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SPIN

December 2, 2013 at 8:43 pm Leave a comment

It’s time for a confession.

In a past posting I ranted and raved about how I hated the way news was being presented in this day and age and vowed to never watch it again.  Well, it seems that ‘never’ can be a short interval.  I admit I am a flawed individual with addictions to bear, and the news is one of them.  For instance, when on vacation I agonize that some major event will occur and I will be left out of the loop.  Who know, Congress may agree on something, nuclear war and or the end of the world would happen and I wouldn’t know about it.  All this is rationalizing to soften my failing: I’m watching the news again.

Not only am I watching the news, but I am watching the news given by multiple sources.  This may explain what led to this piece.

With the advent of cable news there are a host of news outlets to provide fodder for whatever persuasion you may be, be it liberal or conservative.  The middle is more or less left for the networks to serve.  So yes, I have even begun watching a cable news station that rhymes with ‘sox’.

As I watch some of these news presentations, I find it difficult to determine what news is and what is editorial.  Then it dawned on me.  Today you can watch the news and hear the slant that you want to hear, according to your beliefs.

The above insight brings me to the topic of this discussion, the definition of spin as I see it.

I can be rather slow in the thinking process at times.  Okay, most of the time.  I always thought that spin was delivering half-truths to support your opinion, incorporating falsehoods, to some extent.  However, after listening to various outlets delivering the news on the identical topic, I’ve come to change my opinion.  There is no falsehood involved.  Cable news chooses to report the facts, but only the facts that they know will support the views that their viewers will be comfortable with, that support the agenda of both the station and those who hold what the station presents as gospel.  At times I find it amusing to listen to the various outlets reporting on the same topic, selecting only the facts that they find relevant.

Bottom-line; listen to as much news as you can even if you don’t agree with the philosophy of the outlet.  Then, use your brain to decide what the truth is by assembling all the facts.  That’s what it’s all about.

Entry filed under: OBSERVATIONS & OPINIONS, Walt Trizna, WALT'S OBSERVATIONS, WALT'S OPINIONS. Tags: cable news, fox news, news, spin.