By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Whatever happened to the sanctity of the evening news? There was a time when, hovered over a radio or a television set, a whole family got its accurate and reliable news of the day, both local and international. "Those were the days my friend -" but that was a long, long time ago. Today with a myriad news sources, audio, visual, online, or the press, facts are buried under a debris of personal bias, spin, tall-tales, half-truths, comedy and entertainment. What is a poor news addict to do? When one Ted Turner of Atlanta, wondering what to do with his many millions, came upon the idea of establishing a 24-hour Cable News Network -- he changed the concept, look, style, and fate of journalism. In June 1980, millions were hooked by the lure of continuous news, despite the fact that the same piece of news was repeated over and over again, ad infinitum, we still could not get enough. Now we have endless news networks in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. What we do not have, is the truth. Depending on management or personal views, the television media reveals or conceals what it sees fit. The written press has long been guilty of the same. Once subtle and undetected, media bias, has now become crystal clear to the public. In turn, the public has shown its disapproval and its contempt by switching channels or cancelling subscriptions. Why, the bewildered media asks are they now losing ground? The answers are multi-fold. There is an evident lack of understanding of the issues, coupled by a personal bias by the reporter or the news organisation. One has only to watch, or read about the Arab-Israeli conflict to encounter extreme views. Israel is always portrayed as taking the high road, while Palestinians are no more than evil rogues, committing crimes and creating havoc. The beneficiary is always Israel. The viewer or reader who hopes to get information from trusted correspondents and knowledgeable analysts ends up in a state of confusion. Mistrust slowly creeps in, rising with every biased account. In an era of instant satellite communication and an insatiable desire for fact and analysis, news organizations carry a far greater responsibility for accuracy. That, sadly is constantly ignored. No doubt it is a challenge to assemble a complete, coherent, accurate and impartial picture, but they cannot or will not meet the challenge. Instead, they follow an agenda which dictates the process, the analysis and the final picture. What about Credibility? Accuracy? Ethics? Minor matters! The danger is significant, because it results in the media providing the knowledge and understanding of any given issue regardless of the truth. A study conducted in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, showed a definite correlation between the public and the media's views. That is stepping perilously in "Big Brother" territory. A case in point is the recent US election campaigns. With its lopsided liberal coverage of the presidential election, the media demonstrated an alarming phenomenon, leaving the viewer bothered and bewildered. The prestigious Pew Research Centre concluded that the media has "tilted dangerously to the left." McCain and Palin "got hosed in by the Press," while Obama was given a smooth ride to the White House. Michael S. Malone of ABC news, writes: "The traditional media are playing a very, very, dangerous game with their readers, with the Constitution and with their own fates." In a recent University of Indiana study, participants found that the media has betrayed the public who feel they can no longer trust journalists. One McCain strategist put it best: "The cake was baked for McCain's defeat, and the media has provided the flour, the frosting, and the candles." Following the one-sided reporting of the elections, some conscientious journalists, awoke from their slumber, beating their chests and crying "mia culpa." "The sheer bias in print and the TV coverage, is not just bewildering, it's appalling," wrote Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post, who all but admitted that after declining public financing, Obama practically bought the election with his "infomercial," and the press gave him another pass on it. McCain would have been shredded to bits. If the mainstream media gave Obama so many passes as a candidate, how much leverage are they willing to give him as President. Tracking media bias over the last 10 years, The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, has seen that every news organizations or program, "watched its credibility marks decline." CNN credibility has fallen 30 per cent - although it is supposedly "the most trusted name in news." No more! Moreover all the top 12 American news outlets and newspapers, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and the NY Times, have steadily lost viewership and subscriptions. Newspapers lose 2-3 per cent every six months since the year 2000, and networks have lost one million viewers every year for the last 25 years. Some self-examination is urgent to help raise journalists from the mire. Only by avoiding errors, bias, misinformation and fabrication, can they hope to regain the public trust. This leaves a major responsibility on the shoulders of the public who have to remain alert, detecting false and biased reporting, and holding the culprits responsible. Justice for all is still everyone's hope in order to survive in a civilised society. Fighting injustice is every citizen's duty even if it is against an overwhelming powerful press. It is encouraging to witness the reckoning and repentance some members of the media are going through. Once feared and revered they seek to regain their relevance and credibility. The public has turned against them for their shabby and unabashed attacks, especially on women like Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Why, even the White House Scottish terrier "Barney" made his feelings known by biting the finger of one journalist. He showed more courage than most of us! I fear three newspapers more than one hundred bayonets Napoleon I (1769 -- 1821)
