Balance

[tinyjo]

What better to do when your head is too full than put some of that stuff onto LJ, eh?

I've been thinking about how hard it is to get hold of a balanced opinion these days. Even the BBC have replaced balanced interviewees with 2 equally unbalanced ones on either side of whatever it is their talking about. One of the reasons that I've always been interested in the Lib Dems is that I see them as a party who try to take some of the best ideas from both sides of the political spectrum without losing sight of the ideas of both sides. Of course there's a risk that that will just lead to supeified inaction, but there can be a middle way, I think. I just don't think people will vote for it. Compromise isn't sexy or interesting to people nor, in general will it appeal to their self interest when there are other parties out there saying "We won't compromise! We'll put you first all the time". Its not true and people probably know it but they wish it was.

I always find the spots on the BBC either within the Today programme or in separate shows like the Week in Westminster where they talk to their correspondants about what's going on in politics much more illuminating than the bits where the politicians talk to each other. Perhaps it's that journalists get more benefit out of being right in what they say than politicians? I'm thinking about alternately taking left and right wing papers - perhaps out of the morass of random stories you could filter out the good ideas on either side. But then what would I do with them when I'd got them? Just get frustrated that they weren't being implemented I expect.

I used to be so excited by politics and current affairs. Now, it saddens me mostly. It seems to confirm most of what I think about human nature and not in a good way. But it's all we've got, in terms of guiding society, so I keep listening.

Comments

[percyprune.livejournal.com]

I am afraid our new media may slide into same hole that has trapped the US media, of being so afraid of accusations of bias that news reporting is reduced to recitations of what both sides said. Of course, this 'he said, she said' approach means that objective reporting falls by the wayside. Outrageous lies are reported as truth, with little analysis, simply because someone said them.

Thatcher started this process with her Broadcasting Act, mandating 'balance'. Yet another reason why I shall piss on her grave when the old cunt dies.

I never buy a left-leaning paper. I always read the Torygraph or Times. I need to know what the Enemy are saying.

However, even *I* cannot overcome my distaste enough to read the Daily Mail.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

I was just discussing political parties with knirirr this morning - he has some interesting views. One I agree with is that there is no choice left in political parties anymore - the main three are selling themselves on being more centrist than the others, then all that's left are the people that rather sound like the Loony Fringe :-/ Centrism is all very well - I think I agree with you that there does need to be some sort of middle way - but this compromise on everything stance leaves it even more down to personalities than is has been - do I mistrust Blair, Howard, or Kennedy the least?

I know what you mean about human nature, though. Sometimes listening to politics makes me want to give up on life completely.

[andyluke.livejournal.com]

I'm quite excited about the prospect of being able to vote LibDem. Its not an option given in Northern Ireland. Yet voting Labour or Conservative are. I've always (well, no, but for a very long while), viewed the Liberal Democrats as the Commonsense Logic option which opens the gateway out of the three party system upon being elected for a much more profile period of time. I have no facts to point to this, because I am a very poorly tempered political researcher. My intuition is strong though, in fact, it is totally correct.

Ma' pal Richard Barr used to read the Daily Mail for I suspect, the Fortean aspects.

[smallbeasts.livejournal.com]

I recommend balancing The Economist with Fortean Times. Or maybe with BBC News. In any case, I'd recommend the Economist as the least offensive right wing paper.