Quote Originally Posted by Rex Brynen View Post
Just a nitpick, Ken--but I really don't think it is "incompetent and pathetic" at all. Certainly, there are bad reports, reporters, and media outlets. Collectively, however, it provides a stunning amount of diverse and pluralistic coverage, and even some pretty damn good analysis at times.
You may be correct. I think much of it merits my description and that there are some great and good exceptions to that rule. I do agree wholeheartedly that there are some who are capable of and do provide good reporting and analysis; I just wish they were a larger percentage of the total.

I suspect my view is strongly colored by over long (way over long...) experience and a perception that they did much better before the entertainment industry took over television and the broadsheets were forced to or allowed (still unsure which is correct there...) television to set the pace and standard.
I don't think it paints a particularly inaccurate image of the US at all.
Perhaps. I'm quite sure there are some Americans who want some or all of the massive celebrity coverage that appears -- but I've never met any and that includes folks as young as my four year old Granddaughter, my teenage nephews and nieces, younger neighbors and all their friends. Many if not most people would prefer less of that and more hard news and analysis, particularly about the international scene. My point with that is that superficial we may collectively be but my perception is that the sensation focused media makes us look far more dippy than we really are...
To get back to the original point, I don't think anyone following it for the last 60+ years could possibly have got the impression of any significant American sympathy for Russia.
I'd agree -- unless for whatever reason someone wanted to selectively pick articles to remember...