Tucker Carlson – The Last Word
If you are not Tucker Carlson, please shut up.
Typical of the MSM ‘brand’ of ‘reporting’, the avalanche of stories about the sudden ouster of cable’s Heavyweight Champ is littered – no, loaded – no, larded up with all the usual suspects and everyone knows their names: Anonymous Source, A FOX News source, 8 Other Sources, Someone Close to the Situation, People Familiar With The Matter, Someone Unable to Speak Publicly, A Friend Who Wants To Remain Anonymous, A Source Briefed on the Situation. Their (alleged) insistence to be ‘off the record’ instantly imposes a guarantee of low-octane credibility.
“Why” is the most vital component of the Who, What, When, Where, and Why formula behind news stories. News consumers want to know about Carlson’s firing, but after that’s out of the way, they want to know why. An editor either instructs his reporters to find a source who can supply the why, or he allows reporters to pepper their copy with anonymous sources because it makes it look like they’ve answered the “why.” – Jack Shafer, Politico
Since none of the scribblers from any ‘news outlet’ (including FOX) were actually there to actually witness the actual event, none can actually state factually “why”. So, in place of fact, the reader gets fiction disguised as opinion with all the meaningful content of a peeled balloon.
From rookie reporters to seasoned pundits, they all know this is the way the game is played, air time is filled, column inches are ‘populated’ and deadlines are met – but not how Truth and Fact have been served or whether Why has been answered.
“The comic thing about the conflicting anonymous accounts is while they seemed sure they knew why Carlson had been knocked off, Carlson himself is said to not know. How do we know that? From anonymous testimonies in New York magazine and Vanity Fair.”
Unless or until Carlson himself steps up, everything else is speculation built on conjecture that cuddles up with the author’s bias and the consumer’s prejudice. “A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” The Boxer, Simon & Garfunkel.
Carlson’s situation may be a voyeur’s dream, but it’s not important at any adult level meaningful to the survival of our lives, culture, country or planet.
As Carlson points out, the really important matters are “being totally ignored, like war, civil liberties, emerging science, demographic change, corporate power, natural resources. When is the last time you heard a serious debate on any of those issues?”
I’ll take “Never” for $500, Alex…
And that simple fact swings open the Opportunity Door for the MSM to put on the Big Boy pants and start that debate. You already have Why.
Typical of the MSM ‘brand’ of ‘reporting’, the avalanche of stories about the sudden ouster of cable’s Heavyweight Champ is littered – no, loaded – no, larded up with all the usual suspects and everyone knows their names: Anonymous Source, A FOX News source, 8 Other Sources, Someone Close to the Situation, People Familiar With The Matter, Someone Unable to Speak Publicly, A Friend Who Wants To Remain Anonymous, A Source Briefed on the Situation. Their (alleged) insistence to be ‘off the record’ instantly imposes a guarantee of low-octane credibility.
“Why” is the most vital component of the Who, What, When, Where, and Why formula behind news stories. News consumers want to know about Carlson’s firing, but after that’s out of the way, they want to know why. An editor either instructs his reporters to find a source who can supply the why, or he allows reporters to pepper their copy with anonymous sources because it makes it look like they’ve answered the “why.” – Jack Shafer, Politico
Since none of the scribblers from any ‘news outlet’ (including FOX) were actually there to actually witness the actual event, none can actually state factually “why”. So, in place of fact, the reader gets fiction disguised as opinion with all the meaningful content of a peeled balloon.
From rookie reporters to seasoned pundits, they all know this is the way the game is played, air time is filled, column inches are ‘populated’ and deadlines are met – but not how Truth and Fact have been served or whether Why has been answered.
“The comic thing about the conflicting anonymous accounts is while they seemed sure they knew why Carlson had been knocked off, Carlson himself is said to not know. How do we know that? From anonymous testimonies in New York magazine and Vanity Fair.”
Unless or until Carlson himself steps up, everything else is speculation built on conjecture that cuddles up with the author’s bias and the consumer’s prejudice. “A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” The Boxer, Simon & Garfunkel.
Carlson’s situation may be a voyeur’s dream, but it’s not important at any adult level meaningful to the survival of our lives, culture, country or planet.
As Carlson points out, the really important matters are “being totally ignored, like war, civil liberties, emerging science, demographic change, corporate power, natural resources. When is the last time you heard a serious debate on any of those issues?”
I’ll take “Never” for $500, Alex…
And that simple fact swings open the Opportunity Door for the MSM to put on the Big Boy pants and start that debate. You already have Why.
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