In Her Latest Debate on The View, Rosie O'Donnell Comes Down on American Media Companies
"In America we are fed propaganda and if you want to know what's happening in the world go outside of the United States media!"
Did Rosie O'Donnell say what I think she said this morning on The View?
Did she really advise Americans to turn away from morning and nightly news programs on CBS, NBC and ABC as well as the
cable news networks and look to news sources outside of the country to get their domestic and international news?
Did she really question the integrity of American news organizations and imply that their employees are withholding information
about domestic and international events from their content, perhaps acting on orders from executives in their parent corporations?
Did she really single out The Walt Disney Company (and, by association, ABC News) in her latest tirade?
Here's what Rosie said midway through a robust volley with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck today that ran the gamut from the capture of British seamen by Iranians to the U.S. invasion of Iraq to the collapse of World
Trade Center Building 7 on September 11, 2001 to President Bill Clinton receiving sexual favors in the Oval Office while Osama bin Laden went about his business undeterred.
Said Rosie: "In America we are fed propaganda and if you want to know what's happening in the world go outside of the
United States media, because it's owned by four corporations -- one of them is this one -- go outside of the country to find out what's going on in our own country!"
Good gosh! Had she been on The View this morning, how would ABC News veteran Barbara Walters have
responded to that?
As one of my colleagues said after viewing the show: "I can see Barbara reaching for the smelling salts!"
Without question, Rosie's commentary took on added weight when she mentioned that media in the United States is "owned
by four corporations." At first I thought she was placing blame for what may and may not be reported on the news squarely on the shoulders of the American government. But she seemed to be casting a wider net.
American media flawed, media in other countries, less so. Hmmm. Has Rosie had access to the inner workings of news
organizations around the world? Can she vouch for the work done by all of the executives, producers and reporters at them, not to mention executives at the corporations that own said news organizations?
Apparently Rosie has determined that nothing compromises or influences news flow in other countries, and that, if it
happens, it only happens here.
I'm not saying it doesn't happen here. Surely, news coverage of the Iraq war is compromised by someone, at least when compared to coverage of the Vietnam War forty years ago. But to presume that it doesn't happen anywhere else -- to strongly imply that it doesn't happen in other
governments, corporations or news organizations around the globe -- well, I'm not so sure that's a smart approach to news consumption, either. Frankly, the closest anyone can come to determining the truth about anything these days is to process and analyze information from multiple sources, domestic and international.
And as part of that information gathering, I'd like to suggest that they watch The View! Certainly, nobody should take statements by Rosie or Elisabeth as the unquestioned truth. Between the two of them, though, more conflicting ideas get tossed out and debated with more passion and conviction than anywhere else on television. (It's up to viewers to follow through
with their own additional research.) And just when Rosie and Elisabeth get you all worked up and all stressed out, they produce a pleasant celebrity to calm you down. (Today's stress reducer was soft-spoken Jonathan Rhys Meyers of Showtime's sexy historical drama The Tudors.)
Because the women doing the debating on this show are not journalists, politicians or experts they tend to say what the
rest of us are thinking and express the views of real people in everyday terms. They keep important issues in play. In its own crazy way, The View has become essential television.
Dizzy SoundsOff - Rosie O'Donnell
I agree. Rosie should learn to do her homework before speaking up. Quite frankly, I can turn to any channel and see news stories about Iran / Iraq / etc any time of the day. Those who are overseas fighting volunteer to be in the military. These poor people, have unknowingly been feeding their pets tainted food. The war may have an affect on our lives, but our pets are right in our homes and our own backyards. There really is no comparing the two. The fact that she does, just goes to show she has no respect for those who have family or friends overseas and even less respect for those who have pets who are family. Myself included.
Beth Tucker SoundsOff - Rosie and The View
ABC and Disney are crazy to keep Rosie on The View. I myself will not watch their programming or patronize their sponsors until she is fired. I have written ABC, Disney and some other sponsors and if more people would do the same we will have a voice. It's ratings and money/money and ratings that matter to this corporate giants. C'mon folks, let's share our "View"!
Billie Hill SoundsOff - Rosie O'Donnell
I specifically sought out a story regarding The View shows you speak of when Rosie made her ignorant comments about the tragic pet food recall being headline news. I knew someone other than myself had to be appalled at her comments. Bad Rosie! I will not watch the show again…have better things to do. I care about our soldiers who have given their lives in this war AND I care about this pet food recall because I love my pets. Contrary to Rosie's "opinion" it IS possible to be concerned and care about BOTH! Grow up Rosie!