Thoughts on media and rationality

I have been wondering lately, if Fox News didn't make loads of money by being right leaning, would they actually balance things out, or perhaps lean left if that brought them the cash? Honestly, I would bet they would go where the money is, as after all, they are good free market capitalists, or so they claim. That being said, I doubt there will ever be good money on the left, generally because the left is willing to debate rationally rather than emotionally. From what I have seen of Fox, they do not look at things from a rational right wing perspective, but from an emotional right wing perspective. My guess is that rational Republicans tend to be far too moderate, but this is only a hypothesis.

Air America was/is an attempt at a successful left-wing talk radio business model. It hasn't made money, but how do you make money trying to discuss issues when you aren't yelling and creating a commotion. Of course, many of Air America's target audience probably already get their news from NPR, and if you have the news, in a relatively straight forward format, one can come to one's own opinion of its effects. Not to say that on something complex like regulatory legislation, some expert commentary isn't appreciated to help decipher the complexities, but in most cases people figure things out on their own, and aren't put out by creating their own opinions.

Maybe I am wrong, but I also doubt the left looks for talk radio to be strictly entertainment, and would prefer if it is going to attempt to be info-tainment, then it should fall heavier on the info part of that portmanteau.

Getting bent out of shape happens on both sides of the fence, hence overkill with political correctness on the left and equating public health care with death camps on the right. When either side reaches the ridiculous, one might as well give up any hope of rational debate, though one doesn't necessarily need to concede. Oddly, when dealing with someone far to the emotional side, they don't even want to allow you to settle with an agreement to disagree, and without this nod, civility becomes strained.