Do Isolated Sound-bites Distort the Message?

patricia · January-18th-2006, 09:09 AM

I'm continually amazed at the effect that a line or two of not just politicians' but anyone's quotes on television particularly become the whole story.
The latest is Hillary Clinton's speech on MLK day to a predominately black crowd. She compared the Bush Administration to a plantation, as did Newt Gingrich lo those many years ago. Clinton went on to give the rest of her speech, which is not being quoted. But, on the basis of this one line, Clinton is being painted as a racist, gently, but this was the direction that the news item took.
Are we becoming a society with such a short attention span that the actual truth of what is being said is being lost?
Is there a remedy?

Dr Dave · January-18th-2006, 09:43 AM

It's hard for me to work up much steam over Senator Clinton. I've already put her in the bin marked "craven."

As to your main point, the Sound Bite exists, and will be used. It has already removed irony as a form of public discourse, which is a doggone shame, to my way of thinking.

patricia · January-18th-2006, 09:55 AM

I used the Clinton example because it was the most recent.
Do you think that because TV is a time-limited medium, that the items are edited to the point of being almost meaningless? We are reduced to listening to pundits interpret what politicians say, in their own words, rather than hearing what whoever made the speech, or was interviewed for a magizine or newspaper article actually said.
For example, we hear a speech that the President made, immediately followed by a long discourse by pundits, who regurgitate the points of the speech we and they just heard, giving it a totally different meaning. Do they think that the person, whether it's the President, or someone else, making the speech cannot present their points without interpretation?

Solo Jazz · January-18th-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patricia

...Are we becoming a society with such a short attention span that the actual truth of what is being said is being lost?
Is there a remedy?

Yes!

See, "The Dumbing-Down of America" David Bloom.

There is little, to NO, serious news analysis happening on Television; there simply isn't the interest and therefore the dollars for investing in T.V. indepth news analysis.

Thank Gawd for the Library and the Internet!

Darryl G. Thomas · January-18th-2006, 10:34 AM

Patricia,

First, concerning Clinton. One complaint I've heard from black commentators is why hasn't she been saying the same thing in the halls of Congress? Some feel she was simply playing up to a black audience on King's holiday. In otherwords she playing a political angle.

As for sound bites, that's just the way things flow these days. Some of us are old enough to remember when local and network news weren't expected to make a profit. Now they do so you have infotainment instead of news.

Scott Dolan · January-18th-2006, 10:51 AM

Watch C-SPAN, and C-SPAN2.

Get the news before it's the news.

Particia, you are correct. Quotes taken out of context are the bread and butter of the media. Right, left, or "independent". That's why I have completely given up on all of them.

I try to read more foreign press so that I can get a different take.

patricia · January-18th-2006, 11:03 AM

I am continually amazed by the numbers of people who get their news from television, which is becoming more and more tabloid and less and less a serious source. It is entertainment, more than a place that any expansive information can be had, for the most part. People's attention span seems to be that of a gnat. It is depressing that so many people care so little about what the truth is. They seem too lazy, or disinterested to actually read a variety of newspapers and periodicals, including the foreign press, forming their opinion on what they read.
I think that the politicians they have are a result of this apparent need to give decisions over to politicians who may or may not have the general public's interests at heart. People seem to want a paternal government, rather than a truly participitory one, in which their voices are heard.

rollhead · January-18th-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

It's hard for me to work up much steam over Senator Clinton. I've already put her in the bin marked "craven."

I have seen her in the courtroom, and the last thing you can do is call her "craven." She is a fearless, highly intellegent and always well prepared advocate.

As far as her being labeled a racist, who is doing the labelling?

Thomas Sowell? The Heritage Foundation?

And as far as her plantation comment goes, it is my opinion that the comment was generous. At least on a plantation, there would be an effort to save the labor source in case of a flood.

rollhead · January-18th-2006, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

.

I try to read more foreign press so that I can get a different take.

I can just see Le Monde on Scotty's nightstand.

Scott Dolan · January-18th-2006, 11:49 AM

It must suck to be so angry, so old, and so hopeless.

I am hereby going to start calling you Bleaker. You're like the dark, angry, long lost brother of our beloved Beaker.

rollhead · January-18th-2006, 11:55 AM

Who would have thunk that our Scotty was reading one of those sissy Frenchy newspapers?

You want Freedom Fries with your double espresso, Scotty?

Scott Dolan · January-18th-2006, 11:58 AM

*sigh*

You really should work on your chumming "skills" a lot more. My 5 year old could have come up with better.

Tom Storer · January-18th-2006, 12:13 PM

PATRICIA AND DR. DAVE CLASH OVER CLINTON

Canadian defends New York senator on racism charges; "carpetbagger" says Clinton is coward

**************

THOMAS SLAMS INFOTAINMENT

**************

DOLAN EMBROILED IN FRANCOPHILIA SCANDAL

Scott Dolan · January-18th-2006, 12:43 PM

Mo Noyz: "As Mr. Dolan's spokesman I would like to say that we strongly deny the charges leveled by Storer Media. Beyond that, we have no further comment".

bluenoter · January-18th-2006, 01:07 PM

ALLEGED FRANCOPHILE DOLAN RESIGNS FROM JC

Mr. Dolan stated that he was leaving JC to "pursue new opportunities" and "spend more time with his family."

Monte Smith · January-18th-2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solo Jazz

See, "The Dumbing-Down of America" David Bloom.

Is there any such book or author? Are you thinking of Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind? That's a good book, but it's not about the mainstream media, but students and the university.

Scott Dolan · January-18th-2006, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluenoter

ALLEGED FRANCOPHILE DOLAN RESIGNS FROM JC

Mr. Dolan stated that he was leaving JC to "pursue new opportunities" and "spend more time with his family."

Mo Noyz: "Mr. Dolan would like to once again state that the allegations of his Francophilia are being grossly overstated by Storer Media, as well as deny the new allegations coming from the D.C. tabloid Capital Hill Bluenoter that he is resigning. He will be making a public statement later this afternoon to address this foolishness."

bluenoter · January-18th-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte Smith

Is there any such book or author? Are you thinking of Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind? That's a good book, but it's not about the mainstream media, but students and the university.

Solo Jazz may have been thinking of David Brooks, but I don't see a Dumbing Down of America book by him either.

bluenoter · January-18th-2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

the D.C. tabloid Capital Hill Bluenoter

That worthless, sensationalistic rag? It can't even spell its own name right.

(Washington, DC is the nation's capital; the Capitol building is on Capitol Hill.)

Tom Storer · January-19th-2006, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Mo Noyz: "Mr. Dolan would like to once again state that the allegations of his Francophilia are being grossly overstated by Storer Media, as well as deny the new allegations coming from the D.C. tabloid Capital Hill Bluenoter that he is resigning. He will be making a public statement later this afternoon to address this foolishness."

RESIGNATION RUMORS CONTINUE; EMBATTLED DOLAN LASHES OUT AT STORER, BLUENOTER

rollhead · January-19th-2006, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

He will be making a public statement later this afternoon to address this foolishness."

"Zee Rumours that I am a Francophile are compleeeeetely false!"

Monte Smith · January-19th-2006, 09:10 AM

Here, Dolan. You could probably use a new avatar:

Scott Dolan · January-19th-2006, 11:12 AM

Mo Noyz: "Mr. Dolan has temporarily left the country on a previously scheduled trip. He wanted me to make it clear that he is in no way running from this scandal, which he finds preposterous, and hopes that we will be able to get everything cleared up upon his return. He also had another message that decency laws preclude me from passing along to you. When I informed Mr. Dolan of this, he said "tell them to use their imagination, hahahahahahaha.........."