Media open thread

It is snoozing on the plateau for the primary season, waiting to be re-awakened to slay the Dem. dragon in the general election.

Recall that the swift-boating was done in the late stages of the Kerry campaign (not by accident, either).

Events that haven't yet happended will affect this as well. The War Against Iranian Islamofascism will provide part of the return for wingnutism to media glory.

I think it's still pretty significant but may have reached its saturation point. Two years from now when it's operating from the opposition, it may pick back up again.

I think the important thing is really the slant of the mainstream outlets. To the extent they continue to ask presidential candidates where their "Red Line" (a term Brian Williams asserted had entered the lexicon) is on Iran, I would say the wingnuts are still getting the job done in the media department.

..adding:

One thing to keep an eye on is the Fox Business Channel. If a Neal Cavuto-led, "pro-business" competitor to CNBC does well, I think that would prove a strong leading indicator of the apocalypse.

I can't possibly imagine the core CNBC viewer thinking "Sure, Kudlow's okay, but he's too liberal for my taste. I'd rather something in a Cavuto." The pig-faced wunderkind did an interview with Lynne Cheney where his teed-up questions about Hillary were so prurient that even Mrs. Vader appeared to throw up a little.

The truth is there simply is not enough news to successfully fill a 24 hour news format on any channel. When pointing out biases and slants one must take this fact into account. Because of the lack of news, these stations fill their slots with editorializing programs and soft quasi-tabloid political journalism. My point is this results in by and large a heavily packaged product whose main goal is entertainment.

Fox has lost some of its novelty and so its impact may seemed to have plateaued, but I think like most entertainment channels it will find a way to re-invent itself. By finding its own entertainment niche distinct from the likes of CNN, I think Fox and conservative media's influence will only continue to grow. Given that there appeared to be such a vacuum in presenting opposing views the influence can only increase, and this is evidenced by the rise of the Fox business channel. I think these will try to cater to an audience that shuns CNBC to begin with, or alternatively is bored with it. I'm highly suspect that savvy businessmen who bend and shape the market are influenced by either CNBC or by Fox Business. It's all just entertainment.