The Failure of Media: The 20/20 Chris Brown Interview.

Once again the Mainstream Media has displayed why they are failing the masses. It’s a good thing that Edward R. Murrow is dead so he can’t see what has happened to the modern day interview. Robin Roberts needs her tail kicked for that interview last Friday. Why is Jon Stewart’s interview with Jim Cramer, still the standard for how to interview someone? What makes it so bad is that Jon Stewart is a comedian!!! Roberts, a so-called journalist, threw out softball questions that didn’t tell us anything new. She didn’t challenge Chris Brown regarding the events that took place on the night of the incident. She didn’t question Brown about his “Enablers” and his “perceived” lack of remorse for what he did. The only thing we learned was Rihanna lied (I was not surprised) about not listening to his “I’m sorry song” (excuse me for not knowing the name of the song but I really don’t give a damn). Robin didn’t even question the ignorance of making up with your battered ex-girlfriend through song. But tough questions for the mainstream media would have been too easy. What we received was a tour of Brown’s closet with his collection of numerous shoes. We even saw an Incredible Hulk design on the wall in his closet. Maybe he pulled a David Banner the last time Rihanna was with him? But we will never know because she didn’t ask. The Citizen Family popped popcorn and sat down for what we thought would be a hard hitting interview. Instead 20/20 showed Brown’s latest video. I can’t even remember the name of it. I remember him dancing in the desert and breathing cold mist?!?! This interview is what we call on Twitter a #FAIL. I guess we will never understand the Chris Brown – Rihanna saga. I don’t believe for a second that all of a sudden he started beating her. What type of abuse did she receive before that night of terror? And why does Chris Brown think he can sing his way out of this? The mainstream media’s short comings were exposed after we found out that there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction. And their demise has started ever since.

If Black Girls could fly in Balloons

Friday’s far fetched story of “Balloon Boy” flying around the state of Colorado made for great television. The boy even had a cool name – Falcon. It could have only been better if he was named Hawk (shout out to Avery Brooks!!). We are now finding out that Falcon’s family did this for a publicity stunt. Apparently they wanted to be on a television show and they wanted to show the producers that they are an “interesting, quirky, made for television type” family. The Manson Family could be described the same way but unfortunately for them all they could manage was some cold blooded killings. We could blame the network channel TLC for this whole “How can I get my family on TV” Syndrome but that would be too easy. Besides who is truly at fault – the family on shows like “18 Kids and Counting” or the audience that watches them?


The Media Circus behind last Friday’s great balloon chase once again highlighted a glaring case of Media Bias. If you don’t believe me ask Mitrice Richardson, oh wait you can’t because she is still missing. Minorities, particularly black women, don’t stand a chance when it comes to getting media coverage when they go missing. It’s even harder getting accurate statistics on missing minority children. Was 2005 the last time that missing minority children were actually counted? In 2005, the Federal Bureau of Investigations listed girls as being the highest number of missing children at 58%. Out of that number, black girls made up a whopping 33%. Keep in mind the Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans and others still need to be included in the percentages. With such high numbers one would naturally assume that missing black girls would get more air time. But that’s not feasible in a country where blacks make up 12% of the overall population. I get the fact that it’s a numbers game but it still doesn’t make it fair.


Balloon Boy owned all of the media last Friday. We watched him eating pizza, blowing chunks and even admitting that he was part of a phony scam. Balloon Boy owned the internet as well. He was the Friday talk of Twitter and Facebook. And now it is Monday and we are still talking about him (me included). I wonder what would of happened if Tamika Huston received this type of press? We will never know so all we can do is speculate with “what if’s”. The Mainstream Media knows they have been accused of media bias but they have successfully claimed denial. While they celebrate their ignorance in bliss, young black girls are disappearing like elephants in a Houdini trick. If it wasn’t for black bloggers, we would never know of the names and faces of the missing. Until the media can be fair in their coverage, black bloggers will have to continue giving a voice to the voiceless. Because the bloggers have to let black girls and boys know that someone is listening. And that someone cares.

Face It America, You need us……….Desperately

"I think the industry will continue to see people leaving until managers can articulate a clear vision of how they will make money providing content in a fashion that does not lead to annual or semiannual layoffs, pay cuts and benefit reductions. Currently no one seems to have a profitable concept for how to make money providing news and features digitally — which is the ONLY future."

San Antonio Express-News former business writer ~ Aissatou Sidime.



I always laugh at the disdain that many of my fellow bloggers have for the Mainstream Media. The Black Bloggers especially seem to have a lack of respect for them. That’s why a lot of people started blogging. They…..We…. essential thought we could do a better job. Some bloggers will be modest and tell you that’s not the reason but it is. I look at some of the bloggers on my blog list and they are talking about issues that I don’t hear about from the MSM. They are also giving insightful commentary about some of today’s issues. Even the gossip and celebrity blogs are beating out the MSM entertainment shows regarding information. Now I’m not suggesting that I want to hear about baby mama’s and breast implants but everyone has different tastes.

After years of providing our window to the world, the MSM is running on fumes. The MSM’s marriage with corporations has finally caught up to them. The lack of oversight has finally caught up to them. The inability to be able to adjust to a changing demographic has finally caught up to them. Don’t get me wrong because I enjoy reading the newspaper and magazines. But my problem is not the format (that is another conversation) of the news that I receive. My issue is how I receive it and what condition is it in when I get it. If a news organization doesn’t ask the tough questions, what good is it to me? If a news organization doesn’t hold peoples feet to the fire, what good is it to me? If a news organization only gives you the news that they want to give you, what good is it to me? The news has been massaged and dumbed down before we receive it. It reminds me of when a mother bird chews a baby birds’ food before they eat it. The journalists that are providing the news are compromised. They either are in the pockets of corporations or they are afraid of the government. Their job is to ask the tough questions so we can get honest answers. It started during Bush II administration and it hasn’t stopped since. Now that they don’t have the threat of being water boarded by Dick Cheney you would think things would be different. Instead it has gotten worse.

It seems as though the most credible journalist these days is a comedian. Jon Stewart, host of “The Daily Show”, is the only person asking the tough questions. His Spanish Inquisition of Jim Cramer, host of “Mad Money”, was brilliant. Finally, someone asking the questions that I wish I could ask. It wasn’t about him throwing around jokes. He actually gave a real deal interview. He even showed old footage of Cramer talking about how to “Game the System”. If he previously talked about “gaming” the system, what other tricks does he know? Matter of fact, what tricks does he know that other financiers might know (i.e. Madoff)? This is the same guy that is giving you (the regular joe) financial advice. All this is being done while he is on CNBC (a financial news show). Putting money in my mattress never looked so good.

Black journalists all over America were trying to figure out how D.L. Hughley got a weekend gig with CNN. It’s not hard to figure out that they were trying to compete with The Daily Show. Well we see how that turned out!!! Is that how they think we want to watch the news now? Why can’t the American people watch a show without some gimmick. The Daily Show does what it does and it’s successful. Don’t duplicate it!! I have nothing against D.L. but I have been waiting for more opportunities for minority journalists. We need people that can give insight to stories that the MSM won’t understand. We need people that can provide POSITIVE stories that the MSM won’t provide. Roland Martin had to wait for Campbell Brown to get knocked up before he could get a shot. TJ Holmes, Don Lemon, Fredricka Whitfield, all anchor on the weekends……..you see a theme here.

Only time will tell if the MSM finally gets it right. Maybe they won’t and a new form of media will come into existence. I just hope they know the clock is ticking.