Posted on 09/28/2004 4:52:14 PM PDT by NCjim
On the eve of the Vote for Change tour, which has sparked controversy in newsrooms where reporters have been ordered not to attend the pro-Kerry fundraisers, Bruce Springsteen, one of the stars of the concerts, has a few words for the press.
In a wide ranging interview in the just-published Oct. 14 issue of Rolling Stone, Springsteen says, "The press has let the country down. It's taken a very amoral stand, in that essential issues are often portrayed as simply one side says this and the other side says that....The job of the press is to tell the truth without fear or favor. We have to get back to that standard."
Most of his criticism, however, is aimed at TV coverage, and he reveals that as "a dedicated" New York Times reader he has gained "enormous sustenance" from columnists Maureen Dowd and Paul Krugman.
The problem, according to Springsteen, is that "Fox News and the Republican right have intimidated the press into an incredible self-consciousness about appearing objective and backed them into a corner of sorts where they have ceded some of their responsibility and righteous power." In this regard, he finds The Washington Post and The New York Times admitting mistakes in their initial reporting about Iraq "very revealing."
Overall, while there has been some great reporting in the press, it has fallen far short, Springsteen tells Rolling Stone founder Jann S. Wenner: "Real news is the news we need to protect our freedoms. You get tabloid news, you get blood-and-guts news, you get news shot through with a self-glorifying façade of patriotism, but people have to sift too much for the news that we need to protect our freedoms....The loss of some of the soberness and seriousness of those institutions has had a devastating effect upon people's ability to respond to the events of the day."
But Springsteen mainly aims barbs at cable news, mocking the "enormous amount of Fox impersonators among what you previously thought were relatively sane media outlets across the cable channels."
He also knocks the media for allowing the White House to get away with the "disgraceful" policy of refusing "to allow photographs of the flag-draped coffins of the returning dead."
Even the scripted political conventions deserved more coverage than they got, especially since they were often upstaged by reality TV shows. "No matter how staged they are," Springsteen says, "I think they're a little more important than people eating bugs," although he hastens to add, "If you want to watch people eating bugs, that's fine, I can understand that, too."
Springsteen to the Press: the Party will inform you of your rights, what you can think, and what you can say. A representative will be contacting you shortly.
This guy is extremely out of touch. "Born in the USA" is listened to no more (not that I really liked the song all that much to begin with considering he is a lousy singer).
Springsteen, shut up and sing. On second thought, just shut up.
LOL I was thinking the same thing. I just want this guy to shut up period!!!
So Bruce is now a media expert? Perhaps he'll next use his incredible wisdom to cure cancer?
Sounds like the Press stance "been there, done that, now bored to death" isn't sitting well with Springsteen.
Thanks to the new media, the press in general is as open and fair as what it has been in my lifetime.
Interesting how steiny thinks it is going the other way.
They are all pissed because they cant pull a Vietnam on this war, although they try like hell.
Bruce's forum can be found here.
http://forums1.sonymusic.com/eve/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=8581093&f=202103162
Yeah, they got caught, didn't they?
>>Springsteen, shut up and sing. On second thought, just shut up.<<
Exactly what I was thinking. Being a musician myself I hang around quite a few of them. I have observed that, generally speaking, the more steeped in music one is (that is, how much a part of their life their music is), the less reliable can ones opinions be on the real world. Anybody who doesn't have a "day job" can be ignored right outa the gate.
The poetry of "Thunder Road" and "Born To Run" and others was so great. What the Hell happened to Bruce ? I don't know and the songs he wrote after 9/11 were good too. Kool-Aid ?
No shiite Sherlock. Gad what a freepin' genius this guy is. He figgered that one out all on his own did he?
Okay, I have just poured the "Boss" a cup of STFU.
Hey, Boss, whadja think of Dan Rather? Notice you didn't mention him.
Springsteen and his buddies from Hollywood are the ones who have let the country and our soldiers down. Why don't they all charter a jet and take off to a country they like better. I'm sure we wouldn't complain.
Springstein, The truth is out there You just cant handle it.
Idiot.
On the eve of the Vote for Change tour, which has sparked controversy in newsrooms where reporters have been ordered not to attend the pro-Kerry fundraisers
Supposedly "Independent" "Objective" Journalists have to be told not attend Political Fund Raisers???? STOP the LIES, Mainstream News Media, ADMIT your partisan biases. You are not FOOLING anyone.
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