The Rocket

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Steve Reed Cliff Kincaid (left), editor of Accuracy in Media, and Jeff Cohen (right), former senior producer of "The Phil Donahue Show," debated issues regarding the media and elections. The "How the media can sway votes and win elections" debate held Tuesday in the University Union's Multi-Purpose Room allowed students to express their feelings about the media. [Click to enlarge]

News correspondents visited campus to debate the pros and cons of the media in today's world at Tuesday's "How the media can sway votes and win elections."

The event was sponsored by the University Program Board.

Cliff Kincaid, editor of Accuracy in Media, a non-profit organization of citizens who provide critiques about news stories from around the world, and Jeff Cohen, former senior producer of "The Phil Donahue Show," discussed issues about the media and the information they present.

Cohen told the students who came to the event that they need to be skeptical of the mainstream media in particular.

"Don't take the media lying down," Cohen said.

The panelists held opposing views about whether the media was more liberal or conservative in its approach.

Both agreed that people shouldn't believe everything the media present to the public.

Kincaid said that Americans have a right as citizens to demand answers from the media. He also stressed the idea that people have the power as individuals to be journalists.

Kincaid, who holds a journalism degree from the University of Toledo, explained that communication departments, in his opinion, no longer teach objective news reporting.

Cohen said that when the public is listening to mainstream media such as ABC, CBS or Fox, they are likely to receive a conservative point of view.

He said the reason for this is because the owners of these companies are known as right wing conservatives.

Cohen stressed the importance of seeking out other sources of information, such as the Internet or independent sources like blogs.

"The Internet is a free forum," Cohen said. "We have to save it."

Cohen said that another reason the public should seek other sources for information is because the media are concerned with their popularity with the public.

Kincaid said that media outlets need to stop the "fluff" surrounding the 2008 presidential campaign.

Cohen agreed and said that the public is more likely to see debates on race, sex, gender or the hairstyle Hillary Clinton chose to wear, rather than actual political issues.

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