If you tune into Fox News or Conservative talk radio, you're not likely to have to wait a long time before they mention the Liberal Media. They talk about it as if it's a monolithic, cohesive organization whose aim is to brainwash the American public so they can install a Tsar atop a new world order that forces people to gay marry and use energy efficient lightbulbs. In addition, Conservative politicians never miss a chance to dismiss a story as coming from the Liberal Media if it happens to cast them in any kind of negative light. Here are a couple of things that are infuriating about this.

For one, Conservative commentators use "Liberal Media" and "mainstream media" interchangeably. (Sarah Palin even goes with "lamestream media," which blends the scary mob feeling evoked by "mainstream" with the L sound in the word, liberal.) The conflation of these two terms is misleading for a number of reasons. When they talk about the Liberal mainstream media, they are often referring to the news media, even though Fox News is the most watched news network in America. And then, Conservative talk shows dominate broadcast radio when it comes to political opinion. Furthermore, the Drudge Report is one of the most popular news sources on the internet. If popularity isn't the defining characteristic of "mainstream," what does the word even mean?

So, you could make the argument that there are more news media outlets with a Liberal bent than there are Conservative ones, but it's unreasonable to say that Conservative media isn't within the mainstream. Conservatives complaining about the mainstream media is like Count Chocula decrying the perverting influence of mainstream cereal.

Now, where Conservatives probably have it right is when they assert that there are more Liberal than Conservative journalists. But, how they think this helps their overall argument on behalf of their ideology is lost on me. Essentially, what they're saying is this: "You know that whole field made up of people who went through years of school in an effort to educate themselves and learn how to best serve as objective fact-seekers who report the truth... you know those guys? Well, most of them think we're wrong." Why do they think that makes them look better?

I'll end with a personal appeal. Conservatives, please consider putting an end to the Liberal Media argument when it comes to the news. It makes me frustrated and makes you look bad. Also, just use the fucking energy efficient lightbulbs. What is the issue here?

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