About the US news media in Egypt!

Dear Colleagues

I have been following the events in Egypt ... and before that Tunisia ... with deep interest. I have been incredibly disappointed at the coverage by the US mainstream media, but very impressed by the work of the Aljazeera English network that has had a 24/7 live stream about the eventshttp://english.aljazeera.net/

As I looked for news via the US media feeds, I cam across the following about CNN's Anerson Cooperhttp://discussions.wsbt.com/20/wsbttv/wpix-video-of-anderson-cooper-attack-released/10

I do not like violence ... and I realize news reporting requires risks ... but for the right reason. I wrote a note after seeing the video ... as follows:

Dear Colleagues

It needs to be said ... but the role of media, and especially the US media ... in the world's quality of life is rather pathetic. All the US news assets deploy whenever there is a "newsworthy" event, but there is very little underlying depth to what these news media organizations are doing that will usefully inform the public.

President Mubarak has been "off the media radar" for three decades ... meanwhile Mubarak himself, hif family and his favored friends and supporters have amassed huge wealth. Apparently Mubarak has been in "public service" for 62 years .... about 30 as President and there is talk that he now heads one of the wealthiest families in the world.

This uprising is not only about ordinary people being oppressed by political kleptocrats, but is also something to do with the state of the broader global economic system, misinformation, and growing inequities in society.

Revolutions are not new ... they happen when people have had enough and legitimate aspirations are impossible without real reform.

Anderson Cooper is lucky to be alive ... but good news reporting is a lot more than being a photo -tourist in the middle of mayhem. The problem is not Anderson Cooper and his team per se ... and I wish them well ... it is a systemic problem with a society that measures everything in money.

Peter Burgess
TrueValueMetrics

I could have said a lot more, but there was a limit to the length of the comment.

I would have liked to add some reference to the gross simplification of big complex issues by the US media ... the issue of Islam, another "red herring" and completely off base ... and many other matters. This will have to be for another time.

Stay tuned

Peter Burgess


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