THE MARSHALL REPORT

Watching the media build up and tear down is no longer amusing. It is very, very dysfunctional and shows “we the people” just what a sad state of affairs our nation is in. Somewhere along the line the real news went out the window and commentary (opinion) based news took over. No longer left for the daily columns in the News Papers it is now all over the front page. Or was it that way all along and today they just quit hiding? Have they just simply all come out into plain sight?

Looking back into the news archives, I have to admit it has always been misreported. Yet, unknowingly to most hard line reporters of old. For it is no different than a business owner taking his business records to an accountant. If he brings false records, false records are recorded. They have an old saying for that…”Garbage in, garbage out”.

That being said, the hard lined reporters of old who played by the book and double checked every word, making sure every quote was correct and no bias was interjected before laying their report on the editors desk for approval, have all but died off.

Commentary has its place. We all love to hear an issue intelligently debated. But smear and trashing always leaves a bad taste in the mouth and angers those who like the one being trashed. Elections bring out the best of these emotions and the best of smear and bad taste.

It would be a thought to warn everyone at the beginning of each campaign and perhaps at the beginning of each cable news program – “what they are about to hear may be upsetting – continue at your own risk”……then they could end the program by playing the old song made popular by the Shirelles – “Tonight’s the night….will you still love me tomorrow?”