What happened to the liberal media elite . . .and how can we get them to come back?

Hell, at this point, I’ll even take a conservative media elite. I’d just like the word “elite” to come back to the news.

Remember when news shows and newspapers were informative and the talking heads were kinda boring? Remember when they used fact checkers and didn’t just insult each other?

It’s a vague memory for me too, actually. But at least a few years ago I didn’t have to hear the Headline News anchor repeat what Clark in Louisiana thinks. And then beg me to send in my own comments.

Look, if I want to know what the “average” person is thinking I’m sure I can find out through the magical powers of the blogosophere. Or Facebook. Not that I’m sure WHY I care what some person I don’t know, whose credentials are not checked and could in fact be one really bored 13 year old boy.

But even if I was interested. . .does that mean it has to be on the NEWS?

Opinions are not news – that’s why they’re not on the front page of the newspaper. And while I understand that it may be challenging to air the news 24-7, do we really have to resort to sharing the texts of people bored in the drive-thru line at McDonald’s? There are lots of wars going on, you know. There’s this continent called Africa where people are actually being slaughtered. There’s a scary flu virus. There’s yet another “family values” congressman caught cheating. There’s a new season of Friday Night Lights, for God’s sake.

Good-bye CNN. . .now that you’ve lowered yourself to my standards, I don’t want you anymore.

I haven’t watched an inauguration since Clinton’s first. I was so happy and hopeful that day. But that’s nothing compared to how I feel today. Not simply because while I complained about the Republican presidencies of Reagan and Bush I, those complaints practically disappear when compared with my issues with this past administration.

I liked Clinton. I didn’t like Bush. But I never believed in either one of them. I never thought they were good men.

I believe in Barack Obama. I believe his is a good man as well as a brilliant one. I feel safe knowing he is president in a way that I’ve never felt before. I would like to bask in my happiness.

But I can’t do that and watch the news today.

Obama and Bush have handled this transition with class and sense. They handled the inauguration with class. But the talking heads – because it’s easier to comment on a lovely ceremony than to research and report on other news – are looking for conflict wherever they can find it. Now they’ve moved onto observing Gore and McCain at the luncheon, speculating on what they’re talking about. Hey, news professionals, they’re probably talking about how glad they are to finally be inside.

I think we need to be worrying less about the media having a liberal or conservative bias and worry more about how they have a stupidity bias. There are wars and conflicts going on all over the globe. It’s now come out that we tortured prisoners. We’re still in a financial and real estate mess – one that could always be explained better. The Steelers are going to be in the SuperBowl. So there’s PLENTY of serious news that they could be talking about. And instead CNN is telling me about what they’re eating at the luncheon and wondering what Senator Corbyn and Senator Clinton were talking about.

I read People magazine for gossip and info about luncheons. Or I watch E!. Doesn’t CNN have anything better to do?