Did the media feed Blagojevich’s need?

By on January 30th, 2009 In Hype!

Watching Rod Blagojevich self destruct on the public airways made me wonder if the former governor of Illinois was sort of having fun at the media falling for the cottage industry of sound bites he provided for a brief spell.

If you switched between channels on Tuesday it was wall-to-wall Blagojevich. From Larry King to NBC’s Nightline, to CNBC. He even managed to say the same things to the hosts, who alternated between inquisitor, cheerleader and mesmerized host.

So here’s my question. Does the media sometimes lose its journalistic compass and get sucked in by the bad guy (the old case of OJ comes to mind, doesn’t it?) or is this an instance of masterly media handling by Blagojevic? (Rachel Maddow: “You  have handled this ordeal with a lot of political skill—so far.”)

Speaking of the cottage industry, check who else is making hay while the ex-governor heads to Crowbar Hotel.

Comments

Richard Says:
January 30th, 2009 at 10:52 am

The question is what is Rod Blagojevich’s fate? I have a feeling he will end up running one of those bailed-out financial institutions or switch party and be Sara Palin’s running mate in 2012.

Richard K Says:
January 30th, 2009 at 1:13 pm

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2009/01/30/20090130belo-layoffs0130-ON.html

Diane D'Angelo Says:
January 30th, 2009 at 2:15 pm

“Does the media sometimes lose its journalistic compass and get sucked in….”?

Case in point: MCSO

tyler Hurst Says:
January 31st, 2009 at 10:35 am

What journalistic compass? Big time news now exists as an entertainment medium built to sell ads. There’s no way most people can trust traditional, big media outlets to give unbiased, objectionable reporting anymore because there’s just no money in it.

I watched HLN on CNN for 15 minutes yesterday while in a doctor’s office. 12 of those minutes were focused on the mother that killed her baby and constantly looped a shot of her sitting down in the court, all the while critiquing her hair and wardrobe choice. This is news?

Shimmy Says:
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:40 pm

Well, how come the media didn’t cover Rod Blagojevich’s Salt Satyagraha, when he marched 248 miles from downtown Chicago to make his own salt on the shore of Lake Michigan?

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