Category Archives: Journalism

When News People Contribute Political Money

Posted by on 08/19/2010 No comments

 The left is beyond itself how and why News Corps, which owns between others The Fox News Channel, has made a $1 million contribution to the Republican Governors Association. ‘Now Fox News is offiicially the PR machine for Republican.’

This is what some on the left claim. But get this news piece from June 2007, headlined “Journalists Dole Out Cash to Politicians”:

“MSNBC.com identified 143 journalists who made political contributions from 2004 through the start of the 2008 campaign, according to the public records of the FEC. Most of the newsroom checkbooks leaned to the left: 125 journalists gave to Democrats and liberal causes. Only 16 gave to Republicans. Two gave to both parties.”

UPDATE 3:33 AM: I see that a few ppl already wrote about the 2007 MSNBC Story. Sorry. I was plugged out all day Wednesday. When I got to the politics of the day (by 2:00 AM Thursday morning), I remembered some old story about that most Journalists give money to the Dems. I Google’d and came to the MSNBC story. But now I see that afew ppl got onto it earlier.

Why do People Read Opinion Columns?

Posted by on 11/10/2009 1 comment

Can you, dear reader, tell me for what reason you read political columns; watch clips of pundits, and listen to talk show hosts?

I am not joking here at all. While walking today on the street I was thinking about the millions of dollars that are spent annually for punditry, and opinion writing. In fact, I spent and spend money for it, and thanks to God, I get paid for writing columns. But I do wonder what do we as readers, listeners and viewers want to gain from all this.

When we don’t get stuffed with stupidities from Leftist commentators who rehash talking points, nothing happens. But do things change in our lives when we listen to Rush making a good statement? What would we lose out when we don’t hear a Levin rant, or a dumb-head making a fool of himself during Sean’s man-on-the-street? I am a great fan of all these guys, especially Rush, but I really wonder what is the end-goal to those listening to hosts, or reading columnists.

Maybe politics and current events to most people is just a sport, so they like to be busy with it during the day, just for joy. Maybe listening to Rush makes people use their heads to absorbs his Perlis of Wisdom, and that is why people like it. Or perhaps, reading a good column makes a person happy that someone with a microphone echoes to the broader public points that they, the readers, want to get out there.

I really wonder what those on the receiving end, such as listens, viewers, and most relevant to me: readers want to get from writers and commentators. Please share your thoughts as a comment below this column, or email me at Yossi@yossigestetner.com.