Why does th us media lie to the public & get away with it?

[Jim532]

I am sure that you have all seen the animated clip where they give the impression that a normal e-cig exploded rather than a mod with stacked batteries. This is not only untrue but has no doubt put thousands off even considering changing from smoking to vaping. If the media had done that in the UK we would have challanged it, perhaps the media rule in the US.
If anyone missed it--here it is Electric cigarette explodes in man's mouth - YouTube

 

[scalewiz]

You'd have to live here to really understand...we Americans are hell-bent on self destruction!

 

[gumchewer]

If it comes from the US, why is the voice over done with a British accent?

 

[Wickedwench]

Because to the American ear, British voices sound more authoritative. Think of how many villains in American movies are played by Brits.
We get lied to because in the US news isn't a service anymore. Its a for-profit business and the bloodier and more violent the tale, the more people tune in. If a story is wrong, well, it can be corrected ...but only if the correction is more inflammatory than the original story.
Oh, one other thing: any American who read my statement and said "Yeah, those jerks on that other network do that all the time!" please remember that the whole adversarial bit is good business for both sides while leaving the whole job of informing the public to whither away and die.

 

[T-Mac]

Because to the American ear, British voices sound more authoritative. Think of how many villains in American movies are played by Brits.
We get lied to because in the US news isn't a service anymore. Its a for-profit business and the bloodier and more violent the tale, the more people tune in. If a story is wrong, well, it can be corrected ...but only if the correction is more inflammatory than the original story.
Oh, one other thing: any American who read my statement and said "Yeah, those jerks on that other network do that all the time!" please remember that the whole adversarial bit is good business for both sides while leaving the whole job of informing the public to whither away and die.

Well said, people in general don't want to hear about someone mis-using a product we want to hear the product was defective or as we call it at work "make it idiot proof".

 

[Off Topic]

Knowing you are being lied to is the first step in determining the facts of the matter.

 

[BuGlen]

Knowing you are being lied to is the first step in determining the facts of the matter.

Only when the facts are made readily available. Once the 24/7 media gets hold of a story, the actual facts get buried in the rehash of the story by the media and all the discussion threads of people making baseless assumptions.

 

[bnrkwest]

Sadly that is fact for US news, it is all lies, spin, twisted truths and exaggerated hype. We don't believe the news as accurate but take only 10% of it is actually based on a fact or happening. I wish we had real news here, I usually listen to BBC LOL bnrk

 

[jkmtwo]

Last time I checked it wasn't just the US media, check the bans in various nations all around the globe.

 

[Wickedwench]

News bans tend to be politically motivated. To me, there is almost a purity to that. American news is motivated by commercial interests. That's why we get stories presented like:
"Are you poisoning your child's lunch? We'll tell you at eleven o'clock!"
If children are being poisoned, maybe we need that info now, not when advertisers have bought time!

 

[jkmtwo]

IgAre you serious? You think a politically motivated ban is not tied up with big business?

That's rich.

A big business motivated news story that doesn't hold any real power in a free country where I can voice my disagreement vs. Big biz using the power of big government to suppress freedom

You are correct give me the nice cozy tyrant of government over the big bad media who says hurtful things

 

[jkmtwo]

Also can I point out the knee jerk mentality here.....who says this is actually the news media? Who says this is big business behind this? Who says this is American?

This is what this thread amounts to
"There's a video I don't like....it must be American......it must be the media if its American.....and if its the American media it must be big business"

Never mind the British accent that would only complicate my prefab conclusions prior to knowing any facts.

 

[Butters78]

Well gee whiz, is that the sims - e cig edition?

 

[Doberz]

 

[AttyPops]

Quality and integrity of reporting has given way to "Immediate Breaking News" sensationalism and a war for ratings. The internet fuels it as well as fights it. Add to that the bias that is present (usually with politics...on BOTH sides...but on other issues too) and "reporters" (using the term loosely here) and bloggers (I won't call them reporters) feel no obligation to be impartial, and would rather kiss corp management .....

The stories of a minor find for DEG in one particular manufacturer's e-juice still echo through the halls of the media as "E-Cigs contain bad antifreeze". The media, had it done it's job, would have refuted the FDA's extreme stance on e-cigs easily. I'm not at all sure that the "power$ that be" don't grease the wheels on these things.

The digging-for-information bit has always been shady, but it's gone to a new level thanks to technology. Look at the scandals with Murdoch and crew.

It's all for the ratings (which result in advertising $$). We, the viewers/readers, are left with little to no choice but to click on an article and see what it says. That ups the ratings. Doesn't matter that after we read it, it's complete crap.

I think there are still some respected sources. They are fewer and farther between. Fairness demands that I mention that the media is often as much a "tool" as a culprit. Manipulating the media is a profession in and of itself also.

 

[Wickedwench]

In China, as an example, a news story would usually be suppressed because it would embarrass the government. A company that is caught making China look bad is paraded to the public, then punished. (Note that the operative word is "caught". How much effort the government uses to catch companies...)
In a story of an e cigarette exploding, the exciting part is the explosion! People tune in for that! A reasonable explanation about how the manufacturer made it clear, in writing, that only protected batteries be used...boring! Is it more exciting to talk about how maybe we vape antifreeze or spend all that extra time doing proper research, asking questions, only to end up with the boring story?
Look, its simple: list the first ten celebrities you can think of, then ask if you heard of them because of talent.
Most American media thinks a Kardashian's sex life is more important to report on than what is happening in Sudan.

 

[jkmtwo]

I'm all for bashing the media but I ask again.....how do you people know this is American? How do you know its the media?

Answers would look like this

This is such and such media group located in fill in the blank

 

[jkmtwo]

NMA

Its apparent that many here would rather do the very same thing they accuse the US media of doing I.e. not looking for the facts and not jumping to the easiest conclusions.

Because after all
"Why does the US media lie....."
Sounds better than
"Why are 2 international reporters lying....."

 

[warlike36]

This is nothing....watch this. Zeitgeist: The Movie - 2007 by Peter Joseph on Vimeo I dare you !

 

[AttyPops]

Please. You're point about that particular link is fine. However, please don't even start to say that a thread titled "Why does the US media lie" can't be responded to with opinions of the US media in general.... regardless of a link to one particular story.

I'll bet I can find several US media stories on e-cigs that would warrant this thread. Even if the OP erred on that particular link. Also, the points regarding media are happening everywhere (and always have to one extent or another). Although I think it varies in degree by country.