How much influence does media coverage have on ...

... the public's perception of the various government programs and policies?

While I 'enjoy' your posts, answering this particular poll is "not possible" with the options that you have given.

Peace,
M_Y_H

edit: spelling

was elected twice and kept us safe from terrorists."

We know how corrupt our media is, don't we?

But, everyone seems to think that we should be able to fix the mess the GOP left us by simply voting them out of office.

The GOP control fewer governorships (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Governors">22), are the minority in the House and Senate, and they won't be in the White House for a while, but they still control the media.

With the GOP pushing their propaganda in the media, how effective will the changes we make now be when the voters are so misinformed?

The GOP also controls education (DU).

With the GOP pushing their propaganda in schools, how effective will any changes be when the next generation of voters are so misinformed?

And, I'd hate to imagine how many Federalist Society members are burrowed in our court systems.

We're going to make some progress, but I wonder how long any of it will last when we're fighting against these institutions that are beyond electoral accountability.

Karma.

We have to support independent media as vigorously as we support our candidates. We have to develop the alternative media. You're right, it's crucial to our democracy or what we have left of it.

But, they're so marginalized by the GOP-controlled media that having a subscription to MoJo may get people on certain FBI lists.

Well, at least they used to.

I can watch the Arab Media, the Latin American Media, the Native American Media on those channels! There's also a great show called GayUSA on FreeSpeech TV.

Moyers has funding but he must need support of some kind.

Vanity Fair and The New Yorker do good investigative work.

Media Matters needs support.

There are bloggers who do a great job and need support, too.

We're getting more good outlets all the time. :hi:

... independent media?

Drudge? Stormfront?

Or, does the GOP party fund all their media outlets?

because they are authoritarian followers. They like claims of independence, though. Remember, they have hate radio and Fox, and Lou Dobbs and Beck on Cnn and Morning Ho' on MSNBC. All of those guys claim to be fair and independent. :shrug:

I can't watch more than a few minutes of cable news without asking myself "how is this even news"?

People hear biased info, disinfo and/or outright lies often enough and it begins to take hold within the public mind as truth, and over time can become a steadfast illusion within the perceived, consensus "reality" - especially after more and more people hear and repeat it themselves.