Are ya shillin’?
Hang the writing gap on the cable TV peg. The Daily Show, Colbert Report and Drawn Together have sapped my creative will.
I did want to mention one interesting item from a few days ago (even though mentioning it somehow lends it credence). The St. Petersburg Times has made Bill O’Reilly’s naughty list for this holiday season. According to the Fox News commentator, this paper has “regularly helped distribute defamation and false information supplied by far left websites.”
Ouch. Now tell us what you really think, Bill.
He also wants to give coal lumps to The New York Times and MSNBC.
But wait, there’s more: “These are the worst offenders. In the months to come, we expect to add more names to this list. We recommend that you do not patronize these operations and that advertisers do the same. They are dishonest and not worth your time and money.”
Thing one: What I’ve quoted here is all O’Reilly’s list says; there’s no support to his argument that we and others are liberal Web site propagandists. A sane man, with a keen eye for pitfalls inherent in public discourse, might, oh, I dunno, back up such a serious claim. Such a man might offer examples. Otherwise, such a man might end up giving the impression that he is also a propagandist.
Thing two: O’Reilly’s list doesn’t link out so people can click through, and judge for themselves. Was it Brazil or 1984 that had the talking televisions that everyone listened to without question?
A fairer criticism of the Times is that we’re shills for Apple Computer. It seems iPod ear buds sprout from just about every ear in the newsroom - myself included. And I can’t quantify it, but I seems we spend an awful lot of ink on the latest iPod releases. Coincidence?
Hmmm, could be.
But, as far as the liberal Web sites issue, I doubt it. Then again, I’ve only been at the paper for three months. Maybe they’ll let me in on the political part of the cabal soon.
PS: Judge for yourselves. Click through, be free.
PPS: On second thought, I worked for a newspaper owned by The New York Times for more than two years, and they never let me in on their cabal either. Maybe it’s me - maybe I just don’t look like I can be trusted with keeping a cabal quiet.