Cable News Polarization?
Michael Smerconish pens an op-ed in the Washington Post about cable news polarization…
Another time, a Fox News producer invited me to appear on a program to discuss then-candidate Barack Obama. I was told they were “looking for someone who would say he’s cocky and that his cockiness will hurt him, if not in the primary, definitely in the general election against McCain.” I declined. A few hours later, the same producer made a new pitch: “What about a debate off the top of the show on whether or not Hillary is trustworthy? We have someone who says she is and we’re looking for someone who says she isn’t.”
The message of both episodes is clear: There is no room for nuance. Either you offer a consistent (possibly artificial) ideological view or you often don’t get a say.
Inside Cable News 
June 11, 2010 at 6:36 am
Ive heard this story before from him.
June 11, 2010 at 6:59 am
I’ll take that anytime over the old days of panels with 3 liberals and one quasi conservative. That’s what used to constitue “fair & balanced”.
June 11, 2010 at 8:27 am
I’ll take a panel of 4 with varying opinions over a point/counterpoint talking-point barrage any day.
June 11, 2010 at 8:48 am
Is there any bigger weasel in political chat today than Smerconish? The guy has no opinions about anything… he just goes with the breeze.
I’ve listened to his radio show… and I don’t think he has ever disagreed with a caller… ever. Even when the first caller says something right-wing, and the second says something left-wing. Have an opinion and own it! Quit sitting on the fence!
It’s a good thing he grew a beard, otherwise the transformation to a visual as well as intellectual Charlie Brown would be complete.
June 11, 2010 at 9:35 am
— point/counterpoint —
Or jerk-counter-jerk, in many cases. ”Let’s just argue some ridiculous bullschwa cuz we wanna be on TV..”
June 11, 2010 at 9:40 am
“Is Bush/Obama/Clinton/Palin/your-name-here the spawn of the devil? This bald guy says yes, this pretty blonde says no, we treat both opinions as having absolute equal merit even if one of them is patently ridiculous. You won’t BELIEVE..what they have to say. Next!”
June 11, 2010 at 10:11 am
”Hugh Hewitt weighs in after the break, on some damn thing or another!” Well, whooptie freaking do!
June 11, 2010 at 10:23 am
I disagree with Smerconish on a whole host of issues, but I agree with the premise of his op-ed, which I’ve also heard from him before. I sometimes have to turn cable news off because the two sides are only repeating talking points I’ve heard over and over again; while I and the people I’m watching with are coming up with real-world solutions we never hear the pundits or the politicians talking about.
June 11, 2010 at 10:43 am
I’ll take that anytime over the old days of panels with 3 liberals and one quasi conservative. That’s what used to constitue “fair & balanced”.
Interesting scenario choice there. Speaking of “fair & balanced” you do know that Bulls and Bears now features three conservative regulars and one lone liberal guest? Not sure where Pat Dorsey’s allegiances lie…
June 11, 2010 at 12:22 pm
This is my opinion, not based on facts. Smerconish will say anything for a check, he appears on Crissy,s show only too bash the republicans and Palin. I believe Smerconish claims to have switched from republican to independent this year. Crissy has him on his show because Smerconish is willing to bash conserative and rebublicans and Palin tea party people.
Speaking of the tea party, I saw on fox yesterday a clip of a union thug stopping his car at a tea party gathering in greensboro n.c. and starting a fight and yelling that everything that is happening is Bushes fault, in the scuffle he put his hands on a woman and sucker punched her husband when the husband asked him to take his hands off of his wife. That one clip is all i,ve seen on fox and no coverage at all on msnbc. If that had been the other way around msnbc would show coverage on every show for a week.
June 11, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Msnbc is showing coverage of the interview of the guy that won the primary in south carolina. I saw Keith Olbermann,s interview with him, I don,t know witch one of them was the biggest flop.
The only reason keith had him on was the allegation that the republicans put Green up to it, payed his filing fee and so on.
The most vile comment thou, was Olby stated after the interrview with Green was that he (Olby) steal perferred Green over Demint. I don,t know how he keeps his show,with all the bashing he does about how bias fix news is.