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The media pundit's pundit. Written by NYC insider Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine covers news, media, journalism, and politics.

Just listen

3 comments on Just listen

Just listen

: Jay Rosen tells CBS what they should do next: Listen.

Before they decide who gets the anchor chair, or what happens with CBS News, they could engage in an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, national act of public listening, where the entire divison, CBS News, just listens to Americans state their views about broadcast news. Lots of Americans, lots of views, lots of time to hear about all sides of the problem.

Maybe it’s a tour of America: CBS comes to you. There’s a public forum in every stop on the tour. Listening week. Instead of the Big Eye, symbol of CBS News, the Big Roving Ear.

But, of course, I doubt that they’ll listen about listening.

3 responses to “Just listen”

  1. MWB Avatar
    MWB

    Jeff,
    How does “I doubt they’ll listen” square with your view that media is entirely shaped by the market, and therefore needs no regulation?
    Again, I’m with you in not wanting FCC as “big brother” but believe you are too sanguine about media’s responsiveness to the marketplace. This appears to be a case in point.
    CBS News and all media decision makers need to pay attention, not just to their rights, but also their responsibilities. Respectful listening would be a good start.

  2. Yehudit Avatar
    Yehudit

    “How does “I doubt they’ll listen” square with your view that media is entirely shaped by the market, and therefore needs no regulation?”
    I don’t see how these are incompatible. If CBS doesn’t listen, the market will ensure their ratings continue to go down. that’s free markets and product choice at work. If CBS is propped up by some legislation, they will be more insulated from market forces than they are now.

  3. Ankle Biting Pajama Man Avatar
    Ankle Biting Pajama Man

    I think you have to be careful when you say CBS needs to “listen.” What you don’t want CBS to do is give Americans exactly what they want for the sake of profits. There is a very thin line between listening and market research.
    I think it would be a disservice to their responsibility as journalists to give Americans only what they want. The result of this is what happened after 9/11 in broadcast television. Coverage was terrible and incomplete because because everyone had cut their foreign bureaus to give Americans what they want.