ABC's presidential debate was just a symptom of a larger problem.
Demand a new kind of political reporting! One that goes beyond theatrics and "gotcha" questions and answers. We want political reporting that isn't composed mostly of innuendo and simplistic narratives but, instead, is educational, analytical, and thought-provoking. It's time to let members of the US News Media know that we want a new tone.
This petition will go directly to all major media outlets!
ABC's presidential debate was just a symptom of a larger problem.
Demand a new kind of political reporting! One that goes beyond theatrics and "gotcha" questions and answers. We want political reporting that isn't composed mostly of innuendo and simplistic narratives but, instead, is educational, analytical, and thought-provoking. It's time to let members of the US News Media know that we want a new tone.
This petition will go directly to all major media outlets!
Dear Press Corps,
ABC's presidential debate epitomized many of the problems that we, the people, have with how news gets reported. So, we are demanding a new kind of political reporting. One that goes beyond theatrics and "gotcha" questions and answers. We want political reporting that isn't composed mostly of innuendo and simplistic narratives but, instead, is educational, analytical, and thought-provoking. You seem to think that real political issues are boring and impersonal. We think that these issues deeply affect us. And it's not the issues that are banal but it's the way they're often reported that makes them seem so. They're reported as if they have no relevant impact. As if they're only footballs being tossed back and forth between two teams and as if the only winners and losers are those that are directly playing the game. The American people are being treated as cheerleaders and observers. But the reality is that, at this point, we are the real losers of this game. So, we want it to end.
We want the egregious personality-based politics that were exemplified by the first half of the recent ABC presidential debate to be replaced with a politics that directly connects someone's positions with his/her principles. Rather than observing how well presidential candidates can spin their ways out of superficial conflicts, we want to see how well they can explicate their approaches to meaningful issues. We want fewer opportunities for talking points and more opportunities for logical and in-depth explanations (the word "why?", for example, can be quite useful once in a while). Thinking and explaining takes time; we know that. So, we want you to replace the time you take covering our reactions to controversies created by you with coverage of thoughtful responses to complex questions. Many of us are actually smarter than you think. Now, you need to prove that you are actually smarter than we think.
11:57 am PDT, Apr 25,Timothy Ridge, New Jersey
Presidential Debates should be about issues. Questions should be aimed at drawing differences between the policy positions of the candidates, NOT pompous quibbling over minor gaffes. We are trying to choose the President of the United States, not the next american idol.
# 132:
10:55 am PDT, Apr 25,Karl Keene, Minnesota
Enough of the Bittergates, the Tuzlas, and the Rev. Wrights! Please focus on issues that really effect Americans.
# 131:
10:45 am PDT, Apr 25,Name not displayed, California
We want facts and research. We have our own opinions.
# 130:
10:38 am PDT, Apr 25,Shannon Stewart, Washington
The US news media seem to be getting better at bizarre spin than the Clinton machine. I really can't take it anymore, when I realized it was like watching FOX news all day I just started turning it off. Seems they are all competing with FOX to be Terry McCauliffe's fair and balanced network of choice.
# 129:
10:22 am PDT, Apr 25,Hjamil Martinez-Vazquez, Texas
# 128:
10:18 am PDT, Apr 25,Ben McKinley, Colorado
The media needs to stop being so fearful of someone who does not kiss up to their corporate ownership and sponsorship. Put the needs of the people in front of the all might dollar for once! Stop the biased reporting. What ever happened to journalistic ethics.
# 127:
10:17 am PDT, Apr 25,Paul Petschek, California
We are a lot more intelligent than you seem to think we are. We know perfectly well when we see spin. We are hurt by it and we are frustrated. You could even say we are "bitter".
Unfortunately, there have been not a lot of ways for us to express our frustration. Even most of our political representatives have not listened. Certainly you do not seem to listen.
We get our news increasingly from sources that we trust, like the Internet, where there is not such a huge filter placed over our news, where there is not such a bias.
Who is it that convinced you that the mass American audience was as rightwing as you seem to think? Why the rightwingers, of course! And so you continue to reflect that.
If you look carefully at the principles on which this country was founded and which still are the greatest source for what makes this country great, they are not nearly so conservative. You could even call them "liberal".
Be careful what you do. Remember the reaction to the ABC debates. Keep an eye to a declining and angry viewership. We will boycott you, we will turn elsewhere, we will find our legitimate news wherever we can find it, we will organize, and we will have our free country according to our rights as free Americans.
I suggest you get with that program, and return the news to a fairness that is palpable, and you will experience more success.
Sincerely,
Paul Petschek
# 126:
10:15 am PDT, Apr 25,Nancy Tenbusch, Illinois
Let's go back to reporting news. Stop with the propaganda targeted toward idiots. I won't even watch you any longer. C-Span is the only true news outlet left in America. For shame~
# 125:
10:12 am PDT, Apr 25,Name not displayed, Massachusetts
# 124:
9:49 am PDT, Apr 25,James Lambert, Michigan
My god, the television and much of the print media in the United States is just reprehensibly shameless. Chris Matthews is a disgrace; Tim Russert usually appears ignorant; Joe Scarborough is a hack who can't be taken seriously. Good grief, if members of the television media actually respect America, have a shred of patriotism, every one of them should quit and let someone competent be hired.
Disgraceful.
# 123:
9:40 am PDT, Apr 25,Kimberly Finkbeiner, Pennsylvania
We don't want any more personal attacks on Presidential candidates, or trying to frame the narrative for the public about how to think or vote. I will not watch cable news until you change your ways, and that is a wave that is sweeping across the nation right now, so listen to your viewers or suffer the consequences in your ratings and wallet (which we know is ALL you care about anyway). We want news for thinking adults -- not juvenile,prejudiced, undereducated sheep.
# 122:
9:38 am PDT, Apr 25,Betty Bruton, North Carolina
We need the media to report the news and not add their personal opinion all the time. The media will be who elects the president, not the American people. Some in the media report things and later try to correct them, but the damaage has been done. The media will continue to bring up issues that we in the public have moved forward and then we have several news cycles reporting things that don't matter. The last debate was a sorry event. Questions were asked that didn't amount to a hill of beans and issues we are concerned about such as high food prices, Iraq was, gas prices, housing, insurance, etc. , were not discussed. This is terrible.
# 121:
9:29 am PDT, Apr 25,Lynda THurman, Tennessee
MSNBC has gone to far with their evening broadcast. THey are blatantly racists. What they say is very offensive to me personally.
# 120:
9:24 am PDT, Apr 25,Sowmya Nagesh, Illinois
# 119:
5:59 pm PDT, Apr 24,Ken Skead, Washington
# 118:
10:15 am PDT, Apr 24,James Cowen, Texas
Focusing on trivial, childish, questions, (The ABC "debate" being a perfect example) is both insulting to the public and extremely unpatriotic. True patriots understand how open, honest, factual questions about the future of our country will help us pick the best leader. Trivial and snide questions will do the opposite. It's a proven fact.
# 117:
7:28 am PDT, Apr 22,Nancy Simon, Illinois
# 116:
8:15 am PDT, Apr 21,Dorien Zaricor, Illinois
Report on the issues. It is time for the press and the candidates to stop acting like children and get on with the business of talking about the real issues and reporting on real issues.
# 115:
9:32 pm PDT, Apr 20,Dorothea Gibbs, North Carolina
# 114:
1:37 pm PDT, Apr 20,Bill McGlone, Connecticut
# 113:
5:31 pm PDT, Apr 19,Steve Woodruff, Illinois
# 112:
1:57 pm PDT, Apr 19,Guinn Berger, Michigan
We want a new tone!
All this trivializing of the election is causing you to lose the public's respect - and, more to the point, ratings. Get with the issues, or get looking for the new jobs you'll need when the viewers tune you out.
# 111:
10:01 am PDT, Apr 19,Name not displayed, Texas
Please, just stick to the "real issues". Health Care, Unemployment, and Education.
# 110:
10:55 pm PDT, Apr 18,Bonnie Kimble, Nebraska
May I suggest that every reporter and anchor in every newroom should read Glenn Greenwald's latest book? It explains, in precise, irrefutable detail exactly what has happened to political reporting in the last 25 years. Ed Morrow is twirling in his grave.
# 109:
8:40 pm PDT, Apr 18,Irene Holthaus, Florida
# 108:
8:40 pm PDT, Apr 18,Gary Marlow, Ohio
# 107:
8:01 pm PDT, Apr 18,Norman Levine, New York
It's time to get some serious discussion about the things and changes that our country needs. When you have a debate, why deal with gotcha's?
# 106:
3:42 pm PDT, Apr 18,Celeste Smith, North Carolina
When George said today that his questions were legitimate - I nearly choked. Bring back the league of women voters to moderate.
# 105:
3:08 pm PDT, Apr 18,Penny Scott, Illinois
# 104:
2:31 pm PDT, Apr 18,Ray Johnson, Washington
the debate thing was so irrelevant,ABC/NBC/CBS have been dead and gone for years...they are just so out of touch and are a total waste of time...George and Charlie should be brought up on charges. RJohnson/Mercer Island WA
# 103:
2:25 pm PDT, Apr 18,Kathy Madden, Colorado
Whatever happened to 'real' journalism? That was undoubtedly the worst moderation of a debate I've ever seen. George and John should have to give their press passes back.
# 102:
2:01 pm PDT, Apr 18,Name not displayed, Washington
The corporate news is getting pretty ridiculous.
# 101:
1:47 pm PDT, Apr 18,Pat Lenzo, Kansas
The questions asked at the recent ABC presidential "debate" were an insult to the viewers. As I've gone about my daily routine here in rural/small town mid-america, I've never once heard anyone mention either Paris Hilton or Brittany Spears - only TV "news". We're actually interested in ideas, and we're even capable of deciding what we think. I'd appreciate it if the media would contribute....
