The Groaning of Al Gore

THE GROANING OF AL GORE
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] In his new book, Al Gore shares some of the blame for the Iraq war with TV journalism. Instead of paying attention to important matters, the public has been titillated with “serial obsessions” ranging from the O.J car chase to Paris and Nicole. Thanks to big, bad TV, we were all gazing at Britney's navel, and meanwhile the country was marching to war. B&C admits that TV news mishandled the run-up to the war, but says there's plenty of blame to share with print journalism as well. Gore decries media ownership consolidation and lays into “media Machievellis” who are “hollowing out our Democracy” to make room for their “propagandistic electronic messaging.” But B&C ain't buying "The Assault on Reason." Television didn't create this situation. It is there to be watched, or not. It can be tuned to Spike or PBS. Al Gore concludes that the “well-informed citizenry” is in danger of becoming the “well-amused audience.” There are some “inconvenient truths” in Gore's media screed. There's also a load of hyperbole. This sounds like a book you could pass on in favor of sitting down with a good TV show.
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