely well, documented on an episode of Crossfire on CNN back in 2004 when Stewart tells both hosts that his show is meant for comedy purposes, not to be misconstrued for a partisan media outlet that's main focus is to deliver balanced and fair news that will help the public live free and self governing lives. Stewart admitting that his is not one of those shows illustrates that he understands the difference between major news outlets and infotainment shows. JON STEWART ON EPISODE OF CROSSFIRE DEFENDING HIS COMEDY SHOW October 15, 2004 CNN Yes, Rush Limbaugh is an import "journalistic" figure in our history of journalism and media. Rodger Streitmatter would not have devoted a hole chapter to him unless he had defined or created new meaning to journalism and the way it is reached and received by the public. However, Streitmatter does go on to mention how Limbaugh's refusal and stubbornness to admit when he errs or spews biased and unsupported information has led to a damaging of the American news media's credibility. It is scary to imagine how even when faced with hard evidence or shown the errors that he made, Limbaugh refuses to admit he was wrong or correct mistakes. Infotainment can be a dangerous form of media, when basing the news received just on these programs on how well to live your life, and to once again live a free and self governing way of life.  RUSH LIMBAUGH CARTOON By Ian Marsden from Montpellier (Rush Limbaugh by Ian Marsden) [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
Monday, December 19, 2011
Rush Limbaugh: Leading the Republican Revolution
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