Professors: Mass media harming political discourse
By Blackwell Thomas, The Southern
Sunday, September 21, 2008 3:04 AM CDT
CARBONDALE - Two Southern Illinois University Carbondale political science professors argued Saturday that the lack of useful information and fact-based political discourse in mass media is threatening democracy in America.
While addressing an enthusiastic crowd of about 30 at a League of Women Voters brunch Saturday, both John Jackson and Randolph Burnside said much of the news media is actually making it tougher for voters to make an informed decision.
Invoking the propaganda used in Nazi Germany, Jackson said if a lie is told loud enough and often enough, people will believe it.
"There is so much fog out there -- it literally threatens the quality of democracy," he said. "Last week we were talking about lipstick on a pig all the while this financial crisis is brewing."
Jackson drew particular attention to the television cable news media, whose rise he said have served to raise the level of disinformation and caused an increasing shift away from important issues toward sensationalism.
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Burnside seemed to capture the mood of the room in his closing line.
"The devil is in the details," he said. "The problem with this election is we aren't getting any of the details."
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