It is no secret to the general public that the media often makes mistakes. Even in the most credible of news organizations, things can go horribly awry. Just ask Dan Rather and the entire CBS news organization about their troubles with questionable documents this past week.
Bluntly said, the media -- print, broadcast or otherwise -- is not perfect, and consumers should always keep that in mind.
There is no such thing as a truly objective view to a story, nor is there a way to ensure that every last word heard or read in the world is absolutely 100 percent true. What the general public sees is a gathering of strong talent, best efforts and true dedication; the combination of which usually lead to a near-flawless attempt at bringing the world home to consumers' living rooms.
But just with any other profession, sometimes things are not always what they seem.
It is for this very reason that the latest round of problems facing a major new organization should be taken to heart by everyone, not just those who work in the field.
In any election, millions of dollars and man hours are spent on one main goal: not to sway votes, but to have them casted period. This brings forth a gigantic tidal wave of information, debate, propaganda and beloved political mudslinging.
Most of the time the media avoids it; sometimes it cannot.
Such appears to have been the case for Mr. Rather and his coworkers -- caught in the midst of a political battle in one of the tightest elections this country has seen in some time. A battle intended to sway the public in one direction or another, attempting to prove one candidate better than the next.
We, as Americans, have decisions to make on a daily basis... every four years, we are enabled a large decision, one that affects the future of the very country in which we live. As part of our civic duties, citizens are given a right to vote; however, it is assumed that said vote will be casted with knowledge, not blindly.
The media holds up one end of the bargain: helping to inform (hopefully not persuade) citizens on the issues, the candidates and anything else in between. However, there other side of the bargain lies in the voter's hands: sorting the information out for what it is worth.
We would like to believe that everything we see and hear in the world today is true, but as we age we learn that such is not the case. Citizens can be journalists themselves: gathering, sorting and analyzing information and utilizing it to its potential worth; nothing more, nothing less.
Take the information you are given, but never trust it beyond a reasonable doubt.
Because there are always two sides to every story.
*Just ask Mr. Rather.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
