"Facts"

Facts are an interesting thing. Especially when presented in entertainment form. Yes, I'm talking about the news again. Specifically the 24 hour news networks.

Even though there are easily 24 hours of news to cover around the world, that's expensive. It is far cheaper to focus on a few stories, and then have hours of programming of commentary disguised as hard reporting.

The problem then becomes, all your "facts" are mashed in with commentary. Which, especially when key other facts are ommitted, completely changes the interpretation.

An example. In a discussion on the No Child Left Behind act it was stated that it was because of the Democrats. While it is a "fact" that Ted Kennedy was one of the original sponors of the bill, it was a bi-partisan initiative brought about at Bush's behest. He wanted this bill. He didn't sign it grudgingly, he made a special trip out to a school to sign it because he was so excited about it.

As recently as last year a Washington Post article quoted a Republican Rep. Peter Hoekstra saying, "President Bush and I just see education fundamentally differently. The president believes in empowering bureaucrats in Washington, and I believe in local and parental control."

See, the "fact" that Democrats helped sponsor the bill was made to obscure the fact it was Bush's idea from the start.

This is the danger of news channels spending too much time in studio "analyzing" and not enough time out actually gathering information. Its far, far cheaper to stay in studio then it is to pay teams of reporters to travel all over getting the hard facts. This is only going to contribute to the polarization and dividing of our country. And it does no one a service.