Why we know less than ever about the world
By Barry Ritholtz - January 15th, 2009, 6:15PM
Alisa Miller, head of Public Radio International, talks about why — though we want to know more about the world than ever — the US media is actually showing less. Eye-opening stats and graphs.
(This is why I frequently watch BBC news)
May 2008
As the CEO of Public Radio International, Alisa Miller works to bring the most significant news stories to millions — empowering Americans with the knowledge to make choices in an… Full bio and more links
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January 15th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
The ‘dumbing down’ of America via MSM started in earnest in the 1980′s and media consolidation over past 20 yrs has made this absolute.
It’s unfortunate a very small number of Americans ( perhaps 2 – 5 % ? ) get most of their world news information from Web, blogs, RSS feeds.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
this is both amazing and sad at the same time,
km4 you summed it up, my entire family thinks they know all b/c they heard it on MSM, when I bring up things that are contrary to what they think they know I’m treated as a loon.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
A sad look at the ratings game. The unintended consequences of what has been allowed to take place in the markets. That is, deregulation and corporatization of media feeds us what they believe with achieve the greatest ratings in their slavery to advertising profits in lieu of their Constitutional role to enlighten us. This is so important that we somehow need to Constitutionally amend powers that should never be tampered with again. In other words, strong media, strong democracy. Weak media……………….America in 2009. The balance must be restored permantently.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
I’ve always questioned about the premise behind commentary like this. Why is it assumed that the typical American needs to know what is going on in the greater world? Why should a middle-class factory worker care? What could they do about it if they did know? What is the opportunity cost of spending time learning these things vs. what they are currently doing?
When I’ve traveled to Europe I’d always hear snide remarks about how ignorant Americans are. What exactly have Europeans accomplished with their greater knowledge?
January 15th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
This is why we read the Economist from front to back every week. I liked what Alisa said about “context.” There is so little of that now a days. However, with a smaller and flatter world, this context is all the more necessary. When you read, rather than watch, you are more apt to find the threads. Well, I guess it depends on what you read (and what you watch).
Thanks, Barry. It’s been a lot of fun following your thoughts!
January 16th, 2009 at 12:52 am
mlomker:
TJ said it well 200 years ago:
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”
“. . . whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right.”
What average Americans could do if they knew more of the world, as they used to, is avoid electing people like our last President and the Congress that ruled our country from the mid-1990′s through 2006 which things were going to hell.
My father grew up in the depression and didn’t finish high school, but he read the morning paper every day. Even though he was a WWII vet and pretty right wing, he had no respect for either Reagan or W. So, being informed could have a good effect.