The media "pundits" are manufacturing "news". "Who the heck knows"? Do you agree?

Question

Rendell On Bill Clinton's Alleged Hard Feelings Towards Obama: "Get Over It," "Shake It Off"

By Greg Sargent - June 26, 2008, 11:00AM

When you write an item about leading Hillary supporter Ed Rendell, you are required to describe him as "blunt." And here is Rendell again, being, well, blunt about Bill Clinton's alleged hard feelings towards Obama...

Bill has to "get over it," and "shake it off," Rendell says. Did someone say he's blunt?

Ben Smith noted yesterday that Obama's campaign has harmed Bill in some ways, because Obama has run an implicit campaign against his presidency. That said, who the heck knows if Bill is really "miffed" with Obama, as everyone keeps saying; the original report that got this going is based only on the word of an anonymous Democrat who supposedly spoke to Bill.

I don't know if Bill is "miffed" or not. He very well may be, and if he is in fact "miffed," Rendell is right; he should get over it. Either way, it has now become true that Bill is "miffed," and there will be no changing that, ever.

Answer 1

Unlike an investigative journalist, a media "pundit" is a news analyst who reviews news events from his or her point of view.

In the age of 24-hour TV news, competition for viewers has become a fierce battle. I don't agree that media analysts manufacture news, but their provocative and highly-biased opinions for the sake of drama and emotional value, or "spin", now dominates the news.

It's no longer about the facts. It's all about the spin. Mainstream news has eroded to the level of tabloid gossip, and is no longer a source of reference for those of us who choose to make informed decisions about what is news or not.

If you want real news, get it from the BBC.

kmr