NoodleNightingale
Well-known member
The platforming of Marjorie Taylor Greene by the major networks - a recipe for disaster.
In recent weeks, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia has made headlines with her extreme views on issues such as gun control and transgender rights. Despite her history of making inflammatory comments, including referring to Democrats as "pedophiles" and claiming that the Parkland school shooting was staged, CBS's 60 Minutes recently gave her a platform.
The segment, in which Greene sat down with host Lesley Stahl, was touted on Twitter as an opportunity for viewers to hear from the congresswoman herself. However, many have accused CBS of giving Greene a free pass by failing to critically examine her views and instead presenting them as legitimate.
One can't help but recall the infamous comments made by former CBS CEO Les Moonves during Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. When asked about whether the candidate was "good for America," Moonves responded, "The money's rolling in and this is fun... It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald. Keep going."
Moonves' comments were seen as tone-deaf and complicit in Trump's rise to power. Similarly, CBS's decision to give Greene a platform raises questions about the network's priorities and values.
Critics argue that by giving Greene a prominent platform, CBS is perpetuating her brand of extremism and normalizing conspiracy theories. For example, Greene has repeatedly downplayed the January 6 attack on the Capitol, despite overwhelming evidence that it was a violent insurrection fueled by QAnon and other far-right ideologies.
Furthermore, Greene's own social media history is riddled with inflammatory comments about marginalized groups, including Muslims and transgender individuals. Her appearance on 60 Minutes only serves to further amplify these views and create a sense of normalcy around them.
The decision by CBS to give Greene a platform also recalls the network's infamous interview with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in 2000. While that interview was certainly provocative, it at least sparked a national conversation about domestic terrorism and the threat posed by white supremacist extremism.
In contrast, Greene's views are more insidious, yet no less repugnant. Her brand of anti-transgender rhetoric and conspiracy theories is designed to inflame divisions and create fear among already marginalized communities.
It's true that 60 Minutes has featured many "controversial" guests over its long history, but the difference lies in their willingness to critically engage with these individuals' views and challenge them. Greene was not presented with such scrutiny; instead, her extremist views were airbrushed into a more palatable narrative.
CBS may claim that it is simply providing a platform for diverse voices, but this decision ultimately reinforces the very ideologies that are being amplified. As long as networks prioritize ratings over substance, the consequences will be dire.
In conclusion, while 60 Minutes may claim to be giving Greene a voice, it's clear that this decision has more to do with ratings than critical journalism. The end result is a reinforcement of the very extremism and conspiracy theories that threaten our democracy.
In recent weeks, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia has made headlines with her extreme views on issues such as gun control and transgender rights. Despite her history of making inflammatory comments, including referring to Democrats as "pedophiles" and claiming that the Parkland school shooting was staged, CBS's 60 Minutes recently gave her a platform.
The segment, in which Greene sat down with host Lesley Stahl, was touted on Twitter as an opportunity for viewers to hear from the congresswoman herself. However, many have accused CBS of giving Greene a free pass by failing to critically examine her views and instead presenting them as legitimate.
One can't help but recall the infamous comments made by former CBS CEO Les Moonves during Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. When asked about whether the candidate was "good for America," Moonves responded, "The money's rolling in and this is fun... It's a terrible thing to say, but bring it on, Donald. Keep going."
Moonves' comments were seen as tone-deaf and complicit in Trump's rise to power. Similarly, CBS's decision to give Greene a platform raises questions about the network's priorities and values.
Critics argue that by giving Greene a prominent platform, CBS is perpetuating her brand of extremism and normalizing conspiracy theories. For example, Greene has repeatedly downplayed the January 6 attack on the Capitol, despite overwhelming evidence that it was a violent insurrection fueled by QAnon and other far-right ideologies.
Furthermore, Greene's own social media history is riddled with inflammatory comments about marginalized groups, including Muslims and transgender individuals. Her appearance on 60 Minutes only serves to further amplify these views and create a sense of normalcy around them.
The decision by CBS to give Greene a platform also recalls the network's infamous interview with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in 2000. While that interview was certainly provocative, it at least sparked a national conversation about domestic terrorism and the threat posed by white supremacist extremism.
In contrast, Greene's views are more insidious, yet no less repugnant. Her brand of anti-transgender rhetoric and conspiracy theories is designed to inflame divisions and create fear among already marginalized communities.
It's true that 60 Minutes has featured many "controversial" guests over its long history, but the difference lies in their willingness to critically engage with these individuals' views and challenge them. Greene was not presented with such scrutiny; instead, her extremist views were airbrushed into a more palatable narrative.
CBS may claim that it is simply providing a platform for diverse voices, but this decision ultimately reinforces the very ideologies that are being amplified. As long as networks prioritize ratings over substance, the consequences will be dire.
In conclusion, while 60 Minutes may claim to be giving Greene a voice, it's clear that this decision has more to do with ratings than critical journalism. The end result is a reinforcement of the very extremism and conspiracy theories that threaten our democracy.
and i'm still trying to process how cbs gave her so much airtime. like, what's the point of even having a platform for people who spread hate speech? 
don't get me wrong, cbs has done some great journalism in the past but this feels like they're more worried about getting views than actually doing good reporting... 
. Giving Marjorie Taylor Greene a platform without critically examining her views is a total recipe for disaster. It's like they want to normalize her crazy conspiracy theories and anti-transgender rhetoric 
. I mean, what's next? Giving Alex Jones a spot on 60 Minutes? 
CBS claims it's about providing diverse voices, but let's be real, they're just trying to boost ratings 
. We need more critical journalism, not just giving a platform for people who spread hate and misinformation 
.
. It's not cool, CBS. Not cool at all.
. And another thing, what's the point of having 60 Minutes if they're just going to airbrush away the controversy and make it seem like everything is okay? 
. We need more critical journalism that challenges people's views and pushes for real change, not just gives a platform to extremists who are trying to divide us 
.
#FakeNewsFactory, it's like they're just fueling the fire 
! I mean, come on CBS, you knew Marjorie Taylor Greene was gonna stir up some controversy, but did you really think you could just give her a free pass? 
#NotBuyingIt!