barking_iguana | The actual bias of the traditional media

Even more than a desire not to offend their advertisers and to pander to the views of their audience, they like news. That is, they like events to be interpreted in their most newsworthy and dramatic fashion. Consider the effect in Egypt coverage.

Most of the media has been portraying the revolution as simply a democratizing event, without serious consideration that despite the intent of most of the leaders and participants in the demonstrations, things may not go well. The revolution is a triumph of good over evil.

Only the hard right, the folks who think that anyone who's not White is unfit to rule themselves, have been dealing with the risks, and they don't present them as risks, but as a certainty. Mubarak was a proper toady of the West, and so was good. The revolution is certain to bring to power the Muslim Brotherhood and the MB is certain to be as bad as Iran, so it is a triumph of evil over good.

Either way, the talking heads convince not only us, but more importantly themselves, that this is a critical moment in history. It excites them to think they're participating, even if only remotely, in such a moment. And of course it justifies their notion that it's incumbent on us to watch them.