Kort Explores conundrums of the human condition

Facts? What facts?

The Television news media loudly claims to be our "number one source of news and information". Just what, in the mass media's opinion, is important to us? In "Democracy and the Problem of Free Speech", Cass Sunstein provides some disturbing statistics and indications.

In 1949, the FCC held that the role of broadcasting was "the development of an informed public opinion through the dissemination of news and ideas concerning the vital public issues of the day."

In contrast, Mark Fowler, FCC Chairman during the 1980's stated: "It was time to move away from thinking about broadcasters as trustees. It was time to treat them the way almost everyone else in society does - that is, as businesses. Television is just another appliance. It's a toaster with pictures."

During the 1988 election, 60% of press coverage dealt with who was leading the race on a day-to-day basis with only 30% focusing on substantive issues and qualifications. 75% of CBS coverage of the 1988 "Super Tuesday" primaries dealt with these horse race issues, while only 9% of the comments had substance.

Overall, according to one study that examined more than 7500 broadcast and print stories, less than 10% of the political stories were on policy issues and less than 20% were on candidate qualifications, while more than 36% were again "horse-race" oriented. Similarly, network broadcasts presenting uninterrupted blocks of speech from presidential candidates averaged about 9.8 seconds, down from 42.3 seconds in 1968.

Considering that television is the primary news source of most semiliterate voters, is it any wonder that such low grade politicians get elected? It has been rightly said that both the key to a healthy democracy and the greatest danger to totalitarianism is an educated and informed electorate. The future of democracy in America is directly threatened by the failures of its schools and news media.