Magic Marmalade 6th Jan 2016
| | ReviewIt's been a while now since Pacman left...
... And I have to say I don't miss him much now, as it was getting to the point where he was all but nodding off in the chair; Either he was dreaming of being tucked up in bed with his Ovaltine, or had finally reached a transcendent state of news journalist Nirvana where the news was now beneath him, and to be regarded with contempt and frequent expressions of boredom.
Mind you, that could be confused with contempt for the show itself, as contrasted with Wark's antics (Her dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller at the end of one show made something die inside me), and her obvious pushing of a feminist "agenda" (blimey, I sound like a right wing nut job now.... aaarrrrggh), I'm all for feminism, and many other isms, where and when an ism is required, and doesn't threaten the peace, security, and well being of people, but I'm also for Journalism - remember that word? -
Journalism has suffered greatly since the advent of 24 hour "news", which has been one of the single most destructive innovations of the last twenty years, and this was one of those little Oases of integrity, but gradually succumbed to the influence of 24 hysteria - sorry... "news".
Picking up many of the bad habits of the 24 hour TV screen saver channels (be honest, when their's nothing on TV, you find yourself landing on one of these channels to act as a glowing fire place on your TV... or frequently switch over "in case" anything has "happened"), such as giving us a massive build up to some event, like a speech, then "We're going to leave that there" - for no apparent purpose except to piss you off once you're well into said speech (rather they suffer from institutional attention deficit disorder themselves), pressing interviewees on questons before they've even opened their mouths to answer the last question that was asked.... sometimes even overtly favouring one of the guests and virtually cold shouldering the other (It's my prerogative as a viewer to agree or disagree with a guest's views or not... even to dislike them if I should so choose... but you are a "journalist", who ought to be impartial and professional ((careful.... your polititcs are showing!)).
Frequently we see Matlis strutting around, or "jogging" a story (?)... (Of course, it hasn't become all about the presenter now has it?!!)
Evan Davis though... who did look a little light-weight in the beginning, seems to have gotten to grips with it, and has a snappy, sharp - yet easy style of presenting which is a lot better, and even occasionally, some journalism breaks out in the studio.
But the endless string of "economists" "analysts" "Political editors/commentators/gossip columnists/politics-as-sport-as-entertatinment mongers giving their useless opinions (If they know so much, why haven't they fixed things themselves?) grates on the nerves now, as Jack Nicholson's character in As good As It Gets remarks (albeit out context here- but equally applicable):
"I'm drowning here... and You're describing the water!"
Which probably sums up best what journalism has come to in this day and age, where once, to read a newspaper, or watch a show like this was the mark of someone wanting to be informed, and enlightened, now it's just a pageant, the sign of delusion.
It's said that those who can't do...teach.
But when it comes to economics, politics, world affairs and the like:
Those who can't do.... become "Journalists".
(It's no wonder I don't vote anymore, and more generally don't believe in our system of democracy either.... this lot would make a cynic of anyone.)
GGGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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