The benefits of a pinch of O'Reilly in a diet of Olbermann

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The benefits of a pinch of O'Reilly in a diet of Olbermann

Timothy J. McNulty

From the Public Editor

August 1, 2008

For all the potential of the Internet, there are times when I consider it a cesspool of misinformation, ignorant opinion and faked imagery. I also find it confusing and untrustworthy.

Then someone reminds me how valuable it is to have checks and balances, not only on the government but also on the media. They remind me how glorious it is to enjoy another worldview and to examine what we think through others' eyes.

A group of college students from the Middle East and North Africa visited the editorial board this week, and the conversation turned to how the Internet has made it easier to discover information that differs from official versions of events reported in their countries' news media.

Despite a relaxation of censorship in recent years in many countries, including Syria, Egypt and Morocco, governments and political parties that control the media still retain control over criticism. Knowledge is power, they understand.

"I don't trust audiovisual, it just hypnotizes you," said one young woman. "It gives you what the government wants you to know." She thinks governments and media in her region have become more sophisticated and that their propaganda is presented in a "prettier" form.

On the same day the students spoke, China and the International Olympic Committee acknowledged that foreign reporters attending the games are subject to the same Internet restrictions as Chinese citizens. Beijing is blocking access to Web sites that the government considers contrary toits interests.

Limiting access to information is routine around the world. Readers and viewers complain about bias in the American media, but there is at least a general, base-level trust that the media isn't plain-out lying. It's one thing to say that editorials are too conservative and reporters too liberal—it's another to believe that there is a conspiracy to deceive. There are, of course, the goofs who see conspiracy in everything, but I'm not talking about them.

In case Americans are tempted to be smug about repressive governments, it's worthwhile to look at our own media and review the amount of news and how it is presented.

The students, for instance, were amazed that politicians and media here talk about "Islamic terrorists" or "extremists," who they consider to be simply terrorists. There's nothing Islamic about them, said one student in the group, which was sponsored by a State Department program and Benedictine University in Lisle. He said it is ignorant to call them that because they are terrorizing Muslims as well.

Yet on that topic and many others, there is uniformity in many news reports. We become accustomed to using the same words, adopting the language of government officials and business leaders. We too readily accept the spin or framework they impose on policy and politics, a shorthand that is often inaccurate.

You may be surprised by the polite but blunt talk and interviews of the BBC or Canadian Broadcasting, just to cite two English-language outlets that routinely challenge official versions. Comparing the BBC's Web site with CNN's is also constructive. The Guardian newspaper in London often has a different take on the news than most American papers. You can find another, quite rational, way of thinking at aljazeera.com.

This isn't a rant against American media. It is still vibrant and serves the citizenry as the Constitution intended, whether by bringing to light government corruption or informing people of local news and concerns. Some worry about the media being celebrity-obsessed, but the level of serious journalism remains high.

Paradoxically, even as the daunting array of information sources grows, we seek comfort by consuming narrow views that support our own interests and biases.

People tend to go to the source they most agree with, whether it's National Public Radio or Fox News. They may be fans of Keith Olbermann on MSNBC or Bill O'Reilly on Fox.

Some focus only on the blogs or Web sites that reinforce what they already believe. That audience is the choir that preachers love.

We are used to the old hierarchy of information, but along with those living under different forms of government the Internet is showing us we need to think more carefully and make our own judgments about what we see, read and hear.

Timothy J. McNulty is the Tribune's public editor. His e-mail address is tmcnulty@tribune.com.