wanted: "dirt specialists"

Many moons ago, when I lived in L.A. I had a very dear friend who was one of the funniest people I've ever had the good fortune to meet. He was looking for some transitional employment and got a gig working as a grip or a gaffer (forget which) on a commercial for floor detergent. At the end of a long day of shooting, he was exasperated that the day was filled with delays because the "dirt specialist" had been detained. The "dirt specialist" was making a grand an hour and had been flown into L.A. from Texas to confirm on the shoot that, "yup. . .that's genuiiine dirt." The silly bugger had gotten extremely way laid.

NPR's Connection did a story earlier this week http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2004/09/20040913_a_main.asp

on the media. They featured someone who explained that traditionally, there was the morning news (papers, TV, & radio) and the evening news with slight reprisals (ditto).

Now with the 24/7 news cycle hard up for ever occurring stories and focusing on the often spurious. Any allegation, documented or not so, makes a flash. The commentator said, "It's like a locomotive train. The locomotive makes the impact. Yet the truth lies in the caboose.

In the short attention span theatre, people lose focus quite easily. So any charge no matter how salacious or untruthful has tremendous influence on public opinion upon impact. Sadly, few have the temerity or patience to linger long, waiting for the caboose

See the Swifties, the "forged memos", KK's charges, and the "crying girl" for reference.

In short, the FCC needs a "dirt specialist" to confirm or dispel the veracity of these stories.

I'd love to see it happen. Will it. . .? Not likely in this election cycle.

Why on earth dirt should be so thoroughly scrutinized in the past and now, we have no regard for the ever so subtle differentiation between fact and fiction, completely astonishes me.

I'm compelled to say, "boycott the network and cable news," but the last time I posted that, folks went on and on about thier particularly obscure viewing habits.

"Don't take away my fooooooootball!!!"

Ackhem. . .I scarcely suggested that.

/end rant

to fill, they don't even confirm if a story is true. Even if the story is false (Swift Boat vets allegations), they fill time by reporting on the allegations. Ted Koppel explained it to Jon Stewart as truth vs. facts. The allegations of the swift boat vets may not be "truth", but it is a "fact" that they are making them. How weak.

sadly, immediacy takes precedence over veracity. It's truly pathetic. These over paid corporate shills don't even give a flying flop about our future. Totally weak indeed.