Taking things out of Context

This basic NO NO seems to be practiced a lot these days. Both libs & conservatives are guilty of this; however, if appears to me that the liberal media takes conservatives out of context Far More Often than the other way around.

Take Rush Limbaugh for an example. Several years ago (when I still listened to the dominant mass media which is predominately liberal---you know, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.) I was struck at one point by all  the reports of Rush and his "hate mongering" that seemed be a daily news staple.

As a writer & editor, I was curious because frankly I didn't think Anyone was stupid enough to keep making the "gaffes" that the media reported. So I started listening to him. Regularly. And to the entire radio show.

Far from being the "hate monger-er" being reported, he was funny and intelligent, yes often over-the-top but then aren't those who need ratings? He *assumed* contrary to most media that his audience was equally intelligent and that they "got" his tongue-in-cheek humor.  He was also educational, routinely explaining his and the conservative point-of-view on economics and history and policy. This is far more than you would get from most "drive by" accounts.

And I kept listening.  The reports of  "hate mongering" have not subsided, in fact they've gotten worse. But now I know that those reports and quotes are intentionally taken out of context, breaking that very basic rule of journalism.

The only folks who do believe those reports are those who haven't bothered to check into them; those who have only listened to the often outrageous snippets that circulate that are explicitly taken out of context. Often these snippets are satire and references to what the dominant media will take out of context. And they often choose that very thing.

It's no wonder many choose not to talk to the media at all or only under very controlled circumstances since there's no way of telling how they're going to portray you until the story airs or is published.

Consider the source, their bias (and there is always a bias even if you're not aware of it) and ask critical, thinking questions about the report. Is it out of context? Is it spun to reflect a specific viewpoint? If so, I would suggest checking the original source and the full context of the story.