HOW CAN WE FOREGROUND IMPORTANT ISSUES IN MASS MEDIA?
 
NOW FOR ME THIS IS THE PROBLEM
ALLAN SIEGEL SAYS
" The networks create media events such as town hall meetings in order to
sustain an illusion of democracy. As they fetishize the Simpson case <under
the guise  of news reporting> the networks further trivialize the social
context of domestic violence and its victims. Could you imagine what would
happen if a fraction of the time and money spent on this case was devoted
to a coordinated national discussion on health care reform?"
 
BUT EDMOND CHIBEAU SAYS
 
MY CONCERN IS THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE WOULD WATCH BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO
GALVANIZING EVENT OR TRAGI-HEROIC INDIVIDUAL AT THE CENTER OF ALL THIS TO
GIVE IT THE DRAMA THAT IS NEEDED TO HOLD AN AUDIENCE
I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THIS ,I MEAN TO SAY LET'S FIGURE
IT OUT
IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY HOW COULD WE PROGRAM THE NATIONAL MEDIA TO
FOREGROUND ISSUES SUCH AS FAMILY VIOLENCE RATHER THAN O J's GREAT CHASE
SCENE
OR A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH POLICY RATHER THAN THE ADOPTION OF BABY DOE
 
IF THE THREE BDCST NETS AND SEVERAL CABLE NETS ALL HAD SOME POLICY WONK (OR
EVEN THE PRESIDENTIAL GRAND WONK HIMSELF) TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE
 MOST PEOPLE WOULD SURF-ON TO THE NEXT CHANNEL OR LOOK FOR A COMMERCIAL
WITH A CATCHY JINGLE.
 
BUT IS IT THE NETWORKS PLACE TO BUILD EXCITEMENT AND PROMOTE HEROES AROUND
THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE ?  ( SHOULD THE HERO BE PRO OR CON?) I THINK THERE
ARE QUITE A FEW "EQUAL TIME" PROVISIONS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY IF THE
NETWORKS DECIDED TO BUILD INTO THEIR DISCUSSION  OF HEALTH CARE
 THE DRAMA AND HEROICS NECESSARY TO HOLD AN AUDIENCE
 
PERHAPS MAYBE TED KOPPELS"S NIGHTLINE IS A STEP IN THIS DIRECTION
ALTHOUGH I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH NIGHTLINE,
FOR INSTANCE THE FACT THAT THE MOST FREQUENT GUEST IS THE WAR CRIMINAL
HENRY KISSINGER
 
ISSUE CENTERED BROADCASTING IS  NEEDED BOTH IN NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT BUT I
AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW  WE ARRANGE FOR IT
C-SPANN IS A GOOD IDEA BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY RACK UP THE BIG  NUMBERS
AGIT PROP LEADS TO FLAMES ON THE INTERNET AND GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION IN
BROADCASTING
 
TO ME THE  FOURTH AMENDMENT IS A SPECTACULAR THING
BUT WE DON'T SEEM TO CONSIDER IT UNLESS IT IS ATTACHED TO A SPECTACULAR
HIGH PROFILE BLEEDS/LEADS JOURNALISM EVENT
 
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY DEDICATE EQUIPMENT OR AIR TIME
THE AUDIENCE WOULD TURN AWAY
BUT TO DEDICATE CREATIVITY AND STORY TELLING SKILLS TO THE FOREGROUNDING OF
IMPORTANT ISSUES RATHER THAN CONTINUING ON WITH BLEEDS/LEADS JOURNALISM