The truth? UN-American!

So a recent survey says that many Americans feel the media is too critical of the United States.

And only 47% of them feels the press helps democracy, while 33% says it hurts it.

The survey didn't ask for examples, but I would have loved to hear some. Too critical? Yes, that was a BIG problem when it came to the media swallowing and regurgitating all the Bush people's spin about Iraq's WMD state. Real critical there, wasn't it? Or how about the fact it took some major drumbeating by blogs to get the media to cover the Downing Street Memos? Or the way that Bush and co. routinely twist and lie about science they don't agree with, and the media has mostly shrugged its shoulders and goes along with it? Or how about the way they twist and lie about Social Security, and the claims just get put in news reports without any indication that, hey, this isn't true? For every story that shows the truth, as the above links do, there are tens of them that don't. This is too critical?

I do have to agree with the 33%, though. Given the way our media is, it isn't doing any favors to democracy by being the sensationalism-seeking, whitewashing, celebrity fetishing, fluff writing behemoth it is. It's becoming the National Enquirer with a higher pedigree and less obviously made-up stories.

The Daily Howler (linked to on my blogroll on right) almost every day shows several cases where the media just doesn't do its job, ranging from bad stories and facts printed by the MSM to talk shows hosts and spokesmen who can't be bothered to know the stories they're talking about. It's a disquieting look at an industry that appears to be rotting away from the inside.