Why The Internet's Balkanization Of News & Culture Is A Good Thing

Breitbart.com ^ | May 13,2015 | John Nolte

[Biggirl]

We keep hearing about how awful it is that with the rise of the Internet people now flock to news sites that fit their worldview. We keep hearing about how awful it will be if the 500 channel cable television bonanza is lost to people jumping into their own personal warren holes of specialized subscription channels made available by the new frontier of streaming.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Great post!

[chajin]

A century ago in, say, NYC, there were at least a dozen newspapers, perhaps hundreds of printed news options (including broadsides, pamphlets, magazines, etc.), in various languages, with various perspectives. News reporting was “balkanized,” in the sense that every literate person knew which sources provided what perspectives. Instead of “objectivity,” there was in effect full disclosure: the communists said they were communists, the Fabians said they were Fabians, the free-marketers said they were free-marketers, the unionists said they were unionists, etc.

That was the robustness that our Founders desired as a result of the First Amendment. It was lost in the collectivization and industrialization of news reporting in the 20th century, but now it is coming back with a vengeance, and it is a wonderful thing to see. The present Imposers of Opinion may rail against it, and may score tactical victories from time to time, but the future belongs to the purveyors of free expression in search of the truth.

[BenLurkin]

As Hillary famously lamented: the truth can get around the world twice on the internet — before her lies can get their boots on.

[DiogenesLamp]

We keep hearing about how awful it is that with the rise of the Internet people now flock to news sites that fit their worldview. We keep hearing about how awful it will be if the 500 channel cable television bonanza is lost to people jumping into their own personal warren holes of specialized subscription channels made available by the new frontier of streaming.

Fascists love trains, because everyone arrives and departs when the Fascists say so. They want the information streams to be exactly like that. They want people watching what "their betters" chose. They want people agreeing with what "their betters" decide.

[Biggirl]

“Fascists love trains, because everyone arrives and departs when the Fascists say so. They want the information streams to be exactly like that. They want people watching what “their betters” chose. They want people agreeing with what “their betters” decide. “

.....Well, speaking about trains,that all changed late last night with that Amtrak 188 derailment.

[nathanbedford]

This article should be seen as counter battery fire in the artillery duel over the future of the Internet. Obama yesterday fired his volley in which he demanded a change in the way news is reported, I cannot believe that this barrage was aimed exclusively at Fox, I believe it was put out there as cover for Internet regulations.

[j.argese]

Great article.
Dem constituencies:

Women
Blacks
Homosexuals
Browns
Yellows

It is political malpractice the GOP cannot peel enough of percentages through wedge issues to win handily.

[Biggirl]

Because Obama KNOWS that horse, the internet left the barn a long,long time ago.

[Biggirl]

Though not all of them.

[driftless2]

The media.....it’s not the lies they tell, it’s the truth they hide.

[roadcat]

The media.....it’s not the lies they tell, it’s the truth they hide.

It amazes me that I can learn more details about local events from foreign news sources than from our MSM outlets. If the MSM doesn't report it, it doesn't exist (in their eyes).

[driftless2]

It wasn't until I was in my twenties and started watching W.F. Buckley's Firing Line that I realized I wasn't getting "all the news that's fit to print" as the NY Slimes puts on their front page.

Pre internet and conservative talk radio/FOX News it took a lot of digging to get the info liberal media sources refused to print or air.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

A century ago in, say, NYC, there were at least a dozen newspapers, perhaps hundreds of printed news options (including broadsides, pamphlets, magazines, etc.)

It actually doesn’t much matter how many newspapers and broadcast newsrooms there are, if they all meet together to decide what the news is.

Of course they would never do that - at least not physically. But they do all participate in the Associated Press “wire” - and that is nothing but a virtual meeting to decide on what the news is. And all read the same AP Stylebook which sets policy by establishing how things are to be phrased.