People are talking a lot right now that the vitriol needs to be leveled down a lot.  Problem is there are too many people that thrive on it.  To me journalism hit the current low when Keith Olbermann went on MSNBC.  I think he’s the worst editorialist in the world.  The reason, well, just look:

His stuff is only partisan, is only personal, and is only inflammatory.  When faced with a situation where he has no facts to support his argument, he resorts to mocking and trivializing the object of his scorn.  At the very best he sounds immature.  At the worst, not someone you want your kids around.  He’s thrived on MSNBC even though I think most of his content borders on slander.  Let’s look at slander a little closer, shall we”

Slander is the oral communication of false statements that are harmful to a person’s reputation. If the statements are proven to be true, it is a complete defense to a charge of slander. Oral opinions that don’t contain statements of fact don’t constitute slander. Slander is an act of communication that causes someone to be shamed, ridiculed, held in contempt, lowered in the estimation of the community, or to lose employment status or earnings or otherwise suffer a damaged reputation. Slander is a subcategory of defamation.

OK, so let’s start with the obvious.  Olbermann’s “Worst Person in the world” series.  Can someone tell me how that is not slander?  He states his stuff as “fact”.  He presents arguments.  He doesn’t “think” this person is, he proves it.  And, how much lower in the estimation of the community can a person get than to be “the worst person in the world”?

Now, to me, the reason we’ve got the incredibly low standards in broadcast journalism is simply because the victims of the incredibly bad journalism never do anything about it.  The only reason MSNBC puts Keith Olbermann on tv is because he makes them money.  Lots of it.  Even though his ratings are in the cellar, always have been, and have no reason to ever get better, he makes money.  What if he didn’t?  You think MSNBC would put up with him very long if he was costing them a lot of money?  I think Mark Levin’s on to that concept as well:

As with Keith Olbermann not really thinking any one person is truly the worst person in the word, but stating they are anyway, I see Mark Levin wanting to sue the pants off Keith Olbermann, without really thinking he has to win.  If every single one of the “victims” of Olbermann’s slander were to sue, it would create a legal mess for MSNBC that could cost millions and last for years.

Now, I’m obviously leaning towards the “right” here.  I’m obviously more conservative than liberal.  But, more than anything else, I’m sick and tired of the pathetic ethical and moral standards broadcast journalism has allowed itself to get to.  Everyone trusted Walter Cronkite.  It’s nothing but downhill since he went off tv.  I don’t trust anyone in television any more.  If it’s on cable television, then there’s something happening.  I’ll get the details elsewhere.

Now, I’m not totally absolving bloggers and whatnot.  But, whereas broadcast journalism used to set the bar for bloggers to shoot for if they wanted any respect, broadcast journalism instead dumbed itself down to the levels of the worst bloggers.  So, at this time, there are no standards.  What’s any better about The View than any blog?

What’s got to happen is someone has to take the lead.  And, it has to be a power player.  I don’t see MSNBC or Fox or anyone else taking that chance.  So, maybe, if enough people follow Levin’s lead, and my suggestion, and sue the crap out of broadcast journalists who slander for profit, then maybe cable tv will be that someone who takes the lead.

Tags: defamation, keith-olbermann, mark-levin, msnbc, slander, the-view, worst person in the world