The Media

I have no idea what it is like in the rest of the world, but here in the UK media consumers are becoming almost tribal. People do not read or watch the news media to be informed any more, after all most of it is little more than gossip, people turn to their media of choice to reinforce their world view. If a newspaper prints something someone disagrees with it is not because that could be a better idea or point of view, it is because the offending media is pandering to either the uneducated bigoted views of its consumers or because it is aimed at the liberal elite who won't want to face facts which disrupt their cozy chats at dinner parties. Of course both views have a modicum of truth, after all the job of a newspaper is to sell papers and make money, and so editors print what they know their readers want to read. Part of the problem is that newspapers hardly seem to report facts any more, more and more, especially on line, facts are replaced by comment and opinion. Instead of telling us the news the media now tells us how to think. Break free from your tribe, Guardianistas go to the dark side, Torygraph readers check out the yoghurt knitters, Di-ly Express and the Daily Hate-Mail readers try a big paper now and then, Indescribablyboring readers just try another paper. Everyone has views and just because they don't agree with yours does not mean they are Pornographic redtops or tools of Common Purpose hiding the truth from the people.