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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Four Friday, February 12. 1993 Opinions 4 The Daily Utah Chronicle hi' tznDrjce 3CW?f- -- 2.-- ? pui urn -- Valuable forum National town meeting beneficial to democracy evening was Bill Clinton's first meeting as president. While this sort of cozy little can be seen where the merely as a can on his best caring face and put president appear to be concerned, it really has much greater Wednesday get-togeth- er photo-opportuni- ty - significance. This national town meeting serves as a valuable means for narrowing the geographic Staging of test a sad commentary on decline of legitimate journalsim barriers that make democracy so cumbersome. By allowing people from all over the country to have contact with the president, it enables them to take a more active, effective role in their government. Any program that gives people more power in a democracy is beneficial. journalists say their job the public and to search for the truth, Dateline NBC The program also allows people to hear explanations of programs and ideas directly from the president who will implement them as opposed to hearing them through the filter of the media. Along the same lines, it provides the president with an unfiltered look at what is important to the people he governs. He gets to hear their views in their words with potency that could not be conveyed in a letter. And these people also get to hear a direct response and know their-messag- e was received. So, yes, the whole thing is somewhat staged and artificial. The participants are screened and the president has his stock answers prepared for ; the general questions. However, the Chronicle feels that the benefit and potential importance of warrants their continuation. The Chronicle hopes that the '.such forums certainly Clinton administration will continue holding national town meetings in order to approve communications between the government and the people. Be our valentine is in the air and the Chronicle feels it. we would like to extend to all our friends a very happy Valentine's Day. To our friends at everyone's favorite alternative publication, the University Edge; to our pals at the Utah Legislature; and to all our loyal readers, letter writers and censors: Be our valentine. Ideally, we would deliver all our valentines by hand, but there are so many people and so little time. Remember, Valentine's Day is a time for love among all people. So let's try to pattern our lives in pursuit of this noble goal. The world would certainly be a much better place if everyone loved more and hated less. Love The Chronicle also calls on all those little winged cupids to put some clothes on and stop eroding the moral fiber of our fine community. Hugs and kisses, all! The Chronicle is an independent student newspaper. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority view of the Editorial Board. , program proved that truth in journalism is just one of the relative (as it is in life) and that you can't always trust everything you read or everything you see. There's aired. Dateline NBC is f . news that programs pretends to be hard-hittin- The fiasco involving NBC and : many but is really a mixture of always a catch. I ever Although g General Motors over the network's Eleni dramatics and rigged crash test of G.M. trucks is Hollywoodian both disappointing and frustrating. It Vatsis representations of decreases the level of trust the public the facts. Chronicle has- for television news and: Editorial Editor Reenactments contributes to American cynicism nave grown so about the press. It is also an example popular among news magazines that of what might be called a "lawyer it's getting hard to tell the difference trick;" all the facts are there, but between A Current Affair and 2020. These types of programs are an some are emphasized over others. to anyone's intelligence. insult NBC did Technically, nothing, Broadcasters Dateline's are fond of using the Michelle reporter, wrong. Gillen, admitted when the program time constraint excuse as to why in aired that the crash test was depth reporting is such an anomaly. "unscientific." The network, But news magazines should be able however, neglected to disclose that to maximize resources and expand the truck used in the demonstration ' on stories that can't be covered in a had been tampered with to ensure an half hour news program. '' Was it so critical to the NBC story explosion. G.M. wanted to sue the network that viewers see an example of an because it said by leaving off the explosion on television? Wasn't the information about tampering, it had ruling and evidence from the Atlanta hurt the company's image. Of course, court case enough to convince consumers need only to have heard viewers of the danger of G.M. pickabout the case in Atlanta in which a up trucks? Using reenactments as a device to jury ruled that G.M. should reward in to the million $105 persuade viewers takes away from damages the integrity of news reports. Instead of killed who while a was family boy of analyzing the news and telling of The one their trucks. driving was G.M.'s of viewers the impact of stories, trucks pickup image tarnished before the Dateline viewers get a heavy dose of . . - dramatics;, these types of news programs come complete with dramatic music and dramatic movements of the camera. And there's usually a deeply emotional scene involving family members or victims to boot. Network television could do without more programs like Hard Copy, Inside Edition and A Current Affair. But the networks continue to produce these types of programs in the guise of news shows. Even 2020, what I once considered an interesting and provocative program, has sold out to schmaltz. Television ews magazines now go for the emotion and pathos. In the process, the victims by they repeatedly informing viewers that what is obviously a tragedy is a tragedy. News anchors and reporters in these programs let us all know what sensitivity and sympathy they have for the news subjects. This isn't what viewers need to know. We don't need to know whether Barbara Walter's heart goes out to Bosnian refugees. We don't need to know whether John Stossel's heart bleeds for children who have eaten tainted hamburger. The Dateline episode exemplifies what can happen if news magazines get caught up in the presentation of the story instead of delivering the story. News magazines would do well to follow the words of Dragnet police officers and give us, "just the over-victimi- facts." . LETTER POLICY Sexuality, not military issue Editor ' ' I would like to shad new light on what has become an old story. That is the surge in hate crimes plaguing our country since President Clinton's move to allow gays in the military. ' I believe the violence that has sprung up over this issue is not just over whether or not gays should be allowed in the military. But those who oppose the idea and especially those committing the violent acts against the gays, it's a matter of protecting their masculinity. Most men fear nothing more than having their masculinity questioned. It is this preconceived fear of being sexually intimidated by other men that. I believe is the cause of the controversy. The ironic thing about this issue is that the very type of sexual intimidation these men are fighting against is the very thing they themselves have been dishing out to women since time began. The recent hearings on the sexual misconduct at a military convention is just a small sample of the type of intimidation women have received throughout the years, especially in the military. It seems to me that these men should wake up and realize that sexuality has nothing to do with fighting for. your country whether you're a man or woman gay or straight. Tammie K. Dominguez sophomore The Daily Utah Chronicle Business hours: Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm 581-704- 1 The Chronicle welcomes reader response. Please bring letters, typed, double-spacenot exceeding two pages, to 240 Union Building. Each d letter should include your name, major, year in school and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, grammar and space. |
