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Health & Fitness

Art Imitating Life?

HBO's new show just might make you look differently at "The News"

 If you haven't seen it yet, HBO has another great show in it's arsenal. It's called "The Newsroom" and it is an eyeopening overview on how the news is produced. It debuted this year to somewhat mixed reviews, but its audience grew steadily enough for it to get picked up for a second season.

The premise of the show is basically how a Republican newscaster (Jeff Daniels) decides to present real life stories on his broadcast. Most of the major stories of the last 2 years have been covered. (Deep Water Horizon-The Debt Ceiling Crisis-Casey Anthony-The death of Osama Bin Laden) What I find fascinating about the show is that even though he is a Republican, Daniels character often goes after the more extreme Tea Party members of his own Party. Also the news is not always presented as just the story. Daniels and the members of his team decide beforehand which way they want to take the story, and then try to finds facts to back that presentation. I guess in other words, the story the viewer sees, isn't necessarily the story.

We all know there are certain stations that are "Just for Republicans"(FOX News)  and certain ones that are "Just for Democrats" (NBC). And there are certain newspapers that are liberal (That rag The Globe...take a joke) and conservative (The Herald? I mean did anyone EVER think the Herald could be called conservative?). The news dominates how we see things or how we want to see things.

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Last night's debate between Ryan and Biden is a perfect example. To be honest I saw it as a draw. Maybe Biden wins if he wasn't up there acting like a teenage girl at a One Direction concert. However this morning I read the news and find out a poll says that Ryan won. Another site swears their poll says Biden won. Not really a shock knowing how different sites like to spin the news.

What is shocking to me is how little data,"The News", is using to back their claims. No poll that I saw this morning had more than 431 people polled. Is that all it takes to scream a headline in a nation of over 300 million? I mean don't we all deserve more? I mean who did they poll? The people at McDonalds Drive Thru at 11pm last night? I'm busy, I work way to much and sleep way to little. I admit my attention span for the news ebbs and flows depending on the story. So when I see a poll, I don't often look at the number of people polled. Have you ever been polled? I haven't, and I don't even know anyone who has. Do you or have you? Polls are a foolish waste of time and an incredible waste of money, our money, the taxpayers. I mean if I start a poll and ask 431 people "Do you think Mitt Romney prefers red bikini underwear?". I show that 37 percent say yes, 30 percent say no and 33 percent ask me if I'm on the Howard Stern show. Can I say the nation believes Mitt Romney prefers red bikini underwear unequivocably? That's the logic behind polling.

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As in "The Newsroom" most news shows are owned by larger parent corporations that have a vested interest in slanting the news. Obviously they want winners in elections that will further enhance their finances. They scream numbers that may not be factually correct in order to incite one candidates followers, or discourage another's. No spin...ya right! The broadcasters themselves are to be as trusted as much as the politicians.

I know I'm not telling you much you didn't already know. The Patch has many informed contributors from both sides of the aisle. (Jim Hatherly, Jim O'Connor, Ben Jackson, Chris L and Ed Bertorelli...I like to get in there as well) I just hope that ALL Americans remember that your vote does count. And don't let yourself get bullied out of it because someone says your candidate has no shot. Go vote and be counted, remember Dewey beats Truman?

Watch "The Newsroom" it definitely will open your eyes and your intellect as to what you are seeing on your evening news. It's just great television too!

I hope everyone votes November 6th. This nation needs it's people to step up and say enough is enough to all these hacks. All of us are "We the People..." and we all need a lot better than what we have gotten!

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