Olbermann, O'Reilly, etc

[Udog]

Do you think shows like Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The O'Reilly Factor have any value? Can you be a more educated voter and citizen by watching them? If you are looking for a balanced view of the candidates, is it worth watching both of them?

[Jack Flak]

They are a pure and total disgrace. Some people take their garbage for truth.

[Risen]

I like Glenn Beck personally. He's been right on the important issues since the days when he only had a radio show. By and far talk radio has a much better grip on reality than anything you'll find on t.v. Not surprising, most of it is also "conservative".

[ajblaise]

They are what the market wants apparently. It's news for a more "broad" market.

[Anja]

I dunno. I listen to a little bit of everything. I like to find both sides and hear the perspective.

I did Rush faithfully for about five years. It was my big laugh for the day.

(I still listen to the ersatz Dr. Laura now and then just because I get a perverse delight in listening to her try to shame people well. There no accounting for what people consider entertainment.)

Does it influence me? Probably in a steady dose it can.

[Jeffster]

If it's entertaining to you, then it has value.

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by Risen

I like Glenn Beck personally. He's been right on the important issues since the days when he only had a radio show.

Yeah. Like when he called the transgender kid out west a "freak boy" on the air, among other crappy things. Just wonderful stuff, you know.

You know, I hate all every one of these "entertainers" who pretends to be the voice of "real news." In actuality, they're just stirring up their particular constituents, and basically in order to make a living like everyone else; and I usually recognize them by their lack of respect for those they either disagree with or see as easy targets.

Thus I ignore them all.

Originally Posted by Jeffster

If it's entertaining to you, then it has value.

If people just recognized it as "entertainment," I could laugh at it.
Unfortunately in our culture it passes for critical thinking.

[pure_mercury]

They all suck, but this is America. You can't muffle the voices of the stupid.

[Risen]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

Yeah. Like when he called the transgender kid out west a "freak boy" on the air, among other crappy things. Just wonderful stuff, you know.

Meh. He's said a lot of stupid crap in his career (and everyone has), but his intentions are in the right place and he's a good source of info when it comes to the IMPORTANT issues. The rest will of course be mired in "entertainment", because everyone on the airwaves or cable need to attract as many people as possible in order to keep the show going, and continue to deliver information to people. You can't gripe about how they all try to incorporate entertainment aspects because that's the only way they'll stay in business for goodness sake. Yet, that doesn't mean their prime directive is to entertain. For many, it is to INFORM people.

[Enyo]

Originally Posted by Risen

I like Glenn Beck personally. He's been right on the important issues since the days when he only had a radio show. By and far talk radio has a much better grip on reality than anything you'll find on t.v. Not surprising, most of it is also "conservative".

Oh, I love Glenn Beck, myself. But I like to balance him with Jon Stewart.

I don't care for a lot of GB's views that are influenced by his religion, though. (Abortion, homosexuality, etc.)