Infotainment

When pandering to predetermined mindsets is more profitable than telling the truth

When Rupert Murdoch started Fox News in 1996, his primary motivation was to produce a profit-creating entity. The Australian-born oligarch (current estimated wealth $23.6 billion) obtained U.S. citizenship to meet the legal requirements to purchase US media outlets. And that he did — his News Corp. is an umbrella organization that controls a lot of media companies — including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and 800 companies in 50 countries.

Profit, as stated earlier, is the prime motivator. Although one of the first to recognize that creation of media news could be manipulated to encourage certain viewers and advertisers to remain loyal — which stabilizes and increases profit margins, his stance has brought other large media organizations into the same viewpoint. Profit is to be enhanced by presenting what the viewers want to see/hear/read.

Note that, although the tabloid journals (such as the National Enquirer) were present (and before that, “yellow journalism” — referring to the quick yellowing of the cheap paper used for printing of non-journalistic newspapers), Fox News was among the first to move the structure to broadcast media. It has since spread both to streaming as well as to studios theoretically “progressive” or “left”. It is further on the increase because the current Administration is penalizing, and forcing, behavior contrary to the First Amendment.

This is the definition of infotainment used within this newsletter. Presenting entertainment as journalistic information is infotainment. If you do a search on the term, you will find that the term is also used within “infotainment systems” which indicates a system (such as a car dashboard system) which can present entertainment AND information (traffic, maps, real news, …) Infotainment, such as presented within Fox News, is a merged version of sometimes journalism and often self-created stories that will appeal to the audience and advertisers.

Journalism is just too iffy. The news may reinforce the viewers preconceptions or it may counter them. Profits, and advertiser and consumer loyalty may vary. Undesirable. So, control the contents. If the real news would not appeal to the targeted audience, change it or invent new stories to supplant the true, but unappealing, news. And, if a particular set of stories seems to appeal to the targeted audience, then create more of them. Free publicity in the world of politics (anywhere, but particularly the US) is “gold” and likely was a primary reason for the outcome of the US Presidential race in 2016.

Profit is the primary goal of infotainment. But selection of the targeted audience, and subsequent invention/manipulation of the information presented, is according to the desires of the owner(s). With journalism, as done following proper standards, the news is (or should be) free of bias (as much as humanly possible). This is not a goal of infotainment and the bias will be slanted (lightly or heavily) in the direction of the opinions of the owner(s) of the studio.

What are journalism’s standards? While there is not a single definitive list, they include:

• Truth/Accuracy: Journalists should ensure they report accurate information by verifying all research and facts, using reliable sources, attributing information, etc.

• Independence: Journalists should act independently of political, corporate, financial, or personal affiliations that could be considered conflicts of interest.

• Fairness/Impartiality: Journalists should consider every side in a story and present each piece of the story in a balanced, objective way.

• Humanity: Journalists should minimize harm by being aware of the impact their words and images could have on other people.

• Accountability: Journalists should hold themselves responsible; they should correct errors, listen to their audience, and provide solutions to any issues that may arise due to their reporting.

Note that “normalizing” is NOT a journalistic standard. Evil is evil. Stupid is stupid.

An infotainment channel does not require adherence to any of these standards and, with media in the control of ultra-wealthy individuals and mega corporations, the larger conduits are less and less able to believed and followed. This leaves a dilemma for consumers who WANT journalistic standards to be followed. Much smaller, independent, sources are needed but judging the adherence to standards is then left to the individual. Many will SAY they adhere to such — not all do.

I don’t have an answer — certainly not an easy answer. But, referring to an earlier newsletter/blog, it is necessary to “question everything”. Fact-check, check for references, consistency, occasional retractions (no one gets things right every time), language use. I continue to subscribe to one newsletter that proudly says “unbiased news you can trust” but the language that they use is highly biased leaving the rest of their reportage rather suspicious.

We NEED journalistic standards. We need help in examining the world. It is exhausting attempting continuous checking. But, at the present, it’s what we have.