Our Broken Media and Health Insurance Reform

Writing in the WaPo this morning (no link), E.J. Dionne explodes the myth, propagated by the ambulance-chasing media, that the rage at last month's town hall meetings was a reflection of America's dissatisfaction with health insurance reform:

"There is an overwhelming case that the electronic media went out of their way to cover the noise and ignored the calmer (and from television's point of view 'boring') encounters between elected representatives and their constituents. It's also clear that the anger that got so much attention largely reflects a fringe right-wing view opposed to all sorts of government programs most Americans support."

Dionne has it right. He tells of one North Carolina town hall meeting where a TV representative said if the meeting didn't "blow up" it wouldn't be covered. Nice journalism standards.

Next time when you hear a TV talking head commenting that the Administration is losing the battle for health insurance reform, remember whose side the mainstream media were on.