Mainstream media continues to resemble a slowly drying up, pollution filled, filthy little creek instead of being the massive conduit for valuable news and information it is supposed to be.
For quite some time now, actually years, I've railed in this space and elsewhere about the mighty disservice major media has been doing us all.
The solemn duty that rests upon the shoulders of news organizations is simply not one to take lightly. Not when you have a municipality as dysfunctional as Baltimore City. Not when you have a police department that's now only solving about 25% of the murders taking place.
Intensifying Assault
The attacks were initially subtle, but in passing weeks, after witnessing the ongoing insult on the intelligence of it's readers, I've had to ramp up my attacks on The Baltimore Sun. A literal shadow of it's former self, as darkness descends upon the media scene and a once mighty beacon guiding us to safety and alerting us to danger, has now lost its own way.
Honestly, I hope someone over there begins to get the message and gets a clue as to why subscriptions continue to be cancelled, and less and less people are paying to see their information online.
Bread And Circuses Revisited
Earlier I spoke of sports and Twinkies being the modern day bread and circuses. It holds more true each day than ever before. For every in depth, hard hitting, investigative expose Baltimore Sun publishes, two or three sports and entertainment fluff stories is guaranteed to bury them into obscurity.
You Can't Blame The Youth
While the average Baltimore Sun reporter these days, is likely to be 20 something years old, I'm not sure if this is to blame for the misdirection we're continually tugged in. These guys are supposed to be the leaders of local media, the future!
It takes continually effort to not look down on the well meaning staffers, many of them recent graduates of well known journalism programs. On the other hand, its hard not to think, they've worked in the news business, for less time than I've had a drivers license.
Maybe there's hope for them as they mature and gain experience.
Pit bulls Are People Too!
The brainstorming involved the latest line of new media ventures at MacArthur Media has led me to be more cynical than ever.
For young people to be naive and lack perspective is one thing, but for Baltimore Sun featured columnist, Dan Rodricks -- who's probably older than me -- to cling to myth and fallacy as often as he does, is quite perplexing.
In an ongoing vendetta, based on mistruths, rumors, urban legends and just plain old lies, the people of Baltimore have been subject to Mr. Rodricks spewing of incessant hatred towards what is an All American family dog.Things would be bad enough if Mr. Rodricks were simply found only twice a week in a publication often used as fish wrapper, bird cage lining, and table top protection to facilitate easy cleanup after crab feasts.
Your Tax Dollars At Work
Public radio like WYPR, where Mr. Rodricks has a daily radio show, is funded in part by various government grants, set asides, and of course, massive tax breaks garnered from non-profit status.
For a government that's supposed to be moving Maryland forward, it's kind of scary that "we the people," are paying part of Mr. Rodricks salary as he tosses aside all evidence and promulgate and perpetuate a tired line with little factual basis. Pit bulls are dangerous says Mr. Rodricks.
No, pit bulls aren't dangerous per say. It's often the people who own them that are irresponsible that bring about a threatening menace to the community. In many ways, not much different that the irresponsible media work and "journalism" of Dan Rodricks.
