02 Aug 08 Internet Misinformation
66% of online Republicans and 58% of online Democrats think that the internet is full of misinformation according to a recent article on ZDNet.
Well, Sherlock comes to mind here!
Of course the internet is full of misinformation. Thing is information isn’t the truth anyway. It’s only a series of events or happenings from one persons viewpoint. It’s information, sure, but truth?
Anyhow, a large majority of those bemoaning about the Internet, are probably those that unquestionably believe the garbage pumped out of the idiot box on Fox, or CNN. Much of that is misinformation too, and quite a lot is out and out BS.
In fact, I’ve gotten to the point that I almost never watch TV news, preferring to read what’s going on, via the Internet, and then making my own value judgments on what I’ve read. Many people only believe what they want to believe anyhow. If you want to agree with Bill O’Reilly, then you’ll only get the soundbites that you want to hear, the rest you’ll poo-poo or ignore. That’s human nature to a large extent.
I try to read a number of sources to try and get a balanced view of what’s occurring.
Having said all that, how many people are more concerned which of he latest celebrity tarts is in rehab this week, than the state of the economy?
Perhaps these people find the internet full of misinformation, as there’s too much to have to read to get the information that want, instead of having some pictures and meaningless sound bites thrown at them?
Tags: bill o reilly, bs, celebrity, cnn, democrats, economy, extent, fox, garbage, human nature, misinformation, recent article, republicans, sherlock, soundbites, tarts, TV news, value judgments, viewpoint, zdnet
19 Jun 08 Internet Bypasses TV In The UK
According to ZDNet, Internet advertising in the UK will overtake TV this year. I am not suprised really, it was almost bound to happen at some point.
Take myself. I watch very little television, mostly because I am not interested in much of the content; secondly because on network television there are so many commercial breaks it spoils the few things I am interested in watching. I really don’t want to see an ad for injury lawyers, or for a new drug every 6-7 minutes.
Now, I appreciate that everything costs money, and advertising pays for those costs; after all, I have a number of blogs on which I carry advertising, including this one, as it pays for the costs of running them. However, no-one has to click on any ads on my sites, unless they want to, and that’s the same on most other sites I visit.
I keep in touch with what’s going on in the world. I read the local newspaper. I read the New York Times. I get a daily podcast of the Wall Street Journal. I frequently visit the BBC news site – as I feel they are less biased, and more trustworthy in their news reporting than Fox, or CNN for example.
Sometimes, I find the advertisements on web sites are useful. Sometimes I click on them, and read about the product and service that is interesting me. Sometimes I go on to make a purchase. One reason is that the advertisements online are more likely to relate to what you’re reading, unlike on television, where a commercial for a backache pill comes in the middle of a history documentary.
Tags: advertisements, bbc, bbc news, blogs, cnn, commercial breaks, costs money, fox, history documentary, injury lawyers, internet advertising, network television, new york times, news site, one reason, podcast, spoils, wall street, wall street journal, zdnet
