Wow you missed the point oh Holts comments completely. He’s not talking about fairness at all. He’s talking about journalists deciding what is news and what is fair. Censorship is the first step is losing our freedoms. Don’t be naive. The mainstream media is very biased towards toward conservatives. They would like nothing more than to have a one party system. Is that really what you want.

Lester Holt
 

The media is scary with untrue journalism. They lost the true meaning of journalists . It’s sad and to many people with close doors to hear more then one side information to get reality check .

A nice way of saying , "I don't believe in the first amendment". He gave us a taste of this at his presidential debate.

Editors came shortly after Gutenberg invented the printing press. Their role has always been to sort through what is important and what is not. The advent of the World Wide Web has been to eliminate editors so that any fool can print whatever drivel they wish. The work to substantiate a news flash takes time and hard work. The problem with a 30 minute news program is that you are only seeing the 3 minute story and not the work that goes behind it. Are mistakes made? Absolutely. However, the fact that a given news source publishes a story that angers you doesn't make it a lie. Publishing stories with which you agree but are not substantiated is not responsible journalism. I have a great deal of respect for news programs/papers that not only report stories but will publish corrections when they have made a mistake. I agree with Lester Holt's comments.

Sorry, but to me, the only thing, person that comes to mind is the big guy that just left and fed us all falsehoods and now we're at this horrendous point. Too bad Lester wasn't president.

Exactly! Since when do nut jobs get equal opportunity to voice their crackpot notions on national news media? This has nothing to do with opinions, but all to do with facts, which are easily verifiable.

Bingo!

You can give “alternate facts” but does not make them true.

Problem is those spouting outright lies and opinions with no bases in the truth at all.

Readers digest condensed interpretation, if they don’t feed you full of whatever you want to hear, then you don’t want to hear...

You mean like Rachel Maddog, and Lester preaching on about Russian collusion for years, the president being a white supremacist? And they never apologized...now I understand...

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Originally Posted by jebartle
those annoying facts seem to get in the way. Fact check everything, period! You can have your own opinion but not your own facts.
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YES!!!

BUT... how do you REALLY check it out?

Google - filters.
Other Network News - nope
News sites - can be very biased.
Newpapers - ditto
Snopes - ditto
Facebook - cancels posts they don't like.
Twitter - ditto above, also cancels specific users totally
ToTV - opinions
Neighbors - ditto
Friends & Relatives - ditto

Bottom line.... there is NO REAL trusted source.
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Readers digest condensed interpretation, if they don’t feed you full of whatever you want to hear, then you don’t want to hear...

Do not watch the regular news and see or listen to any news with skepticism. They are prefiltering and it is so obvious, the slants so strong. How can you believe any of them?

So you are saying it's ok to present unsupported theories equally with evidence supported theories. Wow.

You absolutely correct we are NOW at a horrendous point...and Lester fed you your daily supper and you gobbled it up....

You got it....������

Interesting that the government, academics, and what ever else that once served as media once regarded the Earth as flat and refused any other opinion. Galileo went to jail for proposing otherwise.

:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I'm wondering who is the arbiter of this "truth?" Dangerous ground upon which "journalists" are now treading...

Fairness
 

" It's really important, but we have to stand ready to push back and call-out falsehoods."

THIS is the real problem? A reporter's job is to report the facts which is hard enough. No one appointed him guardian of the "truth" according to his own lights. The arrogance of this did not go unnoticed.

Well, I am not the smartest guy in the world, by far, but i know the truth, and am able to recognize liars. Especially, with that villainous internet, you can fact check anything you want.

To believe everyone is lying is to put The Supreme Being in the middle of one of those conspiracy theories. It isn't happening at all.

Today, some are either lazy, gullible, or easily conned.

I will not watch any new broadcast with him. He is a liar and a left over fake news reporter

And his attitude surprises you? Just listen to his predecessor, Brian Williams on MSNBC. He's carrying the ball for the liberal left wing constantly there. I try to listen/watch both sides of the political spectrum, but find myself amazed at William's on-screen left wing opinions camouflaged as facts. So I can't watch him. Sounds like Lester is traveling down the same highway.

Can’t believe anything he says

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"you can fact check anything you want."

please tell us HOW and what methods you use. Really I for one would like to know. Simply interested how YOU would accomplish that.
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Hmmm. One sided news, must carry papers , do you see where this is going ?

Absolutely not.....Lester only reported the lies that
Djt fed to us....come on...."this virus should be gone in weeks" "you don't need a mask" "maybe drink clorox" "the votes were stolen" " I never incited a roit"
And now look where we are....500,000 dead...thank you Donald. Voters rights being taken away....no water or food given???? Again...thank you donald.....but thank God he is gone!

So he’s basically saying people are to dumb to be able to determine what’s true.

Where have you been? Examples are rampant. Nick Sandman is one example. The media (print and TV) DELIBERATELY made it look like he was provoking and mocking a Native American. He was wearing a MAGA hat and as a result, the media was trying to make him look like a bad dude. Once you viewed the entire video, it was obvious Sandman and his fellow high school students were the ones being taunted and mocked. Sandman has filed numerous suits against various news agencies. Settlements have been reached in many of those suits. This kid won't have to work the rest of his life.

And here's a recent one. Members of Michael Flynn's family have sued CNN. CNN DELIBERATELY edited a video to make it appear the family was pledging allegiance to QAnon. If you watched the entire video, it was apparent the family was pledging allegiance to the US and its Constitution.

The mainstream media are not purveyors of truth or fairness. They are agenda driven activists trying to indoctrinate instead of educate.

I think it’s important to understand him in context. I know people who don’t think men walked on the moon. Is it important that their wacko opinions be “fairly discussed” every time journalists deal with space travel? I know people who believe the World Trade Towers were destroyed by Jews. That’s lunacy? I don’t want the news channels to give these people room to share their views every day. Their views have been judged and found erroneous and unsupported by the evidence. I have friends who believe God created the heavens and the earth and the sun and the stars and everything else about six thousand years ago. (I was taught that as a child and believed it for years.) They can believe that if they like, but the evidence does not agree. Their ideas do not need to be “fairly considered” each time something over six thousand years ago is found. I have friends who are opposed to vaccinations of all types. I disagree, and I do not want their dangerous views presented in the news every time vaccinations are discussed. People believe so many odd things on the basis of hearsay or advertising. Turmeric, anyone? There are news outlets that offer us twisted alternate versions of reality every day, such as saying we live in a “tyranny,” or that our presidents are Socialists or Fascists. Do they deal fairly with the truth? No.

I used to get 90% of my broadcast news from the three major networks. Now it's down to 10%. Their bias is palpable.

He's 100% correct. He's talking conspiracy theories like QAnon, Sandy Hook and 9/11 deniers, all the Trump misinformation, etc.

UNSUPPORTED ARGUMENTS.

He's not talking about legit disagreement.

News
 

I honestly can’t get my head around anyone actually believing Lester or any other source even Google anymore. We all lived through 2020 didn’t we? It was the one thought that I believe Lester was honest to himself and us about. It’s true. Sucks but true.

Steve
 

This is the transcript of what he said. He did not say it like the cherry picked quotes. Research before jumping to what media tells you.

"I’m asked a lot now how the news media recovers from the damage. Let me first say the damage only goes so deep, as millions and millions of Americans still turn to news organizations like mine for trusted information. The unprecedented attacks on the press in this period I’m sure we’ll fill plenty of books and be studied in classrooms, maybe even here. But I have a few early observations I’ll share about where this moment brings us and what we can learn.

Number one is I think it’s become clear that fairness is overrated. Whoa, before you run off and tweak that headline, let me explain a bit.

The idea that we should always give two sides equal weight and merit does not reflect the world we find ourselves in. That the sun sets in the west is a fact. Any contrary view does not deserve our time or attention. I know recent events assure that you won’t have to look far to find more current and relevant examples, I think you get my point."

Dont have a set system, but...

First I read quite a bit to begin....the NY Times, Wall St Journal, along with a few other print media. Normally, the top stories are the same and I read them. If I find a difference in presentation of facts, I will go on line and investigate further until I find out why. Usually, it is easy, and mostly my fault for mis understanding (I usually blame the writer for poor writing). If it is an important story, I might "google" it which will bring up most mentions and then I sort of select a new presentation based on my pat experience.....I pretty much know the far right or far left sites and simply ignore them. At that point, in most cases, I feel comfortable I have most of the facts.

Actually I might, depending on my schedule, come on here to see what people are posting and if they supply any links worth reading.

I think reading the Times, Reuters feed, Journal, etc. usually pretty much nails it.

Of course if I think I want more detail, depending on the story type, I will then use the internet to track down more information. If it is a story on the economy there are reputable sites to visit.

Point is, the facts stand out.....the lies stand out.

What people do is ignore what they do not want to hear....that is why I often use the term "childish" or "immature" as that is what children do...I dont want to hear this and close their ears. Well, adults close their minds, in the case we are discussing, visit a website where they know the verbiage will make them happy....of course, most of them ignore any fact not supporting their particular leaning. What amazes me is that never consider that what they feel is wrong and they are being manipulated.

I dont like to use myself, but since you asked... I am a true conservative.....morals and truth mean a lot to me. I want a balanced budget OR actually, close to a balanced budget as possible. I have never voted Democrat (except in 1960) but with the last few years have left what was my party of choice, and one for whom I was actually employed, because of what I spelled out was important to me as a true conservative....morals and truth.

I know nothing is perfect........I also know from experience, I am not always right......I also have learned to "listen" ie. read links on here for example.....visit website that I know I will not agree with, etc.

I am now a true independent now which, for me, is extremely sad, but getting over it quickly as I watch events unfold.

if you balance what you read, you will easily identify LIES......easily identify FACTS. Unless the Almighty is involved in the conspiracy, they all come tumbling down, they all have doubters at the start.

To the actual thread, I MIGHT ADD......over the last few years we have been treated, as never ever before, outright and outlandish lies from our top government. That megaphone is loud....that bully pulpit is listened to thus our media were chasing all over to find truth in something, somehow. Holt is merely saying, we waste our time chasing the wild stories that we absolutely know are not true because of the source. Do you really think Qanon would get this much media attention if certain elected officials did not side with their theories ?

Not sure what you lived through in 2020, but if you refer to the election, it is pretty much what I expected.

GOP did pretty well except at the top of the ticket, and lost their majority because of the "top if the ticket"

Maybe if you explain what YOU lived through, it may help.

There was truth everywhere and the untruths were proven over and over again to be exactly that....untruths

No offense intended but you're doing exactly what other posters are accusing Holt of doing. '500K dead...thank you Donald.' TO BE FAIR, the other side of that argument should be heard. It's a f@@king virus that's highly transmissible. It spread regardless of what anyone tried to do.

'Voters rights being taken away...no water or food given????' I'm assuming you're referring to the new Georgia law. TO BE FAIR, the other side of that argument should be heard. Here's how the law reads:

No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, offer to give, or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector [a voter], nor shall any person solicit signatures for any petition, nor shall any person, other than election officials discharging their duties, establish or set up any tables or booths on any day in which ballots are being cast:

(1) Within 150 feet of the outer edge of any building within which a polling place is established;

(2) Within any polling place; or

(3) Within 25 feet of any voter standing in line to vote at any polling place.

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Every State where I've voted has a similar law. Political partisans are not allowed to attempt to sway voters standing in lines waiting to vote. Claiming the Georgia law is anything different is mis-information and just another attempt at indoctrination. But, if you're politically driven and don't want people to know the real truth, you stop being fair and report on an inaccurate version of the law.

So we should listen to someone who says insurrectionists at the capitol were hugging and kissing the police?

“Providing an open platform for misinformation, for anyone to come say whatever they want, especially when issues of public health and safety are at stake, can be quite dangerous."

Lester is stating in the beginning of his speech, how it has become today. A “state of affairs” review. Since this was not the entire speech, and taken out of context, it’s more difficult to see. However, he reveals his opinion of today’s news by the above quoted “...can become quite dangerous “. Obviously m he doesn’t agree with the one sided lies and misinformation.

Too often these days, shows that run on “news networks” are not news, but entertainment shows based solely on the shows lead commentators OPINIONS, which are not always FACTS. Big difference between OPINIONS, vs FACTS. FACTS are indisputable, and based on proven evidence by a solid source, such as legal or court happenings. It use to be that video of something was fact , but no more. Technology has gotten so good in faking videos by putting people in videos (even dead people) that you can’t rely on videos anymore as fact.

We need the news to go back to FACT base, and not OPINIONS of that network which misleads the viewers,

Just remember you'll never be able to convince an idiot of anything---holds especially true on this board.