PressEthic

During a time when the bias of corporate media is raising much public discussion, it is bloggers who emerge as the full-blooded watchdogs of the 21st century. The most recent example of the altered dynamics of electronic news caught my eye this morning, when CNN aired a segment on recently declined oil prices. According to CNN, bloggers are suspecting republicans to be responsible for the drop to below $60 per barrel. After all, a positive change in oil prices would provide republicans a convenient advantage in the upcoming midterm elections.

According to a USA Today poll, much of the nation appears to share the bloggers’ suspicions: 42% of about 1000 participants believed the Bush administration to have “deliberately manipulated the price of gasoline so that it would decrease before this fall’s elections.”

Writers for conservative web sites have already launched an offensive. After hearing the CNN segment I went online to locate some of the original conspiracy theorists, but interestingly was greeted with a long list of links to republican blogs shouting about the ridiculousness of these accusations.

According to newsbusters.org, CNN’s report was yet another example of liberal slant in the media:

”For the third time in less then a month, CNN has aired a report investigating the connection between falling gas prices and the GOP’s fortunes in the looming fall election. This time, "American Morning" reporter Ali Velshi looked into the conspiracy theory that oil companies are trying to help Republicans by dropping prices. Co-Anchor Soledad O’Brien teased the report…”

The Business and Media Enterprise was breathing on CNN’s neck already in mid-September, when a republican oil price conspiracy was first brought up in ‘The Situation Room.’

” Cafferty shoots from the lip often enough as a CNN host, but on the August 30 edition of that network’s “Situation Room,” he outdid himself. After a story about how gas prices might get close to $2 by Thanksgiving, Cafferty grabbed his tinfoil hat and came up with his own conspiracy theory. “You know, if you were a real cynic, you could also wonder if the oil companies might not be pulling the price of gas down to help the Republicans get re-elected in the midterm elections a couple of months away,” he ranted.

He ended the segment with another dig at Big Oil. “The interesting thing to watch on that story about gas prices is what happens to them right after the midterms,” he added.

An international conspiracy involving our government and evil oil companies? Sounds like the plot for “Syriana.” George Clooney won an Oscar for his role in that agitprop flick that depicted oil company villains in league with manipulative CIA operatives.

Only Cafferty wasn’t in “Syriana” and this wasn’t a show about a faked moon landing, aliens landing in Area 51 or Elvis and Tupac planning a concert tour together. This was a major “newscast” where one anchor just spouted off about a conspiracy with no facts at all to back it up.”

Common Sense and Wonder reported the same ‘Situation Room’ report to not have been ”the first time CNN has conjured up dark conspiracies involving the GOP and “big oil.”

Many blogs seem inclined to target their criticism towards large-scale news machines like CNN rather than taking on the conspiracy theorists head-on. CNN remains both the middle man, the messenger to be killed, and the hand that decides what issue becomes a subject of national discussion.

Besides, the internet has given us a better reason than ever to attack the big players. The world has changed less than we think. Going directly for the king has always been associated with the romantic ideal of advocating the largest possible change. In the reality of google, one going against the big guns can, quite literally, become a leach attached to his target’s public persona.

Not sure what I mean? Just type ‘CNN oil prices midterm elections’ into google.

Business and Media article

Newsbusters report

Common Sense and Wonder Article

USA Today poll