I really thought that Parker’s column, ‘Introducing President MSNBC’ was so relevant to everything we’ve been discussing in class. She crafted her piece in such a cheeky but informative way, and really conveyed how the media may perhaps be too involved in modern day politics.
This coincides with what Schudson discusses — how much media does the public need, and when does the media blur the line between reporting news and shaping a political scene? Parker would probably argue that media, in particular MSNBC, has their own political agenda in mind a bit too much when they go about reporting. It’s very telling when reporting figures are more sought-out by the public than the candidates themselves.
It is also good that Parker defends opinion columnists, because she is right; it is their job to have an opinion. But it is not EVERYONE’s job to have an opinion; some people should just report. Her quote, “What is not counted on by casual consumers is the merging of a television personality’s politics and the viewer’s understanding of the world.” This one sentence accurately sums up what Schudson talks about when he questions what kind of journalism the public needs, and what can go wrong when things are reported in an inaccurate or an improper way.