Someone PLEASE tell me you saw the Diane Sawyer Good Morning America report this morning from Afghanistan...
if you DID see it, you would be outraged, too.
Here's a quick rundown...
Sawyer is in Afghanistan to report on the state of the country. She meets with the President of the country and others. As the morning show progresses, she begins to talk about how Afghanistan has their own version of American Idol and that she is shocked anyone in that country has a cell phone to vote or electricity to watch the show. (Given we all understand what is happening there... but the way she stated it made it sound like they were primitive people- that she was amazed they could even read and write.) She goes on to crack a joke about the "prize" the winner of the Afghanistan Idol would receive--- $3000, a record contract, and get this... a vacation to Khazakistan (yes, from the movie Borat)... but she says it in her "Borat" voice... and not only that, but Robin Roberts and the rest of them start to mock it as well. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME???! (It didn't end there- but I turned it off.)
This was blatantly ignorant. US journalists should not be making a mockery of other countries... nor should we as Americans be thinking we are better than everyone else- and we shouldn't find this acceptable. I watched this morning in disbelief--- had this been an "interview" on a country in Africa, people would be screaming racisim and prejudice... but because it's about the Middle East no one says a word???! WTF
It's the subtleness of propaganda like this that educated people should be bringing to the surface and holding people accountable for. This was no different than the slapstick African-American jokes from 60+ years ago. Now we have just found another race to joke on...
*No I am not from Afghanistan, nor am I African-American. I am just aware- and outraged.
it is amazing that you brought this up because i too overheard this report this morning while i was getting ready to come to work. I didnt get to pay much attention to what was being said (as i really only listen for weather reports at 730) but found it really odd that they kept on laughing and saying "and you wont BELIVE what their grand prize is" I also found it quite insensitive that the hosts were laughing at the clips of the afghani people singing on the show.
It definetly was pretty tasteless... i wish i had been paying more close attention, but you are right to be severly dissapointed. I wanted to hold on and watch the rest of the report in hopes that the grand prize was really something amazing and not a joke at their expense... im saddend it was not.
That sounds pretty disgusting.......I didn't see it, but the only way that anyone is going to make anything of it is if it gets mentioned on a well-known blog somewhere and then picked up by the AP or another network.
This is tricky too because Sawyer is so well-known and "respected" so any criticism of her is going to be second-guessed.
Well Diane Sawyer is an idiot and I definitely don't put her in the category of "quality journalists." If you want quality news then go to NPR or the BBC. If you want to find out the "latest trends for christmas" or "5 quick and easy meals for your family" then watch Good Morning America. I agree with you that it's awful to have someone like that representing the United States, but there are good tv shows/newpapers/journalists/writers/politicians, etc. out there and there are bad ones.....unfortunately we have to live with them all.
kaylani- i listen to npr everyday at work as well as the bbc- i went to italy a few years back and heard the bbc and realized they produce news that the us never wants us to hear, i have been a listener ever since. unfortunately most of the US does listen to NBC or ABC or CBS... and they take it as serious news. the public media shapes the world and sadly enough does represent views of some of the US citizens. so while i do listen to npr/bbc/and other world news outlets, we cannot ignore what our own US media is publicly providing. and they should be called out on their actions, as it has the ability to greatly affect the world.
i do intend to post this issue on a real notable blog- in the meantime i have submitted a post on abc news in their "ask Diane Sawyer a question about afghanistan"... like she is the new representative + spokesperson for afghans
we cannot ignore what our own US media is publicly providing. and they should be called out on their actions, as it has the ability to greatly affect the world.
we cant just sit by and pretend like the 3 major news corps dont exist. i'm not getting into a debate about what people watch/listen to... it is the fact that someone has the media outlet to say these things and the fact that people all across the world are listening
just because you keep yourself away from other forms of media doesnt mean it doesnt exist- and it doesnt mean other people arent listening.
why wouldnt you want to be open to what is being said, and not just what diane rehm is talking about on npr?
Uhm, in case you missed it this has been the state of U.S. journalism for at least three dacades. I usually regard any U.S.-based journalism concerning international issues to be nothing more than a joke so I go elsewhere for information and read when I get a chance. But the problem is that Americans feed off this type of "knowledge" unscrupulously and digest it as slightly humorous. That is why there are such misconceptions about that part of the world. And that's why hacks like Thomas Freidman, Judith Miller, Bernard Lewis, Daniel Pipes, and their ilk thrive in such an ignorant environment.
It's the price to pay when we live in an age of sullen "expertise" and instant position taking.
i think it just shows you how insulated americans can be...even someone who reports on and is exposed to world events for a living. we totally have the ability to pick and choose what we want our lives to be like and unforunately, americans want their news watered down and want to hear they are the best all the time. i agree with archmed, i think there are better publications out there. i like the economist, although it's probably only marginally more "real" than any us publication.
insulated or not- vapor barrier or not- sawyer went to afghanistan in an effort to find out about their society + how they live. in turn, she is representing the US.
the difference is she has a national outlet of distributing her experiences... and what she says and does is not just reported here, but as nomad referenced, is reported across the world- in turn giving a false representation of americans and their views.
it becomes our responsibility to call her/other media out on something like this when they actively pose as representatives of americans.
to become an isolated american and choose what you surround yourself with is only living in a mirage.
Did she really do a Borat voice?!? I want to hear Katie Couric open the CBS evening news with that voice. And who watches Good Morning America for their hard hitting news stories? It's soft news, and marketed as such, isn't it?? Not that making jokes about a people is acceptable even on a show like that, but I wouldn't watch it expecting to *learn* anything. I'm skeptical of all news sources, BBC and NPR included. Journalists are human and human have human bias, thus all news has some angle. Nothing beat being there and seeing with your own two eyes.
I suppose it would be nice if they would do something with substance on those morning shows, considering their normal viewing audience, but that's probably too much to ask.
Has anyone here seen that other show where an abnoxious brit goes to another country and then makes fun of singing contestants? hmm whats the name of it?
Or even better wasn't there a movie recently by a middle eastern guy who went around the US making fun of the locals goofy traditions and customs...hmm can't remember the name either.
My point is stupid is stupid and every nation has thier share of idiots. Was Sawyer's behavior and mockery of the afghanistan Idol pretentios and elitist, yes but her actions as our little message board shows does not represent the US as a whole.
wow, just wow, i mean i would expect that shit from a comedian like Carlos Mencia, and i wouldn't mind it coming from a comedian either. But Diane fucking Sawyer? The fuck is wrong with her?
I still stand by the fact that Ted Koppel is the best U.S. journalist.
Good Morning America makes Afghanistan into a joke
Someone PLEASE tell me you saw the Diane Sawyer Good Morning America report this morning from Afghanistan...
if you DID see it, you would be outraged, too.
Here's a quick rundown...
Sawyer is in Afghanistan to report on the state of the country. She meets with the President of the country and others. As the morning show progresses, she begins to talk about how Afghanistan has their own version of American Idol and that she is shocked anyone in that country has a cell phone to vote or electricity to watch the show. (Given we all understand what is happening there... but the way she stated it made it sound like they were primitive people- that she was amazed they could even read and write.) She goes on to crack a joke about the "prize" the winner of the Afghanistan Idol would receive--- $3000, a record contract, and get this... a vacation to Khazakistan (yes, from the movie Borat)... but she says it in her "Borat" voice... and not only that, but Robin Roberts and the rest of them start to mock it as well. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME???! (It didn't end there- but I turned it off.)
This was blatantly ignorant. US journalists should not be making a mockery of other countries... nor should we as Americans be thinking we are better than everyone else- and we shouldn't find this acceptable. I watched this morning in disbelief--- had this been an "interview" on a country in Africa, people would be screaming racisim and prejudice... but because it's about the Middle East no one says a word???! WTF
It's the subtleness of propaganda like this that educated people should be bringing to the surface and holding people accountable for. This was no different than the slapstick African-American jokes from 60+ years ago. Now we have just found another race to joke on...
*No I am not from Afghanistan, nor am I African-American. I am just aware- and outraged.
it is amazing that you brought this up because i too overheard this report this morning while i was getting ready to come to work. I didnt get to pay much attention to what was being said (as i really only listen for weather reports at 730) but found it really odd that they kept on laughing and saying "and you wont BELIVE what their grand prize is" I also found it quite insensitive that the hosts were laughing at the clips of the afghani people singing on the show.
It definetly was pretty tasteless... i wish i had been paying more close attention, but you are right to be severly dissapointed. I wanted to hold on and watch the rest of the report in hopes that the grand prize was really something amazing and not a joke at their expense... im saddend it was not.
That sounds pretty disgusting.......I didn't see it, but the only way that anyone is going to make anything of it is if it gets mentioned on a well-known blog somewhere and then picked up by the AP or another network.
This is tricky too because Sawyer is so well-known and "respected" so any criticism of her is going to be second-guessed.
+i
if there were more like you in DC, US would probably have been a greater country and the world a safer place.
it's all about racism,hate and ignorance.
i'm living in the mid-east and i'm aware of both sides of the story, but hearing it from someone in the US, makes me feel "hope".
cheers
Well Diane Sawyer is an idiot and I definitely don't put her in the category of "quality journalists." If you want quality news then go to NPR or the BBC. If you want to find out the "latest trends for christmas" or "5 quick and easy meals for your family" then watch Good Morning America. I agree with you that it's awful to have someone like that representing the United States, but there are good tv shows/newpapers/journalists/writers/politicians, etc. out there and there are bad ones.....unfortunately we have to live with them all.
by the way diane sawyer is really respected here,
but she just screwed it...
but i'm sure red-necks would like her more from now on!
thanks nomad
kaylani- i listen to npr everyday at work as well as the bbc- i went to italy a few years back and heard the bbc and realized they produce news that the us never wants us to hear, i have been a listener ever since. unfortunately most of the US does listen to NBC or ABC or CBS... and they take it as serious news. the public media shapes the world and sadly enough does represent views of some of the US citizens. so while i do listen to npr/bbc/and other world news outlets, we cannot ignore what our own US media is publicly providing. and they should be called out on their actions, as it has the ability to greatly affect the world.
i do intend to post this issue on a real notable blog- in the meantime i have submitted a post on abc news in their "ask Diane Sawyer a question about afghanistan"... like she is the new representative + spokesperson for afghans
first question why the hell are you watching good morning amerika?
we cannot ignore what our own US media is publicly providing. and they should be called out on their actions, as it has the ability to greatly affect the world.
we cant just sit by and pretend like the 3 major news corps dont exist. i'm not getting into a debate about what people watch/listen to... it is the fact that someone has the media outlet to say these things and the fact that people all across the world are listening
I want to see a clip...is one on youtube yet?
just because you keep yourself away from other forms of media doesnt mean it doesnt exist- and it doesnt mean other people arent listening.
why wouldnt you want to be open to what is being said, and not just what diane rehm is talking about on npr?
Uhm, in case you missed it this has been the state of U.S. journalism for at least three dacades. I usually regard any U.S.-based journalism concerning international issues to be nothing more than a joke so I go elsewhere for information and read when I get a chance. But the problem is that Americans feed off this type of "knowledge" unscrupulously and digest it as slightly humorous. That is why there are such misconceptions about that part of the world. And that's why hacks like Thomas Freidman, Judith Miller, Bernard Lewis, Daniel Pipes, and their ilk thrive in such an ignorant environment.
It's the price to pay when we live in an age of sullen "expertise" and instant position taking.
i think it just shows you how insulated americans can be...even someone who reports on and is exposed to world events for a living. we totally have the ability to pick and choose what we want our lives to be like and unforunately, americans want their news watered down and want to hear they are the best all the time. i agree with archmed, i think there are better publications out there. i like the economist, although it's probably only marginally more "real" than any us publication.
insulated or not- vapor barrier or not- sawyer went to afghanistan in an effort to find out about their society + how they live. in turn, she is representing the US.
the difference is she has a national outlet of distributing her experiences... and what she says and does is not just reported here, but as nomad referenced, is reported across the world- in turn giving a false representation of americans and their views.
it becomes our responsibility to call her/other media out on something like this when they actively pose as representatives of americans.
to become an isolated american and choose what you surround yourself with is only living in a mirage.
i recommend ThisIsHell
Did she really do a Borat voice?!? I want to hear Katie Couric open the CBS evening news with that voice. And who watches Good Morning America for their hard hitting news stories? It's soft news, and marketed as such, isn't it?? Not that making jokes about a people is acceptable even on a show like that, but I wouldn't watch it expecting to *learn* anything. I'm skeptical of all news sources, BBC and NPR included. Journalists are human and human have human bias, thus all news has some angle. Nothing beat being there and seeing with your own two eyes.
I suppose it would be nice if they would do something with substance on those morning shows, considering their normal viewing audience, but that's probably too much to ask.
I bet she was jacked up on opium
If any of you have ever experienced the state of pop music in Central Asia, then you'll know that it deserves to be made fun of.
it can't be any worse that what imus said about the rutgers women's basketball team.
Has anyone here seen that other show where an abnoxious brit goes to another country and then makes fun of singing contestants? hmm whats the name of it?
Or even better wasn't there a movie recently by a middle eastern guy who went around the US making fun of the locals goofy traditions and customs...hmm can't remember the name either.
My point is stupid is stupid and every nation has thier share of idiots. Was Sawyer's behavior and mockery of the afghanistan Idol pretentios and elitist, yes but her actions as our little message board shows does not represent the US as a whole.
jjh, Imus got a lot of shit for that including calls for him to be fired from MSNBC.
wow, just wow, i mean i would expect that shit from a comedian like Carlos Mencia, and i wouldn't mind it coming from a comedian either. But Diane fucking Sawyer? The fuck is wrong with her?
I still stand by the fact that Ted Koppel is the best U.S. journalist.
Don't worry. I'm sure Carlos Mencia will steal that joke, too.
Thats disgusting
by, Timeslice: Houston Poetry 2005
Yes, thats sounds like a vacuous display of arrogant, piggist behavior by Sawyer and her cohorts.
vado - thanks for the link to thisishelldotnet. that place rocks...
i instantly found this from their headline section.
NYC gave out some 5million of them.
I'm still wearing mine!
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